Critic Reviews
Beauty and the Beast (1991) Rank 4 Reviews
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based on (95) reviews
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New York Times (Janet Maslin)
Two years ago Walt Disney Pictures reinvented the animated feature, not only with an eye toward pleasing children but also with an older, savvier audience in mind. Disney truly bridged a generation gap with "The Little Mermaid," bringing the genre new ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at New York Times (Janet Maslin)
FilmHead.com
For those who do not know, I will give a brief introduction. Belle (voiced by Paige O'Hara) is a beautiful girl who lives with her father, Maurice (Rex Everhart). She has also caught the eye of the town hunk, Gaston (Richard White), the most gorgeous, ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at FilmHead.com
eFilmCritic
Right off the bat, I gotta say: I dislike Disney intensly. That hatred stems from what I perceive to be very sexist movies, overall. Jasmine? What? That gypsy bitch from Notre Dame? What? Even the little mermaid was reduced from a strong independant ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at eFilmCritic
Reel.com DVD review (Mary Kalin-Casey)
In 1989, Disney's popular The Little Mermaid revived the studio's flagging reputation for top-notch animated features. But it was their subsequent fairy-tale romance, Beauty and the Beast, that reached the pinnacle of both art and entertainment. Boasting ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Reel.com DVD review (Mary Kalin-Casey)
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
With "The Little Mermaid" (1989) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1991), Disney in two strokes reinvented the animated feature, and the movie musical. Both genres were languishing in the 1980s--musicals seemed like a lost art--and these two films brought them ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
TV Guide Entertainment Network, Movie Guide
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is a nostalgic feast, drawing shamelessly on the best traditions of screen animation and American musical theater and film. Thoroughly derivative but thoroughly charming. Belle (Paige O'Hara) is a beautiful young woman in a small ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at TV Guide Entertainment Network, Movie Guide
Reel Movie Critic (Shelley Cameron)
This marvelous new IMAX release of the 1991 Disney animated musical is a crowd pleaser, for young and old. It's a classic French fairy tale about a clever, interesting and lovely maiden who promises her allegiance to a hideous, terrifying, and lonely ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Reel Movie Critic (Shelley Cameron)
FilmHead.com (Matt Heffernan)
Beauty and the Beast has been argued to be the best animated film of all time. I would not say the best, but definitely one of the best. If you are one of those unlucky people who has never seen this Disney masterpiece, I recommend renting the original ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at FilmHead.com (Matt Heffernan)
Ben Hoffman
Her father, an inventor, wanders into a castle where he is taken prisoner by a horriblelooking beast. Belle offers herself as hostage so that her father can be released. Aided by the castle's staff she discovers that even an ugly beast can have a heart ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Ben Hoffman
DVD Clinic ("The Shootin Surgeon")
Disney brings to life the classic fairy tale of a prince turned into a hideous beast by a curse that can only be undone once he finds true love. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at DVD Clinic ("The Shootin Surgeon")
The BigScreen Cinema Guide - Reader Reviews
Ten years after its theatrical release, this Disney classic has been remade for the big IMAX ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at The BigScreen Cinema Guide - Reader Reviews
The SF, Horror and Fantasy Film Review
Beauty and the Beast was so well received that the film became the first (and still only) animated feature to be nominated for an Academy Award Best Picture. And the success of this in return convinced Disney there was a market for high-quality animated ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at The SF, Horror and Fantasy Film Review
At-A-Glance Film Reviews
With The Little Mermaid, Disney revived its gift for animation which had been in a long lull since Walt Disney's passing in 1966. With Beauty and the Beast a classic was made, good enough even to earn a Best Picture nomination. The story is about Belle, ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at At-A-Glance Film Reviews
CountingDown.com (Daniel Baig)
Ten years ago Beauty and the Beast made (Oscar) history by becoming the first (and only) animated feature to ever be nominated for Best Picture. It lost out to The Silence Of The Lambs. At first it might be hard to imagine two more different movies. But ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at CountingDown.com (Daniel Baig)
Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
The finest Disney feature-length animated musical ever made ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)
The best of all the Disney cartoons ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)
KBTV-NBC (Beaumont, TX) (Danny Minton)
A must own for any DVD collector. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at KBTV-NBC (Beaumont, TX) (Danny Minton)
EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
Some of the film's ideas, which are both campy and subtle, may not be kids' stuff, but like all good movies, Disney's enchanting fairy tale operates on many different levels and thus can be enjoyed by viewers of all ages. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Eleanor Ringel Gillespie)
In the Imax format, the introduction of the Beast's castle has a breathtaking 3-D effect. And throughout the film, you see textures and details you never noticed. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Eleanor Ringel Gillespie)
Mr. Brown's Movies (Michael Dequina)
For once, the Disney hyperbole was right--the film is, indeed, a timeless cinema classic. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Mr. Brown's Movies (Michael Dequina)
Sacramento Bee (Joe Baltake)
Ten years later, it's still flawed and still quite fascinating. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Sacramento Bee (Joe Baltake)
Moviola (Jorge Avila Andrade)
Una obra maestra que los hará reír, llorar, emocionarse y pensar que la vida, aunque solo sea por unos momentos, es maravillosa. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Moviola (Jorge Avila Andrade)
One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
After the passing of a decade it's now clear that "Beauty" represents the summit of a second golden age of traditional Disney animation, the one that began with "The Little Mermaid" (1989) and continued through ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)
The 1991 nominees for Best Picture were as follows; Silence of the Lambs (the winner for that year), Beauty and the Beast, Bugsy, JFK, and The Prince of Tides. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)
MovieEye.com (David Litton)
Well, I have to say that this is one of the finest DVDs to come along since the beginning of the format. With this premiere DVD release of their famed hit "Beauty and the Beast," Disney has lived up to their promise in delivering the best in ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at MovieEye.com (David Litton)
The Land of Eric (Eric D. Snider)
It would be hard to overstate how great "Beauty and the Beast" is, but I don't want to run the risk of doing it. Seeing it again will remind you of all its charms. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at The Land of Eric (Eric D. Snider)
The Movie Mom (Nell Minow)
Belle is the book-loving daughter of an absent-minded inventor. She wants "more than this provincial life" and the boorish hunter Gaston, who hopes to marry her. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at The Movie Mom (Nell Minow)
Filmtracks (Christian Clemmensen)
The Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast features some noteworthy
performances of the same songs, with some additional ones as well. Nothing will
be able to capture the magic of the original, though, from the rumble of the
opening ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Filmtracks (Christian Clemmensen)
Teen Movie Critic (Roger Davidson)
Finally, after years of being in the animation doldrums, Disney at last regained their past magic, with The Little Mermaid and this beautiful contemporary look at the classic fairy tale. Young Belle is a bookish Beauty (Paige O'Hara), who becomes the ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Teen Movie Critic (Roger Davidson)
BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)
The revival of Walt Disney as an animation studio was sealed with the 1991 release of "Beauty and the Beast". It's not surprising then that they're rewarding this film with two stunning DVD releases. This review is for the two-disc collector's edition, ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)
BBC Films
Credited with sparking the revival of the animated musical and Disney, "Beauty and the Beast" remains a peerless retelling of the classic love story, a decade after its original release. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at BBC Films
The Cincinnati Enquirer (Margaret A. McGurk)
Disney's Beauty and the Beast was the first animated feature to make more than $100 million back in 1991. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at The Cincinnati Enquirer (Margaret A. McGurk)
Deseret News, Salt Lake City
The animation ranges from cute to remarkable to knock-your-socks-off - the latter taking hold during the ballroom dance sequence where computer-generated three-dimensional backgrounds (and a chandelier in the foreground) combine gorgeously with the ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Entertainment Insiders (Rusty White)
Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" is a magical treat for the entire family. This was the first animated film to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. The late Howard Ashman and Alan Menken provided some of the best songs ever to appear in a Disney film. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Entertainment Insiders (Rusty White)
A Guide to Current DVD (Aaron Beierle)
As for all three versions of the picture, they all do manage to boast very good - if not flawless - picture quality. Faults on the work-in-progress edition are to be expected, as this early version of the film combines near-complete scenes with rough ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at A Guide to Current DVD (Aaron Beierle)
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
`Beauty and the Beast" slipped around all my roadblocks and penetrated directly into my strongest childhood memories, in which animation looked more real than live-action features. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
Boy, am I a king-sized, A-1 sap. Watching the new 10th anniversary "Special Edition" of Beauty and the Beast on the Metreon's big IMAX screen, I found myself getting all choked up again. And it's not like I haven't seen it six times already. It just goes ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
eye WEEKLY (Jason Anderson)
Among its many virtues is Linda Woolverton's script, an elegantly plotted yet faithful adaptation of the original French fairy tale. In it, a young mademoiselle named Belle (voiced by Paige O'Hara) agrees to take her father's place as the captive of a ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at eye WEEKLY (Jason Anderson)
eye WEEKLY (Catharine Tunnacliffe)
Before launching into this review, I'd like to state that the new DVD of Disney's Beauty and the Beast faced an uphill battle with this critic, since it's guilty of two things I can't stand: it was released on the heels of a theatrical special edition (a. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at eye WEEKLY (Catharine Tunnacliffe)
Brian L. Johnson
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is a very good film, and, if you haven't gone to see it yet, I highly suggest you go out to see it. The animation is perfect, much better, I think, than in the Don Bluth films. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Brian L. Johnson
AboutFilm.com (Jen Walker)
Beauty and the Beast is by far the best of Disney's most recent animated features. It balances cute, cartoony humor with a well-written story so well that children and adults will find it equally satisfying. Belle is a heroine ahead of her time. The ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at AboutFilm.com (Jen Walker)
Amanda Miller
Now for the best part. The songs themselves aren't as good, but remember the movies like PETE'S DRAGON and POLLYANNA where everybody danced together through the city streets while singing? Well, now that's in the animation also. They really do a good ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Amanda Miller
Techtite's DVD & Movie Reviews
Disney thrilled fans worldwide when they started releasing their films on DVD. They truly astounded them, however, when releasing Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in a so-called "Platinum Edition" two-disc DVD last year. The extras on that two-disc set ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Techtite's DVD & Movie Reviews
Guardian/Observer
Re-worked version of Disney's 1991 fairy-tale romance (including a new dance sequence) for the giant IMAX screen. When her father goes missing, young Belle strays into the forest, and meets the fearsome Beast. The servants Lumiere and Cogsworth ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Guardian/Observer
Big Movie Zone Review (Ross Anthony)
Originally released in 1991, this was the first animated feature ever nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. But even more important than that -- we loved it. Ten years later, I loved it all over again. ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Big Movie Zone Review (Ross Anthony)
Movie Gazette (Gary Panton)
For many, this is still considered the crowning glory of Disney's animated back catalogue. Upon its release in 1991, it was even nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. Personally, having watched it several times, I'm still not sure it's THAT good. But ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Movie Gazette (Gary Panton)
The Movie Chicks
Belle (Paige O'Hara) lives in a small French town with her inventor-father Maurice (Rex Everhart). She spends her time reading and trying to avoid the self-absorbed Gaston (Richard White). On the other side of the woods a young prince is put under ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at The Movie Chicks
The DVD Report (Britt Gillette)
Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Beauty And The Beast is one of Disney's greatest animated achievements. Its massive success reinvigorated the Disney animation juggernaut which had been dormant for decades, launching the release ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at The DVD Report (Britt Gillette)
Hollywood Report Card (Ross Anthony)
Though only paint, these characters have a wide range of expression and emotion. The Beast toggles between brooding brute and tenderhearted love-struck fool. He's a rich character that will endear you, perhaps even deeper than the self-sacrificing, yet ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Hollywood Report Card (Ross Anthony)
Daily-Reviews.com (Brian Matherly)
If you are a fan of Beauty and the Beast, then you must run, not walk, to your nearest IMAX theater to check out this limited engagement of Disney's modern day classic animated feature. A spectacle when it was first released, the film has now been given ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Daily-Reviews.com (Brian Matherly)
DVD Verdict (Mike Pinsky)
While I have always preferred Jean Cocteau's luminously cryptic version of the tale to Disney's 1991 adaptation, I must admit that Disney's Beauty and the Beast holds up pretty well over the last decade and ranks as one of the company's better animated ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at DVD Verdict (Mike Pinsky)
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
How many ways can an entertainment conglomerate sell us a movie? The first-run these days often just seems the lead-in for cable, pay-for-view, video, DVD, the director's cut and the deluxe anniversary DVD with new scenes, commentary and interviews with ...read the complete Beauty and the Beast movie review at Seattle Post-Intelligencer
User Reviews
by cicero0000 on July 16, 2009
One of Disney's most perfectly told stories, and a movie musical for the ages. Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's songs are always with me, and I know that no one will ever forget Angela Lansbury singing "Beauty and the ...
by barbi squires on November 24, 2009
Beauty and the Beast (Special Platinum Edition) was shipped as ordered. My granddaughters love it. many ...
by C. Denniston on November 02, 2009
I am extremely pleased with my order/movie. I received it before the expected date and the movie was in wonderful condition. No scratches, no skips or pauses while viewing. Family is delighted. ...
by Ms Lucia on November 02, 2009
This is a wonderful story told beautifully through the art of animation. My favorite all-time Disney movie by far. ...
by Shana L. Dejesus on October 26, 2009
As the mom of a four year old daughter, I have watched all the Disney princess movies. This one is our favorite hands down!
Beauty and the Beast offers something for everyone.. singing and dancing, comedy, drama, even a little horror.
The only down ...
by M. mitchell on October 23, 2009
loved this movie ever since it came out in theaters hope other people enjoy this as well. ...
by Donald B. Ma "-dm... on October 21, 2009
The first time my daughter saw snippets from this movie was at my cousin's wedding - at 1 year old, she was captured and mesmerized by the music and film snippets. My own little Beauty deserves nothing but the best - and a Platinum Edition is a timeless ...
by Sean Pasek on October 12, 2009
For me, "Beauty and the Beast" is the best Disney film, and it is my favorite. "Wall-E" is right up there for me, but for simple animation, it will always be "Beauty and the Beast." I love how Disney has taken some of the most simple stories and made ...
by Eunice E. Nix on October 04, 2009
My grandaughter, who this product was purchased for, really appreciates it since she collects Disney classic DVD's. ...
by fnmp "fnmp" on September 14, 2009
It didn't have the outer case but the DVD was new and everything else was in good condition. ...
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