Russia’s Little Mermaid
gif images by shcherbatskayas The Little Mermaid of the Disney series has always been my favorite Disney princess. Compared to the other Disney princesses, I feel she’s braver and more adventurous in the fact that once she knew what she wanted, she went and got it. Furthermore, she’s a redhead, …
The Little Mermaid of the Disney series has always been my favorite Disney princess. Compared to the other Disney princesses, I feel she’s braver and more adventurous in the fact that once she knew what she wanted, she went and got it. Furthermore, she’s a redhead, which I think is fabulous. But just like any other Disney fairy tale adaptation, the plot has gone through many changes, with a considerably different ending from the originally tragic tale. There is no doubt that the Disney version is a wonderful film and a fairly good adaptation. But now I’d like to introduce a version you may not be as familiar with—a Russian version of the Little Mermaid.
Directed by Ivan Aksenchuk and distributed by Soyuzmultfilm in 1968, this version is about 30 minutes long, perfect to watch when you need a break from your daily activities. The animation style reminds me of shadow puppets, but it’s extremely rich in color with many complex patterns, making every frame a work of art.
I will always love Disney’s Little Mermaid, but this version seems to be the best adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s original story, and is also in my Top 5 for short animations.
