Guide Rating -

Tagline: "The most beautiful love story ever told."

Length: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: G

"Beauty and the Beast" (1991) is an enchanting animated musical that is thoroughly entertaining and delightful from start to finish. I was captivated by the story, the characters, and the beauty of the animation. Although this movie is aimed at kids, I expect adults will also enjoy it.

The story is about a young prince who is changed into a beast because there is no love in his heart. But if he can learn to love another and earn her love by his 21st birthday, he will be returned to human form. Eventually the Beast (voice of Robby Benson) falls in love with a beautiful young woman named Belle (voice of Paige O'Hara), but will his love be reciprocated? The tale is played out to infectious Broadway showtunes. Even the objects in the prince's castle-including the candelabra (voice of Jerry Orbach), the teapot (voice of Angela Lansbury), and the clock (voice of David Ogden Stiers)-sing along as they do everything they can to help love bloom.

Disc One of the two-disc set contains three versions of the movie. One of these is a work-in-progress version that contains quite a few scenes in pencil-sketch form. Another is a version that reflects the film as it was shown in its original theatrical release in 1991. The third is the so-called Special Edition, which reflects the version of the film as shown in IMAX release in early 2002. The IMAX release was six minutes longer than the original theatrical release, mainly due to the addition of the charming musical number "Human Again." When you get the DVD, you'll probably want to watch the Special Edition version first.

Disc One also provides a scene-specific running commentary track that you can listen to while watching the Special Edition version of the film. The commentators are Producer Don Hahn, Directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, and Composer Alan Menken, and while they aren't exactly spellbinding, they did manage to come up with a few things worth hearing. For example, when Belle's father comes up to a crossroads, they observe that the signs there purport to point to Saugus, Newhall, Valencia, and Anaheim. This is a mildly amusing inside joke because these are places in Southern California, while the story in "Beauty and the Beast" is supposed to take place in provincial France.

Disc Two contains a variety of behind-the-scenes featurettes, games, interviews, music videos, etc. I found some of the featurettes interesting, but I was disappointed to find duplication of material. Of course, everything bears the heavy corporate hand of Disney, and a few special features come dangerously close to being infomercials.

Jean Cocteau's French-language movie "La Belle et la bête" (1946) remains my favorite filmic treatment of the classic fairy tale. But Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" is one of that company's best animated films, and I recommend it highly. However, to my mind it doesn't quite come up to the 1937 classic "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."

Selected Special Features on the DVD:

• Two-Disc Set
• Special Edition of "Beauty and the Beast" (90 minutes)
• Original Theatrical Release of "Beauty and the Beast" (84 minutes)
• Work-in-Progress Edition of "Beauty and the Beast"
• Feature-Length Commentary by Producer Don Hahn, Directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, and Composer Alan Menken
• Sing-Along Track
• Maurice's Invention Workshop Game
• Break the Spell Adventure Game
• Sneak Peeks (7)
• Origins of "Beauty and the Beast"
• Development
• Story
• Music
• The Characters
• Production Design
• Animation
• Tricks of the Trade
• Release and Reaction
• The Broadway Musical
• The Special Edition
• Disney's Animation Magic
• Chip's Musical Challenge
• "Beauty and the Beast" Music Video (Performed by Jump 5)
• The Making of "Beauty and the Beast"
• Mrs. Potts' Personality Game
• The Story Behind the Story
• "Beauty and the Beast" Music Video (Performed by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson)

• Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1)
• English-Language Soundtrack
• French-Language Soundtrack
• English Captions for the Hearing Impaired
• DVD Release Date: October 8, 2002