National Film Vault

OFFICIAL FILM AUTHENTICATION BY CROWN GRADING

AUTHENTIC

CROWN CERTIFIED

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MOVIELilo & Stitch - 'The Little Mermaid' Promotional Movie Trailer

SCENEAriel

FILM FORMAT35mm

YEAR2002

CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000001627

FILM NOTES

Lilo & Stitch arrived in 2002 as Walt Disney Feature Animation searched for a fresh voice after the polished output of the Renaissance years, offering a hand painted, backyard styled story that leaned into imperfection and heart rather than princess spectacle. Promotional material for the film often carried nods to Disney's own animation legacy, and trailers of the era sometimes folded in glimpses of earlier classics to remind audiences of the studio's lineage. This practice placed beloved characters from prior decades alongside new releases, bridging generations of Disney fans within a single marketing reel.

This cell preserves Ariel, the mermaid heroine from The Little Mermaid, appearing within promotional material tied to Lilo & Stitch's release. Ariel remains one of Disney's most collected characters, her presence in any reel valued for linking two distinct eras of the studio's animation history. A promotional trailer frame like this one serves a specific purpose distinct from a film print, capturing marketing artwork meant to draw audiences into theaters rather than storytelling footage itself. For collectors, such crossover appearances hold particular interest, documenting how Disney positioned its earlier heroines within new campaigns.

Authentication Findings 8 checks

Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of the Lilo & Stitch Little Mermaid Promotional Trailer (2002).

Gauge: 35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations: Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced; punched edges appear clean with no torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack: A variable-area optical track is visible running along the bottom edge beside the picture area, appearing as a dual-track variable-area format; Dolby Digital pixel blocks are visible in the inter-perforation gaps on the bottom edge, indicating a composite optical/Dolby Digital soundtrack.
Edge print: Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour: Base appears with a slight cyan-blue tint consistent with modern safety stock; dye image reads as neutral with strong, saturated colour rendition showing no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history: No visible splices, cue marks, or heavy scratching are apparent; faint longitudinal lines are present suggesting the print has been projected.
Picture: Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot, and the animated character with red hair is consistent with The Little Mermaid promotional content as recorded.
Era check: The composite Dolby Digital plus variable-area optical soundtrack combination, cyan-tinted safety base, and saturated dye image are all consistent with a theatrical release print from the early 2000s, matching the 2002 record date.

Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.

This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.

Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.

CROWN SERIAL 000063471

Original Film Capture As received

The film strip as photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation

Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size