Customer Reviews

Beauty and the Beast - Episode 1: Once Upon a Time in NY [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was very interested in this show from the very first pilot show. Some shows you just know that it touches your heart and soul forever, and this one did it for me. I remember a time when these shows could take me back to a world that surrounded us in all kinds of emotions. We really need an escape sometimes because the real world is terribly insane right now. Beauty and The Beast gave me a great pleasure in my life and I will never forget it as long as I live!!!

A young woman is brutally attacked and left for dead. She is found by a man-beast named Vincent who brings her to a secret (literally!) underground society to heal. She subsequently leaves her career in corporate law to pursue a more meaningful career in the district attorney's office. She and Vincent develop a strong emotional bond. The episode is awkward at times, but there are some powerfully-moving moments between Vincent and Catherine.

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "Once Upon a Time..." finished 3rd out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "Once Upon a Time..." 10th in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes.

My personal favorite! The first episode in the series. A nice updating of the familiar fairy tale. Catherine Chandler is "beauty" and Vincent is "beast" and is a modern day fairy tale with much more complexity and dangers. Catherine is saved by Vincent after a terrible attack and returned to her normal life but their souls and hearts are forever bonded. It is my favorite because it shows how a person can be deceived by appearances and how beautiful and loving a heart can be. Ron Perlman has a beautiful voice and performs his role magnificently, giving Vincent all the grace and beauty of the beast it resembles and yet bringing with it all the warmth, intelligence and humanity in his eyes and voice and gestures. A must have for any Beauty and the Beast fan!

I found that the series on DVD at www.empiricalfilm.tv in a 10 disc set! There are 3 seasons- 56 episodes for $99.99. I know this really seams like a lot BUT, when you think of the fact that this is 3 seasons ALL IN ONE , that comes to about $30 a season, which is about right. The quality is as good as watching TV and the artwork on the box is beautiful. If you really want to wait for the official release, go to Netflix and save the First Season in your list. As for me, the waiting is over.

I am a huge B&TB fan. Though I know not where to buy any of the videos in stores I am in love with the theme. I have watched them over and over. The show gives me dreams and hopes. When the Diana series started I begin to fade away. I am not to fond of those, but Cat and Vince, Truely a work of HEART!!

And this is the first episode! Beauty and the Beast, the romatic story of a beast who loves in the tunnels beneath New York City, is a beautiful combination of Sci-Fi, fantasy, action and romance. The pilot episode is heartfelt and tender. What a great program. This is a show that changed many lives, and still does. See for yourself--do a search on the web. There are more fans now than there were 15 years ago when the show was still on the air!

I have mixed feelings about this movie. I really thought when I bought it it was just going to be that first episode which started the tv series. I loved that first episode. But what I found was that it was a compilation of several episodes. It flowed smoothly, but I am really not a Linda Hamilton fan. I had only watched the show for Vincent - certainly not for Katherine who I might have liked if the character was played by someone other than Linda. Linda Hamilton played the role too crybaby dramatic and she always got on my nerves even back when I was watching the series. I just wish there was more Vincent in the movie instead of it being mostly her.