Customer Reviews

Beauty and the Beast

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

John Savage is the Beast/Prince and Rebecca De Mornay is Beauty in this Cannon Movie Tale musical based on the beloved French fairy tale.

Here's the movie's description available from Sony Pictures: "The beautiful Rebecca De Mornay (The Three Musketeers) stars in this beloved live-action version of the classic fairy tale about finding true love in the unlikeliest of places - the haven of a monster! Featuring delightful musical numbers, lavish scenery and spellbinding magic, Beauty and the Beast reminds us that if you see with your heart, anything's possible!

"Beauty (De Mornay) is the family caretaker. While her sisters fret about gentleman callers, her only concern is for their father's wellbeing. So when he loses the family fortune and angers a beast (John Savage) that lives in a magnificent castle, Beauty dutifully agrees to become the beast's prisoner. But what she doesn't know is that his surprising kindness might also capture her heart."

The Cannon Movie Tale series of nine films has become nearly as popular among fairy tale enthusiasts and family film fans as Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre. Some would argue that this series is even more popular. Either way, these musicals are suitable for the entire family and feature well-known actors from the 1980s.

The entire Canon series was on the Disney channel in the 80's and I was in love with them! Beauty and the Beast is my favorite, with Sleeping Beauty a close second. While this version may not be as technologically advanced as the well known Disney animated Beauty and the Beast, this one is the closest to the original story. The music is enjoyable and has a lovely sing-along quality to it. I find that even now, as an adult, I love the movie just as much as I did when I was 10. If you watched it as a child, it will surely bring back wonderful memories, as it did for me. This series is excellent family programming and I would definately recommend it to anymore.

Has been a favorite of mine since I was just a wee toddler. I love this movie. Every time I watch it, why it just makes me want to break out into song. Wonderful movie for kids and adults of all ages. Hurrah. Go Beauty and the Beast. Apparently, everyone CAN find happiness. Yay.

I love this film very much and not just for the great songs, but for how well the characters are portrayed. They should release the Frog Prince and Sleeping Beauty on dvd also.

When I was a child I loved this movie so much I obsessed over it. I'd go to the library every day and watch it. I was heartbroken when someone who checked it out destroyed it and they never got another one. I'm 25 now and am overjoyed to finally be able to obtain my own copy of this timeless classic once more.

I don't know what it was about this that attracted me so. The magic, the love, the hope. But it's all there and beautifully portrayed. I can't wait for my DVD copy to come in. The cannon movie series--all of it--are perfect movies for any family, of any age.

This great version of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST comes from the fondly-remembered Cannon MovieTales series. Rebecca DeMornay and John Savage star in the lead roles, with lavish costumes and a delicate musical score.

Beauty (Rebecca DeMornay), the youngest daughter of a widowed merchant, spends her days caring and tending to her lazy brothers and sisters. When her father angers the mysterious occupant of a castle, Beauty selflessly offers to live with the hideous Beast (John Savage). Every night, Beauty dreams of a handsome prince who begs her to find him...

This version of the romantic fairytale takes it's cue from the classic 1946 French movie "La Belle et la Bete" (directed by Jean Cocteau) with it's lavish costumes and production design. There are several lovely musical numbers--the main highlight being "If You See with Your Heart", a tender duet for the Beast and a homesick Beauty.

The Cannon MovieTales series was filmed--rather economically--in Israel; you'll note that many of the films feature the same sets and costumes. It's refreshing to see Rebecca DeMornay playing a naive innocent (years before producers began casting her as sexy psychopaths in films like "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle").

Most of the Cannon MovieTales have found their way to DVD (the others include "Hansel & Gretel", "Sleeping Beauty", "Rumplestiltskin", "The Frog Prince", "Snow White", and "Red Riding Hood").

Children of the 80's rejoice! (Single-sided, single-layer disc).

A beautiful girl who devotes all her time to caring for her wealthy family is the only one not troubled when their fortune is lost. When her father picks a rose from the garden of a mysterious beast's castle while traveling home from an unsuccessful journey, she decides to take his place as the beast's captive. The beast provides for Beauty anything her heart desires, but he also asks her, every night at the dinner table, if she loves him and will be his wife.

Rebecca De Mornay stars as Beauty and John Savage as the beast in this wonderful film from the must-own Cannon Movie Tales series. If you love fairytales, this whole series of films is for you! These full-length, family features all have original songs and at least one recognizable star. The songs are often simple and forgettable, and the acting quality varies, but they are all highly entertaining nevertheless and made just right to be appreciated by all ages. I've never been smitten by Rebecca De Mornay, but I must say that in this early film of hers, she is rather breathtaking. John Savage is excellent as the beast, and the make-up effects, though a bit reminiscent of Teen Wolf at first, are rather good. These Cannon Movie Tales are not cheapy productions by any means. I own all that have been released so far, except for Rumpelstiltskin, which I have never seen in stores but is supposedly available here on Amazon. If you grew up watching these on the Disney Channel (back when it was the best channel on TV), you will definitely want these and will remember that there are two others that have not been released yet at all to DVD: Sleeping Beauty and The Frog Prince. Hey, MGM, what's the hold-up? Anyway, the others are: Puss in Boots (with Christopher Walken in a wonderful performance), Hansel and Gretel (one of the best ones), Snow White (also wonderful), Red Riding Hood (my personal favorite), and The Emperor's New Clothes (very funny). All are fullscreen, unfortunately, and each comes with its theatrical trailer. I also highly recommend the Disney animated features, especially "Beauty and the Beast"!

I just recived this dvd and am very happy with it! I now have all the cannon movie tales on vhs and dvd. I had never seen this. I love the songs and lavish costumes and sets. my favorite song is " if you see with your heart" what a beautiful song and well written amd composed. This collection of live action fairy tales are MUCH better than the faerie tale theatre versions. If only cannon had decided to make a more complete series. These movies are wonderful!

This 1986 film based on the Madame de Villeneuve version of Beauty and the Beast is a splendid Golan-Globus Israeli production. See my reviews of the version by an unknown author and the de Beaumont account. Golan-Globus produces many very fine adventure films. The acting is very nice and the singing and music delightful. In this version, Beauty has two sisters and two brothers, all four are interested in clothes and in the rich people who admire them because their father is very rich. As in other versions her father looses all of his money, goes on a trip hoping to secure money, fails, and stumbles on a magnificent magical castle where he spends the night. He had promised Beauty that he would bring her a rose. When he leaves the castle in the morning and sees roses he cuts off one to take to her. Beast appears and declares that he should be killed; but if he brings one of his daughters to take his place, his life would be spared. He returns home to say goodbye; at which time Beauty persuades him to let her take his place.

In this version, she dreams about a handsome prince every night. He stresses - and this is the theme of the tale - that she must learn to "see with your heart.... What is hiding inside is me." Beauty does not understand what her dream prince is saying. The remainder of the fable is like most of the others. The final scene shows Beauty and the prince welcoming crowds of people, happy people of their realm.

I bought this because I AM A FAN of the Beauty & the Beast story and have other films/books related to this storyline. I must say in my opinion...this version would be very suitabe for younger persons. Having said that, I will also state that the people who are fans of the Beauty & Beast TV series would be delighted to see the Beast's makeup looks very much like the Beast(Ron Perlman)from the TV series, But, You will NOT get the SAME beast or portrail from the actor in this production!...(By any means)..this version is BEAUTIFUL.. in the costumes and settings but I felt that the style of acting in this version was ment to suit a younger audience, perhaps between the ages of 9 to 13. This is my best & honest recommendation reguarding this dvd. I wholeheartedly recommend this as a suitable performance for young fans of the story of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST but..to us older folks,this version falls alittle short in it's presentation I believe, because it is intened for young viewers who would enjoy it more than us older folks who are veterans of the more "classic version" of this story...but not to say that this version isn't worth seeing..it is just made for a younger audiance who may WELL ENJOY it!