Beauty and the Beast (1999)
Front Cover Actor
Paige O'Hara
Robby Benson
Movie Details
Genre Animation; Family
Director Kirk Wise; Gary Trousdale
Studio Disney
Language English
Audience Rating G (General Audience)
Running Time 50 mins
Country USA
Color Color
Plot
The film that officially signaled Disney's animation renaissance (following The Little Mermaid) and the only animated feature to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination, Beauty and the Beast remains the yardstick by which all other animated films should be measured. It relates the story of Belle, a bookworm with a dotty inventor for a father; when he inadvertently offends the Beast (a prince whose heart is too hard to love anyone besides himself), Belle boldly takes her father's place, imprisoned in the Beast's gloomy mansion. Naturally, Belle teaches the Beast to love. What makes this such a dazzler, besides the amazingly accomplished animation and the winning coterie of supporting characters (the Beast's mansion is overrun by quipping, dancing household items) is the array of beautiful and hilarious songs by composer Alan Menken and the late, lamented lyricist Howard Ashman. (The title song won the 1991 Best Song Oscar, and Menken's score scored a trophy as well.) The downright funniest song is "Gaston," a lout's paean to himself (including the immortal line, "I use antlers in all of my de-co-ra-ting"). "Be Our Guest" is transformed into an inspired Busby Berkeley homage. Since Ashman's passing, animated musicals haven't quite reached the same exhilarating level of wit, sophistication, and pure joy. --David Kronke --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Personal Details
Seen It Yes
Index 12
In Collection Yes
Links IMDB
Product Details
Format DVD
Region Region 1
Screen Ratio 1.85 (16:9) Letterboxed
Layers Single side, Dual layer
UPC 786936171631
Chapters 23
Release Date 2002
Subtitles English
Standard Features Interactive Game
Scene Selection
Audio Tracks Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Dolby Digital Surround - English, Director's Comments
Stereo - French
Nr of Disks/Tapes 2
Extra Features
Animated Color Closed-captioned Widescreen Dolby