Promoting Good Animation: Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Poor Unfortunate Souls)

Disney has become one of the biggest names in animation by combining story, music, and design while sticking to themes that captivate more than just their target audience. So let us take a look at a song from The Little Mermaid, Poor Unfortunate Souls, to see how the integration of these concepts form a coherent and enjoyable piece.

First, design. Everything from the dark background to showing the viewer that Ursula has tentacles, and is therefore not a mermaid like the main character, sets the scene by telling us that this is different and scary. The use of colors such as lime green and purple only reinforce the idea that Ursula is unnatural. Plus she has two creepy eels. This ‘creepy’ factor is repeated throughout the song. And like the majority of Disney songs, this has another element, a story. Instead of taking time to explain who Ursula is with a flashback, she does it through song, one that mirrors Ursula's personality: sassy, flashy, and not quite on beat with the melody. While it lacks depth, it does a good job filling the viewer in with a bunch of information quickly. In this case, Poor Unfortunate Souls also gives a bit a foreshadowing at 1:15.

But by far one of the most used elements in this animation is movement. This comes in two forms: the actual movement of the characters, and their expressive emotions. Unlike other Disney movies, these characters have to deal with the resistances, or lack thereof, that come with being underwater. The way Ariel’s hair floats and how Ursula’s tentacles propel her forward are a testament to the effort put into this animation. This hard work can also be seen in everyone’s facial expressions, most of all Ursula. As a villain, her characteristics are already pushed to the extreme. When you look at this face near the end of the song, there is no doubt of the sea witch’s intentions with her and Ariel’s deal.