6. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Beauty and The Beast was a 1991 Disney release that re-engaged the feel of old Disney classics while also providing new innovations of animated technology. The film once again reaffirmed Disneys status as the worlds leading animation studio while simultaneously reimaging the possibilities of fantasy within the medium. The plot follows the beautiful woman Belle, who after he father is captured while travelling must set off to rescue him. Turns out her father is imprisoned in the castle of a Beast, who after an opening scene is actually revealed to be a young prince transformed due to his evil ways. Naturally, the only way for him to be restored to his former self is to fall in love. That is where Belle fits in. Beauty and The Beast manages to balance the love story between Belle and The Beast by providing a brilliantly conducted set of secondary characters that act as both the comic relief aswell as plot relief. Having a film entirely devoted to the love story would feel incessant and begin to become tedious and stale. By adding personalities, the film can wind down and add a differing dimension to the narrative. This addition of personality into the film is provided by the addition of song, which can allow a definitive connection to form while also providing a meaningful message. For example, the classic Be Our Guest introduces us to all secondary characters in a manic, frenzied scene that provide gravity defying fun but also providing details into the curse that has also been imparted on them. While the title track sung none other than Angela Lansbury is a hauntingly beautiful tale of how love can conquer all. Its a gorgeously drawn sequence and beautifully sung. The animation perfectly blends the fine line of nostalgic and innovation. The film shows characteristics of old Disney films, for example, the hand drawn characters and particularly uses of colour to convey tone while also providing new elements to the art of animation. In particular that of the dance sequence which is beautifully drawn and manages to seamlessly flow throughout the hall without a stutter. Its this depth of movement and the space that characters occupy that is incredibly impressive. Beauty and The Beast, while a traditional tale, is again given the Disney magic by providing fun, hilarity and sadness. It provided another example of Disney crossing the threshold of both children and adults and also managed to create a film that explored the possibilities of what animation and music could provide.