A Simply Charming Film and a True Triumph for Animation.

Rating: Null/10 (16 April 2006)

When I was younger, this was my favorite film. I remember watching it with my mother in the Theatres when it debut, she was as entranced as I was by the whole thing. The music was delightful, the characters were fun, the animation gorgeous, and the tale simply timeless. However, as I grew older, the true magic of this film began to fade behind walls of cynicism, and it only got worse as I grew older. I completely forgot about this movie over time, until one day, over ten years since the last time I sat down to watch it with my mother, I found my old VHS of "Beauty and the Beast." I decided I'd sit down and watch it; after all, all my work for the day was already done. Might as well pop it in as I got ready to hit the sack.
I was enthralled by what I saw; this movie is simply delightful. The characters are surprisingly complex for a Disney film. The Romance between the films two main characters is well realized and is achieved with the perfect balance of campiness and subtly, through both small moments which are rather clever, and not exactly something a child would pick up on; and lovely musical numbers in which the characters sing their hearts out to us in true Broadway fashion. This is much preferable to the generic formula of magic kiss/love at first sight we've grown to expect from fairy tales, and the fact that the characters actual have a real relationship with pitfalls adds a lot of appeal for the movie's older audience. In fact, of all Disney's animated films, this one is the most mature. The two primary characters, Belle and the Beast, are wonderfully three dimensional, as is their relationship. Belle, is quite unlike the typical Disney female, in that she seems more womanly and less blandly asexual, and overall is a much better realized character than those Disney heroine's which came before (or after) her. She's quite modernized when compared to Cocteau's version of the story (read: She's a feminist); The idea however is very well realized, and the end result is one of Disney's best characters to date. The same thing could be said of the other films star; The Beast, who also boasts an... um... interesting design.
Even the supporting characters are interesting, and quite hilarious, especially the suave-talking Lumiere, his musical number is among the best in the film, and Orbach's performance is fantastic. Unlike many other Disney movies, these supporting characters are well integrated into the film and don't feel like tacky add ons; they have part in the Beast's plight, and try to help him win over Belle for their own benefit. Though they provide fantastic comic relief, they fit into the film well enough that they aren't annoying, unlike some other "Comic" relief characters. (Timon & Pumbaa)
While the film is an interpretation of an age old story, it's simply so well done that it doesn't seem like another mindless fairy tale simply devised to instill morals into our children. The moral message in this movie while quite obvious, is never stated or "overdone", thus increasing it's effectiveness tenfold, and even though the tale is as old as time, Disney's has taken given the story a unique twist, through such additions such as the Handsome villain, Gaston, who just so happens to share all the qualities of a beast, something which deviates from the formula typical of this sort of story. This richness extends to every part of the film; from the romance, to the comedic elements. Unlike so many films which "appeal" to all age, the "children's" comedy in this movie is never overly stupid, and rather than interject out of place sexual innuendo to appeal to older viewers, the mature comedy in this film is often more involved and poetic (An example would be the comical exaggeration of the films villain, Gaston's manliness in literally every way.), or Belle/The Beast's facial expressions during certain scenes. The comedy fits into the film so well that it never seems contrived at all, which is a welcome change.
The films musical score is no doubt one of it's greatest strengths (Though it has no real weaknesses in the first place). The background music is extremely well written and a pleasure to listen too, as are the Broadway numbers. This is no doubt Menken and Ashman's finest work for Disney; there isn't a weak track in the whole bunch. Aesthetically the movie is simply beautiful; the gorgeous hand drawn images don't look the least bit dated, and the colors are vivid and vibrant. The artwork is also incredibly detailed; and the characters faces portray a fast array of emotions throughout the film. Belle herself expresses at least ten different feelings without the use of words, which isn't typical of animation and is once again a prime example of what makes this film a classic.
In summation, this movie is well made on all fronts, and cliché as it may sound, the movie truly is a timeless classic that really has that Disney Magic which is so often referenced. In the end, the wonderful characters, beautiful animation, incredible original score and unusually smart scripting come together to create a great film, by any standard. Quite possibly, the greatest animated movie ever created, and I've no doubt that if you give it a watch, you too will fall under it's enchantment.