The Little Mermaid - Live-Action Hot Take

[Gredival]

Andersen's little mermaid was described as having soft and white skin like a rose petal and blue eyes, how did Disney design Ariel in '89 again? She wasn't green.
For what it's worth I'm with you Draylo, Ariel has a specific design in the original cartoon which is also portrayed in the book that inspired it. A black mermaid is totally ok but in a new take on the original tale not in a remake of a classic with established characters.
Also the cartoon is not set in the Caribbean, it's set in Europe and Sebastian is an outsider (just like Gabriella, Ariel's latina and deaf friend in the TV series).
If you're trying to support this obvious marketing stunt at least get your facts straight.

So much wrong here that I have to respond again lol.
1) I've already touched on the skin thing but I'll reiterate: Ariel's design is extremely faithful to how Andersen described his little mermaid, Disney only changed her hair color because they felt it looked better when animated.
2) People can't have grown up with a different story of Ariel because Ariel is the Disney character. The little mermaid and the other characters in the original tale have no names.

Disney took their liberties where they could but it was ok because it was an adaptation of that story not a remake with characters that people have known and loved for 30 years. They did the same with Princess and the Frog by changing the setting and writing Tiana as a black character and that's the right way to do this, that was totally fine because it's their take on that.
But here they want to bank on everyone's nostalgia by using the same names and soundtrack while also making changes like Ariel's design and Scuttle's gender that will add absolutely nothing to the story. Wanna bet that Scuttle will now be a motherly figure to Ariel? Because her grandmother in the original tale wasn't good enough I guess?
Again: if this was a new adptation it'd be completely fine. But the moment you call her Ariel it no longer is.

Yes the exact point is that Andersen isn't the original story. Creators change things when adapting stories.

Trying to delineate which changes are justified and which changes are off limits is ultimately all arbitrary. The only guiding principle is that when you are working with a previously established story, you usually try to stay "faithful" to the "core" elements of the story such that it is still recognizably the "same" story.

The Little Mermaid is a tragedy which ends with her turning to sea foam. Andersen changed the ending, which is arguably a more core element of the original mythos of this fable than any description of skin color.

Why is it that just because this movie is coming from Disney that they are bound to their previous portrayal of Ariel's physical characteristics whereas Disney itself is not bound to retelling the story exactly as it was in Andersen's book or in the original fable (where she turns to sea foam at the end)?

What is the justification for the extremely specific set of creative limitations you want Disney to adhere to here that did not exist on Disney in 1989?

Look I'm not saying creators get to do whatever they want. But I'm saying that when we have objections to things that are changed, those objections need to be grounded on a principle. It's one thing to say you just don't like her as Ariel (and most people will interpret that as you don't want a black girl portraying a character that you grew up thinking was white) but iyou're saying there is a specific reason why this change is wrong. And those principles need to be consistent.

I am saying that in the end it seems we all agree with the idea that something should be "faithful." What we arguing about is which details are integral enough to be core such that violation means an adaptation is no longer "faithful." And then we end up here in a situation where we are debating the relevance of SKIN COLOR of HUMANS and whether it applies to FICTIONAL MERMAIDS.

People here have been giving various extended defenses of why her skin color is not an important core feature of her character such that changing it makes the adaptation of the film "unfaithful" to the original (whether you consider that original to be the 1989 cartoon, the Andersen story, or the original fairy tale).

In other situations (making Black Panther white), changing skin color would be a change that makes adaptation unfaithful to the original. And, despite claims of "reverse racism" it's not about the direction of the change, it's about the story. (SEPARATE from all of that is the related but closely tied issue of minority representation in media, which generally holds that changes one way but not the other are legitimate.)

[Gredival]

How many times do I have to say that any change would be wrong in my eyes? If it was the hair I'd be just as pissed, it just happens that skin is the only announced change here so far. The only thing it's telling me is that I loved the original character and that was the one I wanted to see in this movie. Do you follow these steps?

Are you similarly upset about the costume changes they made to Jasmine in the live action Aladdin? Or the fact Aladdin wears a full shirt?

[Karbuncle]

I miss Aladin's Rogue's Vest get up

[Draylo]

Well, I stopped responding because you have the little gang that comes in and constantly calls people racists. I don't get how that helps anything or your cause, but okay if that makes you feel better. People are allowed to have opinions and just because they're contrary to yours doesn't give you the right to go around slinging hateful terms like that.

[Salodin]

Clearly you dont get it because no one called you a racist cause they didnt agree with you.

They called you a racist cause you were typing racist things.

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[Zealot]

It's my opinion that your opinion is bad.

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[Draylo]

You're the ones typing racist things actually. You want the change solely because of her skin color against established precedent. Its "fresh" because she isn't white, I'd say thats more racist than wanting the same image that character had for 30 years+. Also earlier in the thread that person saying white people should die off and that they aren't allowed to touch any parts that are traditionally belonging to a minority etc.

[Salodin]

You're the ones typing racist things actually. You want the change solely because of her skin color against established precedent. Its "fresh" because she isn't white, I'd say thats more racist than wanting the same image that character had for 30 years+. Also earlier in the thread that person saying white people should die off and that they aren't allowed to touch any parts that are traditionally belonging to a minority etc.

Go find me the person who said they wanted this change solely because of her skin color.

Everyone is saying they dont know if shes even gonna be that great, but that her skin color has nothing to do with it. Your problem with the change has everything to do with her skin color, and yet somehow you're surprised people call you racist?

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[Draylo]

Do you not understand she has had the same image for over 30 years? Why change something unless you were trying to provoke a controversy to increase sales? You know damn well if they made Tiana a white lady, the world would be outraged and its hypocrisy. Don't try to sell me that "her race is important to the role" because this is a fantasy world right? Any race could fill that part according to you all.

I would have the same issue if they made Ariel blonde, or if they changed Mulan's race and look or if they changed any detail of the look of the other movies. It has nothing to do with race, its about the image that I grew accustomed to seeing. It's not like I create these movies, I'm one person with one opinion and its not even that serious. I simply came in and said "oh they are doing this again to start controversy, I dislike when they change the characters established image to do that." The worst part, is when they do this to any other character that is normally a difference race or gender and change it to a white guy (which I also don't like) everyone rages.

[Milkster]

Do you not understand she has had the same image for over 30 years? Why change something unless you were trying to provoke a controversy to increase sales? You know damn well if they made Tiana a white lady, the world would be outraged and its hypocrisy. Don't try to sell me that "her race is important to the role" because this is a fantasy world right? Any race could fill that part according to you all.

I would have the same issue if they made Ariel blonde, or if they changed Mulan's race and look or if they changed any detail of the look of the other movies. It has nothing to do with race, its about the image that I grew accustomed to seeing. It's not like I create these movies, I'm one person with one opinion and its not even that serious. I simply came in and said "oh they are doing this again to start controversy, I dislike when they change the characters established image to do that." The worst part, is when they do this to any other character that is normally a difference race or gender and change it to a white guy (which I also don't like) everyone rages.

You're an idiot, a racist and all these points have been covered ad nauseam. Your precious white animated Ariel ain't going nowhere. Go circlejerk to it. You don't even have to support this movie but this diatribe you're on about how it's more than race while only complaining about the race of characters or giving dumbass responses makes your opinion useless and of no value to the thread.

[Draylo]

You're an idiot, a racist and all these points have been covered ad nauseam. Your precious white animated Ariel ain't going nowhere. Go circlejerk to it. You don't even have to support this movie but this diatribe you're on about how it's more than race while only complaining about the race of characters or giving dumbass responses makes your opinion useless and of no value to the thread.

You're an idiot, and no they haven't been covered actually. Your posts are a lot more hateful with personal attacks and absolutely are no value to any thread on this forum. I've given my opinion, like a few others have as well and you and others come in personally attacking people.

[Milkster]

Mulan can't be a different race because it's 100% integral to her story. The fictional half fish girl can be whatever color.

Literally 8 people have posted this.

[Day]

Mulan can't be a different race because it's 100% integral to her story. The fictional half fish girl can be whatever color.

Literally 8 people have posted this.

wrong sweaty mermaids are white everyone knows this, you can tell by the swimming

[Salodin]

wrong sweaty mermaids are white everyone knows this, you can tell by the swimming

Fuck this is racist as fuck but you got me so god damn good with it

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[Zealot]

The first few posts in this thread were all about "oh ok this looks good" and the moment someone brought up skin color we ended up here.

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[Draylo]

Mulan can't be a different race because it's 100% integral to her story. The fictional half fish girl can be whatever color.

Literally 8 people have posted this.

It's a fictional world, her skin color could be different and still be Chinese because Chinese people can be different races. Don't be so racist.

[Zealot]

It's a fictional world, her skin color could be different and still be Chinese because Chinese people can be different races. Don't be so racist.

China is a fictional world I am learning.

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[Salodin]

It's a fictional world, her skin color could be different and still be Chinese because Chinese people can be different races. Don't be so racist.

God damn you going full retard to try and own the libs arent you?

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[Gredival]

It's a fictional world, her skin color could be different and still be Chinese because Chinese people can be different races. Don't be so racist.

There are multiple ethnicities in China but Mulan still has to be Chinese. There is a distinct difference between making Mulan African-originated black and making her a darker Chinese, like say Hmong.

[Draylo]

Says who? It was a cartoon, she could be any color. You can change any detail or fact that you like. Make her an adopted Chinese girl and change her skin color, be damned with any precedence.