Sir Ian McKellen Cast as Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast

Say what you want about these Disney live-action remakes, but you can't deny the casting of Beauty and the Beast is an embarrassment of riches: Variety reports that Sir Ian McKellen has joined the film as Cogsworth.

'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.

Updated: No One's Been Like Gaston… But Luke Evans Will Be, And Dan Stevens Is The Beast

Variety reports that Luke Evans - who you may have recently seen in the third film of the Hobbit duology - will play the villainous Gaston in Disney's upcoming live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast. Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) is in talks to play the Beast according to The Hollywood Reporter.

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 -- The Renaissance, Part 1 (1989-1994) Introduction

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #27: Oliver and Company (1988)

After a difficult decade, where the studio struggled for survival, the end of the 80s arrived like a breeze of fresh air to the ailing studio. With John Musker and Ron Clements at the helm, they returned to the fairy tale genre and found tremendous success, a success that would accompany almost every feature the studio released for the next five years. Adding a Broadway-esque style and ambitious animation experiments, the studio arose like a phoenix, again becoming the king of animation. The first part of the Renaissance not only brought huge amounts of revenue to the company but also tons of critical acclaim and audience love. Moreover, this period of time put the studio back on the map and made animation important and relevant again. The animated films released in this era have become undisputed and beloved classics and brought some of the most talented crews of animators into the fold, crews that have now become legends in their own right. Arguably the best era for the studio since the Golden Age, the Renaissance is fondly remembered for its heartfelt and sharp stories, memorable characters, unforgettable songs and gorgeous animation and their films continue to enchant new and old generations of people even today.

Video of the Day: The Harsh Reality for Disney Princesses, in After Ever After

Concerned Disney films are a little bit too happy? Not enough BP-bashing or Guantanamo Bay jokes for you? Fortunately, YouTuber Paint agrees with you. He posted the above video, suggesting some darker, possibly more realistic, endings to classic Disney fairytales.

It's inventive, tuneful and just plain funny, so be sure to check the video out!

After 37 Years, Glen Keane Leaves Disney

After almost 4 decades in the employ of Walt Disney Animation Studios, Glen Keane, arguably the famed studio's most well known and respected animator and artist, has retired from Disney.

Keane, who began working for Disney in September, 1974 has been responsible for bringing to life some of Disney's most loved characters, including animating Beast in Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin in Aladdin, and having heavy creative influence over Rapunzel in Tangled.

Cartoon Brew have the text of the letter detailing his resignation to friends at the studio, in which he said:

Over these four decades I have seen so many changes, but the one thing that remains the same is that we all do this because we love it.

I am humbled and deeply honored to have worked side by side so many artists, producers and directors during my career here at Disney, and I am tremendously proud of the films which together we have created. I will deeply miss working with you.

With my most sincere and heartfelt good wishes for your and Disney’s continued artistic growth and success, 

Glen

One thing's for sure, Glen Keane will be sorely missed at Disney, but will remain a true icon and legend of animation, who will surely continue to excel at whatever he tries his hand at next.

Tangled Ever After Stills and Clips

Although there's still no UK release date in sight, Beauty and the Beast 3D is currently playing on limited release in North America, and the newly revitalised Tale As Old As Time is being preceded by an all new animated short, Tangled Ever After.

As such, to promote both the short film and, therein, Beauty and the Beast 3D, Disney has released a couple of stills (above and below) and a video clip (top) from the short. These all give us a glimpse at the story, in which Maximus and Pascal attempt to capture the ringsd in time for Flynn and Rapunzel's wedding; horses don't make great ringbearers.

Via Big Screen Animation.

Finding Nemo 3D Trailer

Disney's animated classic, Beauty and the Beast, returns to theatres stateside this Friday, now in 3D, as the next in a long lineup of Disney 3D re-releases. The film will be preceded by the trailer for the following Disney 3D re-release, that of Pixar's Finding Nemo.

The Academy Award winning tale of clown fish father and son, Marlin and Nemo, returns to theatres on September 14 (America, no sign of UK release dates yet) and the newest trailer (above) will premiere in awe-inspiring 3D from Friday onwards with Beauty and the Beast 3D.

Via The Pixar Times.

Tangled Ever After Clip

Disney have unveiled the first clip (above) from their upcoming short film, Tangled Ever After. The short, which is set to precede Beauty and the Beast 3D, is set after the events of Tangled and shows us Rapunzel and Flynn's wedding day.

The story of the short revolves around the hilarious animal sidekicks, Maximus and Pascal, losing the wedding rings and chasing them all over the kingdom, leaving "a trail of comical chaos" behind them. The short looks very funny and seems to focus more on the beloved animal sidekicks from Tangled.

You can catch Tangled Ever After in cinemas with Beauty and the Beast 3D from January 13 onwards (North America, UK release date not known yet).

Via Big Screen Animation.

The Tale as Old As Time is New Again - Beauty and the Beast 3D Trailer

A few weeks ago, we got a look at Disney's upcoming 3D re-release schedule, of Disney and Pixar classics that will be soon making their grand returns to theatres everywhere with an added dimension. The first of the four films to receive the 3D treatment is arguably Disney's most acclaimed classic, the only one of its films to be nominated for Best Picture, Beauty and the Beast.

The tale as old as time is due to return to cinemas, accompanied by the brand new Tangled short film, Tangled Ever After, this January (creepily, it's released on Friday the 13th, so I guess Disney aren't superstitious) in 3D. To help promote this, Disney rolled out the trailer (above) for the film's 3D re-release yesterday.

Although there are many critics of 3D, I'm sure we can all agree, that it doesn't matter the format, so long as we can watch Disney films, where they belong, on the big screen, once more.

Disney Turns 88

88 years yesterday, on October 16, 1923, The Walt Disney Company was founded.

Starting off as the pipe-dream of brothers, Roy Disney and the eponymous, Walt Disney, as Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, this was the studio destined to become the world's largest media conglomerate, changing the world forever, in terms of films, TV and in terms of all of the millions of lives it has touched.

From the Golden Age of its animated films way back when, with films like Snow White, Pinocchio and Dumbo, through the Silver Age of films like 101 Dalmatians, The Jungle Book and more, and to the Renaissance of such modern classics as Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King and beyond to modern day; Disney has long been the gold standard of animation. Although accused of a dip in quality in more recent years (although currently undergoing a revival), Disney is, in essence, the company that made animation an art form.

From the debut of "Disney's folly" and Walt and his company proving to all comers that animation was, and is, a sustainable medium that can inflame the imagination and inspire the world, moving us all to laughter and tears, to today, there is rarely a person on the face of the world who hasn't heard of Disney and its famed mouse.

I'll try to keep this brief, as there is oh so much I could say about Disney, its influence on the world and on its influence on me, and more - particularly, of how, without it, it is questionable that Pixar would be the giant it is today.

Disney, in one word, means magic. At its best, nothing can touch Disney, the classics are unparalleled and without rival. Magic is imbued into every frame of so many Disney films, although Disney has rolled out several not so brilliant films, the fact that this is the company that brought us Bambi, Cinderella and The Little Mermaid more than makes up for that.

Simply put, I love Disney and I'd like to take this opportunity to say: thank you Disney. Thank you for the films, thank you for the music, thank you for the magic, thank you for the memories and thank you, most of all, for making my childhood as wonderful as it was.

Long live Disney!

Disney and Pixar 3D Re-Release Schedule

Disney have announced a slew of upcoming 3D re-releases on the horizon. Following the enormous success of The Lion King 3D over in the states, and, what I'm assuming will be a strong run over here in the UK when it opens on Friday, it's no surprise that Disney have chose to try and replicate this success with some of their most beloved classics.

As such, Disney announced in a press release yesterday that they will be re-releasing Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid as well as Pixar's Finding Nemo and Monsters, Inc. over the next few years, all in 3D.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast will hit theatres in 3D on January 13, 2012, Pixar's Finding Nemo will be released on September 14, 2012, with Monsters, Inc. coming back in 3D on January 18, 2013 - presumably to build hype for Monsters University later that year, in a similar vein to the Toy Story/Toy Story 2 double 3D feature to promote the release of 3 - and, finally, Disney's The Little Mermaid will open on September 13, 2013.

I've never been THAT big a fan of 3D in general, but love it in animated films, and, therefore, can't wait to see some of my favourite animated films back on the big screen in 3D.

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.

Are We in The Third Golden Age?

Disney. The word that embodies animation. When you think animation you think Disney and vice versa. Yet, Disney hardly has the best track record when it comes to animated films, sure when you think of Disney animated films, you'll think of the classics; The Lion King, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Jungle Book, Dumbo, Beauty and the Beast etc..., but since the end of the second Golden Age (or Renaissance) Disney has been a bit down in the dumps. Particularly in the majority of the 2000s we've had a lot of flunks (in terms of critical consensus and box office revenue), with Chicken Little, Brother Bear, Home on the Range and Atlantis (among others) with some exceptions i.e. Lilo and Stitch.

Through all of the turbulence, there's been so much speculation about when - if ever - the third Golden Age of Disney will begin.