This movie is a classic example of Disney work. They take a fairy tale and create a movie so great that it becomes the definitive version. Beauty and the Beast is arguably the best movie to come out of Walt Disney Feature Animation since it's release.

The story is taken from the French fairytale of the same name. The movie touches on many different themes such as loving a person for what they are on the inside and the true nature of a "monster".

The movie includes many memorable characters besides Belle and the Beast including the villainous Gaston and comedic duo Lumiere and Cogsworth as well as Mrs. Potts and Chip.

The animation is beautiful, even compared to other Disney movies. The movement is fluid and the designs excellent. The artists show of their technical skill with the statues on the roof of the castle and the beautiful ceiling of the ballroom.

The music is also memorable, some of the best that Disney has ever produced. Perhaps the most popular is the song "Beauty and the Beast", which is still occasionally played on easy-listening stations today.

All in all, Beauty and the Beast is a fantastic film. If you have never seen it or haven't seen it in a while, pick it up next time you go to your video rental place. You won't be sorry.

Another beautiful Disney film. Based on the fairytale, a selfish prince is condemned to being a beast until the love a lady frees him. Belle's father is held captive by the prince and she goes to take his place. From there their unconditional love for each other blossoms.

I admire this film. There are many reasons to adore this Disney masterpiece film. I will describe it in four words: Compassionate, warm, heartfelt and most of all, classic. The animation is simply breathtaking. Best Picture nomination is well deserve.

A true classic, no less. It's everything wonderful here: the animation it's just brilliant, specially of THAT part of the climax. Some of the best character desgin works of Disney are here, and you can see it on Lumiere and Cogsworth - they're perfect! And the music, it's just the highest point of Alan Menken's career... no! The highest point of Alan Menken's life!

The story is arguably the most respectful adaptation of a classic tale that Disney ever made - I mean, the only real filler they put on this one was the cursed servants, which it's one of those rare cases when it's both a commercial and artistic idea; it really DO make sense, so it's the fact that the castle was also cursed, changing angels statues to demoniac gargoyles (man, this was genius!).

The characters are all well-constructed. Actually, Belle and Ariel are the only "Disney's princess" that I care about when I watch they movies. Although my personal trophy goes for Ariel, Belle it's a wonderful character - I mean, she reads! And she reads books! They were (at least, trying to) ruining a long time stereotypic here, ladies and gentlemen! Beast is a character that you really watch evolves through the movie - I don't think that were a better way to do this than the way Disney did it. A character that you really CARES about. And let me not forget about Gaston, which it's a marvelous well-balanced a cartoony and evil villain.

Anyway, let me stop this stream-of-passioned-talking, by just saying that this is a truly Must-See-Film. Watch it.

What a classic. I just re-watched it, and I think there's something there that wasn't there before. Seriously, if I were to rate it, like Motion Picture Association of Kenneth (not my name) type, I would say PG. There is lotsa violence, and I saw a fair amount of blood visible, and then the scary images should have run it all the way to PG almost instantly. I don't think I had watched it since I was, like, 7 or 8, so now I understand what they're saying a lot more.
At one point, I had memorized the Gaston song. And the opening song was perfect. I like the way they used to do animated movies, like they were musicals. When I was about 10, I used to think all animation was done on a computer, because we had (and have) a 2d animation program called Pro-Motion on our computer, and I didn't learn that until I really payed attention to our special feature at the end of our Bambi VHS on how they made it. I think in the climax (were the Beast becomes the prince) was stunning. How did they do that glow with late 80's, early 90's technology?
The voice acting totally stole the show. The most well-cast was the Beast. He had the perfect voice qualities they needed for the job. Gaston sounded right. He was strong, deep-voiced, and the voice had conceitedness and rudeness that made the character,

Very good the millionth time in a long time.

If "The Little Mermaid" hadn't existed I would give this movie 4 stars. The film is inpecable, but is in some ways a copy of its predecesor. If you don't mind that fact, you really should go watch it, it's amazing for a 1991 film. But don't expect something different from what Disney made those days, the happy ending is garanteed. Also a midquel was produced: "Enchanted Christmas". If you have seen "Beauty and the Beast", why not see that one as well?

Whew, I haven't watched this movie in about two years- mainly because I'm downright sick of it. But the fact that I'm sick of it shouldn't demean the quality of the film itself; it is a great movie, but in my books, not a film I'll ever call my favorite/obsess over.
The animation is, as stated by various others, is incredible. Though, IMNSHO, Disney spared no expense in making Beast's human form look even a little attractive * rolls eyes *. No contest- he looked waaayy better as a beast.
The soundtrack is lovely, and I reccomend it. ( In the SE, the " Human Again" song appears, and is probably the best song of both versions. )
The characters are quite lovable. It had heroes ( ... and a heroine ) you'd root for, and a villain you could hate ( with a somewhat annoying and unnecessary sidekick, no less ). However, I found Chip and the old teapot lady ( if she has a name I've forgotten it ) to be rather irritating.
All in all, a Disney classic. A movie. For watching. -... You're still reading this, why?

Edit: Sorry, I didn't mean to give it such a low rating the first time; thanks Thalia-is-Crazy ( sp? ) for notifying me!

This is definitely one of Disney's best. The animation is stunning. I was able to see this one on the IMAX and it was well worth the money spent on the ticket. There is so much detail put into everything. The characters are all easy to like, or hate in the case of Gaston. I also really liked the Beast's character design of all the different variations I've seen of that character, I liked this version the best.
The music is great, all the songs are very memorable and the score is very moving. The only song I didn't really care for was "To Be Human Again" which was added in the special edition release on DVD. It didn't really add anything to the movie, but it also didn't take away from it either.
Anyways, it's a really great movie. Definitely one worth owning.

I've always said that music should never be the most important part of an animated movie. Especially since the gentle, melodic songs that were carefully woven into the movies died out with Walt and got replaced by over-the-top extravaganzas. To me, a great animated movie is defined by the characters and the story, and maybe somewhat by the fun factor and animation. So is it actually possible that the songs and music make a movie great? They do in Beauty and the Beast, Disney's first and last true Broadway musical.

While in movies like The Little Mermaid or The Lion King, Disney admirably tried to go for fun, exciting showstoppers, most of the time the songs come off as carefully written kiddy or pop songs with a little too much energy. Beauty and the Beast is Disney's one and only movie that actually understands the feel of Broadway(although Aladdin makes a wonderful attempt). The songs are really fun and executed with style. The characters bring the songs to life instead of making them seem overly sappy. I especially love it when Mrs. Potts breaks into her rendition of "Beauty and the Beast."

The animation is also nothing to sneeze at. After the decidedly cartoony animation seen in The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast marked the return to gloriously detailed animation reminiscent of old school Disney. The dark and dusty castle of Beast. The sunlight forest and rolling grasslands near the beginning. Of course who can forget that famous ballroom scene where Belle and Beast are dancing for the first time? When the "camera" swoops around the pair like you were watching a live action movie and you spot that chandelier, it takes your breath away. I love how this movie integrates traditional animation with just the right amount of computer effects.

Of course strip away the songs and the animation and what are you left with? Pretty much every single Disney formula ever seen. Cute furniture that talk. A dopey, airheaded father figure. A Barbie figure beauty finding romance. And the battle in the castle is proof that even Beauty and the Beast isn't adverse to injecting moments of seriousness with cutesy slapstick. I'd rather wish Disney use such formula items in small doses.

But of course I'm generalizing. The characters are still cute and lovable, and not a sidekick type to be seen. And if it wasn't for Lady and the Tramp, Beauty and the Beast would have Disney's best love story because Belle and Beast's relationship is natural and their characters grow and develop over the course of the movie. Belle actually hates Beast at first instead of falling in love at first glance like so many of the other Disney movies.

I wouldn't call Beauty and the Beast Disney's best movie. It's a little derivative of many of the Disney movies that came before, and it's the progenitor of the modern Disney formula that I sometimes roll my eyes at in certain other movies. However the movie still works on so many levels. It's enchanting and emotional and fun. A truly wonderful movie.

Beauty and the Beast is arguably Disney's best animated film...and possibly the best ever.

As usual, Disney puts their own spin on a classic fairy tale, and in this case everything works brilliantly. Belle is an intelligent, dreamy, bookish girl stuck in a small town where everyone else except she and her inventor father are caught up in practical day-to-day life. Disney managed to avoid the nastier aspects of the original tale--evil susters, and a father willing to send his daughter to the beast--and builds a solid and believable tale, packed with lovable characters.

The only weaknesses in the film have to do with the villain--Gaston, the super-macho, arrogant he-man was a trendy cliché at the time this film was made, though the passage of time is improving the character concept, as Gaston outlives his contemporary co-macho-villains. His final plot to ensnare Belle seems...unlikely, and the evil asylum-running guy seems too bizarre to be totally believable. And OF COURSE they make wolves the evil, human-attacking villains again.

But, frankly, who cares about that when there are such wonderful songs throughout the film, such adorable characters as Cogsworth, Lumiére and Mrs. Potts, such brilliant animation--from the humorous to the eerie--such a magnificent score, and such wonderful character interactions?

Belle is entirely likeable, and the Beast is a feast for the eyes, as he appears in every light from horrifying to tender to ridiculous. Brilliant animation and storytelling are everywhere in this film.

People interested in the techniques of animation will be particularly interested in the Special Edition DVD...it includes a Work-In-Progress version of the film, where you can watch many of the scenes in various stages of completion, form storyboard and concept art stills to rough-outs and cleaned-up pencil-tests.