The Bottom Line
The first animated film ever to be nominated for Best Picture, Beauty and the Beast has justifiably become one of the most beloved entries within Disney’s traditionally animated body of work. The film, which features such classic musical numbers as “Be Our Guest” and the title tune, is perhaps not quite as mature as some of Pixar’s more recent efforts, as the filmmakers place an ongoing emphasis on elements that have clearly been designed to capture the interest of younger viewers (including an entire castle full of talking dishes, silverware, furniture, etc). Still, the love story that lies at the heart of Beauty and the Beast’s narrative remains just as captivating as ever – which cements the movie’s place as one of the most heartfelt and moving romantic dramas within animation history.
Pros
- An engaging effort from Disney’s animation renaissance of the late ‘80s and ‘90s
- Breathtaking animation heightened by crystal-clear high definition transfer
- Oodles of bonus features, including three different versions of the film
Cons
- DVD-size packaging means that the set won’t fit properly on Blu-ray shelf
Description
- Featuring the voices of Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, and Angela Lansbury
- Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
- Rated G for all audiences
- Blu-ray Release Date: October 5, 2010
Guide Review – 'Beauty and the Beast' Blu-ray Review
The Story
Belle (Paige O’Hara) is a free-spirited young girl who resides in a small village with her eccentric father (Rex Everhart’s Maurice), though she seems to spend much of her time avoiding the advances of an aggressively arrogant hunter named Gaston (Richard White). After her dad goes missing, Belle embarks on a trip to the woods to hopefully track him down – yet she soon finds herself being held prisoner within an expansive castle by a mysterious figure known only as the Beast (Robby Benson). As she spends more time in the castle, however, Belle begins to grow closer and closer to the Beast – which inevitably doesn’t sit too well with Gaston and the rest of her community’s angry villagers.
The Bonus Features
Beauty and the Beast makes its Blu-ray debut in expectedly stunning fashion, as Disney offers up a “Diamond Release” of the film that is nothing short of astounding. The first disc boasts three different versions of the movie – the 85 minute theatrical release, the 92 minute extended edition (which contains a previously deleted musical number called “Human Again”), and an 85 minute storyboard version (which is also accompanied by a commentary track with producer Don Hahn. In addition to another commentary track with the extended edition, disc one also features a 13-minute featurette in which several celebrities discuss their time working on the Broadway version of the film, a music video of the title song by American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, a pair of deleted scenes, and a 20-minute look at how the film’s score and songs were created.
The lion’s share of the set’s extras are contained on the second disc, however, with the centerpiece undoubtedly an expansive, exhaustive two-and-a-half hour documentary that covers virtually every facet of Beauty and the Beast’s production. It’s an astoundingly informative (and interactive) piece of work that answers just about every question you might have had about the film, although, if that’s not enough, the set also includes all of the special features that were included on the old DVD version of the movie (which adds up to over an hour of behind-the-scenes footage). The second disc also contains a couple of games, but it’s clear that they’re meant to be enjoyed by younger viewers.
And, if that wasn’t enough, the set also includes a third disc which holds the film on a standard DVD. All in all, this is a pretty fantastic package that’s worth the upgrade.