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BVHE Press Release: Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition (Blu-ray Combo)

post #1 of 21
3/29/10 at 12:16pm
Thread Starter 
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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
Burbank, Calif., March 29, 2010 – Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE) proudly announces the Blu-ray high-definition debut of Disney’s animated masterpiece, Beauty and the Beast on October 5, 2010.  

Disney’s most requested film, Beauty and the Beast, arrives for the first time on Blu-ray Hi-Def as the second installment to the company’s new Diamond Collection. The Blu-ray transformation reveals the magic, music and majesty of the film as never before experienced with state-of-the-art picture restoration, pristine 7.1 Digital Surround Sound and hours of additional viewing experiences that include behind the scenes features, deleted scenes, enhanced music tracks, immersive games and more.

The first of only two animated films ever to be nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture (the second is 2009’s Up), Beauty and the Beast earned six Academy Award® nominations and won two Oscars® in 1992 for Best Original Song (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Best Original Score. 

Unavailable in any form since 2003, Beauty and the Beast will be released from the Disney vault for a limited time only, arriving on a Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack (2 Blu-ray Discs + DVD) October 5, followed seven weeks later with the release of a 2-Disc standard definition DVD on November 23. 


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.

Film Accolades:

Beauty and the Beast received two Academy Awards® for music in 1992, three Golden Globes® for Best Motion Picture, Best Original Score and Best Original Song in 1992, and two Grammy Awards in 1993. Listed as number seven on the American Film Institute’s Top 100 Animated Films, Beauty and the Beast helped define Disney animation for a new generation as the second film in the “Disney Animation Renaissance” (1989-1999) which launched with The Little Mermaid and revitalized animated features by captivating mature audiences while still delighting young viewers. 

Beauty and the Beast features a cast of top vocal talent. Veteran stage actress and singer Paige O’Hara is the voice of Belle, one of Disney’s most beloved and independent heroines, and Robby Benson (TV’s “American Dreams”) delivers a powerful portrayal of the Beast. Three-time Oscar®-nominated screen star (The Manchurian Candidate in 1963, The Picture of Dorian Grey in 1946, and Gaslight in 1945) and six-time Golden Globe® award winner (TV’s“Murder, She Wrote” in 1992, 1990, 1987 and 1985, The Manchurian Candidate in 1963, and The Picture of Dorian Grey in 1946), Angela Lansbury gives a bubbly performance as Mrs. Potts. The late Jerry Orbach (TV’s “Law and Order,” “House of Mouse”) shines as the voice of Lumiere, the passionate candelabra, and David Ogden-Stiers (TV’s “M*A*S*H,” Lilo & Stitch) is Cogsworth, the tightly-wound mantel clock who functions as the head of the household.  

Beauty and the Beast was also the first Disney animated film to inspire a Broadway stage production by the same name. Highlighting the film’s music by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, seven new songs were written for the stage musical. Beauty… was nominated for nine Tony Awards in 1994 and ran on Broadway for 5,464 performances until 2007, becoming Broadway's sixth-longest running production in history.  

About The Disc:
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Beauty and the Beast (Three-Disc Diamond Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo w/ Blu-ray...
post #2 of 21
3/29/10 at 12:32pm
This one is must-own material for me.  I love that Disney is now giving a window to "push" blueray by having the BD release weeks before the DVD.
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post #3 of 21
3/29/10 at 1:10pm
I'm hoping that the Blu-ray includes all three versions of the film that were on the previous DVD version (original theatrical version, extended "special edition," work-in-progress).  The running time listed (90 minutes) is that of the special edition, isn't it?  Any word on the other two versions? It would be especially nice if the Blu-ray included the actual original theatrical version...the "theatrical version" on the previous DVD actually included some of the alterations from the special edition.
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post #4 of 21
3/29/10 at 2:59pm
Princess is the Frog has a workprint version, so maybe this will too.
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post #5 of 21
3/29/10 at 9:22pm
The theatrical cut is what I want too. Pity they can't include the original audio mix.

I thought for sure they would delay this until after the 3D version hits theaters though...
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post #6 of 21
3/30/10 at 6:39am
What is "FastPlay"?  Do FastPlay discs load quicker?
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post #7 of 21
3/30/10 at 7:10am
 Fastplay lets you go straight to the movie and skip the previews.  It doesn't speed up load time.
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post #8 of 21
3/30/10 at 8:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by zackscott5 View Post

 Fastplay lets you go straight to the movie and skip the previews.  It doesn't speed up load time.

Actually, Fastplay is the option that plays the previews, movie, and selected bonus features without the user needing to push a button after inserting the disc. It's designed for those who don't want to use DVD/Blu-ray player remotes or can't spare a few seconds to press Menu and Enter to get right to the movie.
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post #9 of 21
3/30/10 at 10:51am
wait, I thought Fantasia was coming out this spring as the second Diamond edition?

I imagine we will get all three versions of Beauty and the Beast, whether or not we get the actual theatrical release or the pseudo theatrical release is yet to be seen, I suppose.
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post #10 of 21
3/30/10 at 11:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Adam_S View Post

wait, I thought Fantasia was coming out this spring as the second Diamond edition?
 

Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 were delayed. Most believe it's due to a future marketing tie-in with The Sorcerer's Apprentice.
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post #11 of 21
3/30/10 at 12:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarkin The Ewok View Post

Actually, Fastplay is the option that plays the previews, movie, and selected bonus features without the user needing to push a button after inserting the disc. It's designed for those who don't want to use DVD/Blu-ray player remotes or can't spare a few seconds to press Menu and Enter to get right to the movie.

Actually, it's designed to be used by young children (and for parents who want to put the disc in and walk away).
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post #12 of 21
3/30/10 at 2:14pm
 No listing of supplements?
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post #13 of 21
3/30/10 at 2:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Southpaw View Post

 No listing of supplements?

Probably not finalized yet. This is, after all, still 6.5 months from streeting.
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post #14 of 21
4/1/10 at 3:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cafink View Post

I'm hoping that the Blu-ray includes all three versions of the film that were on the previous DVD version (original theatrical version, extended "special edition," work-in-progress).  The running time listed (90 minutes) is that of the special edition, isn't it?  Any word on the other two versions? It would be especially nice if the Blu-ray included the actual original theatrical version...the "theatrical version" on the previous DVD actually included some of the alterations from the special edition.

The only alteration I can think of was the change of Cogsworth's animation in a scene, and another error that was corrected. We got closer to the theatrical cut with Beauty and the Beast than we did with Aladdin. But the original cut of BatB has to be included, I agree.
It does strike me as odd that this title had a state-of-the-art picture restoration, when the movie actually exists entirely in the computer. No need to restore those, I would think.
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post #15 of 21
4/1/10 at 6:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Borst View Post

The only alteration I can think of was the change of Cogsworth's animation in a scene, and another error that was corrected. We got closer to the theatrical cut with Beauty and the Beast than we did with Aladdin. But the original cut of BatB has to be included, I agree.
 

I'm under the impression that the Cogsworth change was made only for the special edition, and that the DVD's "theatrical version" is indeed accurate to the original theatrical version with respect to this change.

The changes I'm aware of which were made for the special edition but which were also included in the DVD's "theatrical version" are the "correction" of the Beast's stutter when he says "You wanna stay in the tower?" (opinions seem to differ as to whether the stutter was deliberate or merely the result of a sound editing error) and the addition of the sounds of things being broken to the Beast's howl during the scene where Belle leaves the castle.  That last one is a pretty drastic alteration, I think, as it completely changes the Beast's reaction in that scene.

Did Aladdin have any changes other than the replacement of that one line in Arabian Nights?
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post #16 of 21
4/1/10 at 7:04am
This is my favorite Disney animated classic (Pinocchio's a strong second.).

Part of this, I'm sure, is that my daughter turned five in 1991 and we had many opportunities to see this in the theater.  I loved it as much as she did.  My daughter always had her nose stuck in a book and was seen as odd, at times, by classmates and friends throughout her school years. 

This is the Menken/Ashman score which, I think, is their best.  I know many people didn't agree, but when this film was nominated for Best Picture of 1991 I thought it was well-deserved. 

I've mentioned many times that my HT is a fairly modest concern.  I don't often see/hear many of the issues that people raise about various releases.  But the DVD release of B&tB was one that I find difficult to watch.  I've always felt the reds bloomed horribly.  And, this is one of the few discs on which I am bothered by video artifacts--in particular "mosquito noise" around the outlines of the characters. 

For me, this will be one of the most anticipated Blu-ray releases ever and October won't be able to get here fast enough. 

=======================

Regarding some of the discussions above about the modified theatrical version:  IIRC (and I'm not 100% sure I do), they inserted the song Human Again and cleaned up some of the background animation for an IMAX release several years ago.  I believe the cleaned-up animation was kept in the theatrical version pf the DVD release while the additional song was, of course, left out. 
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post #17 of 21
4/1/10 at 3:02pm
I also consider this my favorite Disney classic....I will have no problems double-dipping on this one when it is released in the fall.  I also hope it includes all 3 versions of the film that were on the DVD release.
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post #18 of 21
4/2/10 at 12:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cafink View Post



I'm under the impression that the Cogsworth change was made only for the special edition, and that the DVD's "theatrical version" is indeed accurate to the original theatrical version with respect to this change.

The changes I'm aware of which were made for the special edition but which were also included in the DVD's "theatrical version" are the "correction" of the Beast's stutter when he says "You wanna stay in the tower?" (opinions seem to differ as to whether the stutter was deliberate or merely the result of a sound editing error) and the addition of the sounds of things being broken to the Beast's howl during the scene where Belle leaves the castle.  That last one is a pretty drastic alteration, I think, as it completely changes the Beast's reaction in that scene.

Did Aladdin have any changes other than the replacement of that one line in Arabian Nights?

Huh, that's odd. I meant to type The Lion King instead of Aladdin. Don't know what happened there. But many Disney movies have small things changed on home video releases. They have great PQ and AQ, but they're often dropping the ball when replicating the theatrical cut is concerned.
Cogsworth's altered reaction is there in both versions, since the directors never liked the original in the first place. Ironically, the new version was rushed and not done by the original animator, so the directors still aren't satisfied with it.
Regarding the changed backgrounds after Human Again, they're not altered when you choose the theatrical version.
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post #19 of 21
8/30/10 at 5:40pm

any word yet on if they are going to offer a $10.00 coupon like the have been for there releases

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post #20 of 21
8/31/10 at 1:47pm

We probably won't know that until just before release.

 

Toys R Us and the Disney Store are already advertising deals for this ($10 off another disc with a preorder at TRU, and something similar at Disney).

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post #21 of 21
8/31/10 at 3:45pm

I just hope they unfix the fix they did on the DVD releases... the flare of light that forms around the rose initially... in the theater, and on the laserdisc, the flare was behind a shape-mask that also animated, growing with the "bloom" of light. 

 

Leo

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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Beauty and the Beast (Three-Disc Diamond Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo w/ Blu-ray...
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