Variety
A uniquely elegant and entertaining mix of hand-drawn classicism and high-tech innovation.
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Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Walt Disney Pictures’ 1991 classic animated tale about finding the beauty beyond the skin and love that transcends vanity.
The story follows the bright and beautiful Belle (voice of Paige O’Hara) who’s taken prisoner by a mysterious beasty (Robby Benson) in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff – a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others – and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast’s exterior to discover the heart of a prince.
On its initial release, Beauty was the first animated film to cross the $US 100 million mark and was the first animated film to receive a Best Picture nomination.
Less1991Rating: PG, some scenes may scare very young children91 minsUSAWalt Disney Animation
AnimatedKids & Family
Beauty and the Beast (1991) | Awards
Best Original Score and Original Song at the Academy Awards 1992. Best Film (Comedy/Musical), Golden Globes 1992.
Beauty and the Beast (1991) | Reviews
Total Film
The joy here is the depth and detail applied to both the animation and characterisation
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The New York Times
It is a surprise, in a time of sequels and retreads, that the film is so fresh and altogether triumphant in its own right.
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The Guardian
There's enough wit and ingenuity in Roger Allers's story and Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's songs to give the CGI whizzkids a run for their money.
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Roger Ebert
Slipped around all my roadblocks and penetrated directly into my strongest childhood memories, in which animation looked more real than live-action features.
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Empire Magazine
With its strong characters and lively storytelling, animated or not, this deserves its place alongside the cinema greats.
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Christchurch Press
The movie that restored animation's, and in particular Disney's, fortunes, watching it again on the big screen only reminded me what an endearing and enduring classic Beauty is. And I still had a tear in my at the end.
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Beauty and the Beast (1991) | Release Details
Beauty and the Beast (1991) is available to stream in New Zealand now on Google Play and Apple TV and Disney+.