Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” the live-action adaptation of the studio’s animated classic, brought the story and characters audiences know and love to spectacular life and broke box-office records. Now the stunning, cinematic event arrives home on June 6 on Digital HD, Blu-ray™, Disney Movies Anywhere, DVD and On-Demand.
When Amanda was younger, we loved watching Beuty and the Beast, one of her favorite movies. If I have to say out of all her movies, I so loved this one. “Beauty and the Beast” has always been for me, the quintessential romantic fairy tale. This rendition captures all the romance, pain, love, and self-sacrifice that the best fairy and folk tales offer in explanation of the human condition.
Now we can enjoy it as adults. “Beauty and the Beast” can celebrate the release with three ways to watch the movie – the original theatrical cut, the premiere cut with an overture, and a musical experience with a sing-along version. The release invites viewers to get up close and personal with the filmmakers and cast to see how this beloved animated film was transformed into a new live-action classic, from the first enchanted table read to a fascinating look at how the film was brought to life utilizing lavish sets, elaborately designed costumes and props, and state-of-the-art technology. A feature on the amazing women behind the enchanted tale hosted by Emma Watson; and over 10 minutes of deleted scenes along with musical extras, including the “Beauty and the Beast” music video starring Ariana Grande and John Legend, Celine Dion’s heartfelt take on the new song “How Does a Moment Last Forever,” and jump directly to all you favorite unforgettable songs.
The settings recalled the real darkness of the original French fairy tale. The prince is a prisoner of his own arrogance, selfishness, and anger, and the intricacies of the Beast’s cursed castle show that so well, metaphorically: everything is entangled and entwined with sharp, brittle branches and dark, dark, dark. The scenes where Belle and he begin to interact to get to know each other become well-lit and brighter as if the Beast is slowly letting go of his own destructive tendencies. The mob scene is truly horrifying, as I could feel the hatred that Gaston is whipping up, and the villagers so quickly fall for. The obvious “lessons” are here as well: appearances are not all there is to a person as well as love changes everything.
Belle’s impatience at the constricts of living in a provincial village; Gaston’s insufferable self-love, the Beast’s anguish at the predicament that he KNOWS is of his own making, the castle’s inhabitants grief and regret at not having helped the prince be a better person..
Directed by Bill Condon and based on the 1991 animated film “Beauty and the Beast,” the screenplay is written by Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos. Alan Menken provides the score, which includes new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Howard Ashman as well as three new songs written by Menken and Tim Rice. The film is produced by Mandeville Films’ David Hoberman, p.g.a. and Todd Lieberman, p.g.a with Jeffrey Silver, Thomas Schumacher and Don Hahn serving as executive producers.