Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas
| Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas | |
|---|---|
 North American DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Andy Knight |
| Produced by |
Lori Forte John C. Donkin |
| Written by |
Flip Kobler Cindy Marcus Bill Motz Bob Roth |
| Starring |
Paige O'Hara Robby Benson Angela Lansbury Jerry Orbach David Ogden Stiers Bernadette Peters Tim Curry Andrew Keenan-Bolger Paul Reubens |
| Music by | Rachel Portman |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Home Entertainment |
Release dates |
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Running time | 71 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (also known as Beauty and the Beast 2) is a 1997 American animated musical direct-to-video Christmas film produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. The film is a midquel to the 1991 film Beauty and the Beast, taking place shortly after the fight with the wolves in the first film. In the film, the Beast forbids Christmas (because his transformation from the Prince occurred during that time of year) until Belle, Cogsworth, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, and Chip convince him that Christmas is a good holiday. The film also shows the time that the enchantress put the spell on the castle in the first film in more detail. It was is the last film in the chronology of Walt Disney's version of 1991 Beauty and the Beast.
Plot
Belle and the Prince throw a Christmas party for the local villagers at their castle (with many of the servants previously enchanted). Lumiere and Cogsworth argue who brought Christmas back to the castle (both claiming credit for themselves), while Mrs. Potts insists of explaining the true story behind Christmas' return to the castle, while her son Chip listens with eager ears.
The film then switches into a lengthy flashback, during the events of the first film right after the Beast saves Belle from a wolf pack. Belle is excited for Christmas but is shocked when the castle servants reveal the Beast has forbidden Christmas from occurring. Belle finds the Beast outside in the snow and offers to teach him ice skating. But inside Maestro Forte, the court composer (transformed into a pipe organ) playing a piece is interrupted by Fife the piccolo's applause. Forte offers Fife a solo in his opera for being his eyes and ears (since he's bolted to the wall), after Fife tells Forte about the master skating with Belle, Forte reveals his position as Beast's confidant and refuses to let Belle take his place, then instructs Fife to "see the blossoming love wither on the vine". When the Beast and Belle are having fun, Fife then interrupts their skating, causing them to crash into a snow-bank; and when Belle makes a snow angel, the Beast see his angel as a shadow of a monster. He roars, swipes at some snow and storms off inside, leaving Belle and the castle servants alone.
Belle decides to throw Christmas, Lumiere and Chip accompanying her to the castle attic where they meet Angelique, one of Lumiere's lovers who objects to the reintroduction of Christmas, due to the Beast's curse occurring on Christmas when he rejected the Enchantress entry into the castle. The Beast consults Forte, who prefers to remain in his new form than being returned to normal, enjoying his manipulation over the Beast's anger. The Beast confronts Belle in the castle's boiler room, but they come to blows over their argument over Christmas. Belle eventually meets Forte, who advises her to venture into the deepest part of the forest to cut down a giant Christmas tree. However, Belle finds the tree is near impossible to cut down and eventually falls under a sheet of ice. The Beast learns what has happened and goes to rescue her with Lumiere, Cogsworth, Fife, and carpenter Axe. However, knowing she was planning Christmas against his wishes, he imprisons Belle in the dungeons.
The servants visit Belle, Angelique apologizing for her sarcastic attitude. The Beast finds a present, a storybook, from Belle and reads it. Moved by the book's words, the Beast has a change of heart and frees Belle, offering to celebrate Christmas after all. Forte is furious and uses his music in an attempt to destroy the castle. The Beast confronts Forte, but is overwhelmed by his music. Fife points out Forte's keyboard is his weak point, the Beast tossing it at Forte who collapses and dies. Belle, the Beast and the servants celebrate Christmas together. The film ends at the party, with Beast taking Belle aside and giving her a rose as a Christmas present.
Cast and characters
- Robby Benson as The Beast: A selfish prince turned into a hideous Beast as punishment. His behavior seems to be improving, although he still resents Christmas for the painful memories it brings, which he would later abandon when he allows everyone (including himself) to celebrate Christmas.
- Paige O'Hara as Belle: A young woman residing in the Beast's castle in exchange for her father's freedom. She and the Beast are now friends, but they repeatedly clash over Christmas until the end.
- Jerry Orbach as Lumiere: A kind-hearted but rebellious servant, turned into a candelabra. He is prepared to celebrate Christmas with or without his master's consent.
- David Ogden Stiers as Cogsworth: The Beast's Majordomo and Lumiere's best friend, turned into a clock. He initially opposes celebrating Christmas, but even he cannot resist the temptations of a happy holiday.
- Haley Joel Osment as Chip: A lively teacup and the son of Mrs. Potts. His presence in the spell flashback proves that he and the other servants have not aged during the ten-year spell period. Andrew Keenan-Bolger provides his singing voice.
- Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts: The castle maid, turned into a teapot. She is the storyteller of the events of the film.
- Bernadette Peters as Angelique: The castle decorator, turned into a Christmas angel. She initially opposes preparing Christmas, as she fears the Beast will destroy her hard work, but in the end, she relents.
- Tim Curry as Forte: The castle composer and the main antagonist of the film, turned into a Pipe Organ. As the Beast's private and personal confidante, he proves to be more useful to his master with the spell, and will do anything to keep the spell from breaking, especially to enforce the prohibition of Christmas and breaking the castle down with his loud music. In the end, he is killed by the Beast, and his keyboard is destroyed.
- Paul Reubens as Fife: A piccolo and Forte's unwilling henchman. He does Forte's dirty work under the false promise of a musical solo, but soon realises his mistake and allies with the Beast to stop Forte. Once human again, he becomes the new court composer.
- Frank Welker as Phillippe the Horse and Sultan: Belle's horse and the castle dog/ottoman, respectively.
- Jeff Bennett as Axe: The Head of the boiler room.
- Kath Soucie as The Enchantress: The one who places the spell on the Prince and everyone inside the castle for the Prince's cruel ways. She appears only in a flashback, with a radically different appearance than in the original film.
Production
After the success of Beauty and the Beast, another film was inevitable. The film was put on a direct-to-video release after Aladdin: The Return of Jafar and other sequels based on theatrical films were having success on the direct-to-video market. The film was the first product of a subsidiary of Walt Disney Television Animation's Toronto Studio, The studio was shut down in 2002 because of studio cutbacks. Animation coordination done by Walt Disney Television Animation's Sydney Studio and Wang Film Productions Co., Ltd. located in Xindian District, Taipei, Taiwan and Characters Builders.
In the early stages of production, the film was going to be a sequel to the original film. The film was to feature Avenant, here depicted as Gaston's younger brother, as the villain. Avenant's goal was to avenge Gaston by ruining the lives of Belle and the prince and threatening to kill them. Although he was cut out of the story and the plot had changed, this trait was given to Forte, the pipe organ, who did not want the Beast to become human again. This plot was inspired by the 1946 film, which inspired the first film and where Avenant was the villain and inspiration for Gaston.
Release
The film was first released on VHS on November 11, 1997. It is the fourth highest grossing direct-to-video animated film, surpassing the $180 million mark. The film is right behind Aladdin and the King of Thieves at $186 million. A bare-bones DVD was released on October 13, 1998. Both editions were quickly taken out of print and the film remained unavailable until Disney released the Special Edition DVD and VHS on November 12, 2002, just after the studio released the original film's Special Edition DVD release. The new DVD featured a remake music video of the song "As Long As There's Christmas" by Play. Also featured was a game titled Forte's Challenge, a 10-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, Disney Song Selection, and Enchanted Environment, where it shows the Beast's Castle during the different seasons. The original film's Special Edition and this one's were taken out of print at the same time in January 2003. The Special Edition DVD and Blu-ray were re-released on November 22, 2011, following the release of the 'Diamond Edition' of the first film in the United Kingdom in Region 2 PAL format in November 2010. It was released in Region 4 Australia on November 3 with the same features on the original Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas DVD. The Blu-ray re-release was put into the Disney Vault along with other two films.
Awards
The film won two of its eight nominations.
| Award | Result |
|---|---|
| Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films: Best Home Video Release | Nominated |
| Annie Award: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production for director Andrew Knight | Nominated |
| Annie Award: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature Production for "As Long As There's Christmas" by Rachel Portman and Don Black | Nominated |
| Annie Award: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Feature Production for Tim Curry | Nominated |
| Annie Award: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Feature Production for Jerry Orbach | Nominated |
| Annie Award: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production for the Writers | Nominated |
| WAC Award: Best Direct to Video Production | Won |
| WAC Award: Best Director of Home Video for Andrew Knight | Won |
Soundtrack
| Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Soundtrack album by Various Artists | |
| Released | September 9, 1997 |
| Genre | Soundtrack/Christmas |
| Length | 46:44 |
| Label | Walt Disney Records |
| Producer |
Bambi Moe Jay Landers Harold J. Kleiner |
The original score and songs were composed by Rachel Portman with lyrics written by Don Black. The film's songs were recorded "live" with an orchestra and the cast in a room, similar to the first film. "Stories", sung by Paige O'Hara, is about what Belle will give the Beast for a Christmas: a story book, and is heavily based on the motif in the finale of Sibelius' symphony no. 5. "As Long As There's Christmas", the theme of the film, is about finding hope during Christmas Time. The song was sung by the cast of the film with a back-up chorus and is sung when Belle and the enchanted objects redecorate the castle for Christmas.
"Don't Fall In Love", sung by Tim Curry, displays Forte's plan on keeping the Beast away from Belle to stop the spell from breaking. "A Cut Above The Rest", also sung by the cast, is about how teamwork and friends are very important in life. "Deck The Halls" is performed during the opening title by Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Bernadette Peters, and the Chorus. A soundtrack was released on September 9, 1997. The album serves as the film's soundtrack and also as a Christmas album of traditional carols sung by Paige O'Hara.
- Deck The Halls (Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Bernadette Peters, Angela Lansbury, Chorus)
- Stories (Paige O'Hara)
- As Long As There's Christmas (Paige O'Hara, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Bernadette Peters, Angela Lansbury, Chorus)
- Don't Fall In Love (Tim Curry)
- As Long As There's Christmas (Reprise) (Paige O'Hara, Bernadette Peters)
- A Cut Above The Rest (David Ogden Stiers, Jerry Orbach, Paige O'Hara)
- As Long As There's Christmas (End Title) (Peabo Bryson, Roberta Flack)
Tracks 8 to 15 feature Paige O'Hara singing familiar Christmas carols:
- We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Paige O'Hara)[1]
- Do You Hear What I Hear (Paige O'Hara)[1]
- O Come, O Come, Emmanuel/Joy To The World (Paige O'Hara)[1]
- O Christmas Tree (Paige O'Hara)[1]
- The First Noel (Paige O'Hara)[1]
- What Child Is This (Paige O'Hara)[1]
- The Twelve Days Of Christmas (Paige O'Hara)[1]
- Silent Night (Paige O'Hara)[1]
- Belle's Magical Gift (Rachel Portman)
- Fife's Yuletide Theme (Rachel Portman)
- The Enchanted Christmas Finale (Rachel Portman)
References
External links
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