Every few months our DVD experience gets a little richer as Disney has been re-releasing most of their classic animated films on 2-disc special editions. There are still several we're waiting for, but topping the list was 1989's "The Little Mermaid." I can still remember going to the theatre to see this film and watching in wonder as the Disney animation team breathe new life into the full-length animated feature world. Year later I would buy a copy of the VHS version so I could watch it at home. At the time, there were no kids in my house, it was all for me. Jump ahead about two years ago, when my daughter was about 1and a ½ and was just starting to get interested in the wonderful world of Disney. I popped in my old copy of "The Little Mermaid" and cringed at how horrible it looked on our TV. We had recently bought our first big screen and the tape was so old that it looked like a 10th generation copy. Not that my little girl noticed it however, she loved every second of it. So that sent me on a search for a DVD copy so our enjoyment would be nearly that of hers.

I finally found what I was looking for in the hallowed halls of Ebay and purchased a copy. We about wore it out over the course of a year as she wanted to watch it nearly every day as is the obsessive nature of children. (Currently I have to read her "Beauty and the Beast" every night or going to sleep is an impossibility.)

Still, thanks to the nature of Disney's classic films, I have yet to tire of it. I still love the songs, as they were amongst the first to feel as though they came directly out of a Broadway musical. Since that time, they all sound that way. Fortunately though, her tastes have varied to include more of the older Disney classics so we do get to rotate them a bit.

A few months ago I was pleased to learn that Disney was releasing a newly restored 2-disc version of "The Little Mermaid" and I couldn’t wait to see how much better this new version would look. My wife commented that we should have waited to get it, but since we bought the other copy over a year ago, I pointed out that I wouldn't have been able to wait that long to hear our little girl's squeals of delight and wonder at watching the movie. She might have outgrown it by then (fat chance!!).

When we received our copy of the new release, I showed it to our now 3-year old and she was more than ready to watch it. I was blown away by the amazing job the technicians did with the restoration of the picture. I understand that as it wasn't originally filmed digitally, they had to go frame by frame to enhance all the colors. As much as the DVD I had bought before was an improvement over the VHS copy, this new DVD offers nearly as impressive a difference. The film looks beautiful and the colors are rich and the contrasts extremely well-defined. The new audio also adds quite a bit noticeable separation in our home theatre system, making the viewing of the movie a far more immersive experience (or should that be submersive?).

Though the kid in me loves the movie, my (smaller and less intrusive) adult side had to barge right into all of the extra features available on this new set. The first disc includes a commentary by directors Ron Clements and Ron Musker, who are joined by composer Alan Menken. Their tone leans towards the conversational and it was quite fun to hear about their experiences making the film. There's also a music video for "Kiss the Girl" performed by Ashley Tisdale (this is more of a throwaway feature as no one can ever sing Disney songs as well as the original performers) and a look at the soon to be released "Little Mermaid III."

The 2nd disc is even more impressive with a 45 minute documentary about the making of the film, which as is the case with most Disney making of featurettes, quite detailed. There is also a featurette that takes us behind the scenes of the Special Effects Unit and shows us what they contribute to a film like this, one that looks at the life of author Hans Christian Anderson, and yet another that is a little more educational in nature and shows a little of what life under water is really like. You'll also find a virtual ride that was designed by the Disney Imagineers as well as a detailed behind the scenes featurette. And as if that wasn't enough, you can take a look at some art galleries, an early presentation reel and some deleted scenes (shown mostly in drawing form). This is all topped off by a short animate film based on one of Anderson's other stories, "The Little Match Girl."

I've yet to see a Disney DVD release that wasn't worth adding to any collection where kids are involved and this new 2-disc set for "The Little Mermaid" is no different.

Directed by: Ron Clements & John Musker
Starring (the voices of): Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Rene Auberjonois, Buddy Hackett, Kenneth Mars, Samuel E. Wright
Extras: All New 'Kiss the Girl' Music Video, Under the Sea Adventure - A Virtual ride Inspired by Disney Imagineering, Disneypedia - Life Under the Sea, Deleted Scenes, Animated Short - The Little Match Girl, The Making of Little Mermaid, Little Mermaid III Sneak Peek
Specifications: Widescreen (1.78:1), Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Surround Sound
Studio: Disney
Release Date: 10/3/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: G
Website

We'll give The Little Mermaid: Platinum Edition an A.