Beauty and the Beast (Disney Special Platinum Edition) (1991)


The film that officially signaled Disney's animation renaissance (following The Little Mermaid) and the only animated feature to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination, Beauty and the Beast remains the yardstick by which all other animated films should be measured. It relates the story of Belle, a bookworm with a dotty inventor for a father; when he inadvertently offends the Beast (a prince whose heart is too hard to love anyone besides himself), Belle boldly takes her father's place, imprisoned in the Beast's gloomy mansion. Naturally, Belle teaches the Beast to love. What makes this such a dazzler, besides the amazingly accomplished animation and the winning coterie of supporting characters (the Beast's mansion is overrun by quipping, dancing household items) is the array of beautiful and hilarious songs by composer Alan Menken and the late, lamented lyricist Howard Ashman. (The title song won the 1991 Best Song Oscar, and Menken's score scored a trophy as well.) The downright funniest song is "Gaston," a lout's paean to himself (including the immortal line, "I use antlers in all of my de-co-ra-ting"). "Be Our Guest" is transformed into an inspired Busby Berkeley homage. Since Ashman's passing, animated musicals haven't quite reached the same exhilarating level of wit, sophistication, and pure joy. --David Kronke --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

DVD features
Over a decade after it was made, this Oscar®-winning musical looks better than ever; the remastered film pops off the screen. This DVD debut has a whole disc of extras, but it's the film that matters here. You can see the original version, the special edition--which has a new song sequence, "Human Again," created for its 2001 release in IMAX theaters--and the unique "work-in-progress" edition that played the New York Film Festival and was seen on an earlier laserdisc release. Disney's tendency for posh--albeit sanitized--extras continues here with a commercial look at their animated history and a making-of hosted by Celine Dion. The kids will have more fun with the games--a trivia test on disc one unlocks a robust DVD game set on disc two. --Doug Thomas.

Review:
One of the best films ever made!

Disney's animated version of the classic tale, "Beauty and the Beast," is every bit as enchanting as the "tale as old as time" that it tells, making its way into our hearts as well as motion picture history. Being the first film nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, as well as six nominations altogether, Disney proves that it has what it takes to make an animated feature enjoyable for adults and children. I remember watching the film as a small child, and now, as an adult, is hasn't lost its luster, and everything is just as I enjoyed it before.
Through brilliant animation and song, as well as some terrific voice talents, the story of unexpected love comes to new and exciting life. Small-town girl Belle is forced to head into the woods once her father turns up missing, bringing her to a gloomy, secluded castle where she finds him and his captor, a vicious-looking beast. Of course, the beginning of the movie explains the beast's origins: he was once a selfish prince who, after turning out an old beggar woman, was transformed, given an enchanted rose, and told "if he could learn to love another, and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time."

This begins their rocky-turned-romantic relationship, as they begin to warm to one another. Meanwhile, the town brute, Gaston, has plans of his own, involving some sinister maneuvers involving Belle's father in hopes that she will agree to marry him.

Many have hailed this as the best of Disney's films, and they wouldn't be wrong in saying so, either. It's easy to see why the movie has become such a success: there are elements at work in this film, just as in every other Disney film, only they seem to have taken on a small degree of maturity with this film's creation.

The animation is some of the best and most believable I've seen for an animated film in a long time. Most of the scenes involving solely characters is the same as most of Disney's works, but there are scenes of pure life-like reality that have a special flare to them. The ballroom scene is one such scene: the camera angles sweep across a room filled with high-arched glass windows and a chandelier which looks as real as the words you're reading on this page. Some nice effects go into the creation of the castle as well, especially in the end once everything returns to normal.

The is one of the most moving Disney soundtracks to come along since that of "Cinderella" and "Pinocchio." It is clear that composers were striving to capture the feeling and influence of their previous score for "The Little Mermaid," and they truly succeed in doing so. The songs are delightful and will have kids and adults alike smiling and singing along. The score is the perfect underlining for scenes of romance as well as tension and suspense. In case you were wondering, three of the originally written songs were nominated for Academy Awards; that should say something.

This is one of Disney's most ambitious and successful projects, ranking alongside such cinematic achievements as the successes of "Citizen Kane" and "Gone With The Wind." Winner of the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture, as well as its Oscar nominations, "Beauty and the Beast" is a hallmark of a time when movies were something that everyone, young and old alike, could enjoy on the same levels. This is the best picture of 1991.

Review:
My Favorite Disney Classic

Belle is bored with life in her village. Her only escape is her books, and she longs to have an adventure of her own. When her father heads out to a fair, he gets lots, and Belle finds him in an enchanted castle. The objects are thrilled, because if she and their master, the Beast, fall in love, they will all be freed from the enchantment. But will Belle be able to see past the outward appearance? And what about the handsome bore back home who wants to marry Belle?
I feel in love with this movie the first time I saw it, and that love has only grown over the years. The story is the right mix of fun and uncertainty. Gaston was a wonderful addition to the mix because his story was the part I was most uncertain about the first time around. The artwork on the film catches your eye from the first shot of the castle, and doesn't let go. Beside the incredible background shots are wonderful drawings of the characters. I especially love the boyish excitement they manage to give the Beast in several scenes. Finally, there's the music. Every song adds to the story and is memorable in its own right.

This DVD is perfect for any fan of this movie. Disc 1 includes three versions of the film. The first is the "in progress" version shown to the New York film festival 6 weeks before the premier of the movie in 1991. While it's fun to have, I won't be watching it regularly. The second version is the original release. And finally comes the special edition, with the added scene and "Human Again." Ironically, this is probably my least favorite of the songs added to the Broadway version, but it does advance the story. And, there's always the option of watching the original version. Obviously, the version that you are supposed to watch is the special edition, as the audio commentary and sing along bonus features only work with this option. All three come in Dolby 5.1 sound, which sounds great.

The second disc features hours of bonus material. Most of it focuses on the making of this movie. Everything is covered, from original idea through characters and the Broadway version and special edition. Galleries show character designs over the course of the project. Also featured is the original treatments for "Human Again" and "Be Our Guest." Celebrity voices give background on the original story and Disney versions of classic tales. And there's a fun documentary as the stars of "Even Stevens" take a backstage look at all the work that goes into making a feature animated film.

This is the only film so far to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture. Watching the film, the reason is clear. This is something the entire family can enjoy. Don't miss your opportunity to catch this classic film.

Review: For Your Princess
It's so wonderful to live in a time when Disney's strange behavior of taking their classics off the market can be circumvented by great Internet marketers like Amazon. I was able to buy this 5 Star Disney Princess classic just last week for my young princess through one of Amazon's third-party sellers. And without that opportunity, my little princess may have outgrown Beauty and the Beast by the time Disney released it again.

Let me just say that my little one was absolutely captivated by Beauty and the Beast, and to think that she would be deprived by Disney itself from seeing it at her perfect age is criminal.

There are plenty of other reviews here to discuss the movie's contents, so I won't go on about that. I will say that you should take advantage of purchasing Beauty and the Beast now via one of this site's resellers if you have a little princess that might not appreciate it as much when Disney decides that it's time.

And indeed, you will enjoy Beauty and the Beast as thoroughly as your young one.

Review:

The best
Well I'm from Spain and I don't know if you will understand this. I think that Beauty and the beast is the best Disney movie just because...It's the best!!! Firstly because the story is very well and the romantic story beetwen Belle and the Beast is the best I've ever seen. Sometimes I think where can be a woman like Belle? where can I find her??? She is pretty, intelligent, brave, affectionanated, a good friend and of course she is very kind.
Another thing that I would like to stand out is that songs are really good as well in English as in Spanish.
Well I cann't explain how much I like this movie. THE BEST.

Review:
Can i give this about 112 stars?!?!,
Where to begin!! this is without a doubt the greatest disney film EVER! there are no negative elements to this masterpiece. the story is a clever and well done adaptation of another classic fairy tale. the storyline is well executed because not once does it dumb down it's romantic love story for small children. with strong leading characters and well developed supporting ones, this is truely a great film. the animation is so realistic it is always beautiful in every detail and in every way. now i get to the music. WOW!!! this is a fantastic score, possibly one of the greatest musical scores of all time. the intensity and passion of every song is unbelievable for any movie, let alone a disney film. the songs themselves have a wonderful broadway feel and are all catchy and unique. again they are all powerful and fun.

Although i'm just a little biased, this movie deserved to win the oscar for best motion picture, and i don't know why it didnt. as i said, this is a great film in the disney cannon and on it's own. this is truely the best of the best!

Review:
Beauty and the Beast-A Magical Disney Movie
I was extremily excited to receive this Disney DVD. When I first saw this movie, I was amazed by its brilliant songs and its delightfull characters. This is my favourite Disney movie. Great job, Disney.

Cinderella (2-Disc Special Edition) (1950)


Product Description
The most celebrated of all the Disney classics, CINDERELLA, is also known as one of Walt Disney's all-time favorite films. CINDERELLA has enchanted generations with its spellbinding story, charming music, and endearing characters that live in your heart forever. The beloved fairy tale becomes pure Disney magic as beautiful Cinderella shares her dreams of romance and a better life with the lovable mice Gus and Jaq. When Cinderella's cruel stepmother prevents her from attending the Royal Ball, the delightful Fairy Godmother appears! With a wave of her wondrous wand and a bouncy "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo," the Fairy Godmother transforms a simple pumpkin into a magical coach -- and Cinderella's rags into a gorgeous gown. At the ball, Cinderella falls in love with Prince Charming, but must flee before the stroke of midnight breaks the spell! Now with an all-new digital restoration, Disney's Enhanced Home Theater Mix, and all-new games and music videos, this 2-Disc Special Edition of Cinderella is the perfect fit for everyone who believes dreams really do come true. Also available on Video.

Review: Don't miss the next Disney release!


Cinderella
This favorite Disney classic has enchanted generations of children. It has the message that if you dream, your dream can come true.

"A dream is a wish your heart makes." --Cinderella sings

Cinderella lives in a run down house and sleeps up in the tower. The view of the king's castle is like a beacon of hope for her. Hope for something in the future gives children meaning in life and promotes optimism. They can also relate to the sibling rivalry between the sisters! The cat is just so naughty and the mice adorable.

Cinderella also sees the good in life. Even though she has to clean, cook and is basically the maid in her own home, she still even finds good in life and even the evil cat, Lucifer. While she is washing the floor, she sings and bubbles float in the air. Each bubble carries an image of her scrubbing the floor and the harmony is just beautiful as you hear many voices (all hers) singing.

The pumpkin transformation is my favorite part and Cinderella's dress is just sparkling. I never noticed it before but there is sparkling everywhere like diamond dust. It really adds a touch of magic to this enchanting story.

Perfect for October! Even at 33, I still love this movie.

Listen to your dreams - those are the sounds no one else can hear. -Kobi Yamada

Review: Enchanting!

Cinderella is a story of a young girl who's only living family left is her (mean) step-mother and (equally rude) step-sisters. Cinderella is forced to be the housekeeper, cook, chore girl, etc. She takes care of all needs of the step-family. Her only friends are the animals she takes care of, except for Lucifer, the mean old cat.

It is made known that the Prince is looking for a bride. The animals help Cinderella by creating a beautiful gown from an old dress. When the step-sisters become jealous of how beautiful Cinderella looks, they rip her dress to shreds and leave her to stay home while they attend the ball. This is where Cinderella's Fairy Godmother steps in and creates a nite worth remembering for her.

I hesitate to say anymore for fear of ruining the movie for you! This is a Disney classic that should be in every family's video library. My 2 girls, ages 4 &5, love this movie! After watching it, you'll find them in their room, dressed up, pretending to be Cinderella for days!
Wonderful family movie!

Review: Better than Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Cinderella is the film that saved the Walt Disney Company.
I don't want to tell the story because everyone knows the story of Cinderella. I highly recommend this movie. It reminds everyone of childhood.

Review: Walt Disney's Best Movie

Disney made its mark as a major studio in 1937 with its first full-length feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Ironically, given this early success, Snow White was their only hit movie for the next 13 years. World War II kicked the hell out of Disney's overseas markets. Even movies today regarded as classic Disney - Pinnochio, Bambi, Fantasia - lost money on initial release. Disney eked through by diversifying into training films for the US government, and the South American films that were part of FDR's Good Neighbor policy, etc. - stuff that made back its costs but not much more. By 1948, Disney was in dire financial straits. They had just enough money for one more movie. Walt Disney realized he needed a hit or his studio probably wouldn't survive, and it would have to be what they did best: a full-length animated feature film. Walt said to himself, "What we need is a movie about a girl in trouble. Audiences love that. They loved Snow White." That's what he wanted: a movie like Snow White, but even more so - more comedy, more drama, more magic, more music, more lovable characters. He chose as the basis of his company's Hail Mary pass arguably the most famous fairy tale in the world: Cinderella.

Disney didn't have the money, as they had on earlier films, to lavishly storyboard every scene. Thus they hit upon the wonderfully clever idea of shooting the entire movie in live action, then the animators used stills from that as storyboards. The photos used survive to this day, and many are provided as a Special Edition "extra." In some cases these photos have the animator's drawings over them, turning for instance an almost bare stage into a hall in Cinderella's family chateau.

In 1950, Cinderella was released and was everything Disney so desperately needed. Even today, Cinderella is arguably the best movie Disney's ever made. It's just awfully hard to argue with any aspect of this film. The animation artwork was a product of Disney's famous "Nine Old Men" - at that time not yet old. Cinderella pulls off, superbly, something not particularly easy to do: it integrates believable human characters with funny cartoon animals and makes it work. From Eric Larson and Marc Davis' beautiful and graceful Cinderella to Ward Kimball's wonderful Jaq and Gus-Gus the mice and over-the-top Lucifer the cat, everything flows together so well it all seems perfectly natural.

Part of Walt Disney's plan to out-Snow White Snow White with Cinderella involved its music. He very consciously wanted Cinderella to be a source of hit songs. There had been hit songs from Disney films before ("Heigh Ho" and "Whistle While You Work" from Snow White, "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinnochio, etc.) but they'd been almost accidental. "Oh, we have a hit song, well that's nice." For Cinderella, Disney for the first time went to Tin Pan Alley (28th Street in New York City where the professional songwriters could be found). Disney wanted his girl's music done by the very best craftsmen, the guys who wrote hit songs for a living. The Cinderella soundtrack hit big (a #1 album with 3/4 million units sold) with songs even today considered quintessential Disney, most notably "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from the movie's opening scene, "The Work Song" while the animals help Cinderella clean the house and simultaneously build her ball gown, and "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" (nominated for an Academy Award as best movie song of the year) from the Fairy Godmother transformation scene.

For their best movie, Disney apparently spared no expense producing the DVD. Not only has the picture quality been digitally restored, but the audio has also been cleaned up with a new 5.1 surround sound mix. Totally gone is the background hiss associated with so many old movies. (Cinderella has the distinction of being "the noisiest movie ever restored" according to its audio crew.) The original mono soundtrack has also been spruced and is provided as an option for purists.

A word about the movie's aspect ratio (i.e. how wide the picture is compared to its height). The DVD cover says Cinderella is presented in its "Original Full-Screen Aspect Ratio (1.33:1)". This is untrue. Virtually all sound films until 1953, including Cinderella, were 1.37:1. Since a TV screen is 1.33:1, you don't lose a lot when the original is "formatted to fit your television." I just wish they hadn't lied about it.

Cinderella ends at breakneck pace: we go straight from her foot sliding into the glass slipper to the wedding to Happily Ever After, bing, bang, boom. Walt Disney believed "Audiences like a happy ending, but they don't like a happy ending that goes on too long." Hey, who am I to argue? Well, maybe I'll argue. A DVD extra addresses scenes originally planned for the movie but not actually used. One of these would have occurred after the fitting of the glass slipper and before the wedding: Cinderella is taken by the Grand Duke to the castle in her normal everyday clothes; the first time Prince Charming sees her since the ball she's not wearing a lovely gown, she's wearing her scullery maid outfit. Cinderella is frightened, how will he react when he realizes she's not a fine lady but a poor servant girl? And of course he doesn't care how she's dressed, he loves her anyway. I can **see** that scene in my mind, it would have worked beautifully. This is the one way in which an almost perfect movie could have been even a tiny bit better.

Review: Cinderella
A great story. Never happens in real life though. Great images, everything is very pretty. It's just one of those stories that we remember from our childhood. It's great to watch over and over again.

Sleeping Beauty (Special Edition) (1959)

Disney's 1959 animated effort was the studio's most ambitious to date, a widescreen spectacle boasting a gorgeous waltz-filled score adapting Tchaikovsky. In the 14th century, the malevolent Maleficent (not dissimilar to the wicked Queen in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) taunts a king that his infant Aurora will fatally prick her finger on a spinning wheel before sundown on her 16th birthday. This, of course, would deny her a happily-ever-after with her true love. Things almost but not quite turn out that way, thanks to the assistance of some bubbly, bumbling fairies named Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. It's not really all that much about the title character--how interesting can someone in the middle of a long nap be, anyway? Instead, those fairies carry the day, as well as, of course, good Prince Phillip, whose battle with the malevolent Maleficent in the guise of a dragon has been co-opted by any number of animated films since. See it in its original glory here. And Malificent's castle, filled with warthogs and demonic imps in a macabre dance celebrating their evil ways, manages a certain creepy grandeur. --David Kronke

DVD features

Most of the beauty of Disney's Sleeping Beauty DVD comes from the dazzling restored picture that looks as sharp and vivid as films produced decades later. You can watch it in its 70mm widescreen anamorphic glory or in pan-and-scan format, but if you think you'll prefer the latter, a widescreen-to-fullscreen comparison of the "Once Upon a Dream" scene will show you how much you're missing. There's a bevy of historical material: a commentary track that includes art director Eyvind Earle, Mary Costa (the voice of Aurora), and supervising animator Ollie Johnston; a 1997 16-minute documentary that covers various aspects of production, especially the film's distinctive animation style; shorter featurettes that expand upon the documentary; art galleries; and three vintage short films related to Sleeping Beauty--"4 Artists Paint 1 Tree," in which the animators demonstrate their craft, the biopic "The Peter Tchaikovsky Story," and "Grand Canyon," the CinemaScope depiction of Ferde Grofé's famous suite. Kid fare includes the usual trivia game, art projects, a sing-along, a No Secrets music video, and a mistake-proof coloring game. --David Horiuchi

Review: Still Looks Great

I vividly remember the release of Sleeping Beauty. I was old enough to go see it myself - just barely. There I was sitting way up front eating my popcorn and all of a sudden this spectacular dragon materialized right before my eyes. Popcorn forgotten, I was hooked. Cartoons never looked the same to me, and I spent the rest of my life inhaling fantasy and science fiction on a quest for the same thrill.

Animation has changed quite a bit in the ensuing years, but even today Sleeping Beauty is a towering achievement. Now I'm more sensitive to the tricks of the art and can see the masterful use of perspective that made the scenes leap out at you. When I first picked up this DVD I half expected to be disappointed, to find it really wasn't so glorious in retrospect. This is hardly the case - this film is just as vibrant and alive as it was in 1959.

The added dimension now is that I can see how Disney's work was a formative influence on animation even today. Artist/Directors like Miyazaki owe much to this film and its predecessor Snow White. And they freely admit it. As a production, Sleeping Beauty created a sense of legitimacy for animation that proved that high quality animation was something well beyond the Saturday morning funnies.

Disney took a great risk when creating this film, pouring a tremendous amount of resources in making it something as perfect as was possible for his time. While the studio reaped the financial benefits, the audience was the real winner, as a whole genre exploded before our eyes. Even now, with anime rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with, this film stands out for story, art, and music.

The additional features, especially those that retell the making of the film, are excellent as well. All captures in fine detail on this DVD. This is a must see for anyone who still loves a fairy tale.

Review: Superb Edition of a Disney Classic

Disney took a while, but they have finally embraced the DVD format. As with everything else, when they do it, they do it right and big!
When Disney first stuck their foot in the DVD waters they did it slowly, offering movies without major extras and at a price well above their competition. With a stable of classics in their coffers I wrote some scathing reviews and comments on various web sites. Disney finally got it through their heads that DVD has broken through to become the standard format for the new millenium.

Several other Disney Disks have gotten this deluxe treatment. Their collaborations with Pixar; Toy Story One and Two, A Bugs Life, Monsters Inc were among the first. Tarzan, Atlantis, Beauty and the Beast as well as Dumbo and a variety of lesser films have editions chock full of extras as well. It was fitting that Snow White was released as a Double Disk set last year and they have followed that up with one of my faves, Sleeping Beauty.

The film has been remastered all around. Crisp new sound and picture wrapped up with a bevy of extras that will make any cinemafile drool. Along with the standard documentaries and commentaries this edition has something I wish had been packaged with every disk released to date; A widescreen to pan and scan comparison. Finally I can show my friends and family why widescreen is preferable to 'full screen'. (You reading this Blockbuster video??)

Getting off the soapbox now...

I pre-ordered mine. Make sure you don't let this one slip away for another generation.

Review: This movie is excellent.
One thing I most love about this movie, is the music. Slepping Beauty has songs from the ballet. I watch this movie whenever I can. It has brilliant animation, brilliant songs and brilliant characters, especially princess Aurora, my favourite Disney Princess. I highly recommand this movie.

Review: Truly a Beauty!

Disney really gave this film the art-treasure treatment. The film is nearly 50 years old, but the colors glow and the sound is wonderful. A painstaking frame-by-frame restoration was conducted, and the soundtrack remastered, resulting in a film which probably looks better now on DVD than when it was originally released. This film has always been a favorite of mine of all the Disney classics, and I think the music has a lot to do with it. "Once Upon a Dream" is truly beautiful, which is a given considering the classical composition it was based on. The artwork is superb, even for Disney in its heyday. This movie is rightly considered a classic, and has finally been given its due on DVD.

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Review:
This is a very well done DVD by Disney. The art looks great, and sound is wonderful. If you're thinking of buying this, though, get this for the extras: all are dated and easily recall the era of the late 50's that the movie was released in. "4 Artists Paint 1 Tree" and "The Peter Tchaikovsky Story" are especially enjoyable and add another dimension to the viewing of the film.

The commentary, on the other hand, is nothing special. Yes, there are a couple of songs thrown in that got cut out of the final production. But there is also quite a bit of buttering up of the final production as well as of Walt Disney himself. The commentary is also almost completely disembodied from the film itself - it sounds like they carried out separate interviews with those involved on a few major topics (background art, overall design, Walt Disney) and simply rearranged clips with the voice of a narrator, while in large part ignoring the action of the film.

Get it if you really need to complete the collection. Otherwise, an extremely entertaining rent from your local library thanks to the extras they decided to include.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Disney Special Platinum Edition) (1937)

Amazon.com essential video
One of the brightest nuggets from Disney's golden age, this 1937 film is almost dizzying in its meticulous construction of an enchanted world, with scores of major and minor characters (including fauna and fowl), each with a distinct identity. When you watch Snow White's intricate, graceful movements of fingers, arms, and head all in one shot, it is not the technical brilliance of Disney's artists that leaps out at you, but the very spirit of her engaging, girl-woman character. When the wicked queen's poisoned apple turns from killer green to rose red, the effect of knowing something so beautiful can be so terrible is absolutely elemental, so pure it forces one to surrender to the horror of it. Based on the Grimm fairy tale, Snow White is probably the best family film ever to deal, in mythic terms, with the psychological foundation for growing up. It's a crowning achievement and should not be missed. --Tom Keogh

DVD features
Disney figured out that it's not necessarily how many extras a DVD offers, it's how effortlessly the fan can view them. In two "guided tours," a viewer can see a selection of the excellent extras on the history and creation of Walt Disney's crown jewel. Disc 1 has an informative 40-minute documentary, plus karaoke songs, a neat trivia game, and Barbra Streisand's new version of "Some Day My Prince Will Come." Like Fantasia, the commentary track is expertly made up of historical recordings from over the years by Disney himself. The second disc brings out abandoned concepts, a crisp storyboard-to-film comparison, hundreds of well-organized drawings, and many historical recordings. The centerpiece, "Disney Through the Decades," is a mixed blessing of information and hype. Disney pride aside, they have done well with the film (now looking better than ever) that laid the foundation of their empire. --Doug Thomas

Joel Siegel, Good Morning America
"One of the great films of all time, one of the best dvd's ever."

Adrienne Maxwell, Home Theatres Magazine
"No classic has been better-restored than Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, recently released as a two-disc DVD that's destined to become the standard by which all classic releases are judged. It is, in a word, awesome."

Bruce Kluger, Us Weekly
"An ingenious blend of technological wizardry and star-studded Disney magic. It will leave you breathless."

Chris Chiarella, Digital Home Entertainment
"A masterpiece on every level: Certainly a milestone achievement in film, now almost dreamlike in its restored beauty and sounding better than any 64-year-old cartoon has a right to, with bountiful extras that are a joy for all to explore."

Sally Lee, Editor-in-chief of Parents Magazine
"Beautifully restored with a bonanza of fascinating new features, this magical DVD will delight every child and every parent."

Mark A. Perigard; Boston Herald
"..never looked this good, not even during its initial release."

Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle
"...surely the best it has looked and sounded since its premiere year."


Review: Disney Magic Makes SNOW WHITE Classic DVD
I was extremely excited to receive this DVD.... Upon opening it, one gets the feeling that it is truly a special edition. The packaging is very nice: the DVD box is sturdy with two openings for each disk. The pamphlet inside the DVD is gorgeously produced and very helpful.
My first impression is that Disney has spent much time making this DVD user-friendly. There is an abundance of directions and drawings showing you what is on the disk and how to get there. Since there are two disks and a KINGDOM of information to pour through, these directions are very welcome (even to this seasoned DVD-viewer!)

Disney pulls out some familiar faces to make the experience as warm as possible: Disney himself appears in various footage; Angela Lansbury narrates the documentary and provides a "tour" of the disks; Michael Eisner shows up; and Barbra Streisand sings a specially recorded version of "Some Day My Prince Will Come".

SNOW WHITE, the movie, looks gorgeous and, although old fashioned, is quite wonderful. SNOW WHITE, the double-disk, is a lot of information to wade through. I am amazed at the amount of behind-the-scenes film that exists! Disney must have suspected that he was creating a classic - he filmed every aspect of it! I especially enjoy the HALL OF ART section. There are 3 halls of various story art (i.e. "The cottage"; "The castle"; "the Forest"; etc.) Although initially I found it hard to move from hall to hall, I eventually figured it out. The animated HALLS are extraordinary and the art that "hangs" there is incredible -- various renderings and attempts at bringing the story and locales of SNOW WHITE alive. It's even more incredible that Disney Co. held on to these papers for all these years.

Well, in case you can't tell, I highly recommend the special SNOW WHITE disks. You will spend days looking at everything that is included -- or you can opt to spend an hour and a half viewing the original,gorgeous film that started the Disney empire....

Review: A Masterpiece gets the Treatment it Deserves

The Disney Company has over used the term Masterpiece when referring to its own movies. But this one truly deserves that title. While its animation betray its age, the story and characters are still fun, and its place in history also makes it a must.
The story is simple and familiar. Snow White's wicket stepmother wants her killed because Snow White is "the fairest of them all." She is saved from this fate, and hides out with seven dwarfs. But will the queen find her and try to kill her?

Walt's genius here was in creating the characters. The dwarfs have very distinctive personalities, and some of the best scenes in the movie revolve around them. (The scene where they first come home is a classic.) The animals add some humor as well, especially when cleaning the cottage.

The plot moves along well, and when I first saw it in college, I was drawn into the story even though I knew the ending. I actually felt tears when the dwarfs were mourning Snow White.

By today's standards, the animation is flawed, especially for the prince. However, there are some truly beautiful scenes as well, particularly the sun set when the dwarfs are coming home. Fans of Disney in the 30's will recognize the feel of some of the silly symphony cartoons. The important thing to remember when watching this movie is its place in history. This is the first animated movie ever, produced when everyone thought no one would ever see it. The fact that we're still watching it is a testimony to Walt as a filmmaker and pioneer.

This DVD set is the perfect way to enjoy this movie. The picture and soundtrack have been lovingly restored, and look and sound incredible. The sound is presented in Dolby 5.1 and its original mono. I didn't notice that much difference between the two modes, but it's nice to have the option. The first disc also contains a wonderful audio commentary. Recorded interviews with Walt Disney are interspersed with comments from John Canemaker. I learned quite a bit about the film from this commentary. The second disc contains all you would ever want to know about the history of the film. They've got character design changes, completely abandoned concepts, deleted scenes, and information on the releases over the years to name a few things. I spent hours soaking up the information and enjoying every moment of it.

This is truly a classic movie that belongs in any film fan's library. Hurry and get this wonderful set before it disappears.

Review: "Magic Mirror on the wall, is this the greatest film of all?"

Snow White is simply a milestone in the history of film making. It is one of those films that has ploughed a course through motion picture history, throwing off as it does so, bits and pieces that have been seized upon by later film makers, and turned into ideas and projects of their own. Many of today's film makers will cite this film as being a major early influence on their careers.

Even today, the film's ability to generate emotion is unique on any media. It can still tug on the heart strings after repeat viewings. This comes down to characterisation, be it of Snow White herself, the animals that help her, or the Seven Dwarves.
All are superbly realised and engage the audience accordingly. Maybe the strength of the Dwarves is that Disney filled their characters with many recognisable human traits, both strong and weak. Audiences could identify with them accordingly.
Annoyingly, the character of Dopey has come under attack from the politically correct for allegedly demeaning people with learning difficulties etc. I would counter that with it is a depiction of someone with difficulties getting on with his life, enjoying it in the process, and being actively supported by his peers, who in very human terms, sometimes express impatience etc with him.

As to the other dwarves, I think we can all recognise something of ourselves, our friends, and our relatives in all of them. Hence the fact that they are so engaging.
The songs from the film have gained immortality and deservedly so. Despite not being a fan of musicals myself, this particular score is truly something else, and I still love it after all this time.

Evil is starkly depicted in this tale in the form of the vain and envious Queen. Once she realises that her own beauty has been surpassed by that of Snow White then she goes all out to kill her. Is it any coincidence that as she becomes ever more murderous and vindictive, her outward appearance starts to match that within? Shortly after deciding to kill Snow White, she becomes the hideous witch, and her subsequent behaviour matches her looks.
Her fate is particularly unpleasant but the morality of the tale is that her own deeds and actions ultimately bring it upon herself. There are no grey areas - the message is that evil ultimately brings evil upon the perpetrator.

Ultimately this film has gained a wide ranging recognition as one of the greatest films ever made and deservedly so.
I am fortunate enough to own one of the Platinum Edition dvds. Picture and sound are superb, in particluar the 5.1 transfer is stunning.
If you can get hold of one of these dvds, then my advice is to buy it. You really will not be disappointed.

"Magic Mirror on the wall, is this the greatest film of all?"

Review: The first and fairest of them all
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is Walt Disney's first animated feature. With the help of this movie animation began. Snow White is a beautifull princess who's life is threated by her mother the queen. She finds safe heaven with seven of the cutest dwarfs ever made. I won't tell anymore, because I think everyone knows what this film is all about. I'll tell you one thing: buy it. It is GREAT.

Review: Snow White will remain one of the best films EVER!!
This Film is truly beautiful and unique. The Dvd is also great! It has plenty of things to do. For those people who get sad, mad or discouraged because the film is out of print: dont worry about it. The movie can be found used in some store. I found a copy at a local cd exchange for $13.99 then i saw one for $20 at the flea mart. Otherwise just wait for disney to re-realease it in 10 yrs. Also u can buy it online. Its possible u might get a bootleg but the asian bootlegs are better than nothing. Plus the contain DTS surround sound (something not all originals have).

Review: Over-rated classic,
Based on the classic fairytale, Disney's Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs is often held as being the first successfully animated feature presented in technicolor, but people back in the 1930s must not have been too hard to please because I really don't see what's so special about this movie. To me, Snow White remains who is most likely Disney's most annoying heroine. All she does throughout the entire movie is whine about her plight and complain about the dwarfs' manners constantly. When the dwarfs invite her to stay in their house, she suddenly takes over as a motherly figure and bossing everyone around just because she's a princess, completly forgetting the fact that she's the one who's the guest, not the other way around, and treating the dwarves like immature children when they're clearly adult men. What the dwarfs or the evil queen's magic mirror see in her that's so "fair" I really can't see myself.

Snow White's relationship with the Prince is completly unbelievable. She only meets him once and is instantly sure that he's her true love, even though they know nothing about each other. They don't even reveal the Prince's name at all and the Prince doesn't appear again until the last scene of the film. He doesn't even kiss Snow White because he's been searching for her out of love, he kisses her just because he heard about a beautiful sleeping princess in the forest. He didn't do a single thing to fight against the evil queen. The dwarves did far more to protect Snow White than the Prince did yet when the Prince wakes her up with his kiss, she's instantly in love with him, they magically get married and live happily ever after, so what gratitude does she show to the dwarves? She says goodbye to them and says thank you and goes off to live in a fancy castle while the dwarves are left by themselves in the forest.

There is very little to virtually zero character development in this film. Almost all the characters expect for Grumpy remain the same. Grumpy starts off hating Snow White but he eventually loves her too and is the only one who goes through such development, which is why he's the only character in this movie that I liked. The animation still manages to be impressive despite the film's old age. There's a great deal of detailed animation given to the beautiful backgrounds and Snow White features a lot of unique and fun designs for its cast of characters, especially for all the loveable animals and the dwarves. But Disney at this point obviously couldn't properly animate adult males as they avoided animating the Prince as much as possible, hence why he only appears in two scenes throughout the entire film.

The musical score is sadly very forgettable as most of the background music sounds more or less the same without any real distinctive tunes that really stand out. The only vocal songs in this film that I actually enjoyed were the classic songs "Whistle While You Work" and "Some Day My Prince Will Come" but all the rest of the songs I could care less about. Most of the humor in the film comes from the animals and the dwarves trying their hardest to look cute enough to make you want to go out and buy their merchandise and not much else. The film could've been much shorter than what it was and the story be completly unaffected, but it drags itself out longer than it should with all the useless cute animal scenes when they could've been using this time to develop the characters more. Despite its faults, Snow White will always be remembered as a classic for its impressive animation, entirely free from the taint of today's overly-abused CGI animation, and for being Disney's first animated movie. Younger children and diehard Disney fans will love this movie for its historical importance in the world of animation, but those looking for solid entertainment will find themselves bored by the movie's paper-thin plot, bland characters, and dull music.

Disney's Princess Collection: The Music of Hopes, Dreams and Happy Endings

Review: My favorite princess cd
i love this cd! my dad got it for me for my birthday 3 years ago and i still love it

Review: Perfect for a Princess
I bought this cd for my daughter's 3rd birthday. She LOVES it! She asks me to play it every day and we both sing along to all of the songs. She has even picked up on the songs that she didn't know before she received it. I love it because now she is more interested in listening to the cd and dancing with me in the house than watching a video. In quiet times, she likes to sit on my lap and look at the pictures in the liner notes. The recordings are beautiful, it is the one children's cd that I can listen to over and over. If you have a little girl who loves princesses, this is definitely worth the money.

Review: Great CD!
I'm Also 18 and about to graduate HS and this is still one of my favorite cds! I actually bought this cd about 3 years ago (a different cover-same cd) and LOVED IT! I didn't give "Home" a chance at first but one day I listened to it and it is probably one of my all time favorite songs! I love broadway and I sing and its a very challenging song to sing! Susan Egan has a gorgeous voice! And none more gorgeous than Jodi Benson (Ariel!). My point is this is a great cd, don't ignore it becuase you don't know all the songs...you'll grow to love them as much as the favorites!

Review: So close, yet so far..
I REALLY wanted to love this CD. I was looking for a complete Princess collection for the car. We already have (and love!) the Disney Classics 5 CD collection, and I get very tired of switching between all those CDs to find "princess songs" (it's VERY hard to remember which song is on which color CD!!). The trouble with this CD is that is just doesn't have enough songs. My daughter includes in the category "Princess Songs" the songs that aren't actually sung by the princess herself, but are in the movie (like Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo, The Work Song; Under the Sea, Kiss the Girl, Heigh-Ho, Be Our Guest, Belle, etc.) - she loves them all! I was expecting a long CD with 20 to 25 songs (like the Disney Classics), but this CD only has 12, which isn't enough for my family. The included songs (with the exception of "Home" from the B&B Broadway show) are the same gorgeous versions you already love, but if you're looking for complete group of Princess Songs on one CD, this probably isn't the one for you.

Review: classic musical moments from Disney
This beautiful album showcases the Disney princesses; Ariel, Belle, Snow White, Jasmine, Aurora, Cinderella and Pocahontas, with songs from the soundtracks of the classic Disney films in which they appear. This disc is a must-own for all Disney fans.
There are selections from POCAHONTAS ("Colors of the Wind" and "Just Around the Riverbend", sung by Judy Kuhn); ALADDIN ("A Whole New World" sung by Brad Kane and Lea Salonga); BEAUTY AND THE BEAST ("Something There" sung by David Ogden Stiers, Jerry Orbach, Robby Benson, Angela Lansbury and Paige O'Hara); SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS ("Some Day My Prince Will Come" and "I'm Wishing/One Song" (sung by Adriana Caselotti and Harry Stockwell); CINDERELLA ("So This is Love" and "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" sung by Ilene Woods and Mike Douglas); and SLEEPING BEAUTY ("Once Upon a Dream" sung by Mary Costa and Bill Shirley).

Added for good measure is "Home", taken from the Broadway score of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, sung by the original Broadway Belle, Susan Egan.

I love listening to this magical CD, which is, as the cover-blurb promises, the music of 'hopes, dreams and happy endings'.

Review: Princesses!
As one reviewer said, you're never to old to enjoy the Disney classics! I'm 18, just graduated high school, and just went out and purchased this CD a couple days ago. It's beautiful, gorgeous, and brings back memories! I was singing along with it while in the car and while doing housework--it's a great collection that anyone can enjoy, especially those of us who are kids at heart. The only thing I wish is that there were a couple more songs present, which detracts 2 songs, but overall, it's gorgeous! Well worth the money!

Review: A Princess at Heart
In all the years I've enjoyed the Walt Disney collection's I learned age has no place in loving and enjoying all of his works! Snow White and all the Princesses have become my favorite along with my granddaughter who is a fitting 2 1/2 years old! As Walt Disney intended, Disney is to bring out the child in all of us..which so harshly the world wants to lock up and throw away the key! I enjoyed Disney World since it's opening through the eyes of my 4 children, and now I get to see it through the eyes of my granddaughter and it still becomes fresh and brand new! I love all of Disney but especially these beautiful and charming "Princesses" that decorate our world! Sincerely, A "Child" at Heart

Review: "Love Songs"
I say love songs because my Granddaughter and I love these songs. She is three and knows all the words. I kid you NOT! Although the "HOME" song was not familiar to me, all the others were. (Am I showing my age?) From what I understand, the "HOME" is from Broadway. I wish that the producers of the new enhanced Beauty and the Beast movie had thought to include it. I wish that the main theme to Beauty had been on this CD, but maybe it will be on the PRINCESS 2!

Review: My kids love it!
My girls love anything princess, so when my 5 year old received this for her birthday, she was thrilled. She and her little sister dress up in princess costumes to listen to this cd. I have also enjoyed listening to it.

Review: the best
This cd is well worth the price it should be even more. people say i am a bit strange for liking Diseny music, but unless they liste to the music they wont know how wonderful it is. You should definalty buy it

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Disney Princess Stories - Beauty Shines From Within (Volume 3)

Description
Your little girl is just wishes away from a unique experience that combines all the wonder of storytelling with the magic of make believe. In DISNEY PRINCESS STORIES VOLUME THREE: BEAUTY SHINES FROM WITHIN, "happily ever afters" start with a dash of imagination and a heaping helping of "once upon a time." The secret ingredient is a special kind of enchantment that is only found in the kingdom of Disney Princesses. Three charmed tales about being true to yourself will amaze and amuse your child again and again! Join Jasmine and Ariel as they discover that what really matters is confidence in yourself and the love in your heart. Watch as Cinderella tells, in her own words, the remarkable story of how she first became a princess. With each exciting flight of fancy, your little girl will meet her favorite Disney Princesses, share in their spellbinding adventures, and discover that real beauty shines from within.

Princess
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.

For other uses, see Princess .
Princess is the feminine form of prince (from Latin princeps, meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or her daughters, women whose station in life depended on their relationship to a prince and who could be disowned and stripped of the title if he so chose.

As women have slowly gained more autonomy through European history, the title of princess has become simply the female equivalent of prince and does not necessarily imply being controlled or owned by a prince. In some cases then, a princess is the female hereditary head of state of a province or other significant area in her own right. The ancient meaning applies in Europe still to the extent that a female commoner who marries a prince will almost always become a princess, but a male commoner who marries a princess will almost never become a prince. The implication is that if the man held the equivalent masculine title, he would have rank over his wife without the necessary pedigree.

In many of Europe's royal families, a king would grant his heirs actual or theoretical principalities to train them for future kingship or to give them social rank. This practice has led over time to many people thinking that "prince" and "princess" are titles reserved for the immediate family of a king or queen. In fact, most princesses in history were not immediate members of a royal family.

Widely used as a term of endearment, "princess" has also devolved in mostly American usage to mean any woman of exceptional popularity, such as the "princesses" of high school prom courts and beauty pagents. It is from this usage that the relatively new slang term of "princess" connotes a pampered and selfish girl or young person. The term was used in this last way to describe a character played by actress Molly Ringwald in the adolescent film The Breakfast Club, and Target stores now carry T-shirts with the word "Princess" for people who want to advertise themselves as demanding of attention or luxury.

Yet another take on the rising popularity of being a "princess" is the gentleness and refined composure associated with the title. It often conjures images of elegance and self control, and among the younger generations (say...4 and under), is a depiction of all things feminine and lovely.

Fictional princesses
Xena, Warrior Princess
Anya Smith- Oscar winning role for Audrey Hepburn in the film Roman Holiday
Diana of the Amazons, better known as Wonder Woman
Emeraude from Magic Knight Rayearth
Princess Adora of Eternia, better known as She-Ra
Ariel from the Disney film The Little Mermaid
Jasmine from the Disney film Aladdin
Snow White
Aurora, the Sleeping Beauty
Cinderella
Leia Organa of Alderaan (from Star Wars)
Lasaraleen Tarkheena from The Chronicles of Narnia (actually a noblewoman, but not a princess)
Eilonwy from the Chronicles of Prydain
Ozma, ruler of the land of Oz
Perdita from Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale
Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia, King Lear's daughters
Garnet Til Alexandros, Final Fantasy IX
Marle from the video game Chrono Trigger
Princess Zelda, namesake character from the popular Nintendo video game
Princess Peach, of the Super Mario universe
Princess Daisy, of the Super Mario universe
Ayeka and Sasami from Tenchi Muyo!
Cagalli Yula Athha from Mobile Suit Gundam Seed and Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny
San from Princess Mononoke
Princess Serenity and Chibiusa from Sailor Moon
Hana from Ojamajo Doremi series
Mermaid Princesses of Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch
Princess Melisande in Edith Nesbit's children's story Melisande (or Long and Short Measure).
Princess Irene in The Princess and the Goblin and The Princess and Curdie by George Macdonald.
Princess Fiona from Shrek
Mia Thermopolis, princess of Genovia in The Princess Diaries
Princess Clara from Drawn Together
Princess Kitana of Edenia from Mortal Kombat
Haramis, Kadiya and Anigel, the three princesses of Ruwenda, from the Trillium series
Princess Ruto from The Legend of Zelda; Ocarina of Time.

Elegantly Frugal Costumes


Book Description

This wonderfully practical book literally shows you how to make costumes for plays, pageants and musicals at the lowest possible expense! Over 150 detailed illustrations work with the easy-to-follow text to walk you through every step of the process. Just about every basic period is covered: Biblical to Medieval, Renaissance, Angels, the Fabulous Fifties, 1800s to World War I, The Roaring Twenties and more. Many helpful hints on making or buying realistic period theatrical costumes on a shoestring budget from cast-offs, donations, scraps, and other easily-obtained materials. Also included are "special effects" costumes, helpful hints for getting into and out of costumes, and a glossary of costuming terms A book that will pay for itself with its first use.

About the Author
Shirley Dearing holds degrees in music and art and has sung and designed costumes for several operas. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Review:

What I like about this book is that it foregoes any esoterica and costuming theory in favor of good old fashioned practicality. The reader doesn't have to sift through the excruciating snobby details, but instead is given the real lowdown as if visiting with a best friend who happens to be a costume mistress.

This book focuses mainly on costuming for low-budget productions (such as community theatre or a school play), providing useful information and advice on making good-looking costumes from already existing garments and/or thrift store offerings. Information abounds about time period, costume cuts & styles, ways to splurge or skimp on your costumes and still have them look fabulous, as well as details that an inexperienced costumer might overlook (such as using velcro instead of buttons for ease in costume changes).

I would highly recommend this to anyone who is involved in costuming for a production, or anyone who simply loves costumes and loves to recycle old clothes into great new ones. I love this book and have read through it several times just for inspiration.


An excellent book of ideas and help for someone wanting to learn to costume for community theatre. It contains excellent examples of her own work that is easy to follow. It does not overload your brain with useless information. A good starting out book, that aids a person in organizing the information , and research problems needed to suceeded in this field. Also a good read for veterans of the design buisness to give fresh ideas and back up what they have done . After 35 years finally I have found someone who appreciates the use of thrift stores , goodwill and lace curtains for stage costumes. Thank you Shirley for putting it into words and pictures.

Instant Period Costume: How to Make Classic Costumes from Cast-Off Clothing (Paperback)

Reviews

Anyone who has done costume work for theater knows how difficult create believeable outfits quickly, and how expensive it can be to rent any costume. Instant Period Costumes: How To Make Classic Costumes From Cast-Off Clothing is the pefect solution to the costume worker's dilemma, for Barb Rogers has designs for inexpensively assembling over 100 period piece costumes, complete with photos and diagrams. The instructions are so easy to follow that absolutely no sewing is required! With chapters that describe costumes for the Gothic, Renaissance, Elizabethan, Restoration, Bustle, Turn-of-the-Century, World War I, '20s, '30s, '40s, '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s periods and more, Instant Period Costumes is highly recommended not only for theater costume workers, but also anyone looking to put together an excellent Halloween or masquerade ball costume with a minimum of cost and hassle!

The book provides numerous creative ideas for low budget theater companies. I found the ideas in this book clever and very useful, covering many different periods of style. Book has before and after photographs, easy to understand instructions. Good to have as a reference.


I agree with some of the other reviewers who pointed out that the costumes in this book are not "period perfect", but I thought the author had some clever and inspiring ideas about how to mix cast-off items to create new looks. Looking at her pictures will really help you to see the potential in those ugly old bridesmaids' dresses. I also appreciated her tips on how to use things like glue guns and cardboard for quick construction. I do wish, however, that the interior of the book had color pictures--the copy I have is all black and white, and it's hard to make out the detail in many of the images.

This is a fabulous book!!! Great for sewers and non-sewers alike. I will definitely buy it for my collection and have already started to aquire cast off clothing for usagein new costumes. Barb Rogers makes each costume seem so easy to make and really takes the threat out of costuming. GREAT IDEAS!!!! good pictures, wish they were all in color!!...

This book saved me from having to spend a fortune on a period costume for the re-enactment party. With some dye, glue, pins, and the ideas gleaned from it, I came up with my own Renaissance gown. And, it was so easy. You would not believe the people who asked where I got my costume. There is no doubt in my mind, when other occasions arise, I will be able to show up in a unique costume I have designed myself. I would rec