In the early 90’s, Disney captivated our hearts with the story of Belle and the Beast she ends up falling in love with. The love story as old as time is one that many young girls fell in love with, and I was perfectly in that age group when the movie was released. Let’s just say – I was Disney’s target market. As the years went by, Beauty and the Beast held a special part of my heart but somehow it wasn’t added to our princess collection. But this week – my collection became complete again with the release of Beauty and the Beast the 25th Anniversary Collection released and we were sent a copy to review.
Beauty and the Beast The 25th Anniversary Edition is the newest addition to the Signature Collection. Including 4 different copies of the movie, a ton of bonus features and sneak peaks of upcoming releases. But for me, the release brought back great childhood memories of why I fell in love with the story in the first place. Long before Frozen, Belle was showing that women could be smart and didn’t need the prince to save her. She show’d that reading books was not only a good choice, but there is nothing more beautiful than that library in the castle. We’re thrilled that Beauty and the Beast was re-released and the 25th Anniversary edition is a beautiful way to do it.
Bonus Features:
BLU-RAY, DIGITAL HD* & DISNEY MOVIES ANYWHERE:
- Menken & Friends: 25 Years of Musical Inspiration – Get a front-row seat for an intimate discussion between legendary music composers from classic and future Disney films, including Alan Menken (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin”), Stephen Schwartz (“TheHunchback of Notre Dame,” “Pocahontas”), Kristen Anderson-Lopez (“Frozen,” Disney’s upcoming “Gigantic”), Robert Lopez (“Frozen,” Disney’s upcoming “Gigantic”) and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Disney’s upcoming “Moana”). Discover how the composers are personally connected, how they first experienced “Beauty and the Beast” and how they find inspiration for their own films. And watch as they pay tribute to the film’s award-winning music score and the man who has inspired them all—Alan Menken.
- #1074: Walt, Fairy Tales & Beauty and the Beast – Long before “Beauty and the Beast” became the instant classic we know and love, Walt Disney made two attempts—between the 1930s and 1950s—to adapt the famous fairy tale into an animated film. Discover what Walt and his team was dreaming up through Walt’s actual voice recordings, archived artwork, story notes, and learn why the project was sidelined for decades.
- Always Belle – The original voice of Belle, Paige O’Hara, reminisces about earning the role of the beautiful bookworm in “Beauty andthe Beast” and recalls how the iconic character changed her life and continues to inspire fans both young and old.
- The Recording Sessions – Go in the recording booth with the cast of Beauty and the Beast and see what went into adding voices tothe characters and the lines we know and love.
- 25 Fun Facts About Beauty and the Beast – Disney Channel’s Gus Kamp and Kayla Maisonet host this entertaining countdown featuring little-known fun facts, anecdotes and hidden Easter Eggs (references to Disney animated films and characters) from one of themost cherished animated films of all time.
- “Beauty and The Beast” Sneak Peek – An exciting first look into the live-action re-telling of “Beauty and the Beast,” which refashionsthe classic characters from the tale as old as time for a contemporary audience, staying true to the original music while updating the score with several new songs.
DIGITAL HD* & DISNEY MOVIES ANYWHERE:
- Classic Bonus Features – These offerings from prior home entertainment releases include over five hours of bonus material, such as an alternate version of “Be Our Guest” and the “Beauty and the Beast” music video performed by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, anddeleted scenes.
* Bonus features may vary by retailer
Beauty and the Beast the 25th Anniversary Edition is now available everywhere on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital HD. It has a total run time of 92 minutes and is rated G.