I saw this version of The Little Mermaid when I was around 4 or 5 years old... you know, the fact that the mermaid kills herself went completely over my head at the time. I think the fish even says something like "No Marina, don't do it!"... has anyone else seen this as a small child? if yes, what we your experiences?
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Yeah I remember watching it as a kid and crying a lot at the end.
shareI saw this before I saw the Disney version. I remember I didn't like the DIsney one as much because they changed the story so much.
Every time I watched this as a child I cried. I bet I'd still cry if I saw it now. Unfortunately I don't have the video tape anymore. Whenever I even read the story I cry.
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I'd only just found out about the movie last year, and by chance I found some copies on eBay. I quite liked it as it was closer to Anderson's story, although I did enjoy the Disney version as a child. I was a little disappointed at finding out the original ending to the story, but after reading it and finding out the real meaning behind it, (the mermaid's search for a soul, instead of becoming foam, and then becoming a Daughter of the Air at the end) it seemed to make more sense.
The last scene with Fritz, and Marina deciding not to kill the man she loved (as she wouldn't have been happy - "HIS happiness is MY happiness") before commiting suicide was heartbreaking. Her little resprise of her song as she died only added to the heartbreak. :-( I recently found out the whole song's lyrics, and they seemed VERY prophetic, and very eerie.
I don't agree with the statement that the little mermaid commited suicide. Marina knew that she would turn to sea foam the morning after the prince wed another-that was the pact made with the sea witch. After she decided that she couldn't kill the prince to save herself, dawn was approaching and she was going to turn into foam. I feel like she jumped from the ship to return to the sea (her home) before she died (turned into foam). The act of jumping into the ocean didn't kill her. As you see, it's when the sun touches her body that she turns to foam and ascends to heaven.
Even as a young child I understood it this way. If you knew you were going to die. Wouldn't you want to be at home when it happened?
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I really liked this version. I guess I'm just not a big fan of 100% happy, feel good movies. I was really disappointed with the Disney version, but I realize that the Disney version was much more child appropriate.
I'm currently trying to locate another copy of this movie, as it's been awhile since I've seen it.
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Fair enough... if you think this version (the true version) is "sexist and outdated" to a "modern" audience presumably? But your inference that the Disney one is somehow less sexist is beyond ludicrous.
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I saw this movie a good ten years before the Disney version even came out, I found it highly dissapointing. This version makes me brake down and weep to this very day.
I bought a new copy on DVD off of amazon not six months ago for about ten dollars. It may be tricky since whoever packaged it came up with some sort of cheesy new cover art. Just make sure that you get one where the main character is named Marina.
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Obviously this is much more like the original version by Hans Christian Andersen than the one by Disney.
When I first read the story by Hans Christian Andersen, I was traumatized (if you'd like to put it that way), and it can still be a shock for me to this day.
Here's what I'd love to know: what becomes of the prince and his bride, I mean, what do they think and/or do with themselves?
Hey, I saw this movie when I was a kid too. It's really gotten to me over the years, and even though I like the original tale, I don't really like this movie any more. It's just too disturbing and sad! I think it scarred me when I was little; I wasn't ready to see how cruel and stupid people can be. By the way, dbzgal104, you raised a good question about what the prince and his little "princess" (ugh!!) do with themselves after Marina's death. You might want to look into a book called "Truly Grim Tales" by Priscilla Galloway. It's a really cool book of retold fairy tales and one of them tells what happened to the prince and his bride after the little mermaid died. (Just the author's opinion of what happened, of course, but I think she's right on.) It's really cool; the story goes into the prince's new marriage and what he felt like after the mermaid died (after he finally figured it out, that is). His bride is even described to look exactly like she did in the movie, with shiny black hair! It doesn't end happily, but I thought it was a satisfying ending and it answered all my questions. Might want to look into it :)
shareI think I will try to check that out!
You're right on, whitespirit26! Scarring, disturbing, etc. His new "princess" took credit for something she didn't even do! >:( What was Hans Christian Andersen thinking?
Who knows? I know that Andersen suffered a lot from love himself, so that probably influenced his writing; I think he also wanted to show how cruel and thoughtless people can be. He did THAT, all right! It's interesting how the prince's bride is shown to be a sweet person, but we end up disliking her almost more than the prince (but then, she is the Other Woman and her title of princess bride was unfairly won). My sister and I would practically plot her and the prince's destruction when we were little after watching the film, or else turn it off halfway through. When I have kids, I'll have to remember to show them the Disney version when they're little, then let them check out the orginal version when they're older. Disney is good at softening things. (By the way, if the book I recommended is out of print, you can find it for a low price on Amazon, or probably at a local library or school library (which is where I found it).
shareSo you and your sister would practically plot the destruction of the prince and his bride? Whitespirit26...you rock!!!
shareThank you, thank you :) I'm usually a nice person, but no one treats sweet Marina like that and gets away with it! Oh well, it's good to know I'm not the only one who feels this way.
shareSame here; I'm usually nice, but Marina (or whatever name they give the mermaid, depending on the story) did not deserve that! Yes, it's wonderful to know I'm not the only person who finds it traumatizing and shocking as well.
shareAt the end of the film, after Marina jumped off the ship, it showed the prince remembering that she was the one who really saved him. This always kills me! If only the prince realized that before! He nicknamed Marina "Princess Mermaid", and yet he couldn't put two and two together? The fact that the other princess was totally dry when she found him on the beach should've tipped him off!
shareYou said it! How could the other princess have "saved" him if she was completely dry on the beach?
How does he remember Marina saving him? Doesn't she leave before he wakes up? So he catches on that Marina saved him, and not his new bride, after she jumps off the boat? Uh oh...
What happened was, when Marina threw the sea-witch's dagger into the sea, it turned red and made a loud noise. The prince heard the noise, woke up, ran to the deck, and tried to stop Marina from jumping, but she shook her head and dove in anyway. As her foam rose from the water, the prince picked up her comb and the scale from her tale (which she'd left on the ship) and remembered her saving him. So sad! I wonder if he could bear staying married to that other princess once he knew the truth??
shareThat's what I'd like to know! Perhaps he himself eventually commits suicide?
shareIf he didn't, I'm sure her memory haunted him for the rest of his life. He'd have to live knowing what he lost, how he was responsible for her death, and how his new bride could never measure up to her. I wonder what his bride would think if she knew? His parents should've known the truth about Marina too, since they were also responsible for what happened by forcing the prince to marry someone else. They were so snobbish about Marina and had no idea that she saved their son's life!
shareIf the prince's bride and parents found out, that would be sweet in a way. LOL
Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean I'm glad about Marina's fate.
His parents were snobbish about her? How come? Well, here's what I've always wondered: what exactly do other people think of him just taking her in?
Some people thought it was odd, but the servants who knew her loved her. His parents were worried because that horrible little Siamese cat "Jemmy" told them that the "little mute girl" bewitched him. I also think, though, that they disapproved of her in general because they thought she was a poor nobody. I mean, would they really have worried about her bewitching him if she'd been a really rich land-princess? Probably not! That was the main reason the prince didn't marry her; his parents found out about her, forcibly separated them, and took him to see the other princess who he thought saved him. What exactly did you mean when you said it'd be sweet if everyone found out about Marina? Did you mean it'd be sweet because that way they could all remember her with fondness?
shareSweet because they could remember her with fondness...not what I had in mind, but that is an idea! Here's what I meant: it would be "sweet" if the prince's bride and parents found out the truth about Marina because they would know she really rescued him, and you know how that should make them feel the rest of their lives-like the worthless creeps they are!
shareAh ha! (sorry, I misunderstood your usage of the word sweet, obviously). Yeah, that should put them in their places. I like the way you think! They probably did find out; I doubt the prince could keep that to himself. I think he really loved Marina; he just got so caught up in the memory of the dark-haired princess "rescuing" him that he took for granted how lucky he was to have Marina.
shareHey, don't feel bad about misunderstanding my usage of sweet! I've misunderstood things before.
You like my thinking? Thank you very much!
From what I can figure, the prince does love the mermaid, but that memory of the other princess doesn't leave, plus the part his parents had (I repeat, creeps!) Yeah, I also doubt he can keep it to himself.
That kind of makes me feel better, the thought that the prince's bride and parents eventually found out everything. Just goes to show that the truth always comes out and bad actions never go unpunished (at least I don't think they do). The prince probably resented them for the rest of his life. It's funny, but I used to feel a little bit guilty about not liking the prince's bride because she seemed nice. It wasn't until recently that I realized the extent of her dishonesty. Unless she was rather ditzy and thought she saved him just by shaking him awake, she really was willing to let him believe a lie! Funny how that never fully occured to me before.
shareYeah, the idea that the bride and parents most likely found out the entire truth kinda makes me feel better too. How I'd love to see their reactions! I totally agree with you about bad actions never going unpunished. It's sometimes hard to keep in mind though. That bride of his; ugh, what an idiotic jerk!
shareYou know how, in the Disney version of the story, the prince's bride is really Ursula in disguise and not a princess at all? Well, of course Ursula was a much worse person than the prince's original bride, but I can't help wondering if Disney did that deliberatly in order to portray the prince's bride in an unlikeable way. I mean, Andersen described her as an angelic-looking woman, but maybe Disney, like us, noticed her little deception and that's why they had a witch play her! (This is a very far-fetched notion, but I can't help but wonder). Either way, both Ursula and the original bride let the prince think they were someone they weren't. They have that much in common!
shareHm, I never thought of that before. You have a sharp mind also!
shareThanks a lot! It's good to find a person with a similar mind. I read one of your comments on another message board about how fiction sometimes makes you angry and it sounded so much like me. I stopped watching that old show "The Practice" because so often horrible criminals would get away with their crimes (it was a lawyer show, in case you're not familiar with it). I usually can't even stand watching a movie or reading a story if it has an unjust ending.
shareYeah, I definitely know how you feel about sometimes taking fiction too seriously. I've never seen The Practice, but have heard of it. Some of the endings on Law & Order (whether it's just titled Law & Order, or is also called Criminal Intent or Special Victims Unit) are unjust as well. I know what happens to Marina the mermaid is totally unjust! Say, I bet you read me saying I take fiction too seriously on the message board for the show Are You Afraid of the Dark?. Does that sound correct?
shareYup, that's the one! I used to watch that show all the time and taped my favorite episodes. Even now, they sometimes give me pleasant chills. I totally agree with what you said about the chameleon episode, not just because of the horribly disturbing ending, but because I think the episode itself was altogether stupid. I like those twin actresses, but I hope never to hear one of them attempt an evil laugh again! They should stick to comedy. (By the way, I replied to your private message and just wanted to make sure you got it)
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From who did you get the dvd? I looked on e-bay and couldn't find anything. Ta
"...a weatherman, eight small parts and a Widow Twanky!"
Yes...I cant not wait to see this movie again after all most 30 years!!!! When i was a chiled my aunt took me to see this movie at a local theater in Cuba...This is the only movie that i have ever seen that has haunted me till this day when i think back of the first time i saw it. Oh my GOD it was Emotional, Shocking, Painfull and beautifully poetic all at the same time!!! No joke!!!! the experience that i had as a chiled from this film animation, made me experience pain and lonelyness for the first time... She was so inocent and pure makes me want to jump in the ocean and live with her for ever and ever!!! I will allways love you my little mermaid!!!
shareI own this movie, and always preferred this ending to the Disney one. I mean, I love the Disney movie, but this ending is so much more poetic. I still cry watching it. The music is also incredibly beautiful.
shareThe music at the end, though, sounds horrid, like they're wailing instead of singing. I wish I'd never seen this as a child. I like Andersen's story, but the ending in this movie was way too depressing, even worse than the way Andersen wrote it. All that needless suffering! Poor Marina was surrounded by morons who didn't appreciate her. I prefer the Disney ending.
shareWhen I was younger I saw a version of the little mermaid, where she had to kill the prince but couldn't and in the end she turned into some kind of sea rock. Does anyone know which little mermaid this is?
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Ive been looking for this version for a LONG time, if you have anything at all on the title of the movie, or youve seen it, please email me.
hopefully the title is not simply "The Little Mermaid" because it will be hard to find. lol
I actually had the tape of this movie when i was a child. Wonder what happened to it...
RBD and Timbiriche 4life...
I thought it was the disney version and so my mom rented it for me when I was like 6, and I started crying uncontrollably and she had to take me back to the video store to get the Disney version. Now, I think it's amazing...it's so beautiful, so much more meaningful. It affects me for real, unlike the Disney version. That one just kind of got me in a singing mood...this version is really the most faithful, definitive version of the story. And it's amazing.
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I saw this movie when I was little one time. My mother rented it for me and never let me see it again because she decided it was not kid friendly. However I loved the movie. The little mermaid is the one movie I had seen when I was a kid that stuck with me all these years. I have allways had a fondness for fantasy and this was my first fantasy movie. I always thought it was sad but I wouldn't have it any other way. The movie would not have impacted me the way it had if it had not been what it is.
shareThis movie affected me a lot. When I was a kid I was a HUGE fan of Disney's the Little Mermaid and I stayed with one of my friends once and her mother promised we'd get to watch the Little Mermaid so I was excited thinking it was the Disney version. As a kid I was upset to see this version and how it ended. I was mad at my friend's mom for showing it to me but thinking back now it was a good movie and far more powerful than the one Disney did.
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I've been searching all over the place for a 'Little Mermaid' I saw by chance a very long time ago, when I was little and was wondering if anyone could tell me if this was it. Is this the one where (sorry but it does say *spoilers*) she dies at the end (in a non-child distressing kinda way), and is blonde instead of a redhead, and there's a scene with horse-riding? And is this the one where there's like a narrator dude and, at the very end, it cuts to the real statue of the little mermaid in copenhagen? Is this it?
thanx 2 any1 who can help me! lol.
e x
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I have to say I disagree with the statement that Marina dies in a non "child-distressing" way. It wasn't bloody, true, but it disturbed me as a child. The sight of her body slowly dissolving into foam during that HORRID background chorus of disimbodied voices was one of the most depressingly haunting things I've ever seen.
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