BEAUTY AND THE BEAST(1991)
A wonderful adaptation of the timeless tale! With the
talents of one of my favorite actresses of all time, Angela
Lansbury!! A
A review from Amazon:
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