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 - I Can't Begin to Recommend This Movie Enough!Two words: absolutely enchanting. I was looking through customer reviews for my old favorite Disney films, and I saw all of the unfavorable reviews for this title. This follow-up to the classic Disney film is just as fun and magical as the original. Enchanting songs and the same characters, plus a few new ones, make this a classic for kids and adults alike. Wonderful. Rating:  - Disappointing...My 2 year old LOVES Beauty and the Beast, so I thought this would be a great movie for her. I was very disappointed with this movie. The beginning half is fairly cute, but Belle does a horrible job at singing the songs. The second half of the movie is very dark and the organ character is too much. The "Don't Fall in Love" song by the organ is absolutely horrible and dumb. I don't think the movie stayed true to the beast's character either. They made him a little too angry this time. He throws Belle in the dungeon and tells her that she will rot there forever. I still gave this three stars because my daughter was entertained, but I don't really like her watching it. I don't recommend buying this movie. Rating:  - Far too scary for a Christmas movie. My kid loved it. I hated it. We rented this film because my daughter is obsessed with "Beauty and the Beast." Her favorite character is Chip, and he features huge in this sequel, so she was interested throughout the entire movie and wanted to watch it over and over. I played Scrooge, however, and returned the copy immediately without a second viewing. In my opinion, this video is far too scary for little kids and too dark for a Christmas movie. The songs are forgettable, and the themes are way too mature for the younger set. Rating: - Not-so-EnchantedDoing a "prequel" to the Disney classic was a hard act to follow, and it shows. The animation here is competent but fails to dazzle like the original, the villain is too droll, and there are no memorable songs. Since computer-animated fare have taken over the theatre staples, Disney has turned toward the direct-to-video market, and unfortunately, knocked off some rather lame sequels to their classic animated films. If you want a great film, then stick to the original "Beauty and the Beast". Better luck next time, guys! Rating: - Christmas Treat for Beauty and the Beast Fans - I Truly BelieveThose who watched Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" knew they were watching something special. The first Disney film ever to released on Platinum Edition DVD, that movie had a powerful and compelling story with a cast and musical numbers to match. Set in the Beast's castle, back before the spell was broken, comes "Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas." Mrs. Potts takes readers back to this tale which begins on Christmas Eve. Christmas is coming and Belle couldn't be more excited. Little Chip is excited to hear the news of Christmas too, but when Belle starts planning a celebration, she's stopped in her tracks. It seems "the Master," Beast, has forbidden Christmas and the servants don't want to go along with her plan. Belle convinces them otherwise and even when the Beast rebels, she still goes ahead. "Beauty and the Beast" is hard act to live up to and while this film isn't quite up to the same standard, it is still another great story and one I enjoyed watching. The original "Beauty and the Beast" featured a terrible villain, Gaston, and this film has one to match --- one that is perhaps even more terrifying. Forte was the musician in the castle and when the spell was placed on the castle, he was turned into a pipe organ. He now feels useful because his gloomy music seems to be the only thing that makes the Beast forget his hardships. So when he notices what's happening with Belle, he wants to put a stop to it and uses a little flute named Fife as his lackey. At first, Forte is a bit of a sympathetic character, for it's not hard not to sympathize with his worries of loneliness should the spell be broken. But when it seems like things are not going his way, Forte becomes truly horrifying. As with "Beauty and the Beast," whose most memorable song matched its title, this film also has one song that stands out in particular --- "As Long As There's Christmas." As long as there's Christmas, I truly believe / That hope is the greatest / Of the gifts we'll receive. By the time you get done watching this video, you will have heard it four times --- twice sung by characters during the film and once during the closing credits, performed by Peabo Bryson ("Aladdin") and Roberta Flack. There is one final performance --- see below. This special edition video release is close-captioned, recorded in SP mode and Hi-Fi stereo. Before the film starts, there are previews for other film, video and DVD releases, including Miramax's "Pinocchio" and Disney's "Lilo and Stitch" (which has been out for sometime now.) After the film, stay tuned for one more rendition of "As Long As There's Christmas," a pop version performed by PLAY. This is a film worth adding to lineup of holiday specials. It really does capture the Christmas spirit and is essential viewing for "Beauty and the Beast" fans.
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