I've been searching for the original "The Little Mermaid" movie for years. I saw it during my obsession with the Disney version, clueless of the differences between versions. Of course, the Disney version has the happy ending where the heroine is rewarded for rescuing her prince...of course she falls in love and he follows suit quickly after...of course there is no third party, disregarding Ursula's attempt to distract Eric.
In the real "Little Mermaid", we have a mermaid named Marina who has also fallen in love with a human. She has her loyal companion, her large family of sisters, and a beautiful voice. She gives it all up to be with a man she has seen and saved...her life as she knows it, just to find love. She visits the evil sea witch and makes a deal--her voice for her love. In an un-Disney-like motion, her tongue is chopped off and the only way her "beloved" can recognize her is gone. If the prince returns her love she will regain her voice and live on. If he does not, she will die and become part of the ocean.
Throughout the movie, you think that Marina will get her man, but another woman comes into the picture...she has sidetracked Marina's true love and he falls in love with her. They are married and Marina accepts her fate to die. Her best friend intervenes by telling her sisters...they all make a deal with the sea witch. They have chopped off their beautiful hair in exchange for her life. The catch: Marina must stab her love while he is sleeping.
The most poignant part of the movie is watching her hover over the bed... the knife is raised, the two lovers are entwined. Even though the last time I've seen this movie was ten years ago, I still remember the big eyes of a Japanamation character first narrowing, then accepting defeat. She chooses love over life. She dies and melts into the ocean, while her poor friend is jumping out of the water, calling "Marina! Marina!" over and over again. I don't care how old you are, (and ignore how horrible my description of this movie may be) but if you're not at least a little teary at this scene, you've got problems.
Anybody who has seen the Disney "The Little Mermaid" must see this. I still love the other version, but this one stayed with me for much longer. Like to torture yourself with tragic movies? This one should be top of your list.
In the real "Little Mermaid", we have a mermaid named Marina who has also fallen in love with a human. She has her loyal companion, her large family of sisters, and a beautiful voice. She gives it all up to be with a man she has seen and saved...her life as she knows it, just to find love. She visits the evil sea witch and makes a deal--her voice for her love. In an un-Disney-like motion, her tongue is chopped off and the only way her "beloved" can recognize her is gone. If the prince returns her love she will regain her voice and live on. If he does not, she will die and become part of the ocean.
Throughout the movie, you think that Marina will get her man, but another woman comes into the picture...she has sidetracked Marina's true love and he falls in love with her. They are married and Marina accepts her fate to die. Her best friend intervenes by telling her sisters...they all make a deal with the sea witch. They have chopped off their beautiful hair in exchange for her life. The catch: Marina must stab her love while he is sleeping.
The most poignant part of the movie is watching her hover over the bed... the knife is raised, the two lovers are entwined. Even though the last time I've seen this movie was ten years ago, I still remember the big eyes of a Japanamation character first narrowing, then accepting defeat. She chooses love over life. She dies and melts into the ocean, while her poor friend is jumping out of the water, calling "Marina! Marina!" over and over again. I don't care how old you are, (and ignore how horrible my description of this movie may be) but if you're not at least a little teary at this scene, you've got problems.
Anybody who has seen the Disney "The Little Mermaid" must see this. I still love the other version, but this one stayed with me for much longer. Like to torture yourself with tragic movies? This one should be top of your list.