A Woman Who Takes Matters Into Her Own Tentacles!

The first Disney princess film I was exposed to in a movie theater was none other than The Little Mermaid. I don't remember that day as I was only 2 years old, but my mother certainly does.

Parents like telling stories about their children, and my mother is no exception. A favorite of hers (and mine) is that back when The Little Mermaid came out in 1989, she, my father and I took a trip to the local movie theater to see it.

My father and I didn't stay for very long, though. Unfortunately, early on in the film when Urusla laughed evilly and filled the whole screen, I got scared (as small ones often do) and started crying. My mother wanted to stay and watch the remainder of the film, so my dad took me home while my mother finished watching what became a Disney classic.

Something that not too many people know about Ursula, though, is that she is actually King Triton's sister and therefore Ariel's aunt. In the original score for "Fathoms Below," there is more back-story given to the turmoil brewing between Triton and Ursula, but a sizable chunk of the song was cut from the film. It eventually was brought "to the surface" for the Broadway show, and therefore Ariel and Ursula's familial relationship was further explored.

But that adds in an interesting dimension, doesn't it? It almost adds more urgency in Ursula's drive and plotting. We knew she was used to palace life but it must have hurt that much more to be kicked out of your home by your own brother (even if you were trying to take control of the ocean). Using his precious daughter who gets palace pampering every single day to use as a negotiation tool? Very, very clever. Ursula even feels a little bad about it after she turns her back into a mermaid. "Poor little princess, it's not you I'm after, but a much bigger fish." Triton was cruel to both of them - Ursula could sympathize with this poor unfortunate soul.

Speaking of bigger fish...can I just say how much I love the fact that Ursula isn't some super-skinny character? Her curves are almost empowering to her personality. It adds an extra zest of charm. The animators that worked on the film experimented with all sorts of body types, but said that they just couldn't help but love the fat Ursula concepts.

Original concept art for Ursula. VERY reminiscent of the era!

That's why it kind of disappoints me that they made Ursula thinner for the Broadway show. I mean, I understand Alan Menken's reasoning - he says that Ursula complains about "wasting away" and yet fat Ursula doesn't seem to reflect that visually. But part of Ursula's personality and charm is in her body - her body works harmoniously with her strong, bold voice. A thinner Ursula just isn't, well...Ursula. But that's just my opinion. No disrespect to any of the lovely actresses that have played Ursula on-stage, of course - I just naturally want to hear something akin to Pat Carroll.

Sherie Rene Scott as Ursula.

Disney seems to be on the attack of big and beautiful Ursula, lately. I and many other women that I've talked to (none of us with quite as much curves as Ursula) were pretty disappointed when we saw the look of her Designer Doll.

A nip here, a tuck there...

I mean - what?! Bleh. It's kind of ironic that it feels like Disney is trying to subtly say that Ursula's curves make her ugly when this skinny version is just way more unappealing to the eye (well, mine anyway). And in some ways, it feels like an insult to the animators that created her. I understand artistic licence but you need to also give your audience what they want. (I will say, however, that her outfit is fabulous.)

To be honest, the Disney Villains line surprises me in that Disney is essentially taking the same approach they take with the princess line - I'm not sure that that is the best way to go. Yes, there are Disney fans that love both worlds, but not all of them do. I think that the hardcore villains lovers are different in their tastes in fashion and style...while the outfits the dolls are wearing might fit that direction, I'm unsure about the available fashion for living, breathing women.

A girlfriend of mine said to me that she's always been more of a villains girl her whole life, but upon seeing Disney's designs for fashion felt that they were overall still too frilly and girly for her taste. I can't say that I disagree with her. Sequins, lavender and a floral motif?

Jumping back to skinny Ursulas, though...there has been some recent drama over a certain sexy Ursula costume that doesn't come in plus sizes. I came across the story at the Huffington Post.

The offending costume.

Yes, the costume is officially sanctioned by Disney, though not sold directly under the Disney brand name. It's not the best Ursula costume I've ever seen (to be honest, I really wonder why they thought the tiered crinoline look was a good idea - several have voiced their opinion that the costume was poorly and cheaply made), but the Disney Store isn't offering anything this year. I believe that this costume was available through them last year:

Anyhow...some people are upset that Ursula, a fat character, only has a costume available for people that fit a small, medium or large. That it is sending a message to women everywhere that even Ursula, who seems sexy in her own way as she was originally created, just cannot be sexy enough to warrant a sexy costume without sending her look on an extreme diet, and therefore that fat women just cannot be sexy, or fashionable, if you bring the Designer Doll into the discussion as well.

I think that anyone should be whatever they want to be for Halloween. Certain body types have it hard enough to go shopping for clothes - why take Ursula away from the bigger women? I read a few chauvinistic comments related to the extra curvy wearing more revealing clothing like said costume, but you know what? As long as nothing is being illegally exposed, someone can wear it. You can't tell someone you don't want them to wear something that is okay for other people to wear just because you are not comfortable with it.

Some might even say that this is "stupid" to express outrage over. News flash: no, nothing is stupid to express concern over if it truly hurts someone. Not everyone knows or understands what certain demographics are exposed to when it comes to sensitive issues for themselves, and the truth is that body weight is one of those serious issues for girls. Yesterday was International Girl's Day (the first ever) - it's dismissive attitudes like this that make it necessary for the UN to declare a day like this.

This costume's creation has nothing to do with sending a message of "being healthy" as some might try to excuse it as - no, there is a market for women wanting to dress as naughty versions of Disney characters. I don't necessarily think that Disney is trying to tell women that if they are plus size they are "too ugly" to be allowed to dress in an outfit like that in public - I just think that it was a miscalculation considering who the actual character is.

And don't underestimate the importance of body language!

As for the Designer Doll? Well...that would be part artistic choice but was also probably a financial one. Having to use a different mold just for the Ursula doll would have cost Disney more. But in my honest opinion, if they didn't want to spend the extra money to create a more authentic doll, they probably should not have included Ursula at all.

If you're looking for a great Ursula costume, I'd suggest going to websites like Ebay, Etsy, doing a search for cosplay, or heck, just make it yourself! There are a bunch of women that have already done it and, quite frankly, all of their costumes look fantastic. These options might be more expensive, but you'll have a serious wow factor when you step out in those tentacles! Oh, and speaking of tentacles -

This seller makes earrings like these in all sorts of colors. Check out the Etsy listing here.

Maybe you would rather have something more along the lines of Ursula's actual accessories? Maybe the very nautilus shell carrying Ariel's voice, perhaps?

Besides the Ursula Inspired Sea Shell Necklace, this seller also sells recreations of Ursula's earrings! Very cool.

As for the Disney Store, you can purchase a fat Ursula doll, amongst a few other items. My personal favorite is the ornament (kind of in love with this new character ear line)...

Well, that does it for today. I'm Sea Witch-ed out! So, what do you think about this whole thinned-out Ursula business? Talk about it here!

2011 - Disney's Year of the Mermaid

2011 was a fairly good year for the Disney Company. Sure, everyone flubs up at some point (like, say, Cars 2 – was anyone really surprised?), but overall, the company is seeing a bright future.

2011 was the year of the mermaid for Disney. Mermaids have hooked us (no pun intended) long before Walt Disney was even born, entrancing us with their folklore, beauty, and mystery. Disney had two significant mermaid properties to utilize this year especially, though one of them is hardly new.

The Little Mermaid was a turning point for the company. If the film failed at box office, the entire animation division would have been shut down (similar to the circumstances under which Cinderella was made). While most of the people working on the project knew they had something special, the extreme success of the film sent shock waves through the company, and the Disney Renaissance was born.

That was 1989. Jump forward a few years, and Walt Disney Imagineering was working on an expansion plan for Disneyland Paris (then going by another name). Since building a brand new park is a very costly endeavor, most of the time they start off with a limited amount of attractions. In the event that the new park is successful, a company is more at ease to spend more money to expand (and, ideally, they are making a good portion of their money back by that point). As part of the expansion, Paris would receive the first Little Mermaid dark ride. Like Peter Pan attractions, the ride would feature hanging clamshells as ride vehicles, where you would glide under the sea and above. Many were very excited for the proposed attraction, with Tony Baxter eagerly at the helm. Unfortunately, the new park did not do as well as it was hoped (and this became a catalyst for a lot of corner-cutting for many other projects in the 1990s), and Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian got shelved with many other gadgets and gizmos.

 Fans lamented the abandoned plans, but became hopeful as time went on. Perhaps Ariel would find her legs eventually – if not in Europe, maybe in the states? The Little Mermaid got re-released to home theaters with some very interesting bonus features, including a whole segment on the ride that never made it to Paris, garnering even more interest with the public. When the internet got word that Disney (then Disney’s, but no longer, and it sounds strange in my opinion) California Adventure was getting a huge, big-budget expansion to make it a park worthy of sitting across from the original Disneyland in Anaheim, many expressed a hope that The Little Mermaid would finally find a place in a Disney theme park. Some argued that Ariel did not belong in a theme park themed to California when her story took place in Denmark, while others felt that as long as she found her way in Paradise Pier, it was fine. Then, it was finally announced! The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure was kicking Golden Dreams out of Paradise Pier in the expansion, and with much nicer plans than Paris originally had. Fans were told to imagine a Fantasyland dark ride, but with Haunted Mansion themeing and technology. Naturally, expectations were high.

And now, we get to the year 2011. The new attraction begins soft openings just before the chaos of summer and Star Tours 2.0 begin, and the ride is a hit! Not only has the ride become incredibly popular, but because it is such a high-capacity attraction, the wait is never unbearable (and, luckily, when it does have a long line it still does not obstruct the walkway in Paradise Pier). The state-of-the-art audio-animatronics are very impressive, from Ariel’s hair to Ursula’s skin. Later on in the year at D23 (the Disney Convention that was incredibly chaotic), Disney devoted a whole presentation to the new attraction, detailing all sorts of things from how tiny Triton’s head looks without his hair and beard to the utilization of an ipod for Sebastian’s eyes. All of this must be getting those on the East Coast even more excited for their version of that attraction that is to come to Florida.

But meanwhile, a very different kind of mermaid – a terrifying kind, in fact – was swimming into theaters summer 2011. The highly-anticipated Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides made its way to the big screen, and utilizing a new (for the series) piece of pirate lore: you guessed it, mermaids. 

While the film had its hits and misses, a major selling point for the film (and favorite aspect for audiences) was the mermaids, who were by no means a small part of the film, with one mermaid actually being a supporting character and a part of a significant plot point. 

The mermaids in Pirates have been frequently used for merchandising, and were even a part of starting a new fashion trend in nail art. They even made their way to the Disneyland Resort with Ariel, part of a newer segment for the hit show World of Color in Disney California Adventure. I’d venture to say that half of the segment features the mermaids. Disney didn’t create this segment just to put in more Johnny Depp. Plus, the film did quite well at the box office, as it was one of the top-grossing films of the year domestically making $241,071,802. 

So here’s to 2011, Disney’s year of the mermaid, and here’s to 2012, with many more exciting things to come!

The Love/Hate Triangle of Sleeping Beauty, The Swan Princess, and The Princess and the Frog

I really, really love The Princess and the Frog. Though it wasn't the Box Office sweeper Disney execs were hoping for, I think the story is clever (I think it was very smart and, dare I say it, “hip” of Disney to go off of the book The Frog Princess for inspiration instead of simply the story of The Frog Prince), the characters are engaging, and the animation is gorgeous. Disney certainly isn't crying over their Princess Tiana merchandise sales.

From my childhood, I have fond memories of The Swan Princess. While not a Disney film, it was a princess movie that entertained my naturally girlish fantasies that fit nicely next to my library of Disney VHS tapes. Watching it as an adult, I notice its flaws, but can still enjoy it, if not for nostalgia’s sake. And come on – the antics of the Pillsbury Doughboy before the film and the “Eternity” music video afterwards is classic entertainment!

It wasn’t until recently that I discovered quite a few similarities to these two films, and in fact one other film that links the two together…and upon some research, finding out how much backstabbing and one-upping is done within the entertainment industry.

Richard Rich, an Animation Director, used to work for Disney, but eventually left the company (The Black Cauldron was his final Disney project, which caused quite a bit of chaos with the company). He went on to create his own animation studio and beat Disney to the punch to make a film based off of the story of Swan Lake…obviously, Disney didn’t like that. They eventually dropped the idea of making a Swan Princess film (granted, this idea might eventually resurface after renewed interest from the film The Black Swan, but that’s only my musings), but old grudges die hard, and some remnants of this fight showed up in The Princess and the Frog.

It’s true that many fairy tales share similar details to each other. Companies like Disney are not at fault for this…these stories are thousands of years old, and through word of mouth and different interpretations, they might have stemmed from only a handful of stories but have taken up their own individual names at this present day.

The queen bee of fairy tales.

So I’ll ignore certain similarities, like the obligatory evil sorcerer/witch character. Magic easily justifies crazy transformations of characters and situations and dates back to the very beginnings of theatre. The ancient Greeks loved writing in their gods changing things to cause resolutions to major plot points, and later on playwrights such as Shakespeare used magic in all sorts of situations.

Instead, let’s compare Jean Bob to Prince Naveen.

The teeth detailing here is interesting to say the least.

My colors are more refined, yes?

Originally, Disney’s animators tried drawing frogs in all sorts of ways, even with a more realistic approach – but those images just didn’t measure up. Even in the teaser, Naveen didn’t have his final look set. To be honest, I do prefer the direction they eventually took. As the animators noted, having Naveen and Tiana (as frogs) have more human attributes in the form of a frog made them more pleasing to the eye, and were therefore more likable and relate-able for an audience. I also love Naveen’s accent…but with both of those pieces put together, it’s hard to ignore the similarities between Naveen and Jean Bob. Jean Bob, however, was not the prince in The Swan Princess, and only had the obsessive idea that he would turn into a prince if he was kissed by a princess. 

Disney's concept art for The Princess and the Frog.

But let’s give Disney some credit here. They did not start this copy-catting process – at least in this particular situation. 

The Swan Princess clearly took some ideas from Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, and in fact, many general ideas for a classic Disney film.

And why should that surprise anyone? Not only has Disney paved the way and set the standard for animated films, but after all these years, they are still considered to be the best at what they do. And Richard Rich came from Disney…so why wouldn’t he “borrow” some ideas?

Odette and Aurora have quite a few similarities, from a design standpoint…even in key imagery. In both films, when the princesses are born, a huge party is held, and their betrotheds (Derek and Phillip) who look to be between the ages of 5-7, stand over the cribs of the future brides…one looks at theirs questioningly, while the other gives the baby a locket. 

Well...guess my whole life is planned out already. Yay!

 

True princesses always like shiny things.

Eventually, however, Derek does look at Odette with disgust, as they go about their childhoods hating each other and hating the fact that they are forced to marry (a fact that both Phillip and Aurora despise, but they do not see each other and it eventually works in their favor as they fell in love without the knowledge that they were engaged in the first place). Both Odette and Aurora are tall, slender blondes with long wavy hair that hits at the same place, and their princes are tall, handsome brunettes (Phillip is a little more clean-cut).

And let’s not forget that in The Swan Princess, Odette’s prince is named Derek…which sounds an awful lot like Eric from The Little Mermaid, a film which would have been very influential to the Swan Princess while in its infancy of pre-production. This comparison is minor, but still a similarity.

Devastatingly handsome.

This is the entertainment business, folks…it is give and take, borrowing, stealing, blackmailing, and getting even. With The Princess and the Frog, Disney just jabbed back a bit at Richard Rich…they were just waiting for the opportunity. And it made their re-entry into classic animation that much sweeter. But hey, they did try to be original…it’s the thought that counts.