Disney’s Live-Action Beauty and the Beast – Mr. DAPs Home Entertainment Review

It’s the tale as old as time, a beautiful maiden and a horrific beast. Beauty and the Beast is a musical retelling of the classic French tale as told by Disney in animated form in 1991. It has a stellar cast with Emma Watson and Dan Stevens in the title roles. Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Audra McDonald, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nathan Mack, Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson round out the cast. This live-action version is similar, yet different, from the animated classic. With new music and some new subplots, Beauty and the Beast is sure to have fans falling in love with this tale all over again.

Quality

Beauty and the Beast transfers to the television screen quite splendidly. In some ways, it actually looks better on my television screen than it did on the large screen. For whatever reason, it has a more real look to it where in the theaters at times things had a digital look. The colors transferred beautifully and the clarity of the picture is very satisfactory. The sound for this movie also easily met standards. The vocal track was very easy to hear. The surround sound accompanied the story wonderfully and added to the ambient sound. The quality of this release easily lives up to the Disney quality standard.

Extras

There is a healthy collection of extras included with Beauty and the Beast. They go through pretty much every different aspect of making this musical and include:

  • Enchanted Table Read – Join the cast for the movie’s elaborately staged table read, complete with singing and dancing to live music, set pieces and more.
  • A Beauty of a Tale – Explore the process of transforming a beloved animated film into a new live-action classic.
  • The Women Behind “Beauty and the Beast” – Emma Watson introduces several of the talented women in all aspects of production who helped bring this enchanted tale to life.
  • Making a Moment with Celine Dion – Celine Dion shares what it’s like to sing “How Does a Moment Last Forever” – and be a part of the legacy of “Beauty and the Beast.”
  • From Song to Screen: Making the Musical Sequences – See what goes into making some of the best-known moments from “Beauty and the Beast.”
    • “Belle” — Filmmakers and cast reveal how it felt to shoot this memorable scene.
    • “Be Our Guest” — Discover all that went into creating this epic, primarily virtual performance.
    • “Gaston” — Join the cast for rehearsals and filming of this rousing, high-energy number.
    • “Beauty and the Beast” — You’re invited on set for the filming of this beloved, classic scene.
  • Deleted Scenes
    • Introduction by Director Bill Condon — Director Bill Condon presents a collection of scenes that, for one reason or another, ended up on the cutting-room floor.
    • Gaston Courts Belle — Pleased with himself after settling a disturbance with the townspeople, a triumphant Gaston attempts to woo Belle.
    • Bread and Jam for Agathe — On her morning market rounds, Belle stops by to see Agathe, the village beggar woman.
    • Storming the Ice Gates — The angry mob of villagers, led by Gaston, overwhelms the castle’s defenses.
    • Lumière Torches LeFou — As the fight rages around them, LeFou scuffles with Plumette … until he experiences a sudden, extremely heated interruption.
    • Monsieur Toilette — LeFou escapes from the brawl into a small room, where he’s startled by a castle resident.
    • Cogsworth Rescues Lumière — When Clothilde the fishmonger threatens Lumière, Cogsworth leaps into the fray.
    • Treacle the Lasses — Three village lasses chase Chip and Froufrou – Madame Garderobe’s dog-turned-footstool – into the kitchen, where a surprise awaits.
    • LeFou and Monsieur Toilette Reunite — After the spell is broken and the castle residents are returned to human form, LeFou and his new acquaintance meet again. 
  • Extended Song: “Days in the Sun” – Learn more about Beast’s childhood in an alternate version of this beautiful song, introduced by director Bill Condon.
  • “Beauty and the Beast” Music Video – Award-winning artists Ariana Grande and John Legend perform a moving version of this iconic song.
  • Making the Music Video – Go on set to capture the magic as it happens in Ariana Grande and John Legend’s “Beauty and the Beast” music video.
  • Disney Song Selection
    • “Belle”
    • “How Does a Moment Last Forever” (Music Box)
    • “Belle” (Reprise)
    • “Gaston”
    • “Be Our Guest”
    • “Days in the Sun”
    • “Something There”
    • “How Does a Moment Last Forever” (Montmartre)
    • “Beauty and the Beast”
    • “Evermore”
    • “The Mob Sing”
    • “Beauty and the Beast” (Finale)

The extras included with Beauty and the Beast were very enjoyable. They made me appreciate this movie even more. Each bonus feature moved right along, had purpose, and were definitely worth watching. There are a solid set of extras included that add a nice value to the home release of this movie. Watch them and will find yourself wanting to re-watch this film again. There are some real gems.

Final Thoughts

Watching Beauty and the Beast at home while reviewing this release was a magical experience. Adding the extras just added to the magic of this film. The amount of effort that went into creating something real by using practical effects, sets, and an incredible amount of innovation. Re-visiting and re-imagining a classic like Beauty and the Beast is a major risk. However, this is a risk that has paid off for Disney. The home release of Beauty and the Beast is a definite must for every Disney fan. There is so much more behind what happens on the silver screen that now can be seen and experienced. Watch the movie, watch all the extras, and then watch the movie again. You won’t regret it! This release gets a 4/5 hat tips from me.

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Daps Magic received a sample product or experience for this review in exchange for an honest review. The views of the reviewer are wholly their own. Read full disclosure policy at dapsmagic.com/disclosurepolicy.


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