Let It Be started out as a documentary about The Beatles recording material for what was to be their next album. What director Michael Lindsay Hogg got instead was a documentary about a band who's best days were (unfortunately)behind them & were obviously tired of it all and each other. Hogg shot something like 100 hours,or so,of footage of the Beatles in an glum,dour & sometimes depressed state of mind,and the look on their faces (especially Ringo's)expresses this. The film is broken up in four parts. The first,filmed at Twickenham Studios finds them rehearsing songs,getting in some heated debates,all the time with Paul McCartney trying to be boss of the band (at least in front of the camera). The second part takes place in the basement studios at their Apple Records building,as they jam on some of the oldies that they loved in their youth. In this sequence,they at least seem to be in a somewhat better state of mind (but you could tell that things were far from ginger peachy among them). The third sequence finds them performing what looks like a pre cursor to the MTV style of music video,with the band (with Billy Preston,on organ)playing 'Two Of Us','Let It Be',and a far superior version of 'The Long & Winding Road',without the cloying strings of Phil Spector in the background. The last,and best sequence of the film finds them playing what would be the final public performance of the Beatles,live on the roof of Apple Records for the famous (infamous)free,lunch time concert,which would eventually be shut down by the local Police (also featuring Billy Preston on electric piano). This is a sad,but worthy film for old & new Beatle fans. Although this film earned a 'G' rating by the MPAA in 1970, it does contain a bit of off colour language that'll probably go over the heads of most folk


I saw this movie for the first time only a few days ago. Being a Beatles fan, I was always curious but hadn't the opportunity to see this. Well, it isn't the best movie ever, nor the best musical, best documentary etc.. It's a Beatles movie, and a very good one. Sure they argue, there are times when they seem to just "do nothing" and let the hours pass, but still, when they play... It's almost as if the world stopped, all troubles were forgotten, just for the sheer magic of their music. And sometimes we can see them having fun, and it's all worthwhile. After all, a very good movie for music fans. Say what you will, they are THE BEATLES!


It's impossible for a Beatles fan such as myself to be objective about 'Let It Be,' so this is more remembrance than review. For example, I remember being 14 years old, picking up the newspaper one day and seeing a small headline that read, "Beatles back together!" or something similar. This, I thought, was good news even though I wasn't really aware that they had permanently split. The headline as it turns out was misleading, to say the least. It simply meant that 'Let It Be,' the movie, was finally opening in our town. I didn't see it then; it was several years later, when it was a staple at 'midnight movie' showings (as was 'Magical Mystery Tour'). The average non-Beatles-loving film critic typically describes 'Let It Be' as slow-moving, boring in places, with only one really good scene- the rooftop concert at the end. For someone though who's early life played to an ongoing soundtrack of Beatle songs, 'Let It Be' is a wistful, sad, occasionally funny, open yet closed look at our heroes as they make preparations for their own funeral. The Beatles actually would continue for another year after the film was shot (they had yet to make 'Abbey Road,' for instance), but it is clear that 'Let It Be' catches them at as low a point as they were to reach in many ways. John sings but talks very little; he was into 'non-verbal communication' at the time, which basically meant staring blankly at other people and not answering them. When you consider there were hundreds of hours shot and Lennon was famous for his wit, it is a bit depressing that what we see in these ninety minutes was considered the best footage available of him. George Harrison is somewhat more talkative and not very happy either; he tries to appear reasonable but it's clear that Paul McCartney is like a festering wound to him that won't heal or go away. At times this animosity boils over (though only occasionally in the released version; there are many more examples in the unreleased footage) such as the infamous exchange between Paul and George during a dispute over how George should play a guitar part. "I'll play whatever you want me to play, or I won't play at all if you don't want me to play," Harrison snaps. "Whatever it is that will please you, I'll do it." Ringo provides a comforting presence, his hang-dog, neither here nor there expression almost uplifting given the circumstances. The only one of the four who seems able to muster enthusiasm for the project, or anything else for that matter, is Paul McCartney. He is seen throughout as cajoling, joking, arguing, pestering, and in general urging the others on, suggesting ideas for the film and beyond. Depending on one's point of view and opinion of McCartney, he is either the one Beatle still trying to create magic, or a colossal pain in the ass. It seems clear the other Beatles consider him the latter, at least at this point in time. There are lots of off-key rehearsals in the film, but also a few finished set-pieces, mainly of McCartney songs like 'Two Of Us' and the title track, which is a wonderfully subdued performance by the four. Still, by this point in the movie, one begins to feel that the only way 'Let It Be' can redeem itself is by all four Beatles setting up their amps and drum kit somewhere and playing some good old rock and roll. Which is exactly what they do, on the rooftop of the Apple building. For the last twenty minutes or so, all the bad vibes magically, mysteriously vanish and the Beatles are the Beatles again, charging through 'Get Back,' 'I've Got A Feeling,' 'Don't Let Me Down,' and 'One After 909', before reprising 'Get Back' as London police show up to wag their fingers and tell the Fab Four to turn that noise down. It's a great, funny, energetic scene that has since passed into legend, and rightfully so. And it sees 'Let It Be' ending on just the right note, as our heroes exit the stage for the last time.


I've been looking for this movie since I became a Beatles fan in the early 90's. I'd go to video stores. "No we don't have it. Hold on let me look it up. Yes, it's been released, but no, we don't have it." I'd ask friends who were Beatles fans. "Well I have an old VHS copy, but it's not very good quality. No, you can't borrow it."

I knew from the Beatles Anthology (q.v.) that the band was breaking up, they were irritated and irritable, that John and George (particularly) did not want to do the film but Paul talked them in to it. I expected that.

Finally, I got a chance to see the movie, and here's what I didn't expect: When they started to play music, once they worked out the mechanics of the song, they had fun. There was the joy of the fellowship of being a band, still, even whilst in the middle of a messy divorce. You can see it in John's "Dig It" improvisation, or the "Rip It Up/Blue Swede Shoes/Shake Rattle and Roll Medley." And once they get on the roof, and start jamming, wow, they weren't four guys with their own problems any more, they were The Beatles. Watch them come together against the police telling them to tune the music down at the end. Is it a great movie? No, not really. It's not even a good documentary. But it has some great moments.

When you hear the story told in Beatles Anthology or other sources, things sound like they were so bad that you can't believe they got together to make one more Album (Abbey Road). You have to see Let It Be to understand how they could still make wonderful music together, and have fun doing it.

They have to release this movie.


The sight and sounds of this piece is a true reflection of the time's. An emotional journey through the bands creation of songs and the struggles that surround the creative processes. A very candid look at the Beatles. The songs are great. I saw this movie when it first was released. It ran at the theater for over a year. Lines would always be seen outside. The dialog between John and Paul are at times serious when it surrounds the bands musical structure. George brings in new material. Paul is some what argumentative over George's performance with a few songs and asks him to change the approach to the part he surrenders to Pauls wishes. Ringo is funny and plays the piano a bit. You can also see others aiding the Beatles with a few songs such as the the anvil clang on Maxwells Silver Hammer. Billy Preston jams the organ on a few songs.


I had heard of this movie for quite some time, and had always been curious about it. The idea of watching the rock and roll legends in the studio, recording wonderful tunes, sounded intriguing. I finally got my hands on it, and I can totally understand why they only release the Let it Be, Hey Jude and Rooftop concert footage.

From what I understand, this film was produced due to a contract deal that forced the Beatles into making five films, whether they wanted to or not. Following the disaster of the 'Magical Mystery Tour' film, it's no wonder the Beatles didn't take part in Yellow Submarine (which turned out to be a great film, second to A Hard Day's Night) I've read in various Beatle Biographies that Paul McCartney came up with the idea of having camera's installed in the studio. This turned out to be a bad idea.

The Beatles are aware of the cameras, which puts them in a VERY awkward mood. Ringo Starr is silent for most of the time, John Lennon is also quiet and George Harrison seems to fuss with Paul when he speaks. Oh, I almost missed Paul. He speaks endlessly, and makes big broad gestures, pretending to be the genius that we know he is, but coming across as rather full of himself. Camera's are set up for him when he stages Let it Be and Hey Jude, where he is seen staring obsessively at the camera. The camera work is smooth, and very professional. However, when the other Beatles sing a song, the camera is less focused, and more candid.

There is also constant, subtle bickering between Paul and George, and at times John.

It is wonderful to watch, but very sad to see them act this way together, because I had such a nice picture of them in my mind before i saw this. NOW I KNOW WHY THEY BROKE UP!

You'll enjoy the rooftop concert. That is the ONLY scene where all of them seem comfortable together. Well, there was a brief moment where Billy Preston showed up in the studio to play keyboards. They all behaved nicely at that point. I think it is mentioned in the Anthology video.

Still, if you did music, you'll have a good time watching, even if Paul gets a little too full of himself.


As far as "Rockumentaries" go, "Let It Be" is one of the finest. For Beatles fans, it is a fascinating (if very watered-down) document of the making of the "Let It Be" album. Of course, I'm sure most Beatles fans are well aware of what went on whilst making this album (Lennon's minimal involvement due to his addictions to heroin and Yoko Ono; McCartney's domination, not only in the songwriting department but also in regards to group leadership; Harrison's disenchantment and Ringo's melancholy boredom) so when watching the film you will not see The Beatles at their best. Far from it. In fact, if not for those nasty contractual obligations, likely both the album and film never would have seen the light of day.

Yet "Let It Be" is a rewarding viewing experience- if for no other reason but the grand finale: the legendary "Rooftop Concert" (and it was held on the roof of Apple Studios, folks, not Abbey Road!) It is amazing that, as lousy as the Fab Four were playing, both at Twickenham and later at Apple Studios, that they managed to pull off such a kick ass performance on the roof, despite the freezing temperatures. Indeed, particularly on "Get Back", "I've Got A Feeling" and "One After 909", the Beatles rock out just as good as the Stones (arguably the Stones always did rock a bit harder than the Beatles.) Even John Lennon seems to be putting effort into the performance! My personal favourite part of the film, however, is the extended rock and roll medley they perform, along with Billy Preston, in the Apple Studios. Aside from the rooftop, it seems to be the only time throughout the entire project that the Beatles performed with anything close to their hearts being in it. Indeed, they simply let it all hang hang out as they run through "You Really Got A Hold On Me", "Shake Rattle and Roll", "Kansas City", "Miss Ann" and "Lawdy Miss Clawdy".

(I do have to give my head a shake at Linda McCartney bringing her daughter Heather to this session, however...a rock and roll recording session is NO PLACE to bring a child, what with the attendant drug taking, swearing and looning about...poor Heather must have been scarred for life!) In short, "Let It Be" is really worth it for the second half of the film. The first half- the Twickenham rehearsals, which drove George Harrison to temporarily leave the band- will only leave you wonder, "Why were they even bothering?" because they sound horrible and as unlike the Beatles as you can get. Having said that, if you're expecting music along the lines of the official "Let It Be" album -i.e. the Spector production- you won't find it here. Anyone who has heard the original "Get Back" album (bootleg) will find the music comparable.

And definitely check out the book "Get Back: The Beatles 'Let It Be' Disaster"...you'll never be able to see or hear any of the "Let It Be" material the same way again.


What more can one ask for than the greatest rock band in history jamming, feuding, joking, creating and for the finale, performing live on a London rooftop? The reason why this movie is sometimes panned is because of how ragged their (the Beatles) playing was at times. That is the good stuff to me,and for people that love the album. That ragged sound was popular by bands later, but the Beatles had moments of pure brilliance. John and Paul harmonizing at the beginning of "Across the Universe" and the rehearsal of "Two of Us" is what the public never saw before of the Beatles recording process. A must see for any Beatles fan or music fan. This is a classic film that captures an era of the break-up of the Beatles.


I disagree with the previous writer that the LP "Let It Be" contained the Beatles "weakest efforts" - not sure how you can call "The Long & Winding Road", "Get Back", and "Let It Be" weak efforts. However I do agree that the movie leaves a lot to be desired. This is not a great piece of work - but in a strange way - it is appropriately fragmented. This was a complex band, filmed no doubt at a cross-road. The absence of their (recently deceased) manager, the presence of strangers in the studio, the prospect of ever present angst, and combative postures.

While not an easy film to watch, in my opinion a true Beatles fan will take from it the best sense of why this marriage had to end.


I sat down tonight and watched this film, after a full week of re-watching the Beatles Anthology, I was really excited to see this film because it's suppose to be so hard to find, well let me tell you I was so disappointed I can't even begin. The truth is this film is to the Beatles what "Eat the Document" is to Bob Dylan. It's interesting but it's also boring and pointless. They don't explain anything, if I hadn't watched the Anthology Doc I wouldn't even have a clue why the hell they're in this big film studio, plus, I don't think John Lennon says more then three words in the whole film (Paul never seem to shut up though). It's more footage of them singing and playing the songs then anything else. I'm sure for some people that's going to be really fascinating, but for me I can listen to the CD, I want to hear them talk, argue, get into it, tell a joke something, but no they just sort of sit around and don't do anything. The only part of this film that I really really liked was the footage of "I Me Mine" where John and Yoko waltz around the empty sound stage. More of that kind of stuff would have made for an interesting film, but instead it's all music and not much else. If someone that really, and I mean really loves the Beatles said hey should I watch that film, I'd say have you seen the Anthology, if they say yes I'd say don't bother, because most of the good stuff is on that anyway and it's properly formatted. If you really must go ahead and watch this film but be warned if you're looking for anything other then a series of them playing various songs, forget about this one.


When watching this movie you must remember two things: First, the film director's main goal was to tape and capture the Beatles creating an album from start to finish and that they would take all the footage and edit it down. As most Beatle fans know, there was a LOT of taping going on from 3-31 Jan 1969. The second item to remember is that the director was not taping a concert, thus explaining why the video jumps around quite a bit and there are very few songs shown being performed from beginning to end.

You can tell that the four "lads from Liverpool" really did not want to be there and were taking the easiest route to fulfilling a contract obligation. They were in fact supposed to end the film with a live concert, but this turned into the rooftop performance (which is a great bit of final energy). Many of the scenes show the Beatles very bored with being the Beatles and no longer interested in helping each other create magic in their songs. Add to all of that Yoko, who regardless of your opinion of her, the screaming and constant need for attention makes you believe that she did help split up the band.

With all that said, it is an interesting look at how they could create wonderful music and still just goof off by playing songs they remembers from their youth.

The Beatles are still a very popular act (even though they haven't really performed together since 1970) and this movie helps to debunk the moptop myth and shows two and a half very creative musicians creating songs still that people still enjoy listening to. You can tell from this movie why Paul McCartney still enjoys touring. It is worth watching this movie.


When you watch this movie, you have a sense of magic and a sense of sadness at the same time, because the Beatles were about to break up, and yet creating great new music at the same time. Indeed, the chemistry was wearing thin, as many behind-the-scenes reports will tell you. BUT this movie is a good document of the chemistry that was left, with Paul acting somewhat in a leader's position.

It appears that John really isn't serious about the Beatles in this one, and that is the only real evidence of the near breakup, but it can be taken two ways. He seems to really enjoy jamming with some old friends rather than offer any directorial suggestions. This makes the sessions seem a little more loose though.

Rather than a formal documentary style, it seems indeed that the more looser, almost experimental, style of production was en vogue at the time. This can also be seen in movies like Cream's "Farewell Concert." Overall, anybody who is interested in the Beatles, let alone rock and roll, should definitely see this movie. It serves as a brutally important document on what many consider to be the greatest band that ever was. SO, search it out! Even if it requires you to get a Betamax player! Someone should post on the boards if any current releases of it are spotted.


This documentary film showed the warts and all frictions that were beginning to creep into the band's interactions. The film was initially going to document the lead up to a live performance, but seemed to lose direction mid course as The Beatles could not agree on what direction to take it. The lack of re-release on DVD is not an issue for me. I would like to see the original unedited footage re-cut to showcase far more of the impromptu jamming at the studio and the ENTIRE uncut rooftop concert sequence, all in modern surround sound. Paul McCartney has the biggest say in what will happen to the film, for now we all have to make do with old copies of VHS versions of the original film.


For what it is, this Doc. is extremely interesting. This is what happens when years of tension finally build up, and it is all caught on film. Let it Be as a movie does little in it's approach to capture the initial idea of the "get back" project. However, in it's hours of random songs and conversations, Lindsey-Hogg, whether knowingly or otherwise, captured a compelling look inside the minds of the four Beatles. I would disagree with the notion that this film is depressing. Sure it is somewhat sad to see one of the most beloved bands of all time crumbling apart, not to mention making all of them look like the egotistical rock stars they all were. But, what happened had been building for years. This film in NOT depressing because it documents the liberation John, Paul, and George from the stiffeling Beatles. And in the end, that is all any of them wanted.


Of course everyone knows this film is largely unavailable, and pretty much anyone who has see it (in the UK at least), in the past 20 years has done so without the benefit of the remastering/extras etc that would probably be on a conventional DVD. Imagine what that disc would be like folks!

"Liking the Beatles" is to me anachronistic. Most people either love them or hate them. I doubt many really fall into the latter category, with plenty like me in the former.

Watching this, you wonder just how long the magic would, or could have gone on. Reading the book "The Beatles Get Back disaster" gives some insight, because it shows that they were running through stuff like 'Every Night' that later appeared on solo albums. So for me the most interesting this is - how would these songs have sounded if they had been Beatles songs? Pretty much all of the initial solo work is lauded in equally stellar terms as 'Abbey Road', 'white album' etc, and it's only when there was no one around with sufficient gravitas to hit the quality control button ('Sometime in New York City' anyone?) that things began to slide. Even then, there is masses of stuff (even from Ringo) that's still way up there, especially from the 1970s.

'Let it be' is I suppose a sad film, in a way. I would imagine McCartney was sad to see that there was nothing he could do to keep them interested, and certainly comes across as patronising and bossy. Being feted by hangers on isn't what any of them wanted - Paul just wanted John's attention, and looks quite indifferent to anyone else, apart from Ringo who he clearly loves. Their piano duet is a joy to behold. Interesting to see how different he is with George on the bonus disc of the Beatles Anthology, yet GH still exhibits a wariness that hides lots of stuff I daresay will never now be known.

The key thing of course is the music. I daresay there are thousand if not millions of people who would like to have been walking down Savile Row that day. The interviews are also revealing 'we grew up with them, they belong to us' etc, plus the hilarious 'you don't get much for free these days' makes you realise just how human this band actually was. They had everything, and while I would have loved to go and buy their never recorded collective oeuvre from 1970 on, it's probably best I can't. No one would have wanted a Beatles album to be a part of musical inflation - too much music chasing too little demand. Imagine a Beatles single competing with Donny Osmond, David Cassidy or er, Paper Lace? I don't think so.

They weren't meant for the 70s, as this film illustrates. Sooner or later you implode, if you're this famous and everyone wants so much from you. Look at a film from 1969, then look at one from 1974 - flowery, chintzy, all greasy and horrible. The 60s had EDGE, credibility, dignity, and so did the Fab Four, God bless 'em. I think they probably passed. We will not see their like again.


The major problem with the film "Let it Be" is the director who quite clearly shot far more footage and sound than he could ever hope to wade through (check out the 30 days bootleg to hear over 16 cds worth of sound recording made by the film crew) so when it time to match performance with film , well he couldn't do it . For proof of this checkout "suzy parker" , at no point in the film do you see Lennon sing this song because hogg either has no footage or cant find the footage so another songs performance of John's is dropped in to substitute. As a musician I noted many instances where what you are watching ( such as Billy prestons solo on "long and widing road " or george on "let it be") had zero bearing to what I was actually hearing ! There is a book you can buy that chronicles the exact( tlls of film that were used and which were patched into the film ( titled "Get Back the unauthorized chronicle of the Beatles Let it Be disaster) . The film is a good look at the Beatles second to last studio sessions but as a documentary goes there is so much tampering with what you see (its very badly synched up even when the performance does "match" the visual) that it loses marks in my opinion .


Although many have said that this film is "awful", and "sad", I think that it is wonderfully entertaining for most real Beatles fans. It may be somewhat slow moving at times, and the music is very raw up until the final concert, but that is the beauty of it. This is not a film full of music videos. It is a film documenting how the Beatles produced the "Let It Be" album. For anyone interested in the songwriting/recording process, this can be very interesting. The out of tune notes, the messed up lyrics, and the arguments throughout the songs are great because that is how they were really written. Through this video we get to see the skeleton of the album as it is being assembled by the "Fab Four". On top of this, there are some amusing parts where they are laughing and goofing around together showing that under the tension and animosity, they were truly great friends.


Compared to their previous live concerts (especially the sound fiasco at the Shea Stadium event, although that was their biggest performance) this album and this concert was the best this band ever made. Judging on the location (the best location to be used--above the roof) and the sound, it was awesome. I liked especially the little bits of fun they inserted here, like afet "One After 909", Lennon recites a line of "Danny Boy"... Even though it was obvious that the relations between The Beatles themselves were then too strained, they still blasted the gray Liverpool sky with that album.

10 out of 10.


The Beatles made 5 films during their rein of rock royalty, for my money this is by far the best, most intimate rock documentary ever made. It starts with one simple, haunting shot of Ringo`s drum kit and ends with an invigorating roof-top concert. In between we get to see run-throughs and rehearsals of some of their best music they ever recorded. We also see several arguments between John, Paul & George. Ringo is pretty even-tempered throughout the film. Oh yes, and we do see a lot of Yoko Ono (mostly by John`s side). Let it Be was released on video at the dawn of the home video market. It was quickly withdrawn for legal reasons. Hopefully, one day very soon, Paul and Ringo will grant a re-release on dvd so many generations of fans can see this great movie.


Let it Be is a look at how a great band can disintergrate before your eyes. It is almost impossible not to view this film without a knowing nod of oh yes I can see how it happened. The truth is the making of this documentary makes far more better reading than actually viewing it. In November 1968 The Beatles released over thirty new songs recorded between bouts of hostility and anger at the presence of Yoko in the studio. With Ringo set to make the film Magic Christian in February 1969 it is hard to see how the group could have got back together after six months apart. Paul came up with the idea to make a TV show around the Beatles recording and rehearsing new material from scratch at Twickenham with a second show that would see the group performing at the Roundhouse, London.All this completed in January 1969. All the problems that acompany this idea are seen in the film. The main problem is the group just do not have enough new material, John's heavy drug use make him just a passenger.However his ego will not allow George to take a more central role and this is why George walks out of the group and not the argument that is so often referred to by everyone who has seen the film. When he rejoins the band at their Saville Row studio along with Billy Preston the group seem more relaxed. However it obvious that all the superior compositions like 'Let it Be', 'Thr Long and Winding Road' and 'Get Back' are all Paul's and it is he who's presence dominates their rooftop performance. When all the recordings were completed their were no TV shows just enough footage to make a rough cut of a film 120 minutes long with John and Yoko equally to the fore with Paul. Allegedly rejected by the remaining Beatles his footage was taken out and what is left is a group dominated by Paul, who comes across as the leader pushing and bullying the band into a cohesive unit. But ultimatly isn't that what everybody wants The Beatles just playing music.


let it be does not have to be sad. there are happy moments but it just shows the internal conflict every super group to follow must go though. they were the first and couldn't get over personal differences and opinions. if they could of, well music today would be affected.


Allen plays Emmanuelle. The beautiful woman who meets and falls for Haffron (PAUL MICHAEL ROBINSON). He is one good looking guy. And She is one hot babe. They hit it off well and continue to have great sex through the 7 part series. I think it will be a tragedy if this show doesn't come to america. They tried to rope the 7 episodes in an hour and a half tape. It didn't work out. I want to see all 7 episodes uncut. The sex scene choreography is great. And Kudos to Paul Michael Robinson and Krista Allen for being so great with nudity. They ARE NOT shy. Allen is already a rising star and we should start hearing more about her soon. As for Paul Michael Robinson he has the potential to become a great actor. He can act, he's great looking, and will show nudity (how many actors can you say that about). I read someone said that the leads lack charisma. It's the best charisma I've seen in these kind of movies. ATTENTION!!: LET'S START A GROUP STATING WE WANT EMMANUELLE IN SPACE BROUGHT TO VIDEO IN 7 PARTS UNEDITED!!!!

KRISTA ALLEN RULES!!!

PAUL MICHAEL ROBINSON!!!!!---YOU RULE!!!!


I am giving this series a 10, not because of the plot(who's noticing?) but for the incredible allure and erotic presence of Krista Allen. The exquisite beauty possessed by this lady is so transcending it simply vanquishes anything else in a scene. Her sex scenes are so powerfully sensual they bring you right out of your chair. I know there has to be something, in any level of adult fare, for every sexual taste, but I would have preferred less lesbianism and more hetero-action. Among other things, I applaud Ms.Allen for the gutsy decision to accept this role, in view of the fact her acting talent and beauty should get her about anything she wants in film. This series was Cinemax's most commanding attraction, the adult quality of which can only be matched by a Krista sequel.


There is only one good reason why this movie gets 9/10, Krista Allen. She carries the entire movie and brings excitement to it. She plays a young woman that runs in to some aliens who want too learn about human love and sex. And Emmanuelle (Krista Allen) is happy to help them, really help them! In this movie she only has two sex scenes but the other woman aren't too bad either. There is a sex scene every 5 minutes. In which you can see Krista isn't ashy girl, she has a great body and a incredible sexy voice. And she uses both in an excellent way. This isn't the best movie of this series but it worth too watch it. Although these movies are hard find, I've been looking for several months.

So I've you them e-mail me wwillio@hotmail.com


This little softporn flick seems to have a lot going for it: especially, it has (unsurprisingly) a visibly bigger budget and consequently better production values than contemporary hard porn, and contrary to most straight-to-video erotic thrillers it spares us any connections of sex with violence.

However, this alone does not make a good movie. The production values only slightly exceed Ed Wood territory (I noticed a plastic chicken on a dining table), and the cinematography is at best irritating as the camera constantly circles around the couples making love. The couplings lack a bit of imagination and the leads lack charisma and screen presence.

In Europe they made lots of films of this ilk in the 1970s, but this one is not up to their standard.


Kristy Allen was very good on the show. Paul Michael Robinson who played Haffron Williams didn't appeal to me too well. I think the series would have called "Emmanuelle's Sex Trek". If Haffron Williams is a captain of the ship this person should be young in his mid 20's & is very sexy. Tiendra Demian who played Tasha was very good. With the same Sci-Fi series, she meets with a Spanish guy & makes love with the background of the bull fighting. In this series when Emmanuelle was making love to Haffron, the camera was spinning around & around the bed. Making me feel dizzy. I didn't enjoyed that at all. I hope that there will be more Emmanuelle series in the future with more fantasies to come.


Krista Allen and Paul Michael Robinson are on FIRE! In this particular episode it is about Emmanuelle (Allen) trying to teach Haffron (Robinson) about sex on planet Earth. Throughout the episode Haffron goes around to different woman and gets sex. The star of this episode is Paul Michael Robinson. Also with a great supporting cast (that all get's naked) including Reginald Chevalier, Kristen Knittle, Jack Lawson, Jane Stone, and Melisssa Mead. *****/***** for sex. *****/***** for the stars. **/***** for plot. ****/***** OVERALL!


I have seen several of the Emmanuelle movies but this is the best. Krista Allen is beautiful and very erotic. I hope it becomes available on video in the USA like it is in available in Europe. I just hope that Cinemax runs it again!!!!


This is one of the most amazing series ever put to film. Specifically.....Krista Allen. She is unbelievably beautiful, and seeing her in all her glory is truly a treat! She's a pretty good actress, too, especially considering that this is one of her first roles. The episodes that feature other actresses in action, rather than Krista, of course, aren't as interesting. But those with Krista are awesome! Again, she is too beautiful for words....you have to see her for yourself. The plot, as if that matters, is kinda cool, with Krista's character, teaching aliens the ways of earthly love. See it if you can.


Soooo NOT "another attempt to exploit the cliché of what Colombia is not." I have seen Colombian movies, and most of them do fit perfectly into that description, but this movie is different. It shows a new format in Colombian films, the story is fresh even though it does deal with drugs, and the conflicts of the characters are perfectly plotted and put together into a delightful, artistic movie. Don't think "Mary full of grace" is all Colombia has to offer. This movie is full of wit, and was cleverly written and filmed. One of my top ten. Oh, and if you're into Colombian movies, you have to watch "La Estrategia del Caracol." That's a classic and is also very, very good.


Aljure provided a fresh look at Colombian cinema on "La Gente de la Universal", but it is on this masterpiece that he exploits all that his "cinephilia" has done to him over the years. He takes on a video-clip rhythm and shoots on film allowing a colorful yet moonlit cinema that goes on with the drug-related parody and gloomily joyful characters in which not one is secondary. It's lighting and editing contrast any other Colombian film and it's sweet artistic joy and euphoria carry it's audience through a ride of ecstasy just like the "pepas" of the movie carry it's characters. "El Colombian Dream" has arrived and we can only celebrate along with it.


This movie is one of the few, if not the only Colombian production that I can feel proud of, it tells a story close to our culture and our collective personality in a psychedelic and frenetic tone that reminds us of Fernando Meirelles's "Cidade De Deus".The movie is filled with creative film-making and literary reflections, and the various outcomes are usually pumped with an irony that makes it amazingly realistic, and often put that slightly sadistic smile on your face. the wit and crudity of Aljure in representing the particular things that makes us Colombians is overwhelming,and is truly revealing at some times.Don't let other comments bump you out, this really is one of the most amazing films I have ever seen.


I'm not complaining or anything. sometimes i love to eat a bunch of chocolate, until i feel sick. a friend of mine referred to this movie this way, and i just felt he completely hit the point. It has like a thousand protagonists, and a thousand story-lines and uses a thousand of cinematographic tools... and in the end, there is not a protagonist nor a storyline nor a visual language. just like eating too much chocolate, still you won't regret about doing so. Must see... i guess not like it's for everybody. Characters, through a lot, are well developed, and kind on funny. the only real complain i have about this movie is that the whole baby thing, doesn't make sense at all... you'll see why.


With El Colombian Dream, Felipe Aljure has once again been able to break paradigms as he has demonstrated that it is possible to produce and direct Colombian cinema on a par with any internationally produced film. Tarantino's, Jean-Pierre Jeunet's (Amelie) and the influence of other well-known directors are somehow present in this movie. If you want to see a cruel, black-humored critique of a dreadful aspect of Colombian society, watch this movie. Worth mentioning as well are the actors and actresses that make the cast of the film, virtually unknown in Colombia, but with a great potential to become Colombia's next generation of exportable talent. Trivia fact: the twins were chosen for the six-fingered foot of one of them.


Colombian dream is probably the best Colombian movie ever done, especially Felipe Aljure's wonderful direction and very original screenplay makes this movie a must if you want to know about new styles and concepts about Colombian movie. Since Maria Full of Grace which was released in 2003 but being half Colombian half American I haven't seen a so well done Colombian story. This movie is far apart of the way other directors tell a story about drugs and social problems that are part of the costumbrism and black movie style made in Colombia's cinematography but which is also part of Colombia's reality. Even though the young leading actors still have a lot to learn the movie has extraordinary supporting actors and also very good film editing and sound editing.


Minor spoilers in this comment.

El Colombian Dream is an awful boring movie that does not deserve to be watched at all. It started out good with an original narrative, good dialogs and good use of cameras and art direction, but that's about every good thing this movie has to offer. The movie takes one whole hour to set its plot (that is  a whole hour for the drug dealers to loose their drug and our "heroes" to get a hold of it), and only then, the actual story begins. That first hour doesn't add anything decisive to the story nor explores characters in a fascinating way.

Characters are another thing that makes this movie so tedious. There is not one character that makes a single conscious choice. And that's what supports the storytelling  the fact that characters keep on making the wrong choices and so the plot can keep on getting complicated. It's really a sitcom-structure that turns out pathetic for a two hour fifteen minutes movie, while it also transforms characters in nothing but cartoon like clichés.

Now  is it fair for a movie to rely entirely on character's lies that need to be supported to maintain its storytelling? It certainly is not. I.e. if El Duende wanted to kill his boos why not just grab a gun and shoot him, instead of putting together such a complicated and uncertain plan.

At another point of the movie the narrator says that 'it suck's to born in a country that turns poets into killers' (or something to that effect), and one can't help to wonder if it's really the country's fault. This country sucks in many ways  that's a fact, just as every country in the world sucks in one or another way (but to be truthful, this country also many great things  just as every other country) but is it fair to blame it on the country for the fact that a silly immature cartoon like character ends up in jail? Not to mention that after he realized that he wasn't cut out to be a part of that business he had plenty of time and chances to get out of it. I believe it would be fairly to blame it on stupid writing that made the character take one wrong stupid choice after the other.

Another thing that troubles me is the fact that the movie turns around a load of ecstasy like pills when that's exactly the one drug that Colombia is not known to be a quality producer. Was it not lees complicated (and more realistic) to make it a load of cocaine? Where the movie makers contaminated by the "realismo mágico" (magic realism) that spreads on almost every piece of Colombian literature and art craft? Did they wanted to make it an original out-of-this-world story? Who knows. The fact is that it turns out ridiculous.

If they wanted to shoot yet another Colombian made drug mafia movie, there are so many real life stories published out there, which happens to be better and much more fascinating than this one, that any of them would have made up a better scrip.

On an aside note  there is a kind of unwritten rule where we (colombians) must embrace and support the movies made in our country, just for the fact that movie making is an almost impossible task in Colombia. But the truth is that one cannot embrace and support such a bad movie as this one.

One last word: don't watch it.


This movie is a rare gem. All of the shots are completely hyper-kinetic, which eliminates the possibility of emphasis or accent on any of the films (convoluted and yet, ironically predictable) events. It works out as a collection of tenuously related 2 minute music videos in which character development and plot are almost non existent. The director, who is a very good director, as he showed in his last film "La gente de la Universal", decide to show of his 12 plus years of producing TV commercials in detriment of any sort of narrative criteria. Its overlong, overwritten and I have no idea what the deal is with having an aborted child narrating it. Its Fax meaning at its best, a whole mess of sound and fury signifying nothing.


Whenever a film maker goes short of ideas about Colombia, he resorts to the drug theme. This is a permanent cliché in the movie industry and it is easy to forgive if it is the sloppy work of an outsider. But when a Colombian director needs to go to these extremes of bad taste to broadcast (once again) the false notion that his country is a narcotics paradise, you can only feel sorry for him. What a narrow mind and what a scarce imagination.

I only hope that the next time someone uses the name of our country in the title of a film or any artistic work, it be with the purpose of honoring it and not as a commercial gimmick. And yes, that it be of any artistic value.


This is a Terrible movie, in almost every aspect, murky cinematography, sloppy special effects, and cheap sets, the argument it's full of gaps, flat, slow and predictable, and the direction it's Kind of ED WOOD in a LSD trip... It's a Colombian movie, and one of the main lines is: It's better to born in Colombia than be dead....Great, it's also very patriot.

It's Just another movie about Colombians and drugs...from a very drugged point of view.

125 lost minutes in my life, and 125 millions of dead brain cells... don't waste your time, nor your brain by watching this...


The Year My Voice Broke is the finest film to come from Australia.

The acting is wonderful, the scenery is glorious, the cinematography superb, and everything clicks to make for a very moving story. This is one of my all-time favorities of all movies every made. The young actors are very natural in their approach to acting and one feels they are very real people who are going through this strange change in life through which all must pass. Kudos to the director and the producers.


This film is a genuine and moving portrayal of growing up in Australia. On some level, the film makes the mundane haunting and beautiful. For people wanting to see the 'real' Australia, rather than the Crocodile Dundee myths, this movie is a classic.

Definitely a film for the sentimental thinker. Like most Australian movies, it lacks the big-budget shoot em up special effect American style. It is more laid back, and lets the characters tell their stories. It made quite an impression in Australia when released, but was less successful overseas.

The sequel of this movie, "Flirting", starred Nicole Kidman and Thandie Newton, who played a cameo in "Interview with the Vampire" opposite Tom Cruise.


I thoroughly enjoyed all of the film. The two young actors are well cast. What originally made the movie stand out for me was the sound track. I had never seen,or heard, a film that used the music of Vaughn Williams before. I was flicking channels one night when the music made me stop and I watched the rest of the film. I have watched it twice since. Gloomy, moving and fascinating.


"The Year My Voice Broke" is one of those unknown, quintessential diamond-in-the-rough films that can't seem to find its way into the DVD market, but breaths Criterion throughout the entire viewing. The daring, honest, and descriptive story of a young boy, his love for this older girl, and the tribulations of growing up in a small town are merely scratching the surface to what this film has to offer. It speaks, and pays homage, to those classic films from the late 40s, early 50s by creating a town with character, mythology, and individuality. One could argue that the town in which this film takes place is our fourth character, behind Danny, Freya, and Trevor  but perhaps this enthusiast is getting ahead of himself. Watching this import on a used VHS, the picture was grainy, the player made noise, and the sound was utterly destructive  yet the heart of this film oozed from the screen. The power of the characters, the detail of our story, and the truth in director/screenwriter John Duigan's words went from having meaning in a 1987 film (that was supposed to take place in 1962) to creating a story that didn't feel dated or old watching it today, at the end of 2009. That is the legacy of "The Year My Voice Broke", the raw emotion harassed in this film continues to be relevant today  perhaps even more. As Hollywood uses every CGI possible to recreate the same effect, all one needs to do is look back at films that used the old-fashioned methodgreat actors, a daring script, and a background that could knock your socks off.

To applaud this film, one would need to pat the back of a very young, a very talented, Noah Taylor. Taking on not just an awkward role, he needed to show his anger, his teenage frustration, as well as his headiness for brains instead of brawn. Noah Taylor, known to me as Technical Support in "Vanilla Sky", succeeded gracefully and with the power of most of our top paid American stars. His ability to show us his unconditional love for Freya, his quizzical hatred for Trevor, as well as his sleuthing skills proved that this kid was ready for anything. His co-workers inhabiting each scene worked with his dynamic and equally pushed their talents. Freya, played by Loene Coleman, a newbie to the screen, was enchanting as the love interest. While she wasn't quite the level of Mr. Taylor, her ability to carry her scenes worked. She was the classical bad-girl-next-door with secrets. Her chemistry with Taylor kept me glued to the screen. The same can be said for Trevor, played by Ben Mendelsohn, who's diabolical, nearly irritating, laugh created a character all his own. As the wildcard, we never knew what he was going to do next, and both our characters and our audience were scared of that. To demonstrate the intensity of these actors, watch closely the scene in which they spend the night in the "haunted" house near the railroad tracks. Each one has a motive, each actor/character delivers their emotion, and with each line the scene gets more and more powerful. I wasn't expecting this with children so young.

With these three dominate characters; one may ask what else would be needed for an independent film to succeed? One more, the town. As mentioned before, the town that these three (and many others) reside is reminiscent of our American "Bedford Falls". There are residents that have been their all their lives and secrets many of them keep to protect their town. Throughout the film, our characters are continually building their moments via smaller lives within the town. We learn about Danny's passion for the black arts, that Trevor knows the police firsthand, and that Freya's unknown secret keeps the town at bay. Without the closeness of this town, "The Year My Voice Broke" wouldn't have worked. If filmed in a bigger city, the intimate feeling of a protective yet destructive town would have floundered. The town drunk would have been less poignant, Danny's dad's role would have felt less personal, and the idea of home being safe would have felt less comforting. The town had to be a character in this film. Duigan knew it, developed it, and built it strongly into his film.

This was a character driven film. Without Noah Taylor, Loene Coleman, or Ben Mendelsohn, this film would have failed. It is hard to imagine anyone else being able to carry these characters, or that an American reality would pack as much of a punch. It was impressive to see Australia in 1962, a place we don't explore in cinema enough over past centuries. Director Duigan, if I haven't already drooled over him enough, understood this film, wrote a genuine story, and built a cinematic triumph. Alas, this film has been forgotten, but look closely at the cinematography, the lavish landscapes, the devotion of our characters, the above mentioned town  these all could not have been accomplished without a passionate eye. I applaud Duigan for his talent and ability to transform this 1980s film into a universally emotional and exciting moment of cinema.

Overall, I have said enough. I loved this movie. It was detailed, emotional, and beautiful. Everyone, from director to actors performed superbly. It was a rough couple of prior films, but "The Year My Voice Broke" provided that classic niche. It felt fresh and new, despite the age. I recommend this to everyone. Buy a VHS player and get a copy of this movie, you will not be disappointed.

Grade: **** 1/2 out of *****


This movie was DEFINITELY very true to life. The characters have a lot of depth -- even the minor ones -- and it allows you to definitely connect with the main characters. A very sentimental, very honest look at adolescence and growing up. Being the biggest Noah Taylor fan, bought it off ebay, unsure what to expect, as I am usually unwilling to just purchase movies I've never seen. This one did not disappoint and I recommend it highly. The girl that falls for the dumb jock instead of the guy she SHOULD have fell for, and Noah Taylor is a genius portrayal of the "boy next door." And if you're a Nicole Kidman fan, she's in the sequel, so this would give you a little background on Danny for "Flirting."


Youth Danny Embling (Noah Taylor) suffers the pain of learning his long -time favourite piece of crumpet is starting to expand her own social circle, leaving him still too slow in the growth cycle to keep in step. Noah, Bruce Spence & Graeme Blundell are superb (with some thanks to flawless script and damn fine direction), while the bit parts played by Robert Carlton (only seen elsewhere in High Tide), are bonzah-funny. Beware, this feature plays on true-to -life reaction to true-to-life occurances, utilising true-to-life dialogue. The Year is an anti-soap. Conversation including "I'm sorry, you're so mature for your age.", and "He thinks you're sexy" would not suit if the film wasn't meant to be aimed at describing ordinariness.


The Year My Voice Broke is basically about three young kids growing up in a small, desolate town in Australia during the 1960s. The main character and narrator is Danny. His childhood friend is Frey, who also happens to be his first real love, although she doesn't know exactly how much he loves her--at least not at first. So to speak, Frey is like the only girl who he trusts and who he understands. But, Frey loves the reckless outlaw, Trevor.

The movie reminds me a lot of the 1986 movie, Lucas, which starred a very young Corey Haim. Danny is like Lucas in that he is in love with his childhood friend, the only girl who seems to understand and appreciate him. Freya compares to Maggie because she finds herself falling in love with another. And Trevor is like Cappie. But 'The Year My Voice Broke' deals with much more adult situations than simply being a matter of 'puppy love,' and thus some of the results are tragic.

Nonetheless, it is a movie worth seeing.


The only animated movie to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination, and it deserved it.

Magic from the opening prologue to the final credit, "Beauty and the Beast" is the last real classic to come from the Disney crew before John Lasseter came along. This was one of the few movies I happily paid to see twice in the cinema, and sitting in a sparsely-populated Friday night audience (I was living in Barbados at the time, and it was hardly the most artistic place on Earth... it was a crying shame that there was hardly anyone there while "Home Alone 2" went through the roof) the second time, the magic remained.

You all know the story, so apart from pointing out the movie's one flaw (the prince's spell had to be broken before he turned 21 or he would remain a beast forever; so if it was cast ten years before the events of the movie, wouldn't that mean he was 11 when the spell was cast...?), let's look at how well the movie works. You have a monster who's more human than the movie's medallion-man villain; you have a heroine who's PC but engaging with it; you have a supporting cast of magic utensils who wisely never upstage the couple at the centre of this love story (and despite the Disney animated trappings, it IS a love story); and you have a captivating story, beautifully told.

The movie's also got wonderful design of its French setting and characters, with the ballroom scene a standout (the tiny but appreciative audience were impressed by the sight of the Beast and Belle in their evening wear - the only time I've ever seen cartoon characters get wolf-whistled in a cinema); and Alan Menken's score is his finest work for the Mouse, with matchless lyrics from the late and much lamented Howard Ashman - how many musicals can you name where ALL the songs are brilliant? But ultimately it's the movie's very real heart that makes it a keeper; the cliche "You'll laugh, you'll cry" is all too true in this case. A lot of movies called 'classic' don't deserve that appellation, but this one does.

I'll be slaughtered by anime fans, but what the hell... one "Beauty and the Beast" is worth a thousand "Akira"s. And "Shrek"s. And, I'm willing to bet, "Treasure Planet"s. This is a truly adult animated feature that's also one for the entire family. Forget "The Silence of the Lambs" - this is the real best picture of 1991.


Beauty and the Beast is without a doubt one of Disney's finest classics. The first animated film to ever be nominated for best picture and after you see it, you could understand and agree with it's nomination. Beauty and the Beast is going to be one of those films that will always be remembered, I know that it's a movie that I will show my children one day. It has unbelievably terrific animation, a beautiful story, lovable characters, and is just over all a perfect movie. I really love this film so much, I don't think anyone couldn't fall in love with it.

Bell is just a simple girl in her town in France, she reads books constantly and her father is an inventor. They are sort of the outcasts of their town due to their "oddness". But Bell is being pursued by the town hunk, Gueston, simply because she's the one girl he cannot have. One day when her father's inventions are about to be displayed at the fair, he gets lost in the woods and stumbles across a castle and is held prisoner. Bell goes after him and comes to the castle; it turns out that her father is being held by a beast who is cursed with this hideousness unless he finds a true love before a rose he has welts. Bell trades places with her father; the house also has living objects, a candle holder, a clock, a tea pot, all who are also cursed until the curse is broken. They look at Bell as the perfect opportunity for the beast to find a true love, but he must learn to be a gentleman, but Bell brings out the best in him and it turns out that this might be a happy ending after all.

This was actually the first movie that I ever cried in, the ending was just so beautiful and heart felt, you'll have to see what I mean. The songs are just so lovely and perfect for the scenes that they are performed for. Beauty and the Beast, the song, was just one of the most touching songs ever. This films is a major recommendation for me, it's one of my favorite Disney films of all time, it's a timeless classic that is just perfect and reached a new level of great animation.

10/10


a great movie story done with wondrous animation and lovely music. the pacing was perfect, the music blended extremely well with the action, and each character was developed charmingly. the contrast between the mean but insecure beast plays very well against the lovely but bright and secure belle. the animation was top notch: even now, after disney has had time to develop better computer animation techniques, it still has beautiful color and flow. except for pinocchio, I don't know any disney movie more lovely. It's a movie that appeals to children of all ages, especially adults : )

enough of the "technical stuff" let's get on to my emotional attachment to the movie.

I remember the first time I saw B&tB so vividly; I was completely enthralled by the movie that all I could do on the way home was smile and cry. I've seen it many, many times, yet the ballroom scene still gives me goose bumps. Angela Landsbury as Mrs. Potts sings the title song with so much feeling that every time I hear the song, I'm swept away back to that ballroom.

I was also moved by Belle's strength of self worth and generosity. She is a heroine I'd love girls to emulate. She knows what she wants, but yet is sensitive to others in trying to achieve that goal. She also learns to apologize and to forgive, no small task.

I've loved this movie from the start, and it has grown into an obsession. I collect everything I can now, and watch it when I need a lift. So I know my opinion is strongly biased : ) but I hope you get a chance to see this film and judge for yourself. I realize it is difficult to get access to the videos or laser discs (check out the spanish version cover imdb is using in B&tB's page) but it is well worth the search. The first time is most magical. I envy you.


Beauty and the Beast is an engaging movie with so much care and beauty fused into its core. Beauty is much more than just an influential animated classic. It is a grand and powerful fable, sugar coated with the best animation effort in a time where CGI was becoming a movie mainstay. In its finest moments, Beauty is a rousing musical, making your head move and getting caught up right in the mix. The score is unforgettable and the characters are so easy to get into. A movie that children and adults alike will love, Disney deserved its Academy Award nominations for creating such a joy.

Small town Belle longs for more than a local life, maintaining her imagination through books and taking care of her kind, yet eccentric father. But when their horse returns without papa, Belle sets out to find the awful truth in an enchanted castle.

You can see that so much time and care was spent in drawing this masterpiece. I cannot think of many other movies that show such meticulous background and animation. That such effort is woven effortlessly into its songs that make Beauty and the Beast the timeless classic Disney rightfully lauds itself over. 'Be Our Guest,' 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Gaston,' you will be humming these songs at one point in your your life! Kudos to Disney for creating a charismatic, attractive villain in Gaston. He would not be a villain if he was not such a jerk. You must watch this movie at least once in your life, in a comfortable sofa and with the sound turned right up for the Broadway scores. You will enjoy it!


Indeed, it's a tale as old as time, with a complex message that is as ageless as it is universal; but beneath all the layers it can be summed up very simply: love one another, and refrain from judging others who `seem' to be `different.' And leave it to Disney to present it in such a way that it can be embraced and understood by young and old alike as they have here, in one of their best animated features ever, `Beauty and the Beast,' directed by Gary Trousdale. When a young Prince fails the test of an enchantress disguised as an old hag, she transforms him into a hideous beast, as he is destined to remain until he opens his heart and learns how to love and be loved in return. And so that he'll know where he stands as time goes by, she gives him an enchanted rose, which will bloom until his twenty-first birthday, and he has only until the last petal falls from the flower to effect the change within himself that will be his salvation.

	The beast, however, seems doomed, as he shuts himself away, alone in his castle, taking up a reclusive existence far from everyone and everything. Until, one day, a beautiful young woman named Belle shows up at his doorstep. Belle is searching for her inventor father, Maurice, who disappeared while taking one of his latest inventions to the fair; and his trail leads Belle to the castle of the Beast, where she discovers he is being held prisoner, having run afoul of the Beast by trespassing while lost during the night of his journey. Repulsed by the appearance of the Beast, Belle nevertheless strikes a bargain with him: If he will release her father, she will stay in his place. The Beast agrees, with the stipulation that she must remain with him forever. And as the Beast casts Belle's father from the castle and sends him on his way, Belle's fate seems sealed. The only hope now for either Belle or the Beast lies in the remote possibility that true love may somehow prevail before the last petal of the enchanted rose falls.

	With the help of a richly textured screenplay (by Linda Woolverton) that invests the characters with a depth of humanity that is often lacking even in `non' animated films, and an Oscar winning score by Alan Menken, director Trousdale provides some real insights into human nature in this retelling of the familiar story of how true love can change even the darkest and coldest of hearts. There's magic in this film, which holds an enchantment of it's own, and the message is presented ever so subtly and with a sensitivity that draws you in gradually until you are so caught up in the story that you become immersed and totally involved without being consciously aware of it. It's a film that enfolds you and takes you where it will, and you go willingly. A beautifully rendered and realized film that successfully transcends it's genre, it is the first animated feature ever to be recognized and rewarded with an Oscar nomination for Best Movie (quite a feat in itself, as it received the nod over such films as `The Fisher King,' `Fried Green Tomatoes,' `Thelma and Louise' and John Singleton's `Boyz N the Hood' that year).

	The talented cast supplying the voices of the characters includes Paige O'Hara (Belle), Robby Benson (The Beast), Richard White (Gaston), Jerry Orbach (Lumiere), David Ogden Stiers (Cogsworth), Angela Lansbury (Mrs. Potts), Bradley Pierce (Chip), Rex Everhart (Maurice), Jesse Corti (LeFou), Hal Smith (Phillipe), Jo Ann Worley (Wardrobe), Brian Cummings (Stove), Alvin Epstein (Bookseller) and Kimmy Robertson (Featherduster). There's a scene in this film that is so entrancing and so emotionally involving that it stands up against the best from any drama ever made: As Angela Lansbury (as Mrs. Potts) sings the Oscar winning title song, Belle begins to perceive the true nature of the man within the Beast; and it's no longer the cold-hearted Prince upon whom the enchantress cast her spell, because he has changed. And as they come together and the Beast takes Belle in his arms, sweeping her in dance across the elegant ballroom floor, it becomes one of those rare cinematic `moments' that are entirely transporting, and it does, indeed, take you away. It's a memorable scene that exemplifies the quality and craftsmanship of this film, as does the scene in which the Beast is at last transformed; that such emotion can be captured and expressed in an animated film is an exemplary accomplishment, and it's all a part of why `Beauty and the Beast' is one of Disney's all time greatest films.

	One final note: Stay for the credits to hear Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's title song once again, this time performed by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson. Hypnotically beautiful, this version has a magic all it's own and makes the perfect ending to an enchanting experience. It's all a part of the magic of the movies. I rate this one 9/10.


This is a classic movie. We have breakthrough films like Snow White and Fantasia, and we have other greats like Aladdin and The Lion King, but this definitely tops them all. There is so much here that is missing in other Disney classics. This film has emotion, incredible music and animation, characters that you admire, laugh at, and despise. This movie is a fun ride from beginning to end. We can all relate with the suffering of the Beast (being an outsider), and we all know a Gaston in our lives. The way we can identify with the characters sucks us into the story. Don't miss this classic...the only animated film to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.


This movie is pure magic. I love Disney films, especially the traditionally animated ones. I sincerely hope that does not become a lost art form.

So, first point for the movie: it's French. I adore the language and the culture, so getting a smattering is a delight.

Secondly, it's a classic fairytale that is also quite dark. There is much tragedy woven into to castle and its surroundings. I like best the tales that aren't overly bubbly, and this one keeps the goofiness down pretty well.

Next, the heroine actually possesses some intelligence! She reads and has her own mind, and, unlike many, is flawed. It's nice that the film was taken seriously enough to have some dimension, even if it was "only" an animated movie. Plus, I really want to have her library someday.

Lastly- the movie is just so beautiful! The castle and the woods were gorgeous, the ballroom was beautiful, but the best was the breathtaking scene right after Belle dumps Gaston and runs out to the field behind her house. Sheer perfection. No wonder this movie was nominated for best picture. My only wish- I would have liked to have seen some more of the Beast as Adam. He was pretty cute!

Quote of the Film:

- Well YOU shouldn't have been in the West Wing!


'' The Beauty and The Beast'' is one of the greatest stories ever told and one of the best movies from Disney that I watched in my life. I always identified myself with Belle, the girl who does not belong the place where she is lives and also with a big taste of reading lots of books. Our story takes part in France in 18 century, and our main character Belle is the prettiest girl in the city she lives, being the object of the affection and interest of Gaston, an arrogant man that has the sympathy of the people of the region.(And also considered a big catch for the girls of the city)But Belle is not interested in him and always imagined her life different from the domestic life people always imagine for her.One day, Belle's father, an inventor, was going to sell one of his inventions and lost his ways, being attacked by wild animals and entering in a big dark mansion apparently without a owner. He stays there for a time, but soon the Beast comes up and attacks him,making him a prisoner in his castle.Belle stays worried and goes after her father in the mansion and there she sees the violent and awful beast who locked her father. She then makes a deal: Belle agrees to stay in the dark castle with the horrible beast in return to her father's freedom. But with the time, Belle is going to discover all the magic that is beyond the castle, including the talking objects and even a nice side that the Beast has.

This story is very inspiring and very beautiful! =)


This was a well-done Walt Disney animated movie. Although not a huge fan of the movie, I find no fault at all with this film, and it's especially appealing now that it's out on DVD. It looks and sounds super. The colors are bold, bright and just plain gorgeous. The sound separation is excellent. If you have a nice surround system, you'll be pleasantly surprised with this.

The story is nothing extraordinary but decent with a lot of subtle humor mixed in with it, mainly with the talking objects in the castle. Little "teacup" is the cutest of the characters.

The songs, with the exception of the title tune and a Busby Berkeley-type number, are nothing to write home about.

Still, when you look at the whole picture, this is a solid movie and probably one of the Disney's all-time best animated movies.


This is possibly the greatest animated film ever made. That's right, the greatest. Although, more artistically adept Anime fans may detest and although 'The Lion King' is traditionally realized as the quintessential animated film, 'Beauty and the Beast', in the indiscriminate animated realm, may very possibly be one of the most important animated films, Disney, Animated, or otherwise, ranking alongside the likes of 'Snow White', 'Toy Story', and 'Fantasia'.

First of all, let's talk about the cinematography. I declare there is not a single shot in this film that does not impress me. Prior to this film's completion, Rescuers Down Under had enjoyed the distinction of being the first full length animated feature in CGI. But, Beauty is the film that perfected it. Even with all of the animated films that have come since the release of Beauty, I am struck by the polished clarity of the animation in that the background and its objects remain completely in focus in proportion to the objects in the forefront, as critics are still astounded today that young Charles Foster Kane playing in the snow is able to remain in focus through a window in proportion to Agnes Moorhead in 'Citizen Kane.' Likewise, look at Belle and the Beast's snowball fight in 'Something There' while the objects converse. Belle and the Beast, from a distance, can be clearly viewed as easily as can the objects. When Maurice runs down the staircase of the cottage before the angry mob, the camera flies down following him, and yet Belle and Monsieur D'Arque remain completely visible. Remarkable shots like these can be found throughout the film, such as the Swooping Ballroom Ceiling Scene, the wolf chase, and the Beast's transformation sequence.

It is understandable that Walt Disney gave up on his treatment of 'Beauty,' just as it is understandable that the makers of this film almost gave up on its completion. The story does not scream success (a beautiful girl passively sacrificing her life for her father and falling in love with a cursed beast). And, yet it is a testament to the power of storytelling that this film is as entertaining as it is, for a film without a straightout villain or hero. From the start, we are taken from a haunted castle, paranormal in its scope, to a simple French village bustling with activity, and the film never loses its power.

The film's only legitimate weakness is its instrumental score. Following the fantastic score of 'Mermaid' and preceding the wonderful score to 'Aladdin' and the riveting score to 'The Lion King,' the score to 'Beauty' holds few surprises, for the most part.

Otherwise, this is a film devoid of weakness and, more importantly, scandal (like most of the other "Renaissance" films). And whatever I could say about the film's wonderful and groundbreaking songs, characters, scenery, and detail has likely already been said. All I can do is recommend this as highly as any great film I have ever seen.


Beauty and the Beast is truly the best animated movie of all time. Tonight I watched again after 4 or 5 years and it just opened my eyes. If all of my brothers weren't watching it with me I would have cried so much. The story is incredible, but what really makes this movie so wonderful and beautiful is the music. The songs are great, especially " Beauty and the Beast", Alan Menken did a great job on this movie( Songs and score). I'm very happy that it won 2 Oscars, and got nominated for best picture, I think it should have won. Beauty and the Beast is a movie for all ages, it will make you happy when you're child, and make you cry when you're older. In conclusion, I believe that this movie is one of the greatest ever made and I'm surprised it's not in IMDb's top 250 'cause it really should be, anyway, to all of you who still didn't get the chance to see it or thought that it was to silly and childish, believe me it's not, it's a true masterpiece. I love it!!! And I know you will. 10/10


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.


The 30th animated Disney "classic" is, without a doubt, one of the most famous Disney classics, which is a good and a bad thing either, because its success tends somewhat to overshadow other very good Disney classics (often better than this). Or maybe what happens is that this movie gets the deserved attention, while others sadly do not have the same luck (such as "The Rescuers", "The Aristocats", "The Fox and the Hound", "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh", "Robin Hood" and others). That is the worst aspect of this movie's success. So, as one can see, it's not all roses.

Nevertheless, "Beauty and the Beast" is one of Disney's most original movies. To a point, it is every bit as creative and imaginative as "Alice in Wonderland", except that it isn't as eccentric as that one.

One thing that is very obvious from the beginning is that this is a french tale. It's quite easy to understand that because all the characters have french names. Plus, they often use french words such as "Bonjour" (which means "Good morning" in french). Lumière even uses the word «Sacré bleu» once. However, it's not very clear the exact place of our story. All we know is that it's somewhere in France.

As much as I don't like all of the movie's characters, some of them are very charming. For example: Lumière (the candelabra), Cogsworth (a clock), Mrs. Potts (a teapot), Chip (the cute little teacup), Belle, Maurice (Belle's father, who is also an inventor) and Philippe (the horse). It's funny that a horse is named Philippe (Philip in french) - LOL.

Belle is one of Disney's most beautiful chicks, together with Jasmine, Ariel and the Blue Fairy. Belle is also classy, charming, carefree, nonconformist, conservative and nice. All of this makes her an interesting character and, above all, different from the rest of her village's population, who see her as a strange girl because she likes to read and also because she can't stand Gaston (unlike the rest of women) neither the idea of being his "little wife". Belle is appropriately named like that (her name means beautiful in french).

Gaston (who is considered the villain of the movie) is a character who's got no culture at all, being the epitome of pure strength and no brain (like Biff Tannen from "Back to the Future"). Gaston is a tall, muscled, vain, arrogant, snobbish and chauvinistic guy with a heart of stone.

On the other hand, Gaston's follower and helper, Lefou, is more of a goofy guy than anything else, nearly like a comic relief. No wonder he is named Lefou (which means "The Fool" in french).

Monsieur D'Arque is a strange man with a sinister appearance that makes him seem to come from a terror film. For some children, he might be a bit of a creepy character.

My favorite character is Chip (he is the cutest of all, besides, his natural sweetness and innocence helps). However, Lumière and Belle come incredibly close to Chip when it comes to my favorite characters of this film.

The soundtrack isn't entirely spectacular, but the romantic ballad "Beauty and the Beast" is beautiful. It has 2 versions. Angela Lansbury's version is good, but the original one by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson is extraordinary.

As for the cast, it is brand new comparing to older Disney films and most of them do well. Paige O'Hara and Angela Lansbury are among the best ones, but those who steal the show are Bradley Pierce as Chip and Jerry Orbach as Lumière. Jerry Orbach gives so much life and energy to Lumière, with such a convincing french accent.

The best part of the whole film is the famous ballroom dance sequence, which is wonderful, brilliant and very artistic (the graphics also make it look incredibly close to a live-action ballroom).

Generally speaking, this film has the main ingredients of an animated Disney movie: great picture quality (good designs, backgrounds, sceneries and colors), very good animation, creativity, originality, some charming characters, some romance, adventure, darkness, suspense, classic humor and so on...

The Prince (that is, the Beast as a human being) almost looks like Jean Michel Jarre with that long hair. That said, his change of heart during the movie is amazing. From a person who is spoiled, selfish, unkind and with an explosive temper, he becomes kind, gentle and even romantic.

Although the sequence "Human Again" was originally gonna be included in the movie, it was removed in the final version. It was recovered for the DVD. Yet, the version I consider the true one is the one without the sequence "Human Again", even if that one is not *officially* the movie's true version. But for me the true version is the one I know since 1991. It's the way I always knew it, so it makes perfect sense.


Beauty and the Beast it's a classic of literature, but, there's no adaptation of any tale that has surpassed the original one as this. The visual style blends perfectly the paintings of Europeans like Goya and Rembrandt on the fascinating land of Provence in France, and the Gothic-terrific architecture with beasts, devils and dragons with the fascinating Romanesque-Renaissance grand flavor of color, spaces, and themes. The haunting music in the beginning mixed with the glasses telling the story of a feudatory prince that was transformed into a beast by a beautiful enchantress. That glasses blending medieval style and moons and heraldic blossom's and dazzling blonde enchantresses are a perfect introduction to what we are going to see. The characters, there's no one of them useless, all of them loving. The music, the score, the story itself. The perfect movie for those who love perfection.


BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is one of the greatest Disney films to ever grace audiences. A personal favorite, the story of Beauty and her growing love for the Beast is one that people have enjoyed through the years, from the theater to Broadway.

I first saw Beauty and the Beast when I was a little girl, around the time that I watched the other Disney classics. And, like I did with the others, I fell in love. The stunning animation and soundtrack coupled with the captivating story kept me in my seat till the very end.

This movie is thrilling, with it's message of how love can happen even if the people in question aren't incredibly beautiful. Although the idea of the Beast changing to a prince doesn't sit well with me-- Beauty fell in love with the animal, not the man-- the film is a treasure from Disney.


The first and possibly last animated movie to be nominated for best picture, and it should have won. This is an absolutely beautiful movie, and it makes me miss the art of hand drawn animation. Don't get me wrong Scilence of the Lambs was great movie and its really a tough choice but i think this one should have won. I hate to admit it but it brings a tear to my eye every time I watch it. If only Disney could get back to the likes of this film, and stop dicking around with the boring cgi movies. I hope someday we will see an animated movie win best picture, but sadly i think it will not happen, the only one in my opinion that came close was spirited away, and thats still no Beauty and the Beast.


Beauty and the Beast tells the story of Belle, an unusual but beautiful girl, who goes in search of her inventor father and comes across a mysterious castle. She enters the castle in search of her father, to discover it is occupied by a beast. She becomes his prisoner. The beast is loveless and thankless, but she soon begins to fall in love with him, and he with her. The film's end is happy, satisfying, and inspiring, showing what the power of love can do.

Beauty and the Beast is a charming story of love and magic. It features lovely music. Songs like "Beauty and the Beast", "Be Our Guest", and "Belle" are catchy and fun to listen to. It features first-class characters: the quirky Belle; Gaston, the hateful attractive villain; the Beast, a character one can't help but feels sorry for; the enchanted objects - Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, and Lumiere, characters that bring a lighthearted quality to the movie. Beauty and the Beast also features excellent executed animation. It isn't hard to tell all the talent, the sweat, and the heart that was put in this film. The ballroom sequence, and the sequence that shows when the beast becomes human are among the most outstanding animated sequences in recent cinema.

Beauty and the Beast is great in another aspect: it's ageless. Although it appears to be a children-oriented film, it doesn't take much for an adult to find it extraordinarily appealing. It's a fabulous film for the whole family to watch and enjoy.

When I first saw Beauty and the Beast, I fell in love with it. It's a beautiful tale, an engaging musical, and wonderful fable of romance. One of the greatest examples of traditional animation in recent years, it will go down in history with other beautiful Disney masterpieces, like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, and Cinderella.


I always thought that of all the Disney cartoons, "Beauty and the Beast" took the cake for being one of the greatest Disney cartoons ever released in 1991. You see, I got a copy of this Disney cartoon on DVD as part of the Walt Disney 2-Disc Platinum Edition DVD series that showcases some of Disney's greatest animated films as it was said in some DVD booklets that came with the Disney DVDs themselves. You see, "Beauty and the Beast" is the very first Disney cartoon to use computer animation techniques, notably the backgrounds.

Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, and based on the well known fairy tale, it all begins in a peaceful village, and a young girl named Belle (voiced by Paige O'Hara) takes a stroll around, and at one point when she reads a book by a fountain, one of the sheep tears off a page and eats it. Later on, Belle's father, Maurice (voiced by Rex Everhart), shows her his latest invention that he will take it to a local fair. When he gets lost in the middle of the woods, Maurice escapes from a pack of wolves and ran into a castle complete with gargoyle statues and everything else.

When Maurice says "Hello? Hello? Is someone there?", he gets welcomed by a candelabrum named Lumiere (voiced by Jerry Orbach), a clock named Cogsworth (voiced by David Ogden Stiers), a teapot named Mrs. Potts (voiced by Angela Lansbury), and a teacup named Chip (voiced by Bradley Pierce). But just as Maurice was about to settle down for a cup of tea, he gets imprisoned by a hideous Beast (voiced by Hal Smith), who happens to be a handsome Prince (voiced by Robby Benson) under a magical curse, and a spoiled, selfish, and unkind one too. The result: many years ago of a winter's night, an old woman came to the castle's entrance and offers Prince a rose, but Prince refuses and tells her to go away. The old woman then changed herself into a fairy, tells Prince that he had no love in his heart, and turns him into the monster of the same name. It's up to Belle to make Beast learn the true meaning of love just by angering him at a couple points, and such.

Meanwhile, back at the village, Belle's macho fiancé, Gaston (voiced by Richard White), who is that much of a game hunter, makes several attempts to make Belle his wife, and thinks Maurice is a "crazy old man" when Maurice shouts, "He's got her locked in a dungeon! A Beast! A horrible monstrous Beast!" And that's not all. In just a couple moments later, towards the end of this Disney cartoon, Gaston wants to kill Beast, and have his head mounted on his wall...

The supporting characters in there also include Philippe the Horse (also voiced by Hal Smith), Gaston's goofy looking sidekick, Lefou (voiced by Jesse Corti), a Wardrobe (voiced by Jo Anne Worley), and Monsieur D'Arque (voiced by Tony Jay). In "Beauty and the Beast", the characters can be distinguishing just by judging by their personalities as well as their habits. For instance, Beast is a powerful character much like Stromboli from another Disney cartoon, "Pinocchio", and Monsieur D'Arque is much like Coachman from "Pinocchio" as well.

The songs wrote by composer Alan Menken are very catchy, including "Be Our Guest", "Gaston", "The Mob Song", "Human Again", and the most memorable, "Beauty and the Beast". Everybody loves this Disney cartoon's humorous moments (Wardrobe landing on a villager for example, and a couple others to name a few), as well as touching scenes (at one point, for instance, before turning back into Prince's old self, Beast dies in Belle's arms before the last petal of the enchanted rose falls off) for many years to come just like the other Disney cartoons did.

By the way. In the Disney cartoon/video game "Kingdom Hearts" series, Belle, Beast (now voiced by Robby Benson since "Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas" and "Belle's Magical World", even with a little help of some equipment and devices that they used in the 1996 film "Ransom" which starred Mel Gibson), Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Wardrobe, and Prince (appearing at the "Kingdom Hearts II" end credits) cope with Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy as Sora, Donald, and Goofy battle the Heartless, Nobodies, and the Orginization 13.


I was only five years old when this hit animated Disney flick came into theatres, and don't recall ever going to see any movies on the big screen when I was that young, so I obviously didn't see this one. A while later (I can't remember exactly when), I saw it on the small screen for the first time, and while I don't think I ever liked it as much as Disney's "Aladdin", it was enjoyable enough for me to watch several more times. Like many other Disney films, I'm still impressed with this one after rediscovering it.

An enchantress casts a spell on a selfish prince, turning him into an ugly beast! She leaves him a rose, which will bloom until he turns 21. In order to break this spell, he must learn to love and be loved in return before the rose's last petal falls. If he fails to do so, the spell will be permanent. In a nearby village lives an inventor named Maurice, and his daughter, Belle, a bookworm who is not happy living in this village. One night, Maurice gets lost in the woods, and searches for a place to stay for the night. He comes across a castle, and doesn't know this is the Beast's castle! When the Beast sees him, he locks him up! Belle looks for her missing father, and finds him there. She begs the Beast to set him free and take her instead, and he accepts this offer, so Belle is now his prisoner. His 21st birthday is drawing near, and with Belle in his life, he finally has the chance try and break the spell before it's too late, but will he succeed?!

While I don't like this Disney version of "Beauty and the Beast" as much as many others do, I can see why it's so popular. It may not have as much excitement as certain other Disney animated features, but it does have some (mainly towards the end, in my opinion). The movie also contains lot of humour, mainly thanks to Gaston (the rude, nasty man who wants to marry Belle) and Lefou (Gaston's silly assistant), as well as Lumiere and Cogsworth (two of the Beast's servants, one a candle and the other a clock due to the spell, who often get into fights with each other). Of course, the animation in the film is also something that deserves praise. So, while not the greatest film in Disney history, it's still one not to be forgotten!


I love that UNLIKE movies like "Snow White" and "Sleeping Beauty," the main characters in this movie don't fall in love by first glance. They get to know each other and fall in love gradually. Not like in "Snow White" where Snow White and Prince Charming fall in love because they both think that the other is hot. That sort of thing doesn't happen in real life, if someone in real life loved someone else without even knowing their name. I'de feel really, really, really bad for that couple. And the movie has great music and songs, most of the characters are lovable. And it's just a great movie. It's definitely a Disney classic that you have to watch.


"The Most Beautiful Love Story Ever Told"

Beauty and the Beast is undoubtedly my favorite animated film of all time, and one of my favorite films of all time. I grew up with this movie along with the other classics, and I love it now just the same.

The story is about a prince (Robby Benson) who is cursed, one a cold night, to become a beast by a beautiful enchantress. The prince was visited by her disguised as an ugly old woman who asks for shelter for the night. All she had to offer in return was a single red rose. With a cold heart he turned the old lady away, ounce and again after she warned him to not be fooled by appearances. The enchantress saw no love in his arrogant heart, and cast a powerful spell on the castle, cursing all who live within it. The rose was to become the core of the curse, for before the last peddle falls, the prince must learn to love and be loved in return. "But who could ever learn to love a beast?"

Belle (Paige O'Hara) is a beautiful and misunderstood girl who is always distracted by the chanting wonders of a good fairy tale book. She has no one to relate to; even the arrogant and good-looking hunk named Gaston (Richard White) isn't her type. Belle dreams of living more than a provincial life, like a fairy tale. Her father Maurice (Rex Everhart) is an inventor who heads off to an inventing fair, but gets lost in the woods and ends up prisoner in the Beast's castle. As her father is imprisoned and sick to the bone, Belle makes a deal with the Beast to take his place instead. She is now a forever prisoner in the cursed castle, unknowing that she is the key to ending the Beast's torment. Through months of time both Belle and the Beast have learned their misunderstandings for each other. They gain a special friendship that is hoped to become love.

"Crazy old Maurice" pleads to the town for the rescue of his daughter from the horrible ten- foot tall monster. Gaston plots to get Belle's interest by bargaining her father's freedom for marriage. The Beast has learned to love and gives Belle away to rescue her father. And the ending begins....

Whatever did happen to the classic wonders of Disney? I don't know, and it all seemed to go downhill when Jeffrey Katzenberg left Disney for DreamWorks with Spielberg. I think the best Disney films are the ones that Disney didn't make. I think Jungle Book was his last film, and that was the end of what I call the old generation Disney movies. Then you have your middle generation of movies that consisted of the less successful films such as The Black Cauldron and Oliver and Company. It wasn't until The Little Mermaid that the new generation took hold. If I'm not mistaken The Lion King was Katzenberg's last Disney film. Now we have the more recent and sometimes sucky films. Which consist of Hercules, Mulan, Tarzan and so on. This is too bad, because theses other films only come close to being as good as Beauty and the Beast.

This masterpiece has more heart and emotion than another animated film. It is still astounding to me that this is the only animated film to be nominated for best picture. I think it's good and bad that they brought the category of best-animated picture. Animation will never have a chance to become the best picture of the year. On the other hand what are the chances of that happening really? Beauty and the Beast is the best not because it was nominated for best picture, or because it was listed third in Roger Ebert's top ten list, but because it is the best. Simple, yes?

****/**** Stars

Two Thumbs Way Up

Beauty and the Beast (1991): Rated PG for some mild frightening and violent images


Beauty & the Beast is still one of my favourite Disney films. It has a feisty, book loving heroine, a gorgeous beast, entertaining support & a vile villain. Plus enchanting songs & colourful, detailed animation. My favourite character is Chip, the little teacup, who has a vital role to play. Alas, the gorgeous beast is eventually replaced, but that's for sake of the fairy tale. What we didn't need was a new musical number. It's just an unnecessary filler in that spoils the pace of the film. Be sure to watch to the end of the credits. There's a wonderful dedication to Howard Ashman. The voicework is fantastic & best of all, the film is in classic 2d. It's a shame we see less & less of that style nowadays. With notable exceptions like Ice Age, 3d animation lacks the uniqueness & charm of traditional films. CGI doesn't have to flaunt itself. It's the story & characters that truly matter. 8/10


Reportedly five years in the making, this enchanted, inspired production is perhaps not quite on the level of Disney's first-tier masterpieces (Pinocchio, Dumbo, Snow White and Fantasia), but a strong case could be made for it being the best film the studio has released since its 1991 premiere. From the design of the Beast's awesomely monolithic castle to the heart-stopping, Busby Berkley-inspired dance of china and silver in "Be Our Guest", this is one of the most rigorously constructed animated films I've seen. Bolstered by grand, romantic themes of self-sacrifice and eternal honor in the face of persecution, this is a marvelous experience for any age.