Blu-ray Review Beauty and the Beast (2017) Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

Matt Hough

Beauty and the Beast (2017) Blu-ray Review

In the midst of Disney’s latest trend of reinvention of its animated properties into live action recreations (Cinderella, The Jungle Book) and reimaginings (Maleficent) comes its most ambitious and invigorating effort yet, Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast.

[review]

 

[Joseph Bolus]

Thanks for the Review!

Can't wait for Target to open Tuesday morning!!!

 

[Johnny Angell]

Is it expected the UK 3D release will have the same extras?

 

[David Norman]

Best guess says yes

 

[David Norman]

Just received my BatB 3D Steelbook (India) via Rahul-and-I on Ebay. Really nice looking package. Title on the spine unlike the series of pictures that appear to be on most of the other pictures. I;m not sure if those are actual item photos/expected/or just mockup.

Region Free, Fully English covers, DTD-HD MA 7.1 Audio tracks.
Extras appears identical based on back cover.
2.40 Aspect ratio on 2D and 3D transfers so this doesn't include the expanded IMAX ratio

He appears to be out of steelbooks though the std 3D is available. By reports FEDEX didn't deliver (?Lost) about half his order from INDIA so I'm not sure if he shut down SB orders until that is fixed or he really is completely sold out.

AUS 2/D/3D release 6/21 is the next country release and 1st Region B release. I guess we'll wait to see the specifics on the region coding, etc.

 

[Noel Aguirre]

Just received my BatB 3D Steelbook (India) via Rahul-and-I on Ebay. Really nice looking package. Title on the spine unlike the series of pictures that appear to be on most of the other pictures. I;m not sure if those are actual item photos/expected/or just mockup.

Region Free, Fully English covers, DTD-HD MA 7.1 Audio tracks.
Extras appears identical based on back cover.
2.40 Aspect ratio on 2D and 3D transfers so this doesn't include the expanded IMAX ratio

He appears to be out of steelbooks though the std 3D is available. By reports FEDEX didn't deliver (?Lost) about half his order from INDIA so I'm not sure if he shut down SB orders until that is fixed or he really is completely sold out.

AUS 2/D/3D release 6/21 is the next country release and 1st Region B release. I guess we'll wait to see the specifics on the region coding, etc.

Received mine last week and watched it -a superb 3D presentation especially the last third. Next day viewed a little flat and am glad to be able to have it in 3D. Inferno is next for me.

 

[Johnny Angell]

We just watched our 3D version. This is an entertaining film. I'd be willing to give it 5 out of 5 if I weren't disappointed by Watson's singing. As Belle, she's fine until she sings. I can't get the voice of the actress that sang Belle in the original. All the other singing parts did not disappoint. Emma Thompson handles the title song wonderfully.

Going from animated to live action adds more weight. Gaston is more cruel, the growing relationship between Belle and the Beast is even more odd. The price the inhabitants of the castle is even more severe.

I liked it a lot, but I would have dubbed that one role.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I can verify that all the extras listed above are on the UK disc (2D). Except no trailer for Descendants 2 which is replaced by an advert for Disneyland Paris. No digital copy either.

 

[benbess]

Although overall I like the animated version better, this live action/cgi version has a lot to recommend it. My spouse asked to watch this version last night and we enjoyed it. It's available on Disney+ in 4K UHD. I had a few thoughts about it, but Matt Hough in his perceptive review above says it all and much more:

"....Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos have, like their predecessor Linda Woolverton for the animated film, used the parts of the 1756 tale by Mme. LePrince de Beaumont that suit their purposes but have expanded the tale to show us an explanation for Belle’s being motherless and to let us see in the flesh the Prince’s early years (the new song “Day in the Sun”) and how he and his belongings came to be cursed (covered in the animated feature in a briefly narrated stained glass prologue, these additions accounting for this film’s running time of slightly over two hours compared to the animated story’s tidy 84 minutes). All of the musical numbers from the original animated film are here, and their recreations in live action (and, naturally, extensive CG) do not disappoint. The showstopping “Be Our Guest” is, if anything, even more elaborate than in the 1991 original, and the rousing “Gaston” takes on a greater verve as its title character is allowed to do some swashbuckling in reliving his glory days on the battlefield. The haunting title song is still used to accompany the love-fueled waltz between the title characters even if it has a slightly less affecting result due to Emma Thompson’s less worldly wise singing voice compared to that of the exquisite Angela Lansbury. The Beast is also given a powerful new song “Evermore” sung in anguish after releasing Belle from his deal with her and by far the best addition of the piece’s new songs. Director Bill Condon, no stranger to musicals after helming the galvanizing film version of Dreamgirls, begins the movie with a swirling white ball sequence that’s an eye-filling spectacle and handles all of the musical numbers like “Belle” and “Gaston” which require interaction between characters rather than just straight singing with ease and aplomb (and with far less cutting than is present in today’s movie musicals), and scenes which mix live action and CG characters (the wolf attacks, “Be Our Guest,” all of the Beast scenes) are done so dexterously than one doesn’t even think about the combination of effects and live action.

Emma Watson has a sweet, pure, if slightly small singing voice, able to handle the score without the great surging singing chops of a stage musical veteran. Dan Stevens certainly has had his voice digitally manipulated to get more guttural sounds for the Beast, but the singing is, like Watson, handled carefully and on point. Emma Thompson offers warmth and feeling as Mrs. Potts, and Ewan McGregor and Ian McKellen have a fun camaraderie as the candlestick and clock. Luke Evans offers a rousing singing voice in Gaston’s numbers and acts the part of the egotistical jerk who turns into a special kind of monster quite beautifully. As Gaston’s lackey LeFou, Josh Gad is priceless and far more emotionally developed than his cartoon counterpart, and Kevin Kline makes a loving and desperate father for Belle. Nathan Mack is a fun-loving Chip, Audra McDonald has soprano to spare as the enthusiastic Madame Garderobe, and Hattie Morahan pops up here and there as the Enchantress and the townswoman Agathe."