VHS : Beauty and the Beast
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In association with Amazon.com
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starring: Marcel André, Michel Auclair, Noël Blin, Josette Day, Janice Feltydirected by: René Clément
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786302794069
Format: Black & White, Subtitled, NTSC
ISBN: 6302794064
Label: Lopert Pictures Corporation
Manufacturer: Lopert Pictures Corporation
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Lopert Pictures Corporation
Release Date: February 05, 2002
Running Time: 93 minutes
Sales Rank: 18185
Studio: Lopert Pictures Corporation
Theatrical Release Date: December 23, 1947
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Editorial Review:
Description:
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.
Amazon.com:
This is definitely not the Disney version. While it remains faithful to the plot of the classic fairy tale by Leprince de Beaumont, Jean Cocteau's 1946 French romantic fantasy is the product of a sophisticated, mature sensibility in its tones and textures and, above all, in its surprising emotional power. With sparkling black-and-white imagery that, for once, is actually dreamlike rather than cute or kitschy, and with a Beast (Jean Marais) who is almost as glamorous with his silky blonde facial hair as he is clean shaven, the movie casts a seductive spell. It might actually be a little too rich and unsettling for kids. Even the costumes and the draperies are entrancingly ornate. Viewers intoxicated by this enveloping vision should consider moving on to Cocteau's even more aggressively other-worldly 1949 masterpiece Orpheus, in which Marais plays the doomed poet of ancient Greek legend, updated to a Parisian 'punk' milieu of motorcycles and black leather. --David Chute
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating: - FAVORITE FOREIGN FILM
It's like a Fairy Tale come to life. One of the films I watch over and over.
Rating: - If they would let me, I'd give it ten stars!
I just watched my old VHS copy and ordered this immediately. I was amazed at how touched and emotional I became when watching this film which I have seen dozens of times. It works on so many levels and deepens with each viewing.
The photography is so beautiful that each frame could be literally framed and hung on a wall. My favorite scenes are Belle's tears turning to diamonds; her necklace turning into rope when she gives it to her sister, the disembodied candelabras and her turning ... Read More
Rating: - Undiscovered treasure
This item arrived quickly and in good condition. I saw a few minutes of this movie on television and I had to order a copy. I usually don't like sub titles, but this movie is almost magical. I don't know why I haven't heard more about this movie.
Rating: - C'era una volta......
Jean Cocteau was one of France's greatest poets, but he also made some magnficent films. He only helmed 5 films (maybe 6) as director, but everyone bore his unmistakeable stamp. This is one of his greatest films.
It simply retells a fairy tale that we are all familiar with. We know how it ends, we know how it begins, yet, everytime you see this film, it feels fresh, beautiful, and awe inspiring. It's shot in simple black and white film (stunningly so by Henri Alekan, who also shot ... Read More
Rating: - A cartoon comes to life
Don't laugh my bros. I'm still the same guy who loves my blood and gore flicks. But sometimes you gotta shake things up a bit. This adult fairy tale glides with an enchanting splendor and overwhelming grace. No seriously.
The horrors of the real world can corrupt us. As adults we try to push away the spirit of our childhood and repress all the indelible figments of our imagination. Any rekindling of our past fantasies is deemed a weakness, which is sad.
You probably know ... Read More
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