The story of Disney's LITTLE MERMAID continues in ARIEL'S BEGINNING, a lushly drawn prequel to the 1989 animated classic. Long before Princess Ariel (Jodi Benson) found her true love on land, the young mermaid lived many musical adventures in her amazing underwater home, amid her many performing sisters and royal parents. When lovely-voiced Queen Athena (Lorelei Hill Butters) is abducted by pirates, however, King Triton (Jim Cummings), outlaws all singing, leaving his youngest daughter bereft of the two things she loves the most: her mother and her music. Not wishing to displease her father, but incapable of giving up her true passion, Ariel attends secret concerts, carefully eluding the wicked and watchful Marina Del Rey (voiced by Academy Award winner Sally Field.) Together with her friends Sebastian (Samuel E. Wright) and Flounder (Parker Goris), the young mermaid must find a way to convince her father to reverse his ban, before the heart and soul of the kingdom wither forever.

Featuring the return of original voice cast members, ARIEL'S BEGINNING offers an amazing new set of songs from Broadway composer Jeanine Tesori, and a rich score from James Dooley. This early chapter in the Little Mermaid series reveals exciting secrets about how the young princess met her best friends, and invites Ariel's six singing siblings into the story, bringing new dimensions to this beloved world under the sea.

DVD Features:

Region 1
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.78
Keep Case
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English, French, Spanish
DTS Surround - English
Additional Release Material:
Additional Audio Material - Disney Song Selection
Behind the Scenes - "The Little Mermaid: Under The Sea And Behind The Scenes On Broadway"
Deleted Scenes
Featurette - 1. "Splashdance" - Behind-The-Scenes
Interactive Features:
Interactive Game - 1. Mermaid Discovery Vanity Game
2. Personality Profile Game

Distributor Notes: See how it all started for one of Disney's most beloved characters in the all-new movie, THE LITTLE MERMAID: ARIEL'S BEGINNING. Imagine a time long before Ariel met Prince Eric and walked on land -- a time when music was banned from the underwater kingdom of Atlantica. Torn between family duty and her love of music, Ariel must make the most difficult choice of her life. With the help of her friends, Sebastian and Flounder and her six amusing sisters, will the young mermaid be able to restore music, friendship and love to the kingdom? An all-star cast returns, including Jodi Benson (Ariel) and Samuel E. Wright (Sebastian) -- plus meet the deliciously wicked villain Marina Del Rey -- in a marvelous musical adventure teeming with surprises, breathtaking animation and all-new songs.

Source: Buena Vista Home Entertainment

Jim Dooley: Composer, WHEN A STRANGER CALLS (2006)
Jeanine Tesori: Composer, THE LITTLE MERMAID: ARIEL'S BEGINNING