FSHN REVIEW
By Sason Bishope Parry
Animated movies have made leaps and bounds over the years in quality, visual, sound and storylines going from 2D to now high definition 3D that is almost human life, with Pixar, Dreamworks, and Disney leading the pack of studios bringing animated tales to the big screen. But nothing resonates more than the old animated classics and Disney’s beloved, “The Little Mermaid,” sits at the top of the echelon and what a treat to see it on the big screen accompanied by San Francisco’s best orchestra. Showtime kicked off early at 730pm sharp on Friday, July 6th to cater to the legion of young and old Little Mermaid fans. Little girls dressed up as their hero Little Mermaid star Aerial and ushers chiming in with their own glittery attire, truly set the mood for a joyful night and the exiting main event to follow. And Joyful it was as the brilliant conductor Steven Allen Fox lead the SFS through Alan Menken’s Oscar-winning score, which had every audience member smiling and at the edge of their seats. What an inspiring story the “Little Mermaid” itself is, about a rebellious and beautiful mermaid, who sings like an angel, who wishes for life on land to win the heart of a human prince. An animated story signifying hope, love, courage and not giving up on your hearts dreams and boasting a magical musical score, beautiful animation, and a bevy of unforgettable songs by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, including “Part of Your World,” “Kiss the Girl,” and the Oscar and Grammy Award-winning “Under the Sea,” all done live and to perfection by the SF Symphony bringing this underwater tale to life. There’s nothing like a great movie with a happy and uplifting ending to warm the hearts of even those jaded by the outside World and given the look and smiles on everyone’s faces during the final number and long into the countless ovations Steven Allen Fox and the SFS received, this was a night that should resonate with all in attendance for a long time. Enchanting, memorable and magical came to mind as we filed out of Davies Symphony Hall and given the line at the Little Mermaid merchandise table, clearly, the SFS and The Little Mermaid hit all the high notes and were all of the above…