“Life’s full of tough choices, innit?”
The question oozes out of Ursula the Sea Witch like a plume of playfully poisonous vapor as she interrupts a brilliantly executed cabaret of a con meant to work on Ariel, the emotionally torn “Little Mermaid” of the 1989 Disney cartoon. “Come on, you poor, unfortunate soul,” she booms in a joyfully passionate shout of wicked persuasion, “go ahead! Make your choice! I’m a very busy woman and I haven’t got all day.”
Ariel makes her difficult choice and Ursula, whose own voice suggests a bourbon-soaked brass band, steals the mermaid’s youthful, bell-like tone.
We should hiss and boo and hate the sea witch. I never could, though, because as portrayed by the late, wildly gifted Pat Carroll, I was too busy wondering what sorts of awards are given to voice actors.
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