The Wonderful World Of Disney: The Little Mermaid Live
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Cheesy, watered down performance of popular animated film.
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The Wonderful World Of Disney: The Little Mermaid Live
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What's the Story?
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY: THE LITTLE MERMAID LIVE is a special musical event celebrating the 30 year anniversary of Disney's popular animated film. The unique presentation, which takes place in front of a live audience, features the original movie, and combines it with live performances from Moana's Auli'i Cravalho as Ariel, Graham Phillips as Prince Eric, and Queen Latifah as the irrepressible Ursula. Musical numbers by Shaggy and John Stamos also add to the fray. There's also a new character (played by Glee's Amber Riley) and an original song.
Is It Any Good?
This larger-than-life musical extravaganza attempts to deliver all the spectacle that Disney is known for by combining film, live action, puppetry, aerial stunts, and special effects. However, most of the show isn't live, and viewers spend most of the two-hour event watching the original Disney film. The live cast delivers some solid (if not always perfect) singing performances, but transitioning to them in-between film scenes is sometimes a little jarring. There are some creative attempts at simulating the events that take place underseas, but the costumes and stage props lack the sophistication one would expect from a show of this magnitude. But there are some fun moments, like when John Stamos breaks character while playing Chef Louis, and when Queen Latifah takes Ursula's sassy movements to a new level. The movie's multigenerational fans will enjoy singing along to the live performances of the film's most iconic songs, but The Little Mermaid Live feels watered down, and falls short of being magical.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the popularity of the story of The Little Mermaid. How did Disney adapt the story from the original dark, sad fairy tale to make it more lighthearted?
What are the challenges of adapting animated films to live television? What kinds of things were featured in The Little Mermaid Live to create Ariel's underwater world?
TV Details
- Premiere date: November 5, 2019
- Cast: Auli’i Cravalho , Graham Phillips , Queen Latifah
- Network: ABC
- Genre: Kids Musical TV
- Topics: Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: September 14, 2021
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