Beauty and the Beast (1992 film)

Beauty and the Beast is a 50-minute animated film originally released by GoodTimes Home Video on May 4, 1992, and based on the classic fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast, by Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve. Like all other Golden Films productions, the film features three original songs and an underlying track of fully orchestrated classical music. Produced by Golden Films and the American Film Investment Corporation. The movie was released onto DVD in 2002 as part of GoodTimes' "Collectible Classics" line of films.

Beauty and the Beast
Directed byMasakazu Higuchi
Chinami Namba
Produced byDiane Eskenazi
Written byGabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve (original author)
Jack Olesker
Based onBeauty and the Beast
by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont
StarringGarry Chalk
Susan Silo
Music byRichard Hurwitz
John Arrias
Production
company
Golden Films
American Film Investment Corporation
Distributed byGoodTimes Home Video
Release date
  • May 4, 1992 (1992-05-04) (U.S.)
Running time
50 minutes
CountryJapan
United States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Beauty is the youngest daughter of an elderly merchant, playing the role of the family caretaker. Her father has received news that his ships carrying valuable cargo have been destroyed at sea. Now in financial difficulties, the family is forced to move to sell their property and move the countryside, much to the dismay of Beauty's spoiled sisters, Alicia and Pauline. However, Beauty and her brothers, Robert and Nathan, are able to adapt to the change.

After some time, news arrives that one of the ships survived and has arrived at the city harbor. Beauty's father is to receive the shipment; Alicia and Pauline ask for expensive gifts, but Beauty asks for a rose. Beauty's father goes, but the ship's contents are damaged beyond repair and he has to leave empty-handed. On the journey home, he loses his way and finds a mysterious castle. Inside the castle, a meal has been laid out for him. The old man eats, and afterward finds a bed to spend the night. In the morning, the gentleman thanks his invisible host and prepares to leave. Remembering Beauty's request, he plucks a rose from the garden to bring back to her. A ferocious beast appears, enraged with the man for destroying what he loves most in the world. He threatens to kill him, until the gentleman explains about Beauty's request. The beast commands the man to return home and tell Beauty to come in his place.

Beauty's father goes home and tells his children about his encounter with the beast. Beauty insists on taking her father's place, and the pair travel to the castle together. The beast offers Beauty's father jewels as compensation, but Beauty's father declines. Father and daughter sadly part ways, and the beast is momentarily touched by their affection.

That night, Beauty waits willingly for her death. To her surprise, she is given food by Clara, a maid who is capable of doing magic. The beast tells Beauty that he has decided to spare her life but she cannot leave the castle. Beauty is given a comfortable room and grand clothes to wear. When she sleeps, Beauty is visited by a sinister fairy who tells her to beware of the apparent kindness of the beast.

Time passes and the friendship between Beauty and the beast grows deeper. One night after dinner, the beast asks Beauty if she should like to be his wife. Beauty gently turns him down, but the beast insists that he will grant her anything in the world to please her. Beauty asks if she will be allowed to return her home and see her family for a week. The beast agrees, but warns that if she stays away for longer than a week, he will die. The beast gives her a magic ring that she need only twist to be taken to her family.

That night Beauty twists the ring and goes to bed. She dreams of the sinister fairy again, who tells her that this is her chance and that she must let the beast die for her own sake. Beauty wakes up, finding the magic ring had worked and transported her to a fine city mansion that is her family's new home. Everyone is glad to see Beauty again, with the exception of Alicia and Pauline, who fear suitors will wish to marry her instead of them.

The week passes quickly. Beauty is about to return but is stopped by a tearful Alicia and Pauline( who try and trick their sister into staying so the beast will die and she will have nothing). Beauty misunderstands her sisters' attention and agrees to stay one more day, but is surprised by the sudden arrival of Clara, the beast's servant, who is there to remind Beauty of the promise she made.

Beauty and Clara return to the castle, which is now in a run-down state. Beauty find the beast, who manages to give her a forgiving last farewell before dying. Beauty weeps, wishing that she could tell the beast that she loves him and that if he returned to her, she would marry him. The beast awakens, his body disappearing to reveal a handsome prince. An evil fairy, the same one as in Beauty's dreams, had cast a spell upon the prince, so that he would only return to normal if a woman of good heart agreed to marry him. Clara shows her gratitude to Beauty by telling her that she and her prince would rule the land forever.

Characters
  • Beauty - The heroine of the story, Beauty is one of the daughters of a once rich gentleman. The complete opposite of her two older sisters, Alicia and Pauline, Beauty enjoys spending time with the less fortunate and bringing them happiness. She is often criticized by her sisters for wearing simple clothing and for helping her two brothers, Nathan and Robert, while they work. When she learns that her father's life is in danger for plucking a red rose she had asked for herself, Beauty feels guilty and decides she should be the one to die instead.
  • The Beast - The beast is a handsome young prince who has been turned into an ugly, detestable monster by an evil fairy. He lives in an enchanted castle which he opens to the old gentleman when he loses his way in the woods. When the gentleman cuts one of his roses, the beast feels betrayed and tells the gentleman he will die unless he brings her daughter to take his place. The beast is charmed by the girl and decides not to kill her, instead he keeps her as a prisoner in his castle; however, her every wish is granted, except for that of leaving.
  • The Old Man - Referred to as "Father" by his five children, the old gentleman was once rich and had everything he and his children could wish for. Unfortunately, when the ships carrying silk and spices are caught in a typhoon and are destroyed, his family is left in debt which eventually leads to their misery. On his way back from the harbor, heartbroken after having thought one of his ships had survived but discovering that the goods became wet and were thus rendered completely useless, the old man loses his way and walks into a magnificent enchanted castle, not knowing its owner is a terrible beast. The man remembers his promise of bringing one simple rose to Beauty and cuts one from the Beast's rose bushes, an offense which puts his life in danger.
  • Alicia and Pauline - They are two ugly, mean-spirited sisters of Beauty. Their biggest concern is whether they're dressed properly and whether men have interest in them. To the both of them, wealth is more important than the well-being of their father or their sister. When Alicia and Pauline learn about the beast, they feel an immediate hatred for him and will do whatever they can to see him die of loneliness.
  • Clara - Clara is the beast's servant at the castle and she is sister to the Evil Fairy who had cast a spell over the young prince. Clara is a bit clumsy and rather grouchy, but she soon takes a liking to Beauty and becomes her best friend in the castle. Just like her sister, Clara has magical powers which make her chores a lot easier.

Other characters
  • Nathan and Robert - Beauty's two brothers.
  • The Evil Fairy - Clara's sister who casts a spell over the prince.
  • The Harbor Master - A man who informs the old gentleman of the tragedy involving his ships.
gollark: Or put it up for auction.
gollark: Fix the code & install potato operational system.
gollark: Yes.
gollark: Anyway, still, engaging orbital laser strike.
gollark: OKAY, ACTUALLY RENEWABLE, YES

See also

References
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.