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- Blu-ray: Beauty and the Beast Criterion Collection Edition
- Rating: Not Rated
- Starring: Jean Marais, Josette Day
- Written By: Jean Cocteau
- Directed By: Jean Cocteau
- Distributor: Criterion Collection
- Original Year of Release: 1946
- Extras: Composer Philip Glass’s opera La Belle et la Bête, Two commentaries, Screening at the Majestic, photos and publicity stills, booklet
- Series:
Beauty and the Beast Criterion Collection Blu-ray
The 1946 classic gets a royal treatment By
Robert T. Trate
August 02, 2011
Jean Cocteu’s classic comes to Blu-ray
© Criterion Collection
Beauty and the Beast (1946) or better known as La belle et la bête is the film adaptation of Leprince de Beaumont’s fairy-tale masterpiece that has been told over and over again for years. It is the story of man transformed into a beast that must find true love to break his curse. Many of us know of the 1991 Disney animated musical. This version of the tale has similarities to that but it is far from the halls of singing candlesticks and teapots. Criterion Collection has taken their sixth tile and given it the Blu-ray treatment.
Belle (Josette Day) lives with her two spoiled sisters and father at the outset of destitution. Her father (Marcel André) has made some poor business decisions and decides on a final gamble that will save his family. His journey brings him to a strange castle and after a night of witnessing the impossible he takes a single rose from the garden as a present for Belle. The master of the castle appears in a freighting form as both a man and a beast. He is a prince (Jean Marais) cursed into this hideous form and after years of seclusion longs for companionship. Belle’s father cuts a deal with the prince that he will return in three days after saying goodbye to his family. The prince then tells him that if one of his daughters will come in his place that he will be free. Upon returning home, via a magical horse, Belle trades places with her father despite her father’s objections. Belle is then thrust into this magical world and must live with this beast of a prince who wants nothing but for her to love him.
Each and every day the prince appears to Belle and asks her to marry him. It should go without saying that the prince gets right to the point in trying to break his curse. Their love story comes from Belle trying to find what is left of the prince’s humanity. More often than not the prince is more an animal than a man. Belle uses the prince’s magic mirror to learn of her father’s ill health. It is this moment that the tide turns and the prince rediscovers his humanity. Belle is allowed to return and she promises to do so. It is the greed of others that turns this story away from the Disney version we have all come to know.
A comparison’s to both the Disney animated musical and Shelly Duvall’s Faerie Tale Theatre version pops up more than once as you watch this classic. Some of Joel Schumacher’s Phantom of the Opera (2004) is in here as well. Regardless of the comparison this version was first and is an earmark for both film and fairy tales. More often then not films of this nature can be too whimsical and their characters seem to flutter between the scenes. Jean Cocteau’s presents a strong female character with very real problems and sets her against a fantastic dilemma. The prince is wrong in what he does yet Belle has the power to set everything right if she can indeed save the man deep down inside. The biggest problem is the transformation of the beast like prince into the man he once was. Belle has a suitor that she cares little for, Avenant. He is crass and greedy and is played by the same actor as the prince, Jean Marais. It becomes difficult to disassociate one character for the other. As the audience we too wish to see the person under all that ugliness and hope that Belle can reveal his humanity. When he looks like the villain at the end it comes off with little satisfaction. No fairy tale is perfect or without risk but this one leaves you wanting just a tad more.
The Blu-ray Experince:
With everything that Blu-ray can highlight and expose in 1080p Beauty and the Beast still looks magical. This is obviously a testament to Jean Cocteau’s style and ability as a filmmaker. To make a real comparison on the DVD to Blu-ray one would have to watch both to see a difference. If there even is one. I believe that the previous release was probably as good as it was going to get. If you own the previous release then an upgrade is probably not needed. If you need more special features then the Blu-ray is the definitive one.
If you are indeed a fan of this classic film “Screening at the Majestic” is your first stop on the special features listed below. Surviving members of the cast and crew visit numerous shooting locations that spark memories and insight into this film. Despite the subtitles you will feel a genuine fondness and love for this picture.
Special Features:
BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
• High-definition digital transfer from restored film elements, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• Composer Philip Glass’s opera La Belle et la Bête, presented in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio as an alternate soundtrack
• Two commentaries: one by film historian Arthur Knight and one by writer and cultural historian Sir Christopher Frayling
• Screening at the Majestic, a 1995 documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew
• Interview with cinematographer Henri Alekan
• Rare behind-the-scenes photos and publicity stills
• Film restoration demonstration
• Original trailer, directed and narrated by director Jean Cocteau, plus restoration trailer from 1995
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Geoffrey O’Brien, a piece on the film by Cocteau, excerpts from Francis Steegmuller’s 1970 book Cocteau: A Biography, and an introduction to Glass’s opera by the composer
Robert Trate writes two weekly columns for Mania the DVD Shopping Bag and the Toy Maniac. Robert also participates in a pod cast that reviews movies, comics and celebrates all things geek. Check it out at You’ve Got Geek on You.com. Follow Robert on Twitter for his for Geek ramblings and criticisms.
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