Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid (1975)

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

This is a true Hans Christian Anderson film. I grew up reading Hans Christian Anderson. Not all his stories but The Little Mermaid for sure. I grew up on this 1975 film. I don't ever remember not liking it. Then as I got older I watched it again. I always cry because it is very sad. Life is not always happy. I think whenever I needed a good cry I would watch this film just to cry. I haven't watched it in years but I do own it on video. And when my little girl is old enough I will show it to her. This is a Classic Film. I do really like Disney's version, but in a different way.

Wow! This was the best mermaid movie I have seen, although the animation, not the greatest! This was the absolute original story about the Little Mermaid. The Disney Version has a happy ending, and this one does too! Well its not Happy Happy for the viewer as much as for the main character- Marina! Well her sacrifice for him was the sweetest thing! "Her" happiness is "His" happiness. Awe! It melted my heart! Who would have thought self-sacrifice could be soo sweet and charming and soo beautiful! Romantic Suicide, but not just suicide. I loved this film soo much more than I did the Disney version. The music is so wonderful! I wish I could play the harp! and that song she plays is soo amazing. Wow! It gives me hope! Lots of it! How she could just jump like that into her own conscious mind and soul (the ocean-where she belongs)! My last words are...(speechless)

I'm glad I'm not the only one looking for the version of this Little Mermaid, I loved it ever since I saw it when I was about 6...that must probably explain a lot with my views on true love! Anyway, will keep on trying to look -- this will be my 2005 quest! It is a bit mature for the children today, but that does sound daft as compared to what kids know nowadays, I'm sure seeing topless anime mermaids is not exactly something that will shock them...and who started this whole shell-bras on mermaids anyway??? Do they realise how painful that would be with the sharp edges and seawater and chaffed skin??? But another thing about the story is that it stuck to the original story i.e. tragic/bittersweet ending. I liked the Disney version, but this one is for those who understood The Little Mermaid, why she had to do what she did...I'm not making sense here now lol Why do I have to fill up 10 lines anyway to get approval?!?! All I wanted to say was I loved this film! And no hi tech CGI versions will ever change my mind! ( hint hint to film producers out there...)

I want my son to understand that everything does NOT always turn out perfect in life. This movie will teach him and our future children that not everything in life is perfect, and that love is a very important thing. It also teaches children that you can't have everything you want in life. Sometimes you have to just leave it alone, and it also teaches about sacrifice. Instead of being selfish a person can decide give of himself or herself instead of doing whatever it takes to get what they want. This movie has many values. Also, if a child's parents are splitting up this is a good movie to see, because it shows that things don't always work out. Values aside, this movie is beautiful. The animation is simply lovely. A green aphro? She didn't have a green aphro. Her hair is pulled back if you notice, and what is wrong with the girls having different hair color? Nothing. It teaches tolerance and shows that a person of any color can be beautiful. The scenery is lovely, the palace is a little less extravagant than the one in the Disney version, but at least this company didn't put a picture of a dildo stuck into the castle on the cover. *Rolls eyes* I can show you the picture of the video if you would like that was recalled, because we never sent ours in and still have the original cover. And yes, they DID put a dildo into the castle. The people who made this movie were a lot more professional than the ones who made the Disney version. That being said, I must talk a little bit about the fact that this is the original Hans Christian Anderson story, and not some terrible attempt at completely changing the story line. Hans Christian Anderson would be proud of this movie, whereas the Disney version probably made him turn over in his grave. Overall a wonderful movie. They are now starting to sell it on DVD and I can't wait to get my copy on DVD. We have a copy on video but it is a little warn out and has some sound and picture glitches, nothing big but still we would like a perfect one and we copied the entire movie onto the computer so we can get some still shots.