To mark the 25th birthday of their classic, Beauty and the Beast, Disney has unveiled a truly special anniversary Blu-Ray edition. But, how different is it from the 2010 Diamond Edition or the 2011 3D Diamond Edition?
Beauty and the Beast hawks back to another era of Disney filmmaking. It is a hand-drawn masterpiece that landed in theaters in 1991 and was so fantastic — it transcended the animation versus live action world and became the first fully animated flick to be nominated for Best Picture. That historic feat has been proven truly apt and earned by history’s passionate embrace of the film that has become more and more beloved with each passing generation.
Paige O’Hara voices Belle in a role that would change her life and career forever. The actress has become synonymous with the part and rightfully so, as she could not have been a better choice to play the Disney princess who may have that title, but is hardly a wallflower or one who has to wait for her prince. She is a wickedly smart character, whose adoration for books and the written word is an inspiration to little girls (and boys) the world over. Her kind soul is her other attribute that has endeared her to hundreds of millions over the years and O’Hara voices that with a complexity that is timeless, tender and helped Belle become the fictional character poster child for not judging a book by its cover.
Belle and Beast (Robby Benson) find themselves in the most unlikely of situations when her father is imprisoned by the Beast. She offers herself in his staid, completely blind to the fact of who the Beast really is, a cursed prince.
Over time, each finds they need the other in ways that will become clear as the movie progresses. Beast, as everyone knows, needs to find someone who loves him for who he is, i.e. a Beast, so that his curse can be broken and he can go back to being the prince we all know he once was (and could be again). Filling out the cast is a who’s who of Broadway and Hollywood pros that bring characters to life that have become iconic, that could have easily been two-dimensional souls that got lost in Disney history — Angela Lansbury is Mrs. Potts, Jerry Orbach is Lumiere and MASH veteran David Odgen Stiers voices Cogsworth (and the narrator).
Then, there was the biggest all-star of the bunch — Alan Menken, who penned a score and musical numbers that were instant classics upon arrival.
The biggest stand-outs on this anniversary “Signature Collection” is the two unique cuts of the film (the original theatrical edition and the special extended edition, which contains seven more minutes of the film), as well as a sing-along version, which is an utter delight. Given how much the film has permeated our culture, viewers should be hardly surprised that they don’t even need to look at the words to sing-along; they are ingrained in most fans’ brain.
There are several features that are carry-overs from the previous releases, and several new features that are only available on the digital download edition, which in this day and age is how so many get their movies anyhow. We do have to say, though, if you are not a fan of digital downloads and have the previous home video versions of Beauty and the Beast, then you can skip this 25th Anniversary Edition. But, if this one is not in your library, run — don’t walk, and pick up this classic that is a must-have for any film fan.
Of our favorite bonus features, we have to start with Menken & Friends: 25 Years of Musical Inspiration. Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez (co-writers of the Frozen score), Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), Stephen Schwartz and Alan Menken join together to belt out songs from Beauty and the Beast. Each talks about the iconic role that the score has played in their life and Menken gives fantastic insight into the creation of the music that inspired a generation, and still continues to 25 years later.
Always Belle is another joy as O’Hara gives insight into her take on playing the title character and how her life on the Broadway stage contributed to her characterization and how her work in the Disney movie changed her life forever.
For fans of Disney and its rich history, #1074: Walt, Fairy Tales & Beauty and the Beast takes a look back at the man himself, Walt Disney, as he travels to Europe. It is a journey that would fuel his desire for his famed studio to make an animated feature centered around Beauty and the Beast and how even though he passed before the film came to be, how the legendary film studio founder’s finger prints are all over this gem.
One of the great additions to the Beauty and the Beast home video package is a look at the upcoming live action film of the same name, starring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast. Beauty and the Beast Sneak Peek is a thrill to see, and its only drawback is it’s too short. Clocking in at a minute-and-a-half, teases the March 2017 in the best of ways.
Film Grade: A+
Bonus Features: A+