Ariel (The Little Mermaid)
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| Ariel | |
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Ariel as portrayed in The Little Mermaid. |
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| First appearance | The Little Mermaid (1989) |
| Created by | Hans Christian Andersen |
| Voiced by | Jodi Benson |
| Also known as | Princess Ariel |
Princess Ariel is a fictional character, a mermaid who first appeared in Disney's 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid and later in its prequel television series and direct-to-video sequels The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea and The Little Mermaid III. Ariel is voiced by Jodi Benson in all the above animated material.
The character is based on the protagonist of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" story, but was developed into a different personality for the 1989 animated film adaptation. Her distinct appearance consists of long, flowing red hair, a green tail and a purple seashell bikini top. Until Giselle of Disney's 2007 film Enchanted, she was the only Disney Princess to have red hair.
A stage musical version of the 1989 film debuted in 2007, in which the "live" role was originated by Sierra Boggess.
Ariel is one of the meetable face characters the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
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[edit] Background
[edit] Design
Ariel's original design was developed by animator Glen Keane, who reportedly said in an animation lecture that she was based on his own wife.[1] Ariel's appearance was also based on model Sherri Stoner, who provided live-action references for the animators during the development of the film.
A challenge in animating Ariel for the 1989 film were the color required to show Ariel in the changing environments, both under the sea and on land, for which the animators required thirty-two color models, not including costume changes. The blue-green color of Ariel's fin was a hue specially mixed by the Disney paint lab; the color was named "Ariel" after the character.[2]
[edit] Voice casting
Jodi Benson, who was predominantly a stage actress when she was cast, was the choice to voice Ariel because the directors felt "it was really important to have the same person doing the singing and speaking voice". Co-director Ron Clements remarked that Benson's voice had "sweetness" and "youthfulness" that was unique.[2] When recording the vocals for Ariel's theme song "Part of Your World", Benson reportedly asked that the lights in the studio be dimmed, so to create the feeling of being deep under the sea.
[edit] International voice casting
International dubs of the animated films feature other actresses in the role of Ariel, among them Laura Vlasblom (Dutch), Claire Guyot (French), Mayumi Suzuki (Japanese), Isela Sotelo (Latin Spanish), Rula Zaki (Arabic), Johanna Nurmimaa (Finnish), Gabriela Ferreira (Brazilian Portuguese), Sissel Kyrkjebo (Danish, Norwegian and Swedish), Dominique Faure (Quebec), Ute Lemper and Dorette Hugo (German), Naomi van Dooren and Anna Carlsoon (German re-dub), Shlomit Aharon (Hebrew), Christa Stasinopolou (Greek), Beata Jankowska (Polish), Simona Patitucci (Italian), Marisa Leal and Kiara Sasso (Brazilian), Gabriela Lecon (Castilian), Gabriela Leon (Latin Spanish).
[edit] Fictional biography
[edit] The Little Mermaid
As depicted in the 1989 film, Ariel is the youngest of King Triton's seven daughters (being 16-years-old). She is shown as being adventurous and curious about the world of humans, a fascination which angers her father as merfolk are forbidden from making contact with the human world. Her best friend in the film is a fish named Flounder, and she develops a close relationship with a crab named Sebastian. Ariel salvages human items and keeps them in a secret grotto as part of her collection.
Over the course of the film Ariel saves the life of and falls in love with a human prince named Eric. She visits the sea witch, Ursula, to trade her voice for legs for three days in order to get a chance to win Eric's heart, not realising that this agreement is part of Ursula's bigger plan to trap Ariel's father, King Triton. Ariel almost manages to win the agreement by getting the "kiss of true love", but is stopped by Ursula's underhanded tactics. When the three day limit has passed, Ariel returns to mermaid form and is claimed by Ursula. King Triton trades himself for Ariel, enabling Ursula to claim the trident. In the battle that follows, Eric destroys Ursula. When the film ends, Ariel is transformed into a human permanently by King Triton's trident, and marries Prince Eric.
Ariel's theme song, which is referred to by Disney crew as the "I Want" song[3], is "Part of Your World", which she sings in her secret grotto proclaiming her fascination for human things. The song was originally going to be cut from the final film, due to the claim that it slowing the story down, but Howard Ashman reportedly fought to keep it in.[3] A reprise of the song is featured a little later in the film when Ariel declares that she wants to become part of Prince Eric's world.
[edit] Prequel television series
The prequel series, which first debuted in 1991, takes place an indeterminate time chronologically before the 1989 film, and revolves around Ariel's adventures as a mermaid living under the sea. Most Ariel's adventures involve her meeting various creatures, getting in trouble, and usually getting out of it successfully. Her friends Flounder and Sebastian are also featured prominently in the series. Ariel continues to be fascinated with human things in the series and is shown collecting items for her grotto.
Prince Eric is sometimes shown in the show, but Ariel always just misses seeing him, preserving the continuity that she sees him first in the 1989 film.
[edit] The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea
This 2000 direct-to-video sequel shows Ariel as having given birth to a daughter named Melody. When Melody's safety is threatened by a sea witch named Morgana (sister of Ursula, who died in the 1989 film), Ariel and her husband Eric decide they must keep Melody from the sea, and to this effect, build a large wall separating the castle from it. Melody's love of the sea proves too strong, however, and when Melody falls into Morgana's clutches, Ariel is forced to temporarily resume her mermaid form in order to rescue her.
This sequel features Ariel becoming an overprotective parent for her daughter, effectively taking over the role of her father in the 1989 film. This film also shows that Ariel was the only Disney Princess to become a mother.
[edit] The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning
This second direct-to-video sequel, slated for a August 26, 2008 release, is currently under production. Footage of the film which depicts Ariel in mermaid form was included in the 2006 Platinum Edition DVD release of the 1989 film. This is also announced as the last of the Disney Direct-To-Video releases.
[edit] Music albums
Due to the success of the 1989 film, a series of music albums were released as part of Disney's The Little Mermaid franchise and featuring Jodi Benson singing in character as Ariel. Among these albums are:
- "Sebastian from The Little Mermaid" - Ariel sings two full tracks, "Dancing Mood" and "Dance the Day Away", and provides supporting vocals in "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song).
- "Splash Hits" - This album features a few songs used in the prequel series and other original The Little Mermaid songs. Ariel sings about half the tracks on the album.
- "Songs from the Sea" - Features entirely original songs, and Ariel sings the majority of the tracks.
Ariel is also included in the various albums that have been released as part of the Disney Princess franchise. The most prominent song for the franchise is "If You Can Dream", which features solos by most "members" of the Disney Princess group. Jodi Benson sings as Ariel in this line as well.
[edit] Other appearances
[edit] Theme parks
Ariel makes regular appearances in the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, having a special location called Ariel's Grotto at most of them. Ariel also makes cameo appearances in Peter Pan's Flight at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom and in It's a Small World at Hong Kong Disneyland. She also has a major role in Mickey's PhilharMagic and stars in her own live stage shows at Disney's Hollywood Studios (Voyage of the Little Mermaid) and Tokyo DisneySea (Mermaid Lagoon Theater).
[edit] Disney's House of Mouse
Ariel appears as a regular guest in the animated television series Disney's House of Mouse and its specials. Her appearance alternates irregularly between her human form and her mermaid form, depending on what the situation requires. These appearances are not part of the animated film continuity. Jodi Benson continues to provide Ariel's voice in this series.
[edit] Kingdom Hearts series
The Kingdom Hearts video-game series uses elements from various films in the Disney animated canon, integrating and reinterpreting the stories to fit into the game's plot as the playable characters travel into different kingdoms or "worlds". The 1989 The Little Mermaid film and the kingdom of Atlantica are included as part of the game play.
[edit] Kingdom Hearts
In the first game, Ariel's story is similar to the 1989 film, but in addition she to deal with Ursula's attempt to use the Heartless to defeat King Triton. Ariel can be one of Sora's party members for this world. She encounters Sora as a merman (with a dolphin tail instead), Donald Duck as a half-octopus, and Goofy as a sea turtle. She is the only Disney Princess featured in the game who is not one of the Princesses of Heart and also the only female fighter to join the party.
[edit] Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
In this second game, Ariel is a character in Atlantica; but one in Sora's mind. Here, Ursula kidnaps Flounder and baits Ariel into stealing her father's trident. Ariel brings Ursula the trident, believing that Flounder has been taken to the human world, and learns the truth when she does. After helping Sora defeat Ursula, she resolves to tell her father what happened.
She can be acquired as a Friend card after visiting the Key of Guidance room. Using the card causes her to swim across the arena, injuring any enemies she strikes.
[edit] Kingdom Hearts II
As in the firm Kingdom Hearts, Ariel's story is almost a mirror of the 1989 film's plot. Songs in this world are "Swim This Way", "Part of Your World", "Under the Sea", "Ursula's Revenge", and "A New Day is Dawning". There are some slight changes from the film, among them being:
- The musical numbers, "Poor Unfortunate Souls" and "Kiss the Girl" are removed.
- Instead of Ursula's cave, the deal is made in the Courtyard.
- Sora, Donald and Goofy push the human Ariel to the surface instead of Sebastian and Flounder.
- Ariel already has clothes on immediately after her human transformation, in contrast to the film in which she appears completely naked with the exception of her seashell bikini top.
- Eric throws the trident — as originally storyboarded for the film — to defeat Ursula.
- Eric is conscious after Ursula is defeated, speaks with Ariel as a mermaid for a longer time, and eventually asks her if she'd teach him how to swim.
[edit] Disney Princess
Ariel is one of the eight characters of the Disney Princess line, a prominent franchise directed to young girls. The franchise covers a wide variety of merchandise, including but not limited to magazines, music albums, toys, clothes and stationery. Ariel is usually depicted in her mermaid form on the merchandise, but also appears in human form wearing her blue dress, white wedding dress or pink dress. The Disney Princess magazine features comics and posters of Ariel, usually in mermaid form.
[edit] Stage musical
A stage musical version of the 1989 film had its world premiere in Denver, Colorado in 2007 for its pre-Broadway tryout, and on January 10, 2008 debuted on Broadway. The character of Ariel for the stage adaptation was originated by Sierra Boggess. Jodi Benson, the original voice actor for Ariel, attended the musical's opening night.[4]
A few new songs were added to the score, accompanying the songs in the film that were moved to the stage. "The World Above" is Ariel's introductory song, replacing the entire shark-chase sequence in the film. In Act 2, although Ariel has become mute, she sings two songs expressing her thoughts and feelings, these songs being "Beyond My Wildest Dreams", where Ariel explores the human world for the first time, and "If Only", in which Ariel bemoans that she cannot express her feelings to Eric. Additionally, Ariel's voice can be heard in the extended opening of "Fathoms Below", although she is not seen on-stage.
The stage musical features new plot elements not present in the film. It is explained through dialogue that Ariel inherited her mother's singing voice, adding another layer to Triton's protectiveness of her. Ariel and Eric's romance is expanded from the film, as explored in a musical sequence "One Step Closer" where the pair dance together. In the climatic battle, it is Ariel, not Eric, who destroys Ursula by smashing the magic shell. The reason for this change was that the musical's creative team did not want Ariel to come off as passive.
[edit] Impact
Ariel is one of Disney's most iconic animated characters, and her specific color combination of red hair, purple sea shells and green tail make her distinctly identifiable.[2] Ariel is an official "ambassador" for the "Keep Our Oceans Clean" campaign by Environmental Defense, The National Maritime Sanctuary, and The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ Pocahontas (1995 film) Platinum Edition DVD
- ^ a b c Grant, John (1998). Encyclopedia of Walt Disney's Animated Characters (Third Edition). Hyperion, 344-345. ISBN 0-7868-6336-6.
- ^ a b Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989 film) Platinum Edition DVD
- ^ Scott, Brian Scott. "Part of Her World", TheaterMania.com, 2008-01-211. Retrieved on 2008-01-13.
- ^ Keep Our Oceans Clean - Official website
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