'Beauty and the Beast' Release Date and More

Details about Disney's live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast are starting to pile up, as more cast members, some informations about the score and a release date have been announced. And the more news we get on this film, the more it sounds like Disney is making the same movie as the 1991 animated feature.

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #50: Tangled (2010)

Last Week’s: Munir’s Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #49: The Princess and the Frog (2009).

After The Princess and the Frog marked a glorious return to hand-drawn animation, I was disappointed that Tangled was made in CG. Don't get me wrong, I love CG animation, especially Pixar films, but because Tangled was a fairy tale, I expected a similar approach to Princess & Frog. Also, what didn't sit well with me was the title change. Because The Princess and the Frog "underperformed", Disney thought that, in order to appeal to boys, the name Rapunzel was not appropriate. So they changed it to Tangled, a very generic title that doesn't say anything about the film. Fortunately, despite this, Tangled was another triumph for Disney Animation, and their first genuine box office success in a very long time.

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #45: Home on the Range (2004)

Last Week’s: Munir’s Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #44: Brother Bear (2003).

And now, we've arrived at the moment where the word "classic" is really a stretch. Here's a movie that could've been a charming half hour special for the Disney Channel, but instead it's from the same studio that brought you timeless classics like Snow White and Beauty and the Beast. Home on the Range is the worst traditionally animated film from the studio, and now, nine years after its release, it's still hard to fathom why a film with such a generic story, unappealing characters and cheap animation was ever released to theatres.

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #35: Hercules (1997)

Last Week’s: Munir’s Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #34: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

After two darker and more "mature" affairs, Disney opted for a more lightweight and colourful tone for its next project. Borrowing heavily from Aladdin's wacky tone, Hercules is a fast-paced action romp with lots of jokes and funny punches in nearly every scene. It's a complete departure from its more heavy-natured predecessors, but that doesn't mean it's bad. On the contrary, Hercules, from the same team that created The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, comes off marvellously, as a very funny but at the same time touching Disney film. It also a very interesting film to dissect with its very linear aesthetic and carefully and uniquely constructed characters. The film's a great addition to the Disney studio and great entertainment for the whole family.

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #34: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #33: Pocahontas (1995)

In the same vein as Pocahontas, Disney attempted a darker tone for its next feature film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Based on Victor Hugo's famed novel, the film had again assembled a high-calibre crew: Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, directors of the beloved Beauty and the Beast, were helming the project; acclaimed producer Don Hahn was producing and Alan Menken returned for scoring duties. What set this film apart from the other animated films was that Disney dealt with themes of religion, virtue, lust and intolerance, among others, and the challenge was to make this film still suitable for all audiences. They didn't entirely succeeded on that front but I think that is a positive thing, because Hunchback appeals to an adult audience in a way few Disney films have.

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #31: Aladdin (1992)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #30: Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Aladdin is often perceived as the weakest film of 'The Big Four' group but I think that all of them offer something unique and entertain in their own ways. After the smash success of Beauty and the Beast the year before, Aladdin had the difficult task of trying to replicate or surpass its predecessor's glowing reputation (both critically and financially). But even if it didn't quite surpass BatB critically, it was nonetheless a smashing success and is still one of Disney's most appealing films. The third film helmed by legendary duo of Ron Clements and John Musker, Aladdin had a very difficult production where many things had to be reworked and many characters had to undergo many changes. Jeffrey Katzenberg came close to shutting down the project completely, but, thankfully, all the retooling worked, and the result is one of the most funny, heartfelt and beautiful Disney movies that ever graced the screen. Legendary composer Alan Menken returned to compose the score and his late partner Howard Ashman contributed some of the songs, making this his final work before his unfortunate death. Renowned lyricist Tim Rice had to step up to complete and create additional songs for the movie. In the end, all the troubles and problems paid off because not only do we have an appealing story, but also one of the best ensemble pieces and some of the most unforgettable characters in the entire canon.  We cannot think of Aladdin and not think about the Genie. This wonderful creation - the product of Eric Goldberg's fantastic animation and Robin Williams's superb voice acting - is one of the best and most hilarious characters to ever come from the studio. It's true that when he makes his appearances in the film, he does tend to overshadow the rest of the characters, but fortunately the filmmakers were wise enough to introduce him late in the picture so we can get to know the rest of the cast beforehand. And what a cast it is! Jafar is one of the best and most menacing villains to come from the studio and Aladdin is one of the most appealing heroes, one you can relate to and root for throughout the entire movie; and that's a good thing because, even if the Genie is a powerful presence, we never forget that this is Aladdin's story and we care for him the entire time. Added to this is top-notch humour that doesn't feel dated and is still as funny as it was 21 years ago, and fantastic songs that help the story flow more easily. As with its predecessor, the animation was also pushed to new heights and that can be seen in the 'Cave of Wonders' sequence which was done with the aid of computers and is one of the best sequences in the movie. And who can forget the "A Whole New World" scene which pairs one of the studio's best songs with some fantastic animation? You can't help but be swept away every time you see it. Aladdin may not be held as highly as Beauty and the Beast but it ended up being another huge success at the box office and took home the same Academy Awards that its predecessor did (Best Song and Best Score). More importantly though, Aladdin is still widely beloved by audiences all over the world today and remains one of the studio's brightest spots. A classic. Rating: 5/5.

Next Week - Animated Classic #32 Review: The Lion King (1994)

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #30: Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #29: The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

If The Little Mermaid launched the studio into a bright future, Beauty and the Beast took it to glorious new heights. A perfect blend of stellar animation, a wonderful score, catchy songs and spectacular characters, Beauty and the Beast is one of the studio's finest (if not the finest) efforts. Many of the people that worked on Mermaid also worked here so there's a sense of continuity and fluidity between the two. The CAPS system that was launched with the (underrated) The Rescuers Down Under is fully developed in this movie and the characters are richly drawn and colored. The backgrounds and locations are breathtaking and full of detail so you're fully immersed in the character's world. The most enthralling thing though is how they take a very flawed human (or in this case, creature) and turned him into a deeply likable and sensible character that's the heart of the film. We also have a very smart and strong woman and together, they become one of the best couples that Disney have ever created. The supporting characters offer more than just comic relief becoming essential elements of the story and adding more depth to an already layered story. The score and songs created by legendary duo of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman (in one of his final contributions before his untimely death) add an epic scope to the movie that makes you think you are watching a big Broadway musical with dazzling numbers like 'Belle', 'Be Our Guest' and the utterly romantic 'Beauty and the Beast' that only adds to the movie's grandeur. Not only that, but this film was the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards (something that won't happen again until Pixar's Up 18 years later) and won two Awards for Best Original Song and Score (also won the Golden Globe for Best Picture Musical or Comedy) and earned huge amounts of money cementing itself as one of Disney's most popular and beloved classics. The tale may be a little old but it hasn't lost any of its luster. A masterpiece. Rating: 5/5.

Next Week - Animated Classic #31 Review: Aladdin (1992)

Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #28: The Little Mermaid (1989)

Make Sure You've Read: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- The Renaissance, Part 1 (1989-1994) Introduction

The Little Mermaid represents a very important cornerstone in the studio's history. Not only did it mark the return to the fairy tale genre (something they hadn't done in 30 years, since the release of Sleeping Beauty) but it also marked the return of a better studio, a stronger and more confident one that wasn't afraid of new challenges and experimenting with new techniques in order to tell a story. Initially rejected because the company was afraid it drew comparisons to their recent live-action film Splash, the film was given a second chance by studio head Jeffrey Katzenberg; assembling a talented group of animators (including Glen Keane, Andreas Deja, Ruben Aquino, Mark Henn and more) and pairing them up with brilliant musical duo Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, and directors Ron Clements and John Musker, created a unique fairy tale which is not only brimming with fun, but also has spectacular characters with memorable personalities. It's also important to note how prevalent the influence of the late Howard Ashman was in the film; he completely envisioned the Broadway-esque style, where the music complements the story and advances it instead of just being a diversion (something the studio would use in nearly every picture of this era). With clever lyrics and a wonderful score by Menken, this film has some of the most inventive and catchy songs in all of the Disney canon; songs like "Part of Your World", "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl" are now part of the public's consciousness and are beloved everywhere. Ashman also influenced some of the characters' personalities, making them more complex and layered.  It's astounding to compare their previous effort, Oliver and Company, - with its unpolished and sometimes bland, cheap animation - with this one, which has amazing character animation and lots of special effects that make you feel as though you're watching something made with care and love - something worth watching. Strong box office receipts and two Academy Award wins were just the icing on the cake for a film whose reputation had already been cemented as one of Disney's best and most appealing classics. Rating: 5/5.

Next Week -- Animated Classic #29 Review: The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

The Little Mermaid Officially Announced and Detailed for Blu-Ray Release!

Blu-Ray and DVD (BD packaging)

In very exciting news, Disney has officially detailed the Diamond Edition release of one its most beloved films, 1989's The Little Mermaid. Confirming the previously announced date of 1st Oct. in the US (there's no release date for the UK yet, but an announcement can't be far off), Mermaid will be released in four different versions: A Blu-ray/DVD Combo in BD packaging (top), the same set in DVD packaging, a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo and, confirming previous rumours, a Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy/Music Download Combo.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame Blu-ray Review - Pretty Nice Looking For a Hunchback

©Disney

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is available to own on Disney Blu-ray™ from 15th April 2013

Alongside Aladdin (the hi-def release of which, there still isn't a firm US release date for), three really rather good animated Disney films are coming to UK Blu-ray players on 15th April: Mulan, Brother Bear and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (and, yes, I did just call Brother Bear rather good). The latter three releases are already out Stateside, but Disney were kind enough to send me out advance review copies of the UK releases of the films, - check out our Aladdin Blu-ray review here - second on the agenda: Hunchback.

Aladdin Blu-ray Review - Prince Ali, Yes It Is He, In Glorious HD

©Disney

Aladdin is available to own on Disney Blu-ray™ from 15th April 2013

Within the Disney pantheon, there are good films, there are bad films, there are very good films and there are very bad films. Included in the very good films are indisputable, inarguable classics: The Lion King, Pinocchio, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, One Hundred and One Dalmatians and, yes, Aladdin. The former lot, we have, film by film, drip by drop, got on Blu-ray, but the latter has eluded Disney-collectors for the longest time. Until now.

Alan Menken Medley

WaltDisneyStudiosUK have just uploaded the above video onto their YouTube page. The video is a medley, from Alan Menken, legendary Disney composer, of some of his greatest Disney hits. The video really brings back all of the magic of these famed Dinsey Renaissance films. Say what you like about musicals, but they really are very magical. I particularly liked the snippets from Colours of the Wind (Pocahontas), Beauty and the Beast and A Whole New World (Aladdin), although I loved all of them.

Menken certainly is a fantastic composer.