Faerie Tale Theatre (TV Series) The Little Mermaid (1987) User Reviews

A combination of Theatre and TV Production that stimulates creativity and imagination

[keltskross · 8/10 · 9 September 2008]

I remember when I first saw this episode, I was five and i thought it was a beautiful. Made me love both theatre and film-making at the same time and made me think that you can actually fuse the two together.

But dear readers, this is in response to Mr. Alfredo ([e-mail]) from Burgos, Spain's posted comment. His comment seems to be the only one showing up in the front page of this episode and sadly it gives a bad light to the true beauty of this episode and the whole concept of the TV series.

1. It is not a movie, nor a TV movie. It is a one-hour episode of a TV series entitled FAERY TALE THEATRE.

2. The title FAERY TALE THEATRE -- if you haven't deduced it yet, Mr. Alfredo -- is showing a semblance of a theatre feel and mood on TV. At the time, in 1982, it was new and somewhat experimental. And they pulled it off pretty well.

3. Hence -- the production design, set, wardrobe and even the effects (as ghoultown have emphasized) were created as if it were for theatre and not for TV or movie. Don't you think it makes us use our imaginations more than an animated film?

4. I love Disney's adaptation of The Little Mermaid. But if you know the original Hans Christian Andersen story, you'll know that Disney's adaptation took too much liberty in changing the story -- hence completely losing the primary lesson(s): (a) Life doesn't always have a happy ending, (2) If you truly love someone you'd want their happiness over yours, and (3) selflessness has its rewards. This episode relayed these messages to the T.

5. You can never compare a live action work from an animated one. There are too many restrictions in live action that can be done in animated -- and vice versa. To the rest of the readers, please do not treat this version and the Disney version as if they're the same. They're not.

6. It's not because Helen Mirren is an Academy Award winner now, doesn't make her a big star BACK then -- hence, she gets smaller exposure. Pam Dawber was pretty popular at that time. She wrapped-up her sitcom "Mork and Mindy" with Robin Williams in 1982 when the TV series was starting. A year after this episode, she was back leading another series.

With that, I hope the readers would try to see this episode and judge for themselves. Every perspective is relative, making every opinion relative. You might agree with me and ghoultown, or you might agree with Mr. Alfredo ... or who knows, you might have your own entirely different opinion.

For what its worth, the whole TV series FAERY TALE THEATRE is worth watching.

Worth going under the sea for

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 3 July 2017]

There is a lot to like about the 'Faerie Tale Theatre' series.

Many of their adaptations of various well-known and well-loved fairy tales are charming, clever and sometimes funny, a few even emotionally moving. 'Faerie Tale Theatre' puts its own magical spin (whether playing for laughs or straight) on the best of the episodes while still capturing the essence of the stories, while also giving further enjoyment in seeing talented performers in early roles or in roles that are departures from their usual roles.

Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen's most justifiably famous and popular stories, while not quite one of the best of the series (it almost is though, a big improvement on the still above average if disappointing "The Princess Who Had Never Laughed" and "Rip Van Winkle"), "The Little Mermaid" is worth going under the sea for, apologies for the somewhat cheesy and not as witty as one would have liked review summary. Mostly try and refrain from commenting on individual comments and previous reviews, but the two previous positive reviews do a very good job countering the critical one, who does seem to miss the point of the series.

Sure, this 'Little Mermaid' may not quite have the memorability factor of Disney's versions, nor the production values, the unforgettable music or as quite as much the entertainment and charm. It fares very well on its own though and is a much better and more faithful adaptation of the Andersen story, with the messaging intact, the basic structure and the sad ending. Just for the record, 'Faerie Tale Theatre's' versions of these great stories, even with their own additions and embellishments which add to the storytelling and characterisation, have always been better and more faithful adaptations than their Disney counterparts, which while having more of the memorability factor in most cases were never exactly known for their fidelity to the source materials (but unlike some personally never held that against them).

'Faerie Tale Theatre's' version of 'The Little Mermaid' is not perfect by all means. The underwater special effects are artificially laughable even by 'Faerie Tale Theatre' standards, which always worked from a low budget but mostly looked pretty good considering. The way the mermaid and underwater characters move also have a hokey look, with the cords still being visible. This may sound like a nit-pick somewhat, but the reason for why the ship-wreck happened didn't quite ring true to me and seemed old hat, would have fared far better as a storm rather than any other cause. Then again, that may be just me.

However, there is still a sense of wonder under the sea and the mermaids themselves look good. It is once Pearl is on land when the production values fare much better, with more opulent costumes and sumptuous palace interiors and exteriors that have a surprising amount of grandeur. The music is beautifully orchestrated and sometimes has a sombre nature that is most fitting.

Writing doesn't resort to childish humour or mawkish sentimentality, instead it flows well and comes over as honest and poignant. The story is one of the most emotionally affecting, perhaps even the most poignant, episodes of 'Faerie Tale Theatre' and it was more than appropriate for the tone to be played straight. The messaging is there and admirable with a real emotional core and the ending made me well up admittedly.

Pam Dawber is very moving and nuanced as Pearl (having voiced Odette in the 80s anime version of 'Swan Lake' she is no stranger to that type of role), often not speaking a word and relying on facial expressions, eye contact and gestures. Treat Williams is a handsome and admirable Prince, while Helen Mirren is both manipulative and sincere and Karen Black has fun and has a touch of creepiness in the role of the Sea Witch. Brian Dennehy is a booming, sympathetic father figure and a sonorous narrator, while Loraine Newman and Donna McKechnie fare well as the sisters.

All in all, not one of the best episodes of 'Faerie Tale Theatre' but still very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Closer to the Original Story

[rachelrachel-33431 · 8/10 · 30 December 2021]

This adaptation, coming a few years before Disney took a crack at the story, is much more faithful to Andersen's heartbreaking original story and Pam Dawber is charming at the lead character with Treat Williams appropriately dashing at the handsome prince. Karen Black's eccentric sea witch, not a villain like she is in the Disney version, comes close to stealing the entire show.

It's A Teleplay

[ghoultown · 7 April 2008]

First of all, this is no movie. It's a teleplay. that being the case, of course the sets won't be up to par with most people expectations unless you were to see it at the theater. That being the case, they worked rather well.

That being the case, you can't expect the same kind of effects quality that Pirates has. Unless, as I stated beore, you are going to a live theatrical production.

In which case, it's GREAT! Fabulous. A little corny, but what children's show isn't? And they stuck to the source material. How marvelous! In my opinion, this teleplay works well. It should be put on Broadway.

Fun Fact of this version

[wilsonandrewc · 10/10 · 29 July 2018]

Did you all know that the Little Mermaid in this version is Mindy McConnell from Mork and Mindy and the other princess in this version is Morgana the Wicked Witch from Excalibur which was released in 1981, the year I was born and the prince in this version is Dr. Andrew Brown from Everwood and the Sea Witch in this version is Nancy Pryor from Airport 75 and the Sea King in this version is Willy Loman from the 2000 remake of Death of a Salesman and the Little Mermaid's older sisters are Cassie Ferguson from A Chorus Line and Sherry from Saturday Night Live?

Entertaining Though!

[Sylviastel · 8/10 · 17 September 2017]

Dame Helen Mirren plays a princess in the classic fairy tale story. Shelley Duvall is host and executive producer of the series which aired on cable television in the eighties. Shelley has been having a rough time in the last few years. This episode has a star studded cast with Pam Dawber as Pearl, the little mermaid who lives under the sea with her father, King Neptune played by Brian Dennehy. Pearl has two sisters played by Laraine Newman and Donna McKechnie. Karen Black played the sea witch. Treat Williams played a prince and sailor. Pearl saves his life and falls in love with him. The costumes and set seems dated by now but it's still worth watching anyway.

Poor adaptation of Andersen´s tale

[antirrana_burgos · 12 August 2002]

Some years before Disney made his glorious movie about the little mermaid, a movie appeared with the same title as Disney´s: "The little mermaid". Of course, Disney´s is better than this one, for few reasons:

Special effects: they´re very lame. When you see Pearl the mermaid swimming under the sea you can imagine perfectly the cord that is holding her in the air as she goes through the "sea". I don´t know, it´s not really believable...

The script: the script is pretty lame, too. There´s little time fr character development and one doesn´t feel anything for them, really.

The actors: Pam Dawber is a pathetic actress, I can´t stand her bashful smiles. I haven´t seen her in any movie but this one, and she really demonstrate she is an awful performer. Helen Mirren does not appear too much, but she is OK (who would say that such a brilliant actress would be in this movie???). Treat Williams is correct.

The settings: they´re very unimaginative and vulgar. You can notice they´re not real.

As a conclusion: a pretty bad movie that, anyway, can be kind of entertaining.

RATING: *