Disney's Second Golden Age

With the re-release (or is that re-re-release) of The Little Mermaid, I thought back to what I consider Disney's second golden age. Of course, its first golden age was that of the 30's-50's when Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty hit the big screen. So incredibly beautiful with simple songs of white knights and prince charmings. It is not to say that there have not been incredible Disney animated and live action films since these times but these were the start of big Disney, golden Disney, royal Disney. The Little Mermaid arose as a quietus. The animation was novel and extensive, the story engaging yet simple, and the music was above much that had been composed prior and at the helm were Alan Menken and Howard Ashmen. The score, in fact, won the Academy Award for Best Original Score in 1990. I popped this CD into my car yesterday after picking up the DVD up from my local Target. I had forgotten how impressive was the music to this movie. Both the melodies and the lyrics were exciting and poignant. I smiled as I sung along wisping through the memories that the music evoked. To say they do not make them like they used to is not correct. This was how it used to be. And Disney, despite its heavy handed commercial dominance, created several pieces of art thereafter including Beauty and Beast, which to me, is superior in art and music. After listening to the mermaid, I was set to put in beast but frowned as I found my disc missing. Time to convert these thoughts to actions and go out to purchase another one.

Rest in peace, Howard Ashman