In 1989 the folks at Disney took gigantic liberties with the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, and the result was one of the most delightful features the studio has ever produced. Writer/directors John Musker and Ron Clements (Aladdin and Hercules) take an often-recited tale and delivered it with an unexpected freshness and style. If the animation in the Little Mermaid isn't quite a spectacular as it is in the later movies like The Lion King and Pocahontas, the livelier storytelling and the better conceived characters more than compensate. In addition, the soundtrack features unforgettable calypso-influenced songs by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman ("Under the Sea" won an Oscar). Some of the more recent Disney animated features have played more like hypocritical sermons than cartoons, but The Little Mermaid is a pleasant reminder of how much fun it can be when these people get it right (G). Rating: 9.