Beauty and the Beast 3D

Stars: Voices: Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Angela Lansbury, Jerry Orbach, Jo Anne Worley, Richard White

Director: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise

The only animated feature to get an Oscar nomination for best picture, this Disney classic gets a 3D makeover, but its qualities really need no enhancement. In the words of Cogsworth the Clock: 'If it ain't baroque, don't fix it!'

Beauty and the Beast, made in 1991, is perhaps the last classic among Disney cartoon features. It's very much in the tradition of Sleeping Beauty, but has more wit and innovation in the minor characters, and swings exhilaratingly along, boosted by 'big' Broadway-style songs rather than novelty numbers.

Beauty, as well, is not too beautiful, and the Beast not too beastly, but even so they're outshone by the servants at the Beast's castle, all of whom have been turned into things like clocks, candlesticks, wardrobes and teapots. Hit of the show is undoubtedly a Chevalier-style candelabra called Lumière, who also leads off the most enjoyable musical number, when all the utensils launch into a Ziegfeld Follies routine, while inviting heroine Belle to Be our Guest.

But the film is also poignant, scary, exciting and invigorating when it needs to be - and deservedly put Disney back on top of the cartoon heap. its sheer joie-de-vivre will quickly win you over.

David Quinlan

USA 1991. UK Distributor: Walt Disney. Technicolor.
85 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: U.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 03 May 2012