Beauty and the Beast2

Cinema Classics on DVD Curated Collection


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The Beauty and the Beast - Restored Special Edition

Poet of the French cinema Jean Cocteau transforms fantasy into reality in this exquisite adaptation of Mme. Marie Leprince de Beaumont's fairy tale.Breathtaking imagery draws viewers into the enchanted realm of the magnificent beast and the gentle beauty who discovers the sensitive soul hidden beneath his monstrous exterior. Cocteau invites us to suspend disbelief as we enter an amazing world where a splendid white horse has magical powers, candelabra have human arms, and tears turn to diamonds. Superbly photographed by Henri Alekan (Wings of Desire), and enhanced by Christian Berards' surreal sets, Georges Auric's score, and the flawless performances of Jean Marais and Josette Day, Beauty and the Beast is Cocteau's personal statement on the power of love.

DVD - The Criterion Collection

Commentary by writer/cultural historian Sir Christopher Frayling
Commentary by film historian Arthur Knight
Theatrical trailer(s)
New high-definition transfer
Original opera written for the film by renowned composer Philip Glass
Screening at the Majestic, 1995 documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew
Interview with cinematographer Henri Alekan
Rare behind-the-scenes and publicity stills
Original 1945 trailer narrated and directed by Cocteau
A note about the film by Cocteau
Film restoration demonstration
1995 restoration trailer
A reprint of Mme. Leprince de Beaumont's original fable translated from the French
Notes by Francis Steegmuller, from the definitive book Cocteau: A Biography
New and improved English subtitle translation

Curator's Comments:
Roger Ebert's essay on this DVD Classic.

Director: Jean Cocteau
Black & White
93 minutes
Released: 1946
Rating: NR

Country: France
Language: French (English subtitles)
Genre: Drama/Fairytale/Romance

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