Beauty and the Beast (1992 film)
| Beauty and the Beast | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by |
Masakazu Higuchi Chinami Namba |
| Produced by | Diane Eskenazi |
| Written by |
Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve (original author) Jack Olesker |
| Based on |
Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont |
| Starring |
Michael Gough Daran Norris Susan Silo |
| Music by |
Richard Hurwitz John Arrias |
| Distributed by | GoodTimes Entertainment |
Release date |
|
Running time | 49 minutes |
| Country |
Japan United States |
| Language | English |
Beauty and the Beast is a 48-minute animated film originally released on May 4, 1992, and based on the classic fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast, by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. Like all other Golden Films productions, the film features three original songs and an underlying track of fully orchestrated classical music. Produced by Golden Films and the American Film Investment Corporation, it was distributed to DVD in 2002 by GoodTimes Entertainment, as part of its "Collectible Classics" line.
Plot
Beauty is the youngest daughter of an elderly merchant, playing the role of the family caretaker. Her father has received news that his ships carrying valuable cargo have been destroyed at sea. Now in financial difficulties, the family is forced to move to sell their property and move the countryside, much to the dismay of Beauty's spoiled sisters, Alicia and Pauline. However, Beauty and her brothers, Robert and Nathan, are able to adapt to the change.
News arrives that one of the ships survived and has arrived at the city harbor. Beauty's father is to receive the shipment; Alicia and Pauline ask for expensive gifts, but Beauty asks for small rose. Beauty's father goes, but the ship's contents are damaged beyond repair and he has to leave empty-handed. On the journey home, he loses his way and finds a mysterious castle. Inside the castle, a meal has been laid out for him. The old man eats, and afterward finds a bed to spend the night. In the morning, the gentleman thanks his invisible host and prepares to leave. Remembering Beauty's request, he plucks a rose from the garden to bring back to her. A ferocious beast appears, enraged with the man for destroying what he loves most in the world. He threatens to kill him, until the gentleman explains about Beauty's request. The beast commands the man to return home and tell Beauty to come and die in his place.
Beauty's father goes home and tells his children about his encounter with the beast. Beauty insists on taking her father's place, and the pair travel to the castle together. The beast offers Beauty's father jewels as compensation, but Beauty's father angrily declines. Father and daughter part ways sadly, and the beast is momentarily touched by their affection.
That night, Beauty waits willingly for her death. To her surprise, she is given food by Clara, a maid who is capable of doing magic. The beast tells Beauty that he has decided to spare her life but she cannot leave the castle. Beauty is given a comfortable room and grand clothes to wear. When she sleeps, Beauty is visited by a sinister fairy who tells her to beware of the apparent kindness of the beast.
Time passes and the friendship between Beauty and the beast grows deeper. One night after dinner, the beast asks Beauty if she should like to be his wife. Beauty gently turns him down, but the beast insists that he will grant her anything in the world to please her. Beauty asks if she will be allowed to return her home and see her family for a week. The beast agrees, but warns that if she stays away for longer than a week, he will die of sorrow. The beast gives her a magic ring that she need only twist to be taken to her family.
That night Beauty twists the ring and goes to bed. She dreams of the sinister fairy again, who tells her that this is her chance and that she must let the beast die for her own sake. Beauty wakes up, finding the magic ring had worked and transported her to a fine city mansion that is her family's new home. Everyone is glad to see Beauty again, with the exception of Alicia and Pauline, who fear suitors will wish to marry her instead of them.
The week passes quickly. Beauty is about to return but is stopped by a tearful Alicia and Pauline. Beauty misunderstands her sisters' attention and agrees to stay one more day, but is surprised by the sudden arrival of Clara, the beast's servant, who is there to remind Beauty of the promise she made.
Beauty and Clara return to the castle, which is now in a run-down state. Beauty find the beast, who manages to give her a forgiving last farewell before dying. Beauty weeps, wishing that she could tell the beast that she loves him and that if he returned to her, she would marry him. The beast awakens, his body disappearing to reveal a handsome prince. An evil fairy, the same one as in Beauty's dreams, had cast a spell upon the prince, so that he would only return to normal if a woman of good heart agreed to marry him. Beauty and the prince live happily ever after.
Characters
- Beauty (voiced by Irene Cara) - The heroine of the story, Beauty is one of the daughters of a once rich gentleman. The complete opposite of her two sisters, Alicia and Pauline, Beauty enjoys spending time with the less fortunate and bringing them happiness. She is often criticized by her sisters for wearing simple clothing and for helping her two brothers, Nathan and Robert, while they work. When she learns that her father's life is in danger for plucking a red rose she had asked for herself, Beauty feels guilty and decides she should be the one to die instead.
- The Beast (voiced by Barry Gordon)- The beast is a handsome young prince who has been turned into an ugly, detestable monster by an evil fairy. He lives in an enchanted castle which he opens to the old gentleman when he loses his way in the woods. When the gentleman cuts one of his roses, the beast feels betrayed and tells the gentleman he will die unless he brings her daughter to take his place. The beast is charmed by the girl and decides not to kill her, instead he keeps her as a prisoner in his castle, however, her every wish is granted, except for that of leaving.
- The Old Man - Referred to as "father" by his five children, the old gentleman was once rich and had everything he and his children could wish for, unfortunately, when the ships in which his valuable goods are sailing are caught in a typhoon and are destroyed, his family is left in debt which eventually leads to their misery. On his way back from the harbor, heartbroken having thought one of his ships had survived but discovering that the goods became wet and were thus rendered completely useless, the old man loses his way and is brought inside a magnificent enchanted castle, not knowing its owner is a terrible beast. The man remembers his promise of bringing one simple rose to Beauty and cuts one from the Beast's rose bushes, an offense which puts his life in danger.
- Alicia and Pauline (both voiced by Susan Silo) - They are two ugly, mean-spirited sisters of Beauty. Their biggest concern is whether they're dressed properly and whether men have interest in them. To the both of them, wealth is more important than the well-being of their father or their sister. When Alicia and Pauline learn about the beast, they feel an immediate hatred for him and will do whatever they can to see him die of loneliness.
- Clara (voiced by Susan Silo) - Clara is the beast's servant at the castle and she is sister to the Evil Fairy who had cast a spell over the young prince. Clara is a bit clumsy and rather grouchy but she soon takes a liking for Beauty and becomes her best friend in the castle. Just like her sister, Clara has magical powers which make her chores a lot easier.
Other characters
- Nathan and Robert (both voiced by Barry Gordon) - Beauty's two brothers.
- The Evil Fairy (voiced by Susan Silo) - Clara's sister who casts a spell over the prince.
- The Harbor Master (voiced by Jeff Bennett) - A man who informs the old gentleman of the tragedy revolving his ships.
Music
- Theme: "The Beauty in the Beast", written and composed by Richard Hurwitz and John Arrias.
Classical pieces
(incomplete)
- "Scenes from Childhood: Op.15, No.7 - Dreaming" (Robert Schumann) / 1838
- "Clair de lune" (Claude Debussy) / 1905
- "Aida - Ballet" (Giuseppe Verdi) / 1871
- "The Nutcracker: Waltz of the Flowers" (Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky) / 1892
- "Ave María" (Johann Sebastian Bach and Charles Gounod) / 1853
- "Impromptu Op. posth. 66" (Frédéric Chopin) / 1834-55
- "Carnival of the Animals: Fossils" (Camille Saint-Saëns) / 1886
- "Carnival of the Animals: Aquarium" (Camille Saint-Saëns) / 1886
- "Carnival of the Animals: The Swan" (Camille Saint-Saëns) / 1886
See also
- Beauty and the Beast, the original fairy tale
- Golden Films
References
External links
- Beauty and the Beast on IMDb
- Beauty and the Beast at AllMovie
- Beauty and the Beast at the Big Cartoon DataBase