Look at this stuff, isn't it neat? / Wouldn't ya think my collection's complete / Wouldn't you think I'm the girl / Girl who has everything / Look at this trove, treasures untold / How many wonders can one cavern hold? / Looking around you'd think / Sure, she's got everything / I've got gadgets and gizmos aplenty / I have whoozits and whatzis galore / You want thingamabobs? I've got twenty / But who cares? No big deal / I want more.
I am about to tell you something very personal. If that bothers you, please stop reading now...
In 1989, I was eight years old. Still a few years away from puberty, but this movie marked the exact moment that a switch flipped in my brain that said: "WOW, girls are awesome!!!" I'm not sure if it is a commentary on my entire generation as a whole or just an indictment of my personal screwed up psyche, but something about Ariel was the trigger that awoke my heterosexuality. Maybe it was her innocence, passion for adventure, or desire for freedom. It is quite possible that it was her beautiful big eyes, her flowing red hair, or her seashell bikini. But most probable is that it was her voice. "Part of Your World" remains one of my favorite songs from any movie, and the loss of her voice made the story that much more thrilling for me. Ten years later, I think some of the reason for my feelings about this movie would make a little more sense. My church had just hired a new choir director, a redhead, who could sing like nobody's business. It took a few months, to get her to really notice me, but it was only a few years later that we were married. I truly believe that this movie was a subconscious signal foreshadowing my one true love. On our second date, there were no movies I really wanted to see at the theater so we watched Angie's VHS copy of "The Little Mermaid"...
On a side note, one thing that has always bothered me about the story comes at the end of the song "Kiss the Girl" (another amazing classic). Flotsam and Jetsam foil Ariel's plan to kiss Eric by flipping their rowboat. If I was Eric, that would have made the moment even more passionate. Hasn't he seen "From Here to Eternity"??!!??
My first boyfriend also stated that this was when he discovered girls. He know makes movies and TV in LA. He'll admit that this movie made him love film.
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