Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas is a 1997 direct-to-video animated holiday film produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. It is a sequel that takes place within the original Beauty and the Beast (after the fight with the wolves and before the Beast gives Belle the castle library). In this movie, the Beast forbids Christmas (because his transformation from the Prince occurred on that time of year) until Belle, Cogsworth, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, and Chip convince him that Christmas is a good holiday. The film also shows the time that the enchantress put the spell on the castle in the first film in more detail.
==Plot==
Belle and the Beast throw a Christmas party for the local villagers at their castle who are been pardoned for their attack on the prince which been led by Gaston. Maître d’ Lumiere (Jerry Orbach) and Majordomo Cogsworth (David Ogden Stiers) argue who brought Christmas back to the castle, whilst Mrs. Potts (Angela Lansbury) insists of explaining the true story behind Christmas' return to the castle.
The film then switches into a lengthy flashback, during the events of the first film after the Beast saved Belle from a wolf pack. Belle (Paige O'Hara) is excited for Christmas but is shocked when the castle servants reveal the Beast (Robby Benson) has forbidden Christmas from occurring. Belle finds the Beast outside in the snow and offers to teach him ice skating, but Maestro Fife, a maestro/piccolo, interrupts their skating, causing the Beast and Belle to crash into the snow. As Belle makes a snow angel, the Beast sees his snow figure as a shadow of a monster. He roars, thrashes around through the snow and storms off, leaving Belle and the castle servants alone. While Fife hopes that Forte will be proud of him, the Beast stomps back into his castle in fury and depression.
Belle decides to throw Christmas, Lumiere and Chip (Haley Joel Osment) accompanying her to the castle attic where they meet Angelique (Bernadette Peters), one of Lumiere's lovers who objects to the reintroduction of Christmas, due to the Beast's curse occurring on Christmas when he rejected the Enchantress (Kath Soucie) entry into the castle. The Beast consults with the dark lord named Lord Forte (Tim Curry), the court musician who was transformed into a giant pipe organ. Forte prefered to remain as an ornament than be released by Belle, enjoying his manipulation over the Beast's anger. The Beast confronts Belle in the castle's boiler room, but they dissent over the occurrence of Christmas. Belle eventually meets Forte, who advises her to venture into the deepest part of the forest to cut down a giant Christmas tree. Belle then goes to the forest and finds the tree is near impossible to cut down and eventually falls under a sheet of ice. The Beast learns what has happened and goes to rescue her where he catches up to Cogsworth, Lumiere, Maestro Fife, and a carpenter Axe (Jeff Bennett). However, the Beast, knowing that Belle was planning Christmas against his wishes, imprisons Belle in the dungeon.
The servants visit Belle and Angelique apologizes for her rude attitude. The Beast finds a present, a storybook, from Belle and reads it. Moved by the book's words, the Beast has a change of heart and frees Belle, offering to celebrate Christmas after all. Furiously realized that he and the other servants would return to their human forms if Belle loves their master, the Beast before the last petal fall, Lord Forte uses his music to destroy the castle in an attempt to destroy the rose, ensuring that he and all will be remained enchanted forever. The Beast confronts Forte, but is easily overwhelmed by his music. Fife points out that Forte's keyboard is his weak point, the Beast rips it off Forte who collapses and dies. After the death of Lord Forte, Belle, the Beast and the servants celebrate Christmas together.
The film ends at the party, with Prince Adam taking Belle aside and giving her a rose as a Christmas present as Maestro Fife is now his new court composer.
==Cast and characters==
* Robby Benson - The Beast
* Paige O'Hara - Belle
*David Ogden Stiers - Cogsworth
* Jerry Orbach - Lumiere
* Angela Lansbury - Mrs. Potts
* Haley Joel Osment - Chip (speaking voice)
* Andrew Keenan-Bolger - Chip (singing voice)
* Bernadette Peters - Angelique
* Paul Reubens - Maestro Fife
* Tim Curry - Lord Forte
* Jeff Bennett - Axe
* Jim Cummings - Additional Voices
* Kath Soucie - The Enchantress
* Frank Welker - Phillipe, Sultan
==Production==
After the success of Beauty and the Beast, another film was inevitable. The film was put on a direct-to-video release after The Return of Jafar and other sequels based on theatrical films were having success on the direct-to-video market. The film was the first product of a subsidiary of Walt Disney Television Animation's Vancouver Studio. The studio was shut down in 2002 because of studio cutbacks.
In the early stages of production, the film was going to be a sequel to the original film. The film would feature Avenant, here depicted as Gaston's younger brother, as the villain. Avenant's goal was to avenge Gaston by ruining the lives of Belle and Prince Adam and threatening to kill them. Although he was cut out of the story and the plot had changed, this trait was given to Forte, the pipe organ, who did not want the Beast to become human again. This plot was inspired by the 1946 film, which inspired the first film. Avenant was the inspiration for Gaston.
It was later decided that the film should be a sequel instead of a sequel. Its original title was going to be Beauty and the Beast: A Christmas Belle.
==Release==
The film was first released on VHS on November 11, 1997. It is the fourth highest grossing direct-to-video animated film, surpassing the $180 million mark. The film is right behind Aladdin and the King of Thieves at $186 million. A bare-bones DVD was released on October 13, 1998. Both editions were quicky taken out of print and the film remained unavailable until Warner Bros. released the Special Edition DVD and VHS on November 12, 2002, just after the studio released the original film's Special Edition DVD release. The new DVD featured a remake music video of the song "As Long As There's Christmas" by Play. Also featured was a game titled Forte's Challenge, a 10-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, Sing Along Songs, and Enchanted Environment, where it shows the Beast's Castle during the different seasons. The original film's Special Edition and this one's were taken out of print at the same time in January 2003. The Special Edition DVD and Blu-ray is set to be re-released on November 22, 2011, following the release of the 'Diamond Edition' of the first film in the United Kingdom in Region 2 PAL format in November 2010. It was released in Region 4 Australia on November 3 with the same features on the original Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas DVD. The Blu-ray re-release was put into the Warner Bros. Vault along with other two films.
==Reception==
On the RT Community, the film has a 73% "Fresh" rating. reviews for the film were mixed, praising the detailed animation but criticizing the plot and the weak villain, however it has been called better than its sequel, Belle's Magical World.
===Awards===
The film won two of its eight nominations.
Award 	Result
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films: Best Home Video Release 	Nominated
Annie Award: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production for director Andrew Knight 	Nominated
Annie Award: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature Production for "As Long As There's Christmas" by Rachel Portman and Don Black	Nominated
Annie Award: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Feature Production for Tim Curry 	Nominated
Annie Award: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Feature Production for Jerry Orbach 	Nominated
Annie Award: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production for the Writers 	Nominated
WAC Award: Best Direct to Video Production 	Won
WAC Award: Best Director of Home Video for Andrew Knight 	Won
==Soundtrack==
The original score and songs were composed by Rachel Portman with lyrics written by Don Black. The film's songs were recorded "live" with an orchestra and the cast in a room, similar to the first film. "Stories", sung by Paige O'Hara, is about what Belle will give the Beast for a Christmas: a story book, and is heavily based on the motif in the finale of Sibelius' symphony no. 5. "As Long As There's Christmas", the theme of the film, is about finding hope during Christmas Time. The song was sung by the cast of the film with a back-up chorus and is sung when Belle and the enchanted objects redecorate the castle for Christmas.
"Don't Fall in Love", sung by Tim Curry, displays Forte's plan on keeping the Beast away from Belle to stop the spell from breaking. "A Cut Above the Rest", also sung by the cast, is how teamwork and friends are very important in life. "Deck the Halls" is performed during the opening title by Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Bernadette Peters, and the Chorus. A soundtrack was released on September 9, 1997. The album serves as the film's soundtrack and also as a Christmas album of traditional carols sung by Paige O'Hara.
# Deck the Halls (Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Bernadette Peters, Angela Lansbury, Chorus)
# Stories (Paige O'Hara)
# As Long As There's Christmas (Paige O'Hara, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Bernadette Peters, Angela Lansbury, Chorus)
# Don't Fall In Love (Tim Curry)
# As Long As There's Christmas (Reprise) (Paige O'Hara, Bernadette Peters)
# A Cut Above the Rest (David Ogden Stiers, Jerry Orbach, Paige O'Hara)
# As Long As There's Christmas (End Title) (Peabo Bryson, Roberta Flack)
Tracks 7 to 15 feature Paige O'Hara singing familiar Christmas carols:
# We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Paige O'Hara)Recorded specifically for album; not used in the film.
# Do You Hear What I Hear (Paige O'Hara)
# O Come, O Come, Emmanuel/Joy To The World (Paige O'Hara)
# O Christmas Tree (Paige O'Hara)
# The First Noel (Paige O'Hara)
# What Child Is This (Paige O'Hara)
# The Twelve Days of Christmas (Paige O'Hara)
# Silent Night (Paige O'Hara)
# Belle's Magical Gift (Rachel Portman)
# Fife's Yuletide Theme (Rachel Portman)
# The Enchanted Christmas Finale (Rachel Portman)
In the beginning of the NTSC VHS, the album was advertised before the feature.
==References==
==External links==
Category:American animated films
Category:Christmas films
Category:Direct-to-video sequel films
Category:Films set in France
Category:1997 animated films
Category:1997 Direct-to-video films
Category:Films set in Europe
Category:Disney Princess
Category:Films about princesses
Category:Princess Films
Category:Warner Bros. Animation films
Category:Warner Bros. direct-to-video films
Category:1990s children's animated films
Category:Rated PG
Category:Articles with red links
Category:1:85:1 Aspect Ratio Films
Category:1:33:1 Aspect Ratio Films
Category:Disney Renaissance