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Disney’s epic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast returns to Blu-ray with the release of?Beauty and the Beast 25th Anniversary Edition, the original animated classic. ?The all-star voice cast features Robby Benson as Beast and Paige O’Hara as Belle, along with the castle’s enchanted staff including Jerry Orbach as Lumiere, David Ogden Stiers as Cogsworth, Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts, and they?re all just as magical as you remember them! Bring home this charming tale as old as time on Disney DVD September 20th!
Walt Disney Pictures? magical animated classic ?Beauty and the Beast? captures the magical journey of Belle (voice of Paige O?Hara), an independent and intelligent, modern-day heroine who’s taken prisoner by a hideous beast (voice of Robby Benson) in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff?a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others?and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast‘s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince.
?Beauty and the Beast? was nominated for six Academy Awards? and was the first animated feature to receive an Academy Award? nomination for best picture. It won two Oscars?, including best song, by the renowned Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, and best original score (Menken), as well as a Golden Globe Award? for best comedy/musical.
?Beauty and the Beast? was Disney’s first animated film adapted into a Broadway musical, which ran for 5,464 performances from 1994-2007 and has delighted more than 35 million people worldwide. On March 17, 2017, audiences will experience the thrilling retelling of the original tale through Disney’s live-action film, ?Beauty and the Beast,? in which Emma Watson (?Harry Potter? films) plays Belle and eight-time Oscar? winner Alan Menken returns to recreate his Academy Award?-winning music score.
There is also a host of all-new bonus extras including a rare opportunity to gather around the piano with some of Disney’s greatest composers, including Alan Menken (?Beauty and the Beast,? Aladdin), Stephen Schwartz (?The Hunchback 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) as they sing and share how they?ve personally been inspired by the film’s award-winning music; a look at how Walt Disney himself sought to adapt this famous fairytale; a nostalgic look back with Paige O?Hara, the voice of Belle; behind-the-scenes access into the recording booth with the cast; and a sneak peek at Disney’s upcoming live-action re-telling of ?Beauty and the Beast,? arriving in theaters in 2017.
Film Versions:
BLU-RAY, DIGITAL HD* & DISNEY MOVIES ANYWHERE:
- Original theatrical version
- New advanced sing-along version
- Extended version with ?Human Again? song sequence
DIGITAL HD* & DISNEY MOVIES ANYWHERE:
- Work-in-progress version
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 (?The Hunchback 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 and the 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 to the 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 the most 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 refashions the 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, and deleted scenes.
* Bonus features may vary by retailer
Feature Run Time: Approximately 85 minutes
This Disney classic looks better than ever on this new 25th Anniversary Edition. With two little princesses in my house this classic is a must own! The songs are as magical as ever and even more so with the new advanced sing-along version on the Blu-ray copy. My girls just can’t get enough and neither can I! Belle is the “book worm” in the Disney universe and I am a librarian so I might have to pick her as my favorite princess. Watching all the bonus features makes the movie even more special to me now. Seeing Paige O’Hara talk about getting the role of Belle’s voice is so touching and the 25 Fun Facts about Beauty and the Beast are interesting and several of them I did not know beforehand. This is definitely a Disney classic that will forever be in our hearts!
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