Post by veu on May 2, 2021 13:01:15 GMT -5
Source CBR.com:
Disney's The Little Mermaid: Ursula Was Originally Ariel's Aunt
In an early concept for The Little Mermaid, Ursula the Sea-Witch almost had a direct connection to Ariel and King Triton as a member of the family.
BY BRANDON ZACHARY
PUBLISHED 4 HOURS AGO
The Little Mermaid is one of the most important animated films released by Walt Disney Studios. Coming at a vital point in the studio's history and ushering in the critically acclaimed and commercially beloved period known as the Disney Renaissance, the film actually went through many tweaks during production, including a serious shift in the connection between the heroes and villain of the film. The upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid is making Ursula the deposed sister of King Triton, Ariel's father, which was actually a concept considered and subsequently abandoned for the animated film.
The Little Mermaid was one of the earliest film concepts that Walt Disney ever considered for his then young animation studio, as explained by The Nerdist. However, complications in breaking the story ultimately saw Disney shelve the concept to work on other projects. The idea was reapproached almost half a century later when Ron Clements discovered the story in a bookstore and pitched it to then Disney executives Jeffrey Katzenberg and Michael Eisner.
In the original story, the sea witch who makes the fateful deal with the mermaid was unnamed and primarily a plot device. While developing the story, the sea witch began to grow into a new form, with the crew of the film -- including writer and lyricist Howard Ashman -- using the famed drag performer Divine, as recounted by AV Club, as inspiration for Ursula. During development, Ashman also considered directly connecting Ursula to Ariel and Triton by making her Triton's disgraced sister.
This would have added an additional layer to the animosity between Triton and Ursula and made her targeting of Ariel more personal. It was even directly referenced in "Fathoms Below," a scrapped musical number that would have opened the film. The song and the subsequent connection were ultimately cut because, as Clements explained in a behind-the-scenes featurette, they wanted to speed up the narrative.
However, this element is still present in other adaptations of the story produced by Disney. The non-canon novel Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch confirmed this connection, with Ursula forced to live on land for a time disguised as a human until Triton forced her back to the sea. This helped spurn her towards villainy and played a part in motivating her wrath against her family. The Broadway adaptation of The Little Mermaid also reaffirmed this bond between Ursula and the ocean's ruler, with the musical number "I Want the Good Times Back" delving into her desire to reclaim the power she'd lost when her brother banished her from power.
The upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid seems to be reaffirming this connection as well, placing it at the core of Melissa McCarthy's performance as the undersea villain. It's an interesting concept, adding a personal layer to the narrative and giving Ursula an additional reason to target Ariel beyond her ambitions to take over the ocean. While it may not technically be canon in the original film, it is an interesting concept and adds a level of complexity to an otherwise one-note -- but largely enjoyable -- villain.
Directed by Rob Marshall, The Little Mermaid stars Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Jacob Tremblay, Daveed Diggs, Jonah Hauer-King and Awkwafina. The film has yet to receive a release date.
Disney's The Little Mermaid: Ursula Was Originally Ariel's Aunt
In an early concept for The Little Mermaid, Ursula the Sea-Witch almost had a direct connection to Ariel and King Triton as a member of the family.
BY BRANDON ZACHARY
PUBLISHED 4 HOURS AGO
The Little Mermaid is one of the most important animated films released by Walt Disney Studios. Coming at a vital point in the studio's history and ushering in the critically acclaimed and commercially beloved period known as the Disney Renaissance, the film actually went through many tweaks during production, including a serious shift in the connection between the heroes and villain of the film. The upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid is making Ursula the deposed sister of King Triton, Ariel's father, which was actually a concept considered and subsequently abandoned for the animated film.
The Little Mermaid was one of the earliest film concepts that Walt Disney ever considered for his then young animation studio, as explained by The Nerdist. However, complications in breaking the story ultimately saw Disney shelve the concept to work on other projects. The idea was reapproached almost half a century later when Ron Clements discovered the story in a bookstore and pitched it to then Disney executives Jeffrey Katzenberg and Michael Eisner.
In the original story, the sea witch who makes the fateful deal with the mermaid was unnamed and primarily a plot device. While developing the story, the sea witch began to grow into a new form, with the crew of the film -- including writer and lyricist Howard Ashman -- using the famed drag performer Divine, as recounted by AV Club, as inspiration for Ursula. During development, Ashman also considered directly connecting Ursula to Ariel and Triton by making her Triton's disgraced sister.
This would have added an additional layer to the animosity between Triton and Ursula and made her targeting of Ariel more personal. It was even directly referenced in "Fathoms Below," a scrapped musical number that would have opened the film. The song and the subsequent connection were ultimately cut because, as Clements explained in a behind-the-scenes featurette, they wanted to speed up the narrative.
However, this element is still present in other adaptations of the story produced by Disney. The non-canon novel Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch confirmed this connection, with Ursula forced to live on land for a time disguised as a human until Triton forced her back to the sea. This helped spurn her towards villainy and played a part in motivating her wrath against her family. The Broadway adaptation of The Little Mermaid also reaffirmed this bond between Ursula and the ocean's ruler, with the musical number "I Want the Good Times Back" delving into her desire to reclaim the power she'd lost when her brother banished her from power.
The upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid seems to be reaffirming this connection as well, placing it at the core of Melissa McCarthy's performance as the undersea villain. It's an interesting concept, adding a personal layer to the narrative and giving Ursula an additional reason to target Ariel beyond her ambitions to take over the ocean. While it may not technically be canon in the original film, it is an interesting concept and adds a level of complexity to an otherwise one-note -- but largely enjoyable -- villain.
Directed by Rob Marshall, The Little Mermaid stars Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Jacob Tremblay, Daveed Diggs, Jonah Hauer-King and Awkwafina. The film has yet to receive a release date.