I’ve got to admit to a bit of puzzlement when I learned that Disney’s Beauty & the Beast would be re-released in 3D. In my mind, it has ever been thus.
Beauty & the Beast received plenty of critical adoration when it was first released 20 years ago, including being the last animated feature to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination. Included in that praise was recognition of how the emerging development of computer animation permitted a heightened depth of field, whether in the opening tracking shot through the woods or in the landmark ballroom dance sequence. If nothing else, seeing this nearly perfect film in 3D provides a reminder of just how remarkable it was a generation before it became commonplace for animated images to feel like they couldn’t be contained by the screen.
Of course, there’s far more to this tale than its technical breakthroughs. The fairy-tale romance between the smart, bold Belle (Paige O’Hara) and the surly, isolated Beast (Robby Benson) evolves quickly but effortlessly, a credit to Linda Woolverton’s efficient script. The songs by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman are among the finest in the entire Disney canon, from the exuberant “Be Our Guest” to the performance of the title song by Angela Lansbury’s Mrs. Potts that has brought me to tears literally every one of the dozens of times I’ve seen that glorious ballroom dance over the past two decades.
But I’m not sure I ever quite appreciated the character animation of Belle, which is subtly remarkable at creating what feels like an actual performance. Watch for the slight eye movements and wrinkles of the nose that convey an emotional range in keeping with the magnificent music. While technology may only now be allowing Beauty & the Beast to be in actual 3D for the first time, see it again to appreciate how much depth it always offered in so many ways.
BEAUTY & THE BEAST 3D
Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White
Rated G
Speaking of ,
-
Walk of Shame, The Lego Movie
New DVD/VOD Tuesday, June 17
- Jun 16, 2014
-
Drinking-Class Zero
Following a night of drinking, Wendy Simpson, 25, walked to a McDonald’s restaurant in West Yorkshire, England, where she was told that the counter was closed and only the drive-through was open but that she couldn’t be served
- Jun 16, 2014
-
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Dragon 2 shows DreamWorks is still willing to be daring
- Jun 13, 2014
- More »
More by Scott Renshaw
-
Film reviews: ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO, THE WEDDING BANQUET, THE UGLY STEPSISTER
Three new movies offer fresh takes on familiar stories.
- Apr 16, 2025
-
Comedian Steve Hofstetter interview
Veteran standup talks about getting started, dealing with hecklers, and learning a valuable lesson in SLC
- Apr 11, 2025
-
Film Reviews: New Releases for April 11
The Amateur, Drop, The Ballad of Wallis Island, Warfare, King of Kings, Sacramento
- Apr 10, 2025
- More »
Latest in Film Reviews
Readers also liked…
-
Sundance 2025 wrap-up plus February special screenings
Uncertainty about the future location shifts focus away from the movies
- Feb 5, 2025
