Bonus Features
New Bonus Features
- Always Belle (11:32) – Paige O’Hara’s life is chronicled through interviews and photos with the voice of Belle, who continues to inspire children through her role from Beauty and the Beast.
- Menken & Friends: 25 Years of Musical Inspiration (19:05) – Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Stephen Schwartz sit around a piano with Alan Menken and talk about how he inspired them before delving into an exploration of the music from the film. The feature ends with a sing-along from the group of “Be Our Guest.”
- #1074: Walt, Fairy Tales & Beauty and the Beast (9:35) – Don Hahn and Becky Cline lead this exploration of how a trip to Europe inspired Walt Disney to produce fairy tales, leading to his unproduced version of Beauty and the Beast, which was assigned story number 1074.
- The Recording Sessions (3:47) – Don Hahn introduces this picture-in-picture version of “Belle” and “Be Our Guest” featuring the voice actors recording the dialogue.
- 25 Fun Facts About Beauty and the Beast (5:23) – Two Disney Channel Stars (Kayla Maisonet and Gus Kamp) lead this featurette with some lesser known facts about the film.
- Beauty and the Beast Sneak Peek (1:20) – Get an all-to-brief look at the upcoming live action film with a glimpse of the table read and a few shots from the set.
- Song Selection – 9 songs from the film are presented separately via this menu. These use the new Sing-Along Version text, an upgrade from the previous version.
- “Belle” (5:04)
- “Belle (Reprise)” (1:00)
- “Gaston” (3:05)
- “Gaston (Reprise)” (1:05)
- “Be Our Guest” (3:37)
- “Something There” (1:54)
- “Beauty and the Beast“ (2:45)
- “The Mob Song” (3:25)
- “Beauty and the Beast (Reprise)” (0:46)
Classic Bonus Features
- Audio Commentary (1:31:43) – Don Hahn, Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise and Alan Menken lead this audio commentary to the Special Edition film. It’s not only revealing and informative, but also hilarious. Hands down, one of the best commentaries ever recorded. This can be found under the “Movie Selection” heading instead of under Bonus Features. (Platinum Edition)
- Work-in-Progress Version (1:25:40) – The Work-In-Progress version of the film that was shown at the New York Film Festival is another option under “Movie Selection” and it mirrors the Diamond Edition’s picture-in-picture presentation. This is a confusing decision as in a digital format, this is a re-recorded version of the film with the WIP presentation in a tiny window in the upper left corner of the screen. It could have just as easily been offered as a full screen feature since disc space is not an issue here.
- Beyond Beauty: The Untold Stories Behind the Making of Beauty and the Beast – From the Diamond Edition Blu-Ray, this sub-menu features a myriad of features and featurettes that explore the behind-the-scenes aspects of creating the film.
- Beyond Beauty… (53:20) – The main feature focuses on all of the creative talent behind the film. It’s an honest look at the earliest treatments and why they didn’t work with lots of images and footage to reveal what Beauty and the Beast could have been like. In addition to directing, producing and animating the film, the feature also highlights the music by Alan Menken and the passing of Howard Ashman.
- Full Circle to Broadway (10:24) – Exploring how Walt Disney made his films in the style of Broadway musicals, the fact that Beauty and the Beast continued that tradition, and how it all came full circle when Beauty and the Beast opened on Broadway.
- Will Vs. Nik (3:12) – Animators Will Finn and Nik Ranieri share a Cogsworth/Lumiere style relationship in this short feature about their spicy friendship.
- Frame By Frame: A Thumbnail Sketch of the History of Animation (14:15) – An overview of the history of animation told through the achievements of Disney. Walt is shown often in the beginning in archival footage from the Disneyland series demonstrating the earliest animation techniques.
- Searching for Beast’s Castle (17:50) – When production was shut down on the first version of Beauty and the Beast, Don Hahn took his team to France to tour castles and chateaus for inspiration.
- New Digital Horizons (4:21) – Using the CAPS system, the creators of Beauty and the Beast were able to revive the look of the original ink and painted films once again using digital media.
- Ever a Surprise: A Portrait of Howard Ashman (13:37) – Family, friends and members of the creative team tell the life story of the late, great Howard Ashman. Have a box of tissues handy for this one.
- Disney: A Fairy Tale (8:26) – Historians explore the origins of fairy tales, why Walt Disney was so enamored with them, and how they helped create his studio.
- The Beauty of Voice Acting (10:22) – An exploration of voice acting through the years at Disney. Includes Dickie White (Pinocchio), Ilene Woods (Cinderella), Angela Lansbury (Mrs. Potts), Paige O’Hara (Belle) and Robbie Benson (Beast).
- Acting as a Team (6:43) – Paige O’Hara and Robbie Benson discuss their role in the film and their journey to landing the part.
- Character Development – A sub-menu of character analysis with a “Play All” feature.
- Beast (3:47) – Glen Keane discusses the origins of the Beast with some early concept art.
- Cogsworth (2:53) – Will Finn explores the evolution of Cogsworth.
- Gaston (3:13) – Andreas Deja discusses the difficulties of bringing Gaston to life.
- Lumeire (2:50) – Nik Ranieri examines the inspiration behind Lumeire, including the doorknob from Alice in Wonderland.
- Mrs. Potts (2:15) – Dave Pruiksma looks at the warmth and cuteness of Mrs. Potts and Chip.
- Deleted Scene: Belle in the Library (9:05) – Original storyboards are used to recreate a lost scene where Belle spends a lot of time in Beast’s library and meets four deleted characters. (Diamond Edition)
- Alternate Story Open (18:58) – The full story reel for the Richard Purdum version of Beauty and the Beast is presented. This was the treatment that was shown to management at Disney who decided to start over in a different direction. (Diamond Edition)
- Broadway Beginnings (13:08) – Members of the Broadway cast of Beauty and the Beast share their memories of starring in the show. Famous performers include Ashley Brown, Donny Osmond, Christy Carlson Romano, Debbie Gibson and Nick Jonas. (Diamond Edition)
- Composing a Classic: A Musical Conversation with Alan Menken (20:18) – Alan Menken sits around a piano with his manager Richard Kraft and producer Don Hahn to sing and discuss the music of Beauty and the Beast. (Diamond Edition)
- Deleted Song Sequence: “Human Again” – From the Platinum Edition DVD, these features highlight the change for the Special Edition version of the film.
- Introduction by Don Hahn: Story (0:46) – Don Hahn talks about where “Human Again” takes place in the story.
- Introduction by Alan Menken: Music (0:42) – Alan Menken talks about the musical influences behind “Human Again.”
- Deleted Song: “Human Again” (6:57) – The original demo recording and storyboards are assembled to reveal what “Human Again” would have been like if it was in the 1991 version of the film.
- Music Videos
- Jordin Sparks “Beauty and the Beast” (3:26) – The American Idol winner performs the song in a flowing dress in a decrepit mansion. (Diamond Edition)
- Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson “Beauty and the Beast” (4:24) – Celine Dion introduces her 1991 music video where the two singers perform from the recording studio. (Platinum Edition)
- Videos
- Early Presentation Reel (2:48) – Don Hahn introduces this internal pitch reel to show other segments within Disney what Beauty and the Beast would be. This was made before animation began and character designs are from the Richard Purdum version. (Platinum Edition)
- Alternate Version: “Be Our Guest” (4:51) – In the original story draft, “Be Our Guest” took place earlier in the film and was sung to Maurice. Rough animation and storyboards are used to present the original version. (Platinum Edition)
- Alternate Score: “The Transformation” (2:00) – Alan Menken rewrote the transformation score to be more uplifting. The original rough animation is presented along with his first version of the score. (Platinum Edition)
- Animation
- Animation Tests: Rough & Clean Ups (4:54) – Don Hahn introduces this reel of rough animation compared to the cleaned up shots, revealing the intricate process of animation. (Platinum Edition)
- The Transformation: Pencil Version (5:22) – Glen Keane’s pencil version of the Transformation sequence is presented in its rough form. (Platinum Edition)
- A Transformation: Glen Keane (3:12) – Animating the Transformation scene was one of the highlights of Glen Keane’s animation career. He reveals his inspiration behind this moment in the film. (Platinum Edition)
- Camera Move Test (2:03) – The ballroom scene used a digital set. This is a rough test of how the camera would move so the animators knew how to compose their drawings. (Platinum Edition)
- Trailers & TV Spots
- Original Release Trailer (2:30) – Don Hahn introduces the original trailer for the film. This trailer focuses on the more kid-friendly, slapstick moments. (Platinum Edition)
- Large Format Release Trailer (2:31) – Celine Dion’s version of “Beauty and the Beast” underscores the dance sequence to sell audiences on the IMAX release. (Platinum Edition)
- TV Spot # 1 (0:32) – A TV ad that focused on the romance in the film. (Platinum Edition)
- TV Spot # 2 (0:32) – This TV ad conveys action and excitement. (Platinum Edition)
- TV Spot #3 (0:32) – Celebrating the Academy Award nomination. (Platinum Edition)
- TV Spot #4 (0:16) – Golden Globe winning ad. (Platinum Edition)
As you can see, the Classic Bonus Features assembled for this release are pretty extensive. Aside from games and art galleries, almost everything from the Diamond Edition and Platinum Edition has been included in this digital Signature Collection version. The few items left off this release all come from the Platinum Edition and for the most part, were not included because a similar feature replaced them or they are no longer relevant. Here is a list of what’s excluded:
- Work-in-Progress Version in Full Screen – The Platinum Edition DVD is still the only way to see it in full screen.
- Origins of Beauty and the Beast (51:03) – Many of the bonus features found on this release stem from the submenus of this section. Components of this documentary could be viewed as a feature, or explored on their own with additional content. Topics in the abandoned feature include Development, Story, Music, Characters, Production Design, Animation, Tricks of the Trade, Release and Reaction, the Broadway Musical and the Special Edition. All of the feature’s main components are absent, even though all of the extra material made the leap to the Legacy Collection.
- The Making of Beauty and the Beast (28:02) – An abbreviated version of “Origins of Beauty and the Beast” with the added entertainment value of being hosted by Celine Dion.
- The Story Behind the Story – (25:37) – Celebrities talk about the original story inspirations for some of Disney’s other animated classics including Cinderella, The Lion King, The Jungle Book and Sleeping Beauty. Stars included in this feature are Celine Dion, Paige O’Hara, James Earl Jones, David Ogden Stiers, Robbie Benson, Jodi Benson, Ming-Na Wen and Angela Lansbury.
- Disney’s Animation Magic (14:24) – This kid-friendly feature starred Shia LaBeouf and Christy Carlson Romano from Disney Channel’s Even Stevens to provide a crash course in animation production. The feature covers all Disney animated films and is not specific to Beauty and the Beast.
- Jump 5 “Beauty and the Beast” Music Video (4:02) – The Christian-Pop group sings and dances to their up-tempo version of the film’s standout ballad.
Final Thoughts
Beauty and the Beast is one of the best-animated films of all time and belongs in the collection of every Disney fan. If you already own a previous version, this Digital release offers some brand new bonus features, plus a fairly definitive collection of previously released content and the ability to watch it anywhere across multiple devices. And for anyone who doesn’t currently own this masterpiece, you’re not only getting a wonderful film but also a wonderful, nearly definitive collection of bonus features with your digital purchase.
Buy on iTunes