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Beauty and The Beast - Criterion...
Stars:
Jean Marais, Josette Day, Mila Parely, Nane Germon, Michael Auclair, Raoul
Marco, and Marcel Andre
Writer:
Jean Cocteau
Based
On The Story By: Mme. Leprince de Beaumont
Director:
Jean Cocteau
Feature
length: 93 minutes
Extras:
Original Opera Written Be Renowned Composer Philip Glass Presented In Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Documentary, Interview With Cinematographer Henri
Alekan, Feature Length Audio Commentary By Film Historian Arthur Knight, Feature
Length Audio Commentary By Writer/Cultural Historian Sir Christopher Frayling,
Behind-The-Scenes Publicity Stills, Trailer, A Reprint Of The Fable Translated
From The French Text, Film Restoration Demonstration
Languages:
French Monaural Sound and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Subtitles:
English Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 19
Sound:
Monaural Sound and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 1946/DVD Release: 2003
Home
Video Distributor: Home Vision Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
This
re-release of Jean Cocteau’s definitive screen adaptation of Mme. Leprince de
Beaumont’s “La Belle et la Bete” AKA “Beauty And The Beast” sports a
breathtaking new high definition digital transfer that was initiated in 1995 as
a part of the celebration of French cinema by the Centre National de
l’Audiovisuel of Luxemburg in association with the CLT-UFA International, the
restoration began with the original nitrate negative, which suffered from
typical age-related deterioration. The negative was meticulously cleaned, and
many of its sprocket holes repaired, so that the negative would roll evenly
through the gate at 24 frames per second. Using a wet-gate process (in which
liquid runs over the emulsion, filing scratches and removing fine dust), the
restorers made fine-grain positive elements that became the new source for the
new restoration negative. This DVD
release of “Beauty And The Beast” represents the first opportunity for U.S.
audiences to see the new high-definition digital transfer made from the restored
French negative.
Jean
Cocteau’s “Beauty And The Beast” is presented in its original theatrical
aspect ratio of (1.33:1). This new digital transfer was created from the 35mm
restoration duplicate negative on a high-definition Spirit Datacine. To further
enhance the image, the MTI Digital Restoration System was used to remove
thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches. The soundtrack print was
restored at 24-bit using digital audio tools to reduce ticks, pops, hiss, and
other distortions.
There
is much to admire in this 1946 live action adaptation that both delves into word
for word dialogue from the story and takes departures as well for dramatic
purposes, some of which inspired the Disney animated musical, which has become
perhaps the most commercial adaptation of this classic fable. Ironically this is
probably Cocteau’s most accessible film for mainstream audiences in general
and so it is not surprising that images from this film have frequently been
published in a wide range of periodicals, literature, and frequent PBS
television broadcasts long before the restoration. I am deliberately not going
into detail with regard to the story itself because it is so well known though
not exactly as the writer put it down onto paper. This is not an exact
adaptation of the story either, but it mixes the mythology while displaying
Cocteau’s signature style that evokes his obsession with the Orphic mythology
as well as traditional fables and tales that even draw psychological
interpretations for the viewer to explore. Personally I find the visual effects
and artistry used in the film to be unparalleled with anything produced in
contemporary cinema particularly because this is a truly human story with a
touch of heart that more spectacular eye candy lacks very often.
The
restored French Language Monaural Soundtrack is truly remarkable and I
personally preferred it to the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack option
featuring the opera composed by Philip Glass because somehow I find Glass’
composition too distracting. Be sure to lower the volume on your home theater
systems when you put this DVD in your player because the monaural soundtrack
carries a very high volume generally. Within the keep case is a handsome booklet
containing an English translation taken from the French text of the original
story so readers can compare the film version with the story at their leisure
without having to read it onscreen or print it out from a computer. It is
interesting to see the differences between the story and the film and even the
Disney cartoon for those who have it or have seen it as well. An essay by
Francis Steegmuller from “Cocteau: A Biography” and an essay by Cocteau
himself are reprinted within the booklet as well.
There
are two optional sets of English Language Subtitles, one containing a new and
improved translation and the other containing a text translation of the opera
and there is also a feature length commentary with film historian Arthur Knight
as well as another feature length commentary by Writer/Cultural Historian Sir
Christopher Frayling, which I found absolutely fascinating with great detail
being given to not only the film, but the impact of the film and it’s
relationship to other stories and film adaptations that are not necessarily
comparisons to filmed adaptations of “Beauty And The Best,” but he even
covers the impact on contemporary cinema of the time, such as the Universal
monster classics and alluding to how Universal’s classics produced before
Cocteau’s adaptation of “Beauty And The Beast” may have inspired his film.
Extra
features include “Screening At The Majestic” (26:48), a 1995 documentary
featuring interviews with cast and crew in French with English Language
Subtitles, an interview with Cinematographer Henri Alekan (9:14), which is also
in French with optional English Subtitles, and “Secret Professionals”
(8:48), which covers the makeup artistry in the film and like all of the
features on this DVD includes optional English Subtitles.
The
original trailer, (4:04), which was directed by and narrated by Cocteau and the
restoration trailer (1:57) is included along with a restoration comparison
(4:07) and a gallery of rare behind-the-scenes and publicity stills.
The
menus are beautifully rendered and easy to navigate. This DVD release of "Jean
Cocteau’s Beauty And The Beast: The Criterion Collection #6” will debut on
Tuesday, February 25, 2003 from Home Vision Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2003 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.