3D Beauty and the Beast

Ed in his spiffy 3D glasses

Ed and I took a break from sports and politics this weekend (our two favorite television subjects) and headed out to the cinema. We saw the 3D version of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Once again, I was captivated by the music of Alan Mencken who has done so many Disney scores.

Many of the 3D effects were remastered so you could tell that the movie had not been done in 3D originally. For example, silhouettes on the lower screen appear closer, but rest of the screen stayed flat, or one character stood out and all the rest did not. Still, it is an enchanting story and the music, so operetta-like, is spectacular, to say nothing about all of the clever cartooning in 3D.

Lumiere, Cogsworth, Wardrobe, Mrs. Potts and Chip from the props
at the backstage dining area of Hollywood Studios at Disney World

My favorite character is Mrs. Potts (on the right, with her little teacup child, Chip) whose voice is Angela Lansbury in the movie. I love Angela Lansbury's warm alto version of "Beauty and the Beast," sung about halfway through the movie. Then, too, I have always liked the duet version of "Beauty and the Beast," sung by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson which plays during the credits at the end of the 84 minute movie.

The last 3D movie that we saw at a cinema was "Coraline" from 2009. 3D technology has come a long way since then. I might become a 3D fan and I am looking forward to another day at the movies, watching 3D cinema.

Copyright 2012
Wanda Hayes Eichler