11 de fevereiro de 2013

Part of Your World

Uma das cenas mais emocionalmente poderosas dos filmes da minha infância é a sequência de "Part of Your World" do filme The Little Mermaid.

Os argumentistas/realizadores Ron Clements e John Musker tinham ganho experiência suficiente com os filmes anteriores e estavam prontos para responsabilidades maiores.

A história deste filme inspirado no conto de Hans Christian Andersen, é a história da tempestade perfeita, de artistas que se dedicaram de alma e coração a um projecto, como há muito não se via na Disney. A película de 1989 tinha os melhores escritores e realizadores, os melhores produtores, os melhores actores, o melhor músico (Alan Menken) e o melhor letrista (Howard Ashman). A história deste filme é a história de uma nova era dourada na Disney.

O filme podia bem não existir, se os executivos do estúdio resolvessem fazer a sequela de "Splash" ou (não sei o que é pior) poderia existir sem o ingrediente mais importante (a sequência de "Part of Your World"), visto que Jeffrey Katzenberg achava-a demasiado aborrecida, achava que empatava o ritmo do filme e achava que as crianças não iriam perceber o seu propósito.

Por ironia do destino, foi esta mesma música – cantada pela actriz Jodi Benson – que fez Glen Keane querer trabalhar na protagonista, em vez de trabalhar no vilão como tinha feito até então. Foi graças à sua insistência e ao seu trabalho árduo que a sequência de "Part of Your World" permaneceu no filme.


Glen Keane & Ariel

Para mim, tudo isso é estupidez de executivo de torre de marfim. Qualquer pessoa com olhos na cara e um coração a pulsar-lhe no peito entende que aquela sequência revela-nos a alma daquela personagem, que sem ela, o público não tem como simpatizar com Ariel, ou com a causa que ela defende de forma tão aguerrida. Eu tinha menos de dez anos quando vi este filme e percebi imediatamente o propósito daquela sequência.

Não há como enganar o poder de uma sequência que nos mostra a frustração, o sonho e o desejo de uma vida melhor, de alcançar o impossível.

A arte visual neste filme é luxuriante – nesta sequência e em todas as outras.

Esboços de Glen Keane para "Part of Your World"


Cinco segundos é tempo suficiente para ver a mestria do animador.





Last shot done in the entire movie

Disclaimer: Written for love, not for profit. "The Little Mermaid" does not legally belong to me. It belongs to: Walt Disney Productions and Silver Screen Partners IV who produced it and to Buena Vista Film Distribution Company, who aired it.

   Ariel pushed the boulder and looked back once more to make sure nobody had followed them. Then she and Flounder went in. This was the Sebastian’s chance; while the boulder was moving to its initial position, the crab swam quickly to the entrance, but he couldn’t get in on time and got stuck. With a muffled scream, he tried to pull his body inside and, after much effort, he got in and collided with a huge hourglass. He rubbed his poor sore head and couldn’t believe his eyes - the cave was enormous, tapered at the top, and was packed-full with large and small objects that glowed majestically due to the tenuous light that shone through the top. 
   When he saw Ariel looking at the dinglehopper, Flounder knew that the fight with her father still echoed in her mind... “Ariel, are you okay?” “If only I could make him understand... I just don't see things the way he does... I don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things - could be bad.
   After a brief moment of shock, Sebastian hid himself to be able to watch carefully what would happen next. Ariel admired the dinglehopper with a dreamy look; it was yet another object from a world unknown to her, a world she dreamed more and more with. She added that mysterious item to her growing collection of salvaged objects from the surface world. She felt very lucky to have gathered all those objects with Flounder’s help. They sure shared lots of adventures in the last year. They were certain that each object held a story of its own and one by one, they had filled the grotto with those marvellous objects. There was hardly any room for more! Any other sea creature would be awfully frightened by such a vision, but Ariel marvelled at its beauty! The little mermaid took some objects in her hands... she had no idea what their names were or what humans used them for. She proudly showed a box full of twirly-things to Flounder, who was also in awe by it, even though they were of no use to merfolk. To Ariel, each object was like a piece of an ever-growing puzzle and the excitement of finding more pieces no longer could keep up with the curiosity of knowing what they were and what their purpose was. Moreover, she held a stronger desire in her heart – to experience the unknown world and know the people who made those objects. Maybe then, she thought, the puzzle would be complete. Sebastian couldn’t believe his ears... Ariel dreamed of the day they could set foot on dry land and interact with humans, perhaps even fraternise with them! She swam up to the little music box with the dancing couple and wished to see a real couple with her own eyes or, better yet!, find someone to dance with. It must be so practical to have feet, she thought aloud. Flounder smiled, unlike Sebastian. Flounder didn’t think fins were so bad, but Ariel insisted (rightfully so) that she could not walk, run or jump without legs. She rose up and gazed at the little aperture through which sunshine came... so inviting! Ariel envisioned herself running freely through the beach, watching the sunrise, wishing the dream would come true!! Meanwhile, Sebastian was startled by his own reflection in a glass and got trapped inside a beer mug, unable to hear the rest of Ariel’s passionate declaration. The little mermaid wondered what would it take to be able to have some time (at least) to be on land... Whatever the price might be, she was more than willing to pay for an opportunity to live a day of her life above the surface. She wondered if parents were as strict as hers was, but she felt sure that humans had much more freedom to dream and to live! She darted to the top of the grotto and pulled (from the many books she had) a copy of Christopher Marlowe’s The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus out. She would love to know what was written in that book... She had so many questions to ask humans, so much she wanted to learn from them... She approached the painting of a woman gazing at a flame and touched it lightly, longing to know what fire was for... Is one opportunity too much to ask, she thought, looking upwards again. What a glorious feeling must be to walk on the warm sand... to live free and happy! She stuck her arm through the little aperture atop the grotto, gazing at the blinding light above... Oh!, if only she knew how to escape, how to reach that distant paradise her heart would finally be content!... Knowing that it was impossible to pass through the aperture, she fell heavily to the base of the grotto, always looking up, dreaming of the possibilities accompanied by Flounder.
   Their moment was rudely interrupted when Sebastian - who had been trying to free himself from the beer mug – cause a big commotion, crashing into various objects. All that racket spooked Flounder who rushed into an armor, watching what was happening through the bars. Ariel was no less surprised to see the little crab entangled in a pile of human artifacts. As he tried to free himself from that mess of the necklace, the hook, the diamond ring and the thimble, Sebastian became increasingly angry: “Ariel - what, are you mad? How could you - what is all this?” Flounder came out of his hiding place, wondering why Sebastian was so crossed, while Ariel tried to explain in a sheepish grin: “It, err, it's just my - collection...” “Oh. I see. Your collection. Hmmm!...”, he replied, looking at a pointed hook, trying to make sense of it all... Collection indeed. Collection of crimes, that’s what it was! “IF YOUR FATHER KNEW ABOUT THIS PLACE HE'D -” “You're not gonna tell him, are you?” asked Flounder, horrified, unwilling to believe that the crab was capable of such malice towards his best friend. “Oh, please, Sebastian, he would never understand.” she emphasized, imploring him secrecy about her cave of treasures. Sebastian tried it again. He didn’t want Ariel to get in trouble with her father but he had made a promise to the king. “Ariel. You're under a lot of pressure down here. Come with me, I'll take you home and get you something warm to drink.”, he said, taking the mermaid’s thumb in his claw. Ariel went after him hoping he would keep her secret and then, suddenly, the grotto was plunged into total darkness.




Feliz ou infelizmente, não cresci com o filme em inglês.
Com o devido respeito à Jodi Benson, vou recuperar as minhas memórias de infância. A canção em português do Brasil era interpretada por Gabriela Ferreira.





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