Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Release Date: 11/22/1991
Rating: G
Runtime: 1 hr 24 mins
Genre: Fantasy, Children's/family
Director: Gary Trousdale
Cast: Alec Murphy, Kath Soucie, David Ogden Stiers, Jesse Corti

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By Daniel Hubschman

Before the Academy ever considered nominating Wall-E and Up for Best Picture, Beauty and the Beast paved the way for animated films to be serious Oscar contenders. Like The Little Mermaid before it, Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale’s sweeping images transported its audience to a world of magic and storybook romance, leaving all who gazed upon its gothic architecture and vibrant colors breathless. The now-classic Disney production ultimately took home awards only for its music, but looking back at the film in hindsight one cannot overlook its astonishing art, touching dialogue and timeless story of opposites attracting.

The majestic movie looked like a million bucks in its original 1991 theatrical run, but after revisiting Belle, Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts in beautiful high definition, I can say with complete honesty that this brand new release from the Disney vault is a billion dollar Blu-ray and a must have for fans young and old. The picture is so pristine and the color palette so bold it feels as though you are watching the films 2D animation in 3D; the bigger the TV, the bigger the thrill, especially in the at-the-time unprecedented sequences that infused CGI and traditional animation. These scenes, including the iconic ballroom dance number, set the stage for Pixar to revolutionize cinematic animation and it is an absolute pleasure to look back at Belle and the Beast to see the origins of contemporary computer generated animation.

Oscar winner Alan Menken’s magnificent music propelled many of Disney’s Renaissance films to box office glory and his songs never sounded better than they do in HD. If you’ve got 5.1-surround sound (or anything higher), you’ll be able to hear every faint effect that the filmmakers intended to be heard. The Beast’s bark is brasher while Belle’s voice is more comforting than ever before; an example of how dynamic the enhanced sound design is. The technical improvements are a major accomplishment and a great reason to buy this Blu-ray, but the package boasts a bevy of bonus features that expand the world of Beauty and the Beast and will entertain your family for hours.

Not only can you watch three different versions of the film (the original theatrical release, the special extended edition and a version that includes rare storyboards), but you can also view a never-before-seen alternate opening and a brand new sequence that allows you to live the adventure as if it was your first time. The “Beyond Beauty” featurette spills the beans about the making of the film while music buffs can enjoy a conversation with the songwriters and producers in the “Composing A Classic” feature. Your kids will be entertained in a variety of different ways with content created specifically for them, including a “Sing Along” mode and an “Enchanted Musical Challenge”, in which they can interact with Belle and help her break the spell before the last petal falls. The disc also contains all of the bonus content that was on the original DVD release, making this a comprehensive collectors item that can be passed down from generation to generation.