Unparalleled "Beauty"

Rating: Null/10 (3 January 2002)

Disney sure doesn't make 'em like they used to. These words might sound a little facetious, given that "Beauty and the Beast" is only a little over ten years old, but in a way it's true. No film produced by the House of Mouse since then has exceeded the quality of this one; only a handful (The Lion King and both Toy Story films certainly) can claim equality.
All the elements that Disney would employ in their animated features over the subsequent decade are present here and yet there's something in "Beauty and the Beast" that the formula has not duplicated, proving that good movies really are more than the sum of their parts. Perhaps it has something to do with the way the pieces fit together so flawlessly, the manner in which the certain elements combine to create a touching romance with all the right elements of humor, tenderness, and excitement.
The visual aspect of the film takes hold at once with a prologue explaining the backstory through a series of stained-glass windows: as punishment for his selfishness and cruelty, a prince is transformed into a Beast by a powerful sorceress. He must learn to love and be loved in return, or face life as a monster. Enter Belle, a young woman living in a village not too far from the enchanted castle, admired for her beauty but looked down on by the townsfolk for her bookish ways. Belle is the grandmother of the spirited heroines of later animated features, and it is easy to see why. Instead of pining over the local hunk, she reads and helps her inventor father; rather than wish for Prince Charming, she desires a true soulmate. More than anything, she is noble: when her father becomes imprisoned by the Beast after losing his way in the woods, Belle bravely abandons her hopes for a better life to take his place.
This is, of course, the opportunity the Beast has long desired, but as a servant observes "these things take time." How the romance grows, and how the characters grow because of it, is one of the highlights of the film. The Beast must learn to put aside his selfish ways and hair-trigger temper and think of others while Belle, in the manner of Elizabeth Bennett, discovers that first impressions can be misleading. Aiding them are the servants of the castle, transformed into various furnature and housewares by the same spell which altered their master. Far from feeling wedged into the film for the sake of comic relief these characters fit into the story seamlessly, their motivation clear: only by helping the love between Belle and the Beast can they regain their humanity. Villiany is provided by Gaston, the aformentioned local hunk. He too has designs on Belle, on the pretext that as the most beautiful girl in the village, she is the only one worthy of his attentions. At first a foolish peacock of a man, Gaston develops into a manipulative bully and a real threat to the heros.
The score by Alan Menken is one of his finest, and also the last one which his longtime lyricist Howard Ashman completed. All the songs are perfect, but special attention must be paid to the title song. In addition to winning an Oscar, the touching ballad also acompanies the most stunning sequence in the movie, in which Belle and the Beast waltz around a gilt ballroom. The camera swoops and soars around the couple, creating chills that do not diminish upon repeated viewings.
The recent IMAX re-release of "Beauty and the Beast" contains new footage, including a song originally cut from the film in '91. The large-screen format serves the film well, bringing out details lost in smaller mediums. Seeing it up on the big screen is like falling in love all over again.