Vanessa in TLM?

[Songsstresss]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 8:57pm

I've read a lot of reviews and postings about The Little Mermaid, but I haven't seen any mention of the character of Vanessa. I know many people thought that one of the many reasons Sheri was cast as Ursula was because she could easily become the beautiful Vanessa who seduces Eric with Ariel's voice. Does this happen? Or do they just omit the character and that part of the story line?

[TomMonster]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 9:00pm

I don't recall it being in the show. But there was so much incomprehensible stuff going on I could have missed it...

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 9:02pm

This has been discussed before.

No, Vanessa is not in The Little Mermaid. The ending has been incomprehensibly changed for the worse.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 9:12pm

I wish they could have kept her. Or would it have been too hard to get Sherie in and out of the massive Ursula costume/wig/makeup?
Updated On: 1/13/08 at 09:12 PM

[RyToast1]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 9:21pm

. Updated On: 1/13/08 at 09:21 PM

[dshnookie]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 9:23pm

I dont know. After seeing the show, I really didnt miss Vanessa. I like how Sebastian sings in 'If Only', how can a little mermaid compete when the Prince has his choice of any princess in the land, and yet she still is chosen not for her voice, but because he loves her - even when Ursula uses the voice right before they kiss to distract him he still chooses Ariel. If you really think about it, and why should anyone since it's a Disney film, the film doesnt really give us any proof that Eric loved Ariel for Ariel. He loved her voice, loved Vanessa with Ariel's voice, and loved Ariel when she regained her voice. Though you could argue that after seeing her turn into a mermaid and seeing her in her mermaid form, that he loved her for her and not just her voice.

Point of all of that, Vanessa is not in it and you really wont miss her.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 9:26pm

I didn't really miss her because I didn't really remember her having a name in the movie. I do like that they at least made it so Ariel doesn't have to be saved/rescued by a man (her father). Softens the "change everything about who you are to be with your man" blow.

Seriously, I enjoyed it. :) But that message just irks me.

[dshnookie]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 9:34pm

I dont think the message of the show is to change everything about yourself for a man. Ariel had a fascination with "the world above" before even seeing Eric. She never really belonged under the sea, and I see the show more about finding herself and where she belongs, and above all else - finding her happiness. But people can interpret it many different ways I guess.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 9:38pm

That's more clear in the Broadway version. In the movie, it's a lot more "give up who you are for a man". Yes, she was fascinated with the world above, but it was Eric and the falling in love with him that made her give up everything about herself and her family (before the ending when Triton was ok with it). Sorry... Not the best message to send little girls.

[dshnookie]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 9:44pm

You have a point. I just cant picture little girls starving themselves and sitting in front of the toilet over this - or however else a little girl may decide to 'change herself'. I think there are more blatantly obvious negative messages out there than the TLM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 9:45pm

Oh, I don't disagree with you. The Spears sisters come to mind. It's just something to think about.

[dshnookie]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 9:46pm

Spears sisters? ENOUGH SAID! :P

[jordangirl]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 10:12pm

:P Yeah. Compared to them, any kind of mixed message in TLM is nothing!

[dinglehopper89]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 11:23pm

the film doesnt really give us any proof that Eric loved Ariel for Ariel.

ACTUALLY-in the movie Grimsby says, "Far better than any dreamgirl, is one made of flesh and bone, and right before your very eyes." (er something like that)
Then Eric throws his flute instrument thing into the sea and looks up at Ariel's window.
I may be interpreting this wrong but I think the throwing of the flute shows that he's going to give up searching for the girl with the voice and marry Ariel. Either that or he's just following what Grimsby said cause he's tired of searching.

Although I do agree that the musical did a better job with the relationship between them. One Step Closer is such an amazing scene! Anyone have a video of it *wink wink*

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 1/14/08 at 12:02am

I agree - I think all of the new songs gave us some great new moments. I even love the positoovity tap dance!

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/14/08 at 12:08am

I believe Vanessa was in the early stages of the show.

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 1/14/08 at 12:19am

I don't think the 'change yourself' message isn't really a big thing in TLM. She gets legs, but that's so she can be with him. We aren't shown her compromising who she is (he love of human things, her bright-eyed curiousness).

It's not like Grease where Sandy changes herself ENTIRELY to get Danny.

(Er, I see TLM on Tuesday, so I'm only speaking about the movie, sorry.)

Updated On: 1/14/08 at 12:19 AM

[dshnookie]

Posted: 1/14/08 at 12:32am

dinglehopper89, I think you might be onto something there. As big of a fan that I am of the movie, I completely forgot about that brief sequence. I guess Vanessa walking up the shore overshadows it but you are right. And ditto on the musical doing a better job with the relationship, and especially in conveying that scene without the use of Vanessa.

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 1/14/08 at 12:46am

Not to mention Eric's glazed over eyes clearly indicate he is under a spell, so its not the voice alone that he's following.

But of all the things to look for in a fairy tale, good reasons to get married is not one of them. None of the Disney princesses know their prince long before there's some wedded bliss.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 1/14/08 at 6:15am

Belle's really the only one. No she doesn't know him as the Prince, but she's known him for a while as Beast while living in his house.

[bluetuna]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 3:36am

I think that taking off and re-applying the makeup and costume would probably take some time. Some things are more difficult to translate to stage from film, and you'd need to thoroughly explain Ursula's transformation in the show. It's important to keep in mind the show's length.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 5:25am

I was so relieved to discover this thread was NOT about the High School Musical star joining the cast.


jordangirl, Ariel wanted to be a human before she had even seen Eric; she was changing because it was something she had always wished for. The Part Of Your World scene comes before she has even seen Eric, let alone fallen in love with him:

What would I give if I could live out of these waters?
What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand?
Bet'cha on land they understand
That they don't reprimand their daughters
Bright young women sick of swimmin'
Ready to stand

It was already her wish to live on land. She wouldn't have been at the surface to see Eric in the first place had it not been for previous obsession with humans. It wasn't for the benefit of anyone but herself. That's actually a positive message.

She certainly didn't "give up everything for a man". She ran away out of defiance, not out of love for Eric. She didn't go to Ursula until after her father destroyed the grotto. Had it been solely about Eric, she would have gone to Ursula as soon as she fell in love with him instead. She didn't. She only left because of what her father did. Had you argued that it sends a bad message to children about running away from home, I could have agreed, but you must be watching the movie with blinders to suggest her actions were solely out of interest in Eric.

Updated On: 1/15/08 at 05:25 AM

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 5:58am

I think that one problem with both the animated film and the show is that the source material is a tragic story for which they've tried to create a happy ending.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 6:47am

Yes, she was interested in all things human before, but her desire to live permanently came from seeing Eric. That's why Ursula was able to get her to sign and go through with it. That was the hook.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 8:21am

>> I was so relieved to discover this thread was NOT about the High School Musical star joining the cast.

And *I* as thinking it was about Vanessa Williams coming in as Ursula! (Well, the poor woman has to do something since the writers' strike has killed any new television work.)