Outstanding animated version of an archetypal fairy tale.

Rating: 10/10 (26 August 2007)

Arguably the best of the latter-day Disney cartoons, Beauty And The Beast is a stunning film that can be enjoyed by adults and kids alike. After a lengthy lull for the studio, stretching right back to The Aristocats, they finally returned to form with The Little Mermaid in 1989. This 1991 film, based on a Madame LePrince De Beaumont novel, is an absolute delight and marks a high point in Disney animation unmatched since the days of Dumbo and Pinocchio. So impressive is this film that it was the first cartoon movie ever to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination, an award it conceivably might have won had it not been up against the mighty Silence Of The Lambs in the same year.
In a small provincial village in the French countryside lives a beautiful young lady, Belle (voice of Paige O'Hara), and her inventor-father Maurice (voice of Rex Everhart). Belle is obsessed with books and loves stories of romantic derring-do, but the rest of the villagers find her odd - her nose is always stuck in a book, and they think she should be more in tune with what is happening in the real world. Most of the girls in the village have a crush on the handsome hunter Gaston (voice of Richard White), but he desires Belle.... even though she thinks he is nothing more than a brainless, muscle-headed fool. One day Maurice sets off for the nearby city to sell one of his inventions but he gets lost in the woods on the way and ends up seeking shelter in a foreboding castle. Belle grows worried by his absence and sets out to search for him. She too finds the castle and, upon entering, discovers her father imprisoned under the custody of a fearsome beast (voice of Robby Benson). The beast agrees to free her father as long as she takes his place. Initially Belle hates being confined in the castle but gradually she discovers that the beast is not as cruel and heartless as he appears. Just as she is about to fall in love with her captor (thereby breaking a long-lasting curse and turning him back into the prince he once was), a mob of angry villagers - led by Gaston - turn up to kill the beast.
Beauty And The Beast is distinguished by splendid animation, memorable voice work, brilliant songs and a perfectly-paced narrative. The animation is a fantastic leap forward for its time, utilising computer generated imagery that brings the characters and places marvellously to life. All the vocal talent is spot-on, with O'Hara and Benson doing lovely work as the titular characters, while the likes of Angela Lansbury, Jerry Orbach and David Ogden Stiers provide memorable supporting voices. The entire film has about it the feel of a stage show, most significantly during the song routines - tunes like "Be Our Guest", "Gaston!", "Tale As Old As Time" and "Kill The Beast" are instantly catchy, and are brought to life in vibrant, well-worked out sequences. The original story is an archetypal fairy tale and the makers follow it to the letter, adding a few clever trimmings of their own. Individually, each sequence is brilliantly put together creating an overall sense of awe and wonder, and the whole story flows smoothly putting barely a foot in the wrong place. A great film for the family, Beauty And The Beast is outstanding entertainment.