guess a timeline where " Part of Your World " does n’t survive .
The Little Mermaid(1989) remains one of Disney’s most beloved animated films of all time.
So, before we dive into the 2023 live-action remake, we thought it would be fun to check out some incredible behind-the-scenes facts about the classic film (which practically savedWalt DisneyStudios)!
Let’s get started:
1.The Little Mermaidwas initially rejected in favor of aSplashsequel.
2.“Part of Your World” almost didn’t make the cut.
In a 2019interviewwith Polygon , Ariel voice actor / singerJodi Benson explained that Disney Studios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg wanted to trench the now iconic rail . The reason ? It did n’t test well with fry during a screening .
3.And lyricistHoward Ashman— who wrote “Part of Your World” alongside composer Alan Menken — threatened to quit if Katzenberg cut the song.
4.Ursula’s physical appearance and mannerisms were (mostly) inspired by a popular drag queen named Divine, who never got to see the film.
5.But early sketches of Ursula were also based onDynastystar Joan Collins.
6.Ursula is commonly labeled an “octopus,” but she only has six tentacles — this was a result ofbudget concerns.
7.The film’s two-minute chaotic storm sequence when Ariel first finds and saves Eric tookover a yearto animate.
8.And overone million bubbleswere hand-drawn for the film.
9.Ariel was supposed to be a blonde.
10.The originalTheLittle Mermaidfairy tale by Danish authorHans Christian Andersen, which the film was based on, was deemed too depressing because the mermaid died at the end.
11.While the fairy tale as a whole was too dark for Disney’s audience, Disney also decided that the story’s sea witch (aka Ursula) actually wasn’t evilenough.
12.Sebastian was supposed to be uptight and British.
13.The Little Mermaidtriggered what became known as “the Disney Renaissance.”
14.Pat Carroll wasn’t the first choice to voice Ursula.
15.In the original script, it was revealed that Ursula was actually King Triton’sbanished sister.
16.Jim Carreyread for the role of Prince Eric, while Bill Maher and Michael Richards read for Scuttle.
17.The Little Mermaidwas the studio’s final full-length animated film that utilized thetraditional methodof hand-inked and hand-painted cels.
18.And finally: Mickey, Donald, and Goofy make a cameo during one of the film’s opening scenes!
Walt Disney RecordsIn a 2019interviewwith Polygon, Ariel voice actor/singerJodi Benson explained that Disney Studios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg wanted to ditch the now iconic track.The reason? It didn’t test well with children during a screening.
