Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)
Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. It premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on November 13, 1991 and is the thirtieth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classic series. The film is based on the fairy tale of the same name about a beautiful woman kept in a castle by a horrific monster. It is the only full-length animated feature film to ever be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Heightening the level of performance in the era known as the Disney Renaissance (1989–1999, beginning with The Little Mermaid and ending with Tarzan), many animated films following its release have been influenced by its blending of traditional animation and computer generated imagery.
Beauty and the Beast ranked at #7 on the American Film Institute's list of best animated films, #22 on the Institutes's list of best musicals, and #34 on its list of the best romantic American movies. On the list of the greatest songs from American movies, Beauty and the Beast ranked #62. The film was adapted into a Broadway musical of the same name, which ran from 1994 to 2007.
In 2002, Beauty and the Beast was added to the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." In January of the same year, the film was reissued in IMAX format in a special edition edit including a new musical sequence, a two-disc Platinum Edition DVD release (featuring the original, the IMAX, and the workprint versions) followed in October. On February 12, 2010, the film will be re-released in the Disney Digital 3-D format, with a DVD / Blu-Ray re-release followed.[2]
The movie was adapted to an animation screenplay by Linda Woolverton, based upon the fairy tale La Belle et la Bête by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont (uncredited in the English version of the film, but credited in the French version as writer of the novel).[3] It was directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, and the music was composed by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, both of whom had written the music and songs for Disney's The Little Mermaid. It was a significant success at the box-office, with more than $145 million in domestic revenues alone and over $403 million in worldwide revenues.[4][5] This high number of sales made it the third-most successful movie of 1991, surpassed only by summer blockbusters Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. It was also the most successful animated Disney film at the time and the first animated movie to reach $100 million at the domestic box-office.[6]
Beauty and the Beast won two Academy Awards for Best Music, Original Score and Best Music, Song for Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's "Beauty and the Beast", sung in the film's most famous scene by Angela Lansbury, and at the end of the film by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson. Two other Menken and Ashman songs from the movie also nominated for Best Music, Song were "Belle" and "Be Our Guest", making it the first picture ever to receive three Academy Award nominations for Best Song, a feat that would be repeated by The Lion King, Dreamgirls, and Enchanted (Academy rules have since been changed that limit one film to two nominations in this category). Beauty and the Beast was also nominated for Best Sound and Best Picture. It is the only animated movie ever to be nominated for Best Picture. There are also Disney versions of the story published and sold as storybooks and a comic book based on the film published by Disney Comics. In 1995, a live-action children's series called Sing Me a Story with Belle started on syndication, running until 1999. On November 11, 1997, a midquel called Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas was released directly to videocassette and to critical acclaim. It was quickly followed by another midquel titled Belle's Magical World that was released on February 17, 1998.
[edit] Production
The film was directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. It was produced by Don Hahn, executive produced by Howard Ashman, and associated produced by Sarah McArthur. The screenplay was written by Linda Woolverton. Howard Ashman and Alan Menken wrote the film's songs. Its score was created by Alan Menken. The art director was Brian McEntee, and the film editor was John Carnochan. The artistic supervisors were Roger Allers (Story supervisor), Ed Ghertner (Layout supervisor), Lisa Keene (Background supervisor), Vera Lanpher (Clean-up supervisor), Randy Fullmer (Effects supervisor), and Jim Hillin (Computer Graphics supervisor). The supervising animators were James Baxter (Belle), Glen Keane (Beast), Andreas Deja (Gaston), Ruben A. Aquino (Maurice), Will Finn (Cogsworth), Nik Ranieri (Lumiere), David Pruiksma (Mrs Potts/Chip), Russ Edmonds (Philippe), Larry White (The Wolves), Chris Wahl (LeFou). The production manager was Baker Bloodworth.
A barnyard scene from the opening number of the film was actually first conceived during initial work on the unproduced feature Chanticleer.[10] Sequences were rewritten during the production of the film, even while some scenes were already being animated.[11] The character of Wardrobe (introduced by visual development person Sue C. Nichols to the then entirely male cast of servants) was originally a more integral character named Madame Armoire, but her role was later taken over and expanded by Mrs. Potts.[12] Stefan Kanfer writes in his book Serious Business that in this film "the tradition of the musical theater was fully co-opted", such as in the casting of Broadway performers Angela Lansbury and Jerry Orbach.[13] Robby Benson, who voices the Beast, said of his character, “There's a rage and torment in this character I've never been asked to use before.”[14]
Supposedly, Walt Disney had put Beauty and the Beast high on a list of fairy tales that he thought would not make good animated films.[15] Peter M. Nichols states that Disney considered it in the 1930s but may later have been discouraged by Cocteau having already done his version.[16] The film includes intentional homages to other films such as The Sound of Music (in a scene with Belle on a hilltop), and earlier Disney animated features.[17]
The film diverges several times from the original story written by Beaumont. In the original, the servants are simply rendered invisible. In the film, they are turned into animated household objects. Beauty's dreams, in which the Beast appears in his human form, are omitted from the film. In the film, the Beast was cursed as a punishment from his having no love in his heart. In the original, it was after he refused to marry a cruel fairy. Gaston was not in the original story; he was inspired by the character, Avenant, from the 1946 film version, who is also Belle's suitor who plots to kill the Beast so he can have Belle to himself. Beauty's sisters, the villains in the original story, are omitted from the film. The father was changed from a merchant to an inventor. The Beast dies of heartbreak in the original story, whereas in the film he is mortally wounded from stab wounds delivered by Gaston, but is revived when the curse is broken.
[edit] Music
Main article: Beauty and the Beast (soundtrack)
All songs were the last complete works for a movie by Academy Award winner Howard Ashman. Ashman died eight months prior to the release of the film. There is a tribute to him at the end of the film: "To our friend, Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice, and a beast his soul. We will be forever grateful. Howard Ashman 1950–1991". On Classic Disney: 60 Years of Musical Magic, this includes Beauty and the Beast on the red disc, Be Our Guest, Something There, and Gaston on the blue disc, The Mob Song on the green disc, and Belle on the orange disc.
And on Disney's Greatest Hits, this also includes Beauty and the Beast on the blue disc, Be Our Guest on the green disc, and Gaston on the red disc.
Beauty and the Beast has influenced the works of the symphonic metal band Nightwish. Keyboardist and composer Tuomas Holopainen cites "all the Disney classics" as among his favourite films,[18] and the song "Beauty and the Beast" from their debut album Angels Fall First is a reinterpretation of the movie's plot.
[edit] Awards and nominations
In June 2008, the American Film Institute revealed its "Ten top Ten"—the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres—after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community. Beauty and the Beast was acknowledged as the 7th best film in the animation genre.[28][29] In previous lists, Beauty and the Beast also ranked #22 on the Institutes's list of best musicals and #34 on its list of the best romantic American movies. On the list of the greatest songs from American movies, Beauty and the Beast ranked #62.
Academy Awards
To date, Beauty and the Beast (1991) is the only animated film ever to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. This film currently shares the record for the most nominations for an animated film, six, with WALL-E (2008).
Award Recipient
Best Music, Original Score Alan Menken
Best Music, Original Song ("Beauty and the Beast") Alan Menken & Howard Ashman
Nominated:
Best Picture Don Hahn
Best Music, Original Song ("Belle") Alan Menken & Howard Ashman
Best Music, Original Song ("Be Our Guest") Alan Menken & Howard Ashman
Best Sound Terry Porter, Mel Metcalfe, David J. Hudson & Doc Kane
Golden Globes
Beauty and the Beast was the first animated feature to win a Golden Globe for Best Picture - Musical or Comedy. This feat was repeated by The Lion King and Toy Story 2.
Award Result
Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy Won
Best Original Score Won
Best Original Song (For "Beauty and the Beast") Won
Best Original Song (For "Be Our Guest") Nominated
Grammy Awards
Award Result
Best Album for Children Won
Best Pop Performance by a Group or Duo With Vocal (For Beauty and the Beast) Won
Song of the Year (For Beauty and the Beast) Nominated
Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture Won
Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television (For Beauty and the Beast) Won
Best Song (For Beauty and the Beast) Nominated
Other Awards
Award Result
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards: Most Performed Songs in a Motion Picture Won
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films: Best DVD Classic Film Release Won
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films: Best Music Won
Annie Awards: Best Animated Feature Won
BAFTA Awards: Best Original Film Score Nominated
BAFTA Awards: Best Special Effects Nominated
BMI Film and TV Awards: BMI Film Music Award Won
DVD Exclusive Awards: Best Overall New Extra Features, Library Release Won
DVD Exclusive Awards: Best Menu Design Nominated
Hugo Awards: Best Dramatic Presentation Nominated
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Animated Feature Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards: Best Animation Won
Motion Picture Sound Editors: Best Sound Editing, Animated Feature Won
National Board of Review: Special Award for Animation Won
Satellite Awards: Best Youth DVD Nominated
Young Artist Awards: Outstanding Family Entertainment of the Year Won
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