Review: Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition on Blu-ray™+ DVD Combo Pack

I was really excited for the opportunity to review the new Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition on Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack. Unavailable in any form since 2003, Beauty and the Beast will be released in the Combo Pack from the Disney vault for a limited time only. But this isn’t the only reason why I was excited. This was actually my first time seeing this Disney classic! What did I think? I fired up the DVD player, sat down with my daughter Teagan and I loved it!

Beauty and the Beast was the first animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture and I can see why. The music, the storyline and the characters are perfect.  Robby Benson and Paige O’Hara were superbly cast as the voices of Beast and the Beauty Belle. The film is set in a French village and the storyline follows Belle and her discovery of true love. My favorite scene is when Belle and Beast take their first dance in the grand ballroom. The surroundings are larger than life and the state of the art movie restoration has a realistic look to it.  I also love the facial expressions of all the characters.

I have to admit that we’ve watched the video 4 times so far and I even took Teagan to the Sing-A-Long show at the El Capitan in Hollywood this weekend. Seeing the film on DVD was awesome but I knew that I had to see it on the big screen since it was only in theaters for a limited time. I was not disappointed. The transition from my TV screen to the big screen made it easier to take in the beautiful landscape scenes, which almost had a three dimension feel to it. For those of you that can’t make the sing along events, the DVD and Blu-ray include a Disney Sing Along bonus feature.

There are many quotable quotes from Beauty and The Beast and my favorite line is by one of the servants, Cogsworth. Cogsworth takes Belle on a tour of the castle and says, “This is yet another example of the late neoclassic Baroque period. And, as I always say, if it’s not Baroque, don’t fix it!”  This is but one of the many humorous moments in the film. Another is when the Beast eats like a monster at the table with Belle. How can you not love this charming and loveable beast??

This is a wonderful romantic movie and Disney always has a way of making me tear up. I appreciate the moral of the story-to not judge a book by it’s cover. Belle takes a chance to look beyond the Beast’s exterior to find the love of her life. This is Teagan’s new favorite title! She has been singing all of the songs from the movie especially “Beauty and the Beast” sung by Céline Dion and Peabo Bryson that won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1992. Beauty and the Beast is not only a spectacular animated movie but it also has all the elements of a true Broadway show. I hope to see the theatrical version which is playing next year in Hollywood! I’m hooked and a fan for life.

The Beauty and the Beast Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack has a U.S. suggested retail price of $39.99 and the 2-Disc DVD set has a U.S. suggested retail price of $29.99.

Film Synopsis:

Set in and around a quaint French village during the late 18th century, Beauty and the Beast follows the fantastic adventures of Belle, a bright and beautiful young woman who finds escape from her ordinary life, and the advances of a boorish suitor, Gaston, by reading books. Meanwhile, off in a castle in the distance, a cruel young prince is cast under the spell of an enchantress who turns him into a tormented beast, while transforming his servants into animated household objects. In order to remove the curse, the Beast must discover a true love who will return his affection before the last petal falls from an enchanted rose. When Belle’s inventor father stumbles upon the Beast’s castle and is taken prisoner, Belle comes to the rescue and agrees to take her father’s place. With the help of the castle’s enchanted staff, she sees beneath the Beast’s exterior and discovers the heart and soul of a human prince.

About the Disc:

A Beloved Fairy Tale Is Restored To All New Heights On Blu-ray™!

Disney’s Academy Award®-Winning Animated Classic Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition

On Blu-ray™+ DVD Combo Pack – October 5, 2010 and Standard Definition DVD – November 23, 2010

Rated: G

Feature Run Time: 90-Minutes

Beauty and the Beast Sing-A-Long event now until October 7th at El Capitan in Hollywood

Teagan enjoying the cut-outs of the characters at El Capitan

* We did not receive monetary compensation for this review. That’s IT Mommy received a copy of the DVD to facilitate this review.
 This will in no way sway our opinion of the product or service. 
The review is in our own words and is our opinion. Your results and opinions may differ.