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Beauty and the Beast (Restored/Criterion Collection)(2 disc)

 

  Directed by Jean Cocteau

France 1946 / Fantasy / Romance /  120 min /  Black & White / Monaural (Original)- Dolby 5.1(Glass version) / 1.33:1 Aapect Ratio / NTSC /  In French with Optional  Thai and English Subtitles

Josette Day, Jean Marais, Mila Par้ly , Nane Germon , Michel Auclair

Jean Cocteau's most popular film, this 1946 masterpiece is perhaps the most faithful of the many film versions of the 1756 fairy tale written by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. Though the ending is a bit on the strange side -- the Beast morphs into a prince who looks exactly like Belle's hapless suitor, and her disappointment is unmistakable -- the film features tight, economical storytelling and enough visual fireworks (including many stunningly executed optical effects) to enrapture viewers from beginning to end. The actors are uniformly wonderful: Josette Day makes a stunning Belle, and Cocteau regular Jean Marais excels in a triple role that includes the magnificent Beast. The real stars of the film, though, are Cocteau himself, who gives the film a shimmering, romantic look, and the brilliant costume and set design. The Beast's make-up, in particular, works beautifully; it's just realistic enough to be convincing, while allowing Marais to emote through his eyes and subtle facial tics. The unforgettable sets, which include human arm candelabras and moving statues, are a marvel of impressionistic romanticism, filled with symbolism that hints at the story's darker implications. Forget Disney -- this is the closest anyone's come to capturing the essence of a fairy tale on film

 
       

Bonus Features:

◦ Commentary by writer/cultural historian Sir Christopher Frayling
◦ Commentary by film historian Arthur Knight
◦ Theatrical trailer
◦ New high-definition transfer
◦ Original opera written for the film by renowned composer Philip Glass
◦ Screening at the Majestic, 1995 documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew
◦ Interview with cinematographer Henri Alekan
◦ Rare behind-the-scenes and publicity stills
◦ Original 1945 trailer narrated and directed by Cocteau
◦ A note about the film by Cocteau
◦ Film restoration demonstration
◦ 1995 restoration trailer
◦ Notes by Francis Steegmuller, from the definitive book Cocteau: A Biography
◦ New and improved  Thai and English subtitle translation