DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS WAS RELEASED ON NOVEMBER 11TH 1997.
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas is a 1997 direct-to-video animated Christmas musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Television Animation.[3] It is the follow-up to Disney’s 1991 animated feature film Beauty and the Beast. The film sold 7.6 million VHS tapes in 1997.[4] This is the first of two sequels to Beauty and the Beast that were released, with the other being Belle’s Magical World (1998).
Plot A CHRISTMAS PARTY IS HELD AT THE BEAST’S CASTLE SOMETIME AFTER THE ENCHANTRESS SPELL IS BROKEN ATENTED BY ALMOST THE ENTIRE VILLAGE. WHILE REMENSING ABOUT THE PREVIOUS YEAR’S CHRISTMAS
, Lumiere and Cogsworth get into an argument over who “saved” Christmas, prompting Mrs. Potts to tell the story.
One year ago, not long after the Beast saved Belle from the wolves, Belle anticipates the coming Christmas season, as do the other servants, though they reveal that the Prince is against the season since that’s when he was transformed into a Beast and the enchanted rose was put under the bell jar on Christmas Eve. To lighten his spirit, Belle teaches the Beast how to ice skate. They are observed from the West Wing by Forte, a pipe organ who was formerly the Prince’s court composer and does not want the spell to break (meaning he never wanted to be human again) as he believes that he is of more use in his enchanted form. He sends his piccolo minion, Fife, to sabotage their newfound friendship, causing Belle and the Beast to crash into the snow. Then, when Belle makes a snow angel, the Beast sees his snow figure as a shadow of a monster. He roars, thrashes the snow and storms off in a fit of rage. As Fife claims that Forte will be proud of him, the Beast stomps back into his castle in fury and depression.
Despite the Beast’s misgivings, Belle decides to celebrate Christmas without his consent, though the Beast gradually opens up to the idea with advice from Lumiere. Belle meets Forte in the West Wing and he suggests that she venture into the forest to find a Christmas tree, but he secretly tells the Beast that Belle is abandoning him. Forte then continues to manipulate the Beast (under his mind control) into a rage, destroying the Christmas decorations in the dining room and storming off outside to look for Belle. Angel ornamentation decorator Angelique cries after the Beast had destroyed everything, thinking it’s hopeless. Belle and a few more servants find and chop the tree down, but Belle falls through thin ice and almost drowns. The Beast intervenes and saves her in time, though he locks her in the dungeon for supposedly breaking her promise not to leave.
As Belle is comforted inside the dungeon by the servants and Fife, who felt guilty for what happened. Forte tempts the Beast to destroy the rose when a petal flutters beside the storybook present Belle left him. The Beast then has a change of heart after reading it makes him realize that all she wants is for him to be happy and let go of the past. He then frees Belle, giving his consent to celebrate Christmas. Powerless to prevent the inevitable, thinking that when human again he would once more fade into the background, Forte, in a lasting attempt, attempts to use his powers to bring the castle down, thinking that they can’t fall in love if they’re dead. Fife confronts Forte and it is revealed that the solo Forte promised him was all along blank, even going as far as to tell him that he’s second rate and that’s all he’ll ever be. Beast then storms up to confront Forte, but by then unreasonable to obey him. Belle and the others reach the West Wing where Lumiere, Cogsworth and Angelique try to save the rose, while Belle joins the Beast in confronting Forte. Fife points to the Beast’s Forte’s keyboard where he clambers up and pulls it away, removing Forte’s magic abilities. The Beast violently smashes Forte’s keyboard. Forte then tries to pull away from the wall, causing him to come crashing down into the floor, killing him while Belle comforts the devastated Beast. Soon after, the castle is repaired, Fife receives a royal pardon, and Christmas is celebrated.
Back in the present, Mrs. Potts concludes that it was Belle who saved Christmas. Belle and the Prince enter the court to greet their guests, presenting Chip with a storybook as a present. As Fife, now the new court composer, leads the orchestra, the Prince and Belle share a moment on the balcony, where he gives her a rose as a gift.
- Paige O’Hara as Belle
- Robby Benson as Prince Adam/Beast
- Jerry Orbach as Lumière
- David Ogden Stiers as Cogsworth
- Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts
- Haley Joel Osment as Chip.
- Andrew Keenan-Bolger provides his singing voice.
- Bernadette Peters as Angelique
- Paul Reubens as Fife
- Tim Curry as Forte
- Frank Welker as Phillippe the Horse and Sultan
- Jeff Bennett as Axe
- Kath Soucie as The Enchantress
- Rodger Bumpass as additional vocals
Music[edit]
| 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 |
| Producer | Bambi Moe Jay Landers Harold J. Kleiner |
A soundtrack was released on September 9, 1997. The original score and songs were composed by Rachel Portman with lyrics written by Don Black, marking the first time in history that a Disney animated feature film has been scored by a woman. 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 Jean 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. Tracks 8 to 15 also act as a Christmas album of traditional carols sung by Paige O’Hara.
| 1. | “Deck The Halls“ | Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters & Chorus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2. | “Stories” | Paige O’Hara | |
| 3. | “As Long As There’s Christmas” | Paige O’Hara, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters & Chorus | |
| 4. | “Don’t Fall In Love” | Tim Curry | |
| 5. | “As Long As There’s Christmas (Reprise)” | Paige O’Hara & Bernadette Peters | |
| 6. | “A Cut Above The Rest” | Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers & Paige O’Hara | |
| 7. | “As Long As There’s Christmas (End Title)” |
EVERYONE IS THE GOOD GUYS EXEPT FOR FORTE VOICED BY TIM CURRY
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