Beauty and the Beast 25th Anniversary Edition

Beauty and the Beast 25th Anniversary Edition – Mr. DAPs Home Entertainment Review

Beauty and the Beast 25th Anniversary Edition25 years ago Belle first sang abutter dreams for more. Little did she know how much more different her life would become. Soon she finds herself living in an enchanted castle full of charming characters and a terrifying master. Beauty and the Beast is a musical masterpiece that is still as magical today as it was 25 years ago.

Quality

Watching Beauty and the Beast 25 years after first seeing it I find this movie as magical as the first time I saw it. Seeing it on Blu-Ray was almost like seeing it on the big screen for the first time. It both looks and sounds beautiful in my entertainment room. It should be noted that this is the same quality as has been released before on Blu-Ray but there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Extras

There were several extras included with this release. First off, there were two versions of the move included: the Original Theatrical Version and also the Special Extended Edition. A sing-a-long version was also included. I will always be partial to the original version as that is the one that I grew up with but all versions are enjoyable in their own way. The following extras were also included with the Beauty and the Beast 25th Anniversary Edition:

  • Always Belle – Paige O’Hara shares about what it is like to be Belle, how she received the roll, and her life since the movie. This extra gives a nice look into O’Hara’s life and is an enjoyable little bonus to watch. Listening to her talk about Howard Ashman was definitely touching and hearing how she has paid her experience and success forward was also wonderful.
  • Menken & Friends: 25 Years of Musical Inspiration Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stephen Schwartz, and Alan Menken gather to sing songs from Beauty and the Beast and geek out about the film as they share their memories of it. This is a VERY enjoyable bonus feature to watch and it’s hard not to geek out along with the group as they share. The ending is incredibly charming and if it were a feature alone I would be happy!
  • #1074: Walt, Fairy Tales & Beauty and the Beast  – This offers a look at Walt Disney’s fairy tale connection along with an early idea for Beauty and the Beast. This is interesting and has a wonderful collection of experts sharing this story that also included Danish illustrator Kay Nielsen.
  • The Recording Sessions – This offers a look at the recording session videos that animators used to aid the creation of the characters of the films. This is a very fun feature and worth checking out as it brings an added level of depth to the creation of this movie. I definitely found it hard to not smile as I watched it.
  • 25 Fun Facts About Beauty and the Beast – This is a quick look at 25 facts about Beauty and the Beast. It is quick and worth checking out.
  • Beauty and the Beast Sneak PeekA brief look at the next incarnation of Beauty and the Beast that is set to come out in 2017. This is very quick and offers a behind the scenes look, some of which is found elsewhere currently. It is fun to see and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing this next year!
  • Song Selection (Sing-Along Edition Only) – Pick a song and sing-a-long with this feature.
  • Audio Commentary (Extended Edition Only) – Directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, Producer Don Hahn, and Composer Alan Menken comment through this video. I always enjoy these types of extras, especially with this group of people.
  • Classic Bonus PreviewThis offers a look at what is available digitally.

Here is a list of the digital-only supplemental content included.
* denotes that the supplement was available on the previously released Blu-ray.

Behind the Scenes

  • A Transformation: Glen Keane (3:12)*
  • Character Development: Lumiere (2:50)
  • Camera Move Test (2:03)*
  • The Transformation: Pencil Version (5:22)*
  • Character Development: Mrs. Potts (2:14)
  • New Digital Horizons (4:21)
  • Beyond Beauty: The Untold Stories Behind The Making Of Beauty And The Beast (53:24)*
  • Character Development: Beast (3:49)
  • Animation Tests, Rough & Clean Ups (4:54)*
  • Early Presentation Reel (2:48)*
  • Character Development: Gaston (3:12)
  • Will vs. Nik (3:15)
  • Character Development: Cogsworth (2:53)

Bonus Scenes

  • Deleted Scene: Belle In The Library With Introduction By Roger Allers (9:05)*
  • Deleted Song: “Human Again” (6:57)*
  • Deleted Song Sequence “Human Again:” Introduction By Don Hahn (0:45)*
  • Deleted Song Sequence “Human Again:” Introduction By Alan Menken (0:41)*
  • Alternate Story Open With Introduction By Peter Schneider (18:57)*

Cast & Crew

  • Always Belle (11:32)
  • Searching For Beast’s Castle (17:51)
  • Acting As A Team (6:45)

Archives

  • The Beauty Of Voice Acting (10:25)
  • Frame By Frame: A Thumbnail Sketch Of The History Of Animation (14:18)
  • #1074: Walt, Fairy Tales & Beauty And The Beast (9:35)
  • Disney: A Fairy Tale (8:28)

Music & More

  • Song Selection: Beauty and the Beast (Reprise) (0:49)
  • Song Selection: Belle (Reprise) (1:01)
  • “Beauty And The Beast” Music Video (Preformed By Celine Dion & Peabo Bryson) (4:24)*
  • Jordan Sparks “Beauty And The Beast” Music Video (3:26)*
  • Menken & Friends: 25 Years Of Musical Inspiration (19:05)
  • Song Selection: Gaston (3:08)
  • Song Selection: The Mob Song (3:27)
  • Broadway Beginnings (13:07)*
  • The Recording Sessions (3:47)
  • Composing A Classic: A Musical Conversation With Alan Menken, Don Hahn & Richard Kraft(20:18)*
  • Song Selection: Belle (5:06)
  • Alternate Version: “Be Our Guest” (4:51)*
  • Alternate Score: The Transformation (1:59)*
  • Song Selection: Something There (1:56)
  • Song Selection: Beauty and the Beast (2:47)
  • Song Selection: Be Our Guest (3:40)
  • Full Circle To Broadway (10:25)
  • Ever A Surprise: A Portrait Of Howard Ashman (13:49)
  • Song Selection: Gaston (Reprise) (1:08)

Etc.

  • Beauty And The Beast With Audio Commentary (1:31:43)*
  • Beauty And The Beast Work-In-Progress Edition (1:25:39)*
  • Beauty And The Beast Sing-Along Edition (1:24:53)*
  • Beauty And The Beast Original Theatrical Edition (1:24:53)*
  • 25 Fun Facts About Beauty And The Beast (5:22)
  • Beauty And The Beast Special Extended Edition (1:31:43)*

Promos & Trailers

  • TV Spot #1 (0:32)*
  • TV Spot #3 (0:32)*
  • Large Format Release Trailer (2:31)*
  • TV Spot #4 (0:15)*
  • TV Spot #2 (0:32)*
  • Original Release Trailer (2:29)*
  • Beauty And The Beast Sneak Peak (1:23)

Additional Bonus

  • The Beauty Of Voice Acting (10:25)
Final Thoughts

Beauty and the Beast 25th Anniversary Edition is a welcome addition to any Disney fan’s library. It once again shares the magic of Beauty and the Beast, a story that captures the hearts of fans of all ages. While some of what is included has been released before, this is a solid offering and definitely worth getting. My favorite bonus feature had to be Menken & Friends: 25 Years of Musical Inspiration. I would have loved to have been a fly on that wall. This is a solid release and offering and easily gets a hat tip. Go out and get it!

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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