My Movie Review on Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Hey guys!
You’re not gonna believe this, but...after all this time, I have finally gotten into words my review of Beauty and the Beast! The 1991 animated version to be precise.
An arrogant young prince (played by Robby Benson) and his castle's servants fall under the spell of a wicked enchantress, who turns him into the hideous Beast until he learns to love and be loved in return. The spirited, headstrong village girl Belle (played by Paige O'Hara) enters the Beast's castle after he imprisons her father Maurice (played by Rex Everhart). With the help of his enchanted servants, including the matronly Mrs. Potts (played by Angela Lansbury), Belle begins to draw the cold-hearted Beast out of his isolation. Back in the village however, an unscrupulous hunter (played by Richard White) has his own plans for Belle.
Let me tell something to you. Come close *ushers them closer*. Don’t be afraid. This film, unlike the version I already reviewed, is a masterpiece to no end! You’ll pretty much also see why this movie is so much better than the last one I reviewed.
The songs and soundtrack of this film are so moving! When you listen to the music, you can sense how much commitment & hard work was put into it by the brilliant composer, Alan Menken, and the brilliant lyricist, Howard Ashman. You’ll find yourself dancing to them for what can very well be an eternity.
The characters, as well as the people who portrayed them, are extremely unique. The voices every actor & actress gave their characters fit perfectly to where you can barely single one person out as the one who stands above all others, even if they didn’t sound French enough. The characters also all have a personality & a multitude of traits that make them so three-dimensional, as well as ones that you’ll grow up with in a great way.
Everything about the story & plot line is so well-thought, as well as so emotionally groundbreaking! There are so many moments in it that could make you bubbly with joy, cry with tears, and laugh out loud.
The animation that the film has is truly a breath-taking experience! As you watch the movie, you feel yourself walking into an actual fairytale with the feeling that the world & inhabitants it has are so real.
To Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise: If the two of you are reading this, I want you both to know that you truly know how to bring an animated feature film to life, and help revive the magic originated by Walt Disney himself. He’d be very proud of you both for your work on this film, as well as your work on Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” & “Atlantis: The Lost Empire” (both of which I have yet to review).
I deeply hope that the two of you make more of your own animated films soon, whether it’s at your current working station: Dreamworks Animation, or whether it’s at Disney should you decide to return there.
In the end, Beauty & the Beast (1991) is what I’d like to call a timeless classic, and in this time and age, it’s even better than the 2017 live-action adaption in every way.
So, I rate this film a complete five out of five stars.
