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`Beauty and the Beast' is one of those films that has stood the test of time and it still feels as well made and delightful as when it was first released. Now it is re-released in blu-ray splendour you can relive it's magic again and again.
Belle lives in a French village and loves nothing more than a good book and when the local Casanova Gaston (who is odious and vain) tries to take her hand in marriage she can think of nothing worse. Her father stumbles across a deserted castle inhabited by a gruesome beast, who is really a prince under a spell, and when Belle goes to rescue him she ends up being held prisoner herself. Over time Belle and the beast develop a love for one another and when Gaston comes to kill the beast the story is brought to a head.
Of course there is slightly more to the story than that, but that is the rough outline and gives an idea of what you can expect here. The animation is very well done in this film, as it's Oscar will attest to, and the backgrounds are rendered with a level of detail Disney films have lacked in recent years. The use of light is very good as well, especially in the castle where the shadows and pools of light are very well done.
This has decent enough music and isn't too twee and the voiceover work is also very good. I especially enjoyed Angela Lansbury as the teapot and thought she matched the character perfectly.
This has become a classic in the Disney stable for a reason and if you haven't watched this yet you should be pleased with the story and animation on offer. This has plenty of extras, most of which are aimed at kids, but the commentaries and `making of' featurette are of special interest to adults and give a deeper insight into the film. Overall this is a great package with excellent remastering and is another wonderful film to add to your Disney collection.
