1 yaaa, hummm
not a sequile, not a prequile, it's an inquile.. hummm. it's ok for plopping the kiddies in front of to give mom a break for a minute, but for anyone over 10, with a brain, not going to cut it. didn't play in theaters, went straight to video - that should tell you something. yawn...
2 Great for older kids, but...
Please be warned that if you have little ones, they may be really, really frightened by the character FortŽ, the pipe organ. In fact, I was rather shocked that Disney made his character as sinister as they did. Yes, there is always a "villain" in their movies, but in this case, I think it was overdone -- he was just too scary. It is supposed to be a Christmas movie, after all, which in my mind means light, fluffy and fun :)
On the positive side, the storyline is quite nice and production quality is outstanding (surprising for a part 2-type movie -- ie. The Return of Jafar was crappy compared to Aladdin), but I personally won't be playing it again for my kids for a few years, it's simply not appropriate.
3 Not Appropriate
I watched this movie once with my preschool age daughter and it quietly went into the trash heap afterward. There is no reason for having the organ scream the word "hell" in the middle of a song, and the story line is very dark. This movie taught me that I even have to preview G-rated Disney cartoons before allowing my children to see them. Do yourself and your children a favor and check out the Veggie Tales Christmas shows instead.
4 Lovely.
I found the movie quite entertaining. I haven't seen the original movie for quite a long time now, so I can't be biased or weigh them side by side. In its own accord it was my sort of movie. The dark scenery sort of "gave the mood" if you like. The beginning scene after the enchantment had been gone for a year tend to be bright in comparison of the scenes during the time of the enchantment. That alone shows differences in the beast's/prince's and perhaps even Angelique's moods about christmas. The songs Stories and As long as there's Christmas were very nice. I'd have to say I enjoyed Stories the most. It was beautiful and the lyrics were wonderful. The singing isn't perfect, but at the same time it give more emotion, it seems more raw and perhaps sincere. Since it has been many years before the first movie, I would assume the voices aren't quite the same. Nevertheless, they did well enough. The new characters were interesting. I enjoyed the "bad guys" the most. People would deem it scary for children, but then again I have seen scenes in other movies just as dark and scary back when I was little. I believe it depends on the child and the upbringing, and how the parents feel. The plot had its lacking points, like how the Beast suddenly decided to lock Belle up after saving her. Strange, strange man if you ask me. The Beast's portrayal seemed a bit out of character from what I recall. Belle was just as kind and patient as ever. Lumiere was still a shameless romancer and Cogsworth was still never listened to. Chip was adorable as ever though. The way the scenes were done weren't as elegant. It was more like how you'd watch a bugs bunny cartoon... far away instead of up close or at different angles. Thus, it didn't have a more enchanting impact as the original. I wouldn't compare it or try to fit it in with the original. I'd leave it as a stand alone. In that case it is a nice movie.
5 Excellent direct-to-video Christmas movie!
This story is a lost chapter from the original " Beauty and The Beast' telling after the events of how the Beast saved Belle from the wolves, Belle plans on having Christmas in the castle but the master forbids it because Christmas was part of his dark past and needs a evil Pipe Organ named " Forte" ( voiced by Tim Curry) to cope with him, but Forte must also stop Christmas from coming. However, Belle with Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Angelique ( A new character) and more must bring cheer to the Beast.
Entertaining and original direct-to-video movie with quality animation, some cool CGI animation and great voice acting. It's also a meaningful animated Christmas flick that shows about the meaning of Christmas.
6 Scary movie
My daughter, who is 4, was actually scared of the pipe organ. We stopped watching it in the middle because it was too scary for her. I do not recommend this movie.
7 Not much fun for a Christmas video
Somehow I think Disney gets away pretty easily with G ratings for some of it's cartoons. If you are into dark, disturbing, and sometimes violent Christmas stories then you might like this movie, but I didn't appreciate songs that included lyrics about sending characters to "Hell", and a scary pipe organ who decided that "they won't be able to enjoy Christmas if they are DEAD!!!".
The themes are definitely PG material. It's not even a fun movie. You leave it remembering the dark and disturbing parts and not the happy parts.
If you think this will be a magical, happy Christmas movie to add to your collection think again. If you want to watch cartoon characters fighting for their lives with your little kids, then you might want to buy this movie, otherwise stay away.
8 Not as Enchanting as the Original, But Fun Just the Same
Belle has just been saved from the wolves by the Beast. As a way to show her appreciation, Belle decides that the castle will celebrate Christmas, even though the Beast has forbidden it. Surely it will bring hope and joy back to everyone in the castle, right?
But Forte, the former court composer, is against the idea. The current pipe organ has become used to being the Beast's confidant and advisor and is threatened by the idea of Beast falling in love and the spell being broken. Enlisting the aid of Fife, he tries everything he can think of to ruin Christmas and drive Belle and the Beast further apart.
Overall, I'm not too impressed with most of the Disney straight to video sequels. But this one is entertaining. The storyline is engaging, even if the ending is obvious from the start. The idea of setting the "sequel" in the middle of the original movie is wonderful, and helps develop all the characters. Yet the wrap around part shows us the human characters again and how things have changed. All the original voices are back, except for Bradley Pierce as Chip, who is replaced by Haley Joel Osment. In an effort to appeal to kids, the main target for this movie, Chip has a larger role in this one, but it really helps advance the story as well.
As with most Disney animated sequels there are two major flaws. The animation isn't as good as the original, although it certainly works to tell the story. Also, with the exception of "As Long As There's Christmas," the songs are immediately forgettable and actually take away from the enjoyment of the movie. Also, clocking in at just over an hour, it's pretty short.
The picture and sound on this DVD are fantastic. For a special edition, this DVD is short on extras, but the number they have are fitting the movie. There is an interesting making of documentary, but the rest of the features are for kids to enjoy.
If you go into this movie not expecting the brilliance of the original, you'll be entertained. And it will get you in the holiday spirit. What more can you really ask for?
9 I Love it soooooo Much!!!!!
OMG! I just bought this video for Play's music video "As Long As There's Christmas", and it's really good. But when I watched the movie, it was so cool. I truly do believe that this is better than the first movie. I really recommend this for a family night movie.
10 I really enjoyed this movie! HOWEVER!!!!! GGGGRRRRR DISNEY!
I feel this movie was put together very well for a Christmas Special! I am also glad they released a soundtrack as well because it really has great music on it!
MY PROBLEM WITH THE DVD IS THAT THEY FORGOT TO ADD THE ORIGINAL MOVIE VERSION OF "AS LONG AS THERES CHRISTMAS" ON IT! That made me really upset! I like Play's music video to the song don't get me wrong but I would really enjoyed this DVD if they had BOTH MUSIC VIDEOS ON THE SPECIAL EDITION DVD!!!! I had to get the Read Along DVD of Beauty and the Beast to get the video! That to me did not make any sense at all!
They put both videos of the original song from Beauty and the Beast on the Special Edition DVD! Why not get the same treatment? SORRY! THAT JUST ERKS ME! :)
Another thing, this DVD is full screen! Why not have a wide screen version of the DVD? I would have loved to see the other parts of the movie that was CHOPPED OUT IN THE STUPID FULL SCREEN VERSION! ERRRR DISNEY ERRR!
OTHER THAN THAT: get the DVD! :)
11 Badly done, Disney!
There is a reason this didn't come out to theatres - it actually isn't worth watching on tv!
Supposedly this christmas adventure occurs during Belle's stay in the Beast's castle in the full-length film Beauty and the Beast. The characters in this straight to video release, however, were not the same in voice or attitude as in the other movie. As well, there are additional characters that appear and are never seen in the original movie. Even my little ones had a problem with the inconsistencies!
Overall, it just doesn't make much of a package. The character voices are poorly done, the animation is unimpressive and the music is uninteresting.
This is the only Disney release my family hasn't enjoyed and I would suggest you avoid it, too!
12 Enchanted DVD
Ok you can argue all you like about Disney straight to video sequels frankly not being very good and being a detriment to the Disney legacy- and you are totally right! However, "Beauty & The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas", along with "Winnie The Pooh's Grandest Adventure" is one of those straight to video sequels where Disney did put some effort in. Granted, certain continuity as with Belle's dress is partly stretched, but this sequel isn't at all bad. The animation is inferior to "Beauty & The Beast" but is superior to other Disney video sequels. It also has great music and is full of Christmas spirit.
However, as with my review of "Beauty & The Beast", I'm gonna focus on the special features and the DVD itself. First of all, the film is digitally remastered and looks fantastic. As for the special features, "Beauty & The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas" has "Forte's Challenge" game; an Enchanted environment fireplace; Sing-along song tracks; and a music video by Play. There is also an exciting behind the scenes documentary which I was very impressed by. With this documentary, whenever a bright circle appears on screen, if you press play, the documentary will go into greater depth before returning to where it left off. The documentary is also designed with Children in mind and thus is a lot of fun as well as being informative. This was a very pleasant surprise and definitely added bonus ponits to a very pleasant DVD.
"Beauty & The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas" the film gets 3 stars.
"Beauty & The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas" the DVD gets 5 stars!
13 Wonderful!
This movie occurs at a time within the original movie, before Belle has won over the Beast's heart. It is a story about Belle's love for Christmas and her quest to bring it to the Beast's castle - with the help of the enchanted objects.
The Beast and Forte dislike holidays. Forte does his best to stop Belle from bringing the spirit of Christmas to the castle. There are some scary parts for the very young, however my 4 & 5 year old girls didn't seem to be bothered by them.
This movie has wonderful music, excellent animations, and a happy ending!
1smileycat :-)
14 Belle and Beast Celebrate Christmas
Belle, The Beast, Lumiere, Clogsworth, Mrs Potts and Chip are back to do a seasonal adventure movie.
Despite being released after smash hit movie "Beauty and the Beast," it is not a sequel, this story is an added into the events of the first film. Unfortunately, it hasn't got the charm of the original movie though. The story is pretty basic and doesn't really have an interesting story to tell the viewer. Belle wants to have a Christmas party and Beast forbids her, therefore setting the stage for new turmoils with the new bad guy Forte an old organ who is a bit sinister for my likes.
Another new character is a Christmas tree fairy/Angel named Angelique. She is the expert on organizing parties and celebrations. However, other than having an absolutely darling accent she plays little to no part in the movie.
It has the usual songs for a Disney Movie which are pleasant and nice but none are not overly memerable. The animation is nice but I would expect none the less from Disney, with the usual vibrant colors. Overall, I would think younger children would enjoy this more and probably would not please more mature children and adults like the first one.
15 Tale as old as time...
"Beauty & The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas" is enchanting. And when you see it on DVD, it's even COOLER! The animation is super, I love the songs, and the story is GREAT!
The plot: This movie is all about Belle and the enchanted objects getting ready for everyone's favorite holiday (save of course for my birthday). But the Beast hates Christmas (and probably my birthday, too) and wants to make sure that it doesn't come to the castle this year. The bad dude in the film is Forte, an evil pipe organ with a trusty sidekick named Fife. Forte hates Christmas and anything happy (meaning that he hates my birthday). He also wants to kill Belle, and eat her for Christmas dinner.
The songs: "As long as there's Christmas" , a way cool song with a BIG TIME COOL music video on the DVD! I love it. There's the super song, "A Cut Above The Rest". It is SO cool! The only stupid song is "Don't Fall In Love". It gets a big BAD!
This movie is so cool! You should buy it! If you do, you'll enjoy it every Christmas for years to come.
16 Lumiere Being Double-Religious Was No Good
I was deeply disappointed when Lumiere (Jerry Orbach) said "Happy Hanukkah" just once although he had been repeating "Christmas" all through the story. I felt an American awkward effort of politically-correctness. Disney should have referred it as "Happy Holiday" from the beginning if they really wanted to make it p.c., or I strongly believe that they should have stuck to Christmas due to the fact that Beauty and the Beast is based in the 17 century, France.
Other than that one line, the animation was plain and there was no dynamic movement as Belle did when she was choosing a book in the original movie. The only well-drawn character was the new girl Angelique from the animation point of view.
The music was far below the level of the original movie scores by Alan Menken, unfortunately. There was no much for Be Our Guest, Belle, Guston nor Human Again.
If you barely know the original movie Beauty and the Beast, there is a chance you'll enjoy the Enchanted Chrismas. If you have seen the original and loved it, your quality bar of its sequences is already set very high. In this case you will be disappointed by the Enchanted Chrismas like me who saw the original DVD more than 20 times, listen to the original sound track CD every day, and even went to see the Broadway musical.
17 great addition
i liked this movie and so did my daughter. this is great for a part 2 video dvd release only.
18 DO NOT BUY THIS VIDEO FOR TODDLERS!!!
This has to be the WORST disney movie I have seen. My three year old begged for weeks for this christmas movie after being marketed by Disney in previews during the first Beauty in the Beast (special edition.) This movie is DARK and scary. I did not see anything about the christmas spirit except they finally get a tree in the end. The movie has a demented organ that sings about love being hateful, and oh yes and the song has the word "hell" in it. I could not believe it. Then Belle almost dies in a frozen lake and is then locked up in the basement prison by the beast. Happy Holidays!!! Too bad I can't give it zero stars.
19 Magical, Enchanting and Whimsical!
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS on DVD is a great family must see. All the original voices are back in this incredibly enchanting story about the Beast not wanting to have Christmas. This allows all our favorite characters to encourage and convince the Beast that he is wrong.
The music and score is really entertaining and memorable (there's even a soundtrack for this one) and the visuals are heartwarming and charming. This is a great family Christmas DVD to have and show every year.
The DVD extras are amazing too. Sing-a-longs and games for the kids and there is even a fireplace that you can sit and open presents by while listening to Christmas Carols and the crackling of a fire.
You should have this one in your collection. Merry Christmas! (12-31-02)
20 Hey, this isn't too bad!
Going by what other reviewers have already said, I bought this DVD as a gift for my brother and sister. Around mid-afternoon on Christmas day, we sat down to watch it. Considering that I'm a lot older than the target audience and a lot more cynical about Disney productions than I used to be, it's to the film's credit that I still enjoyed it. Not near the quality of the original, and not quite up to par with Disney's greatest direct-to-video release Aladdin and the King of Thieves, but still a nice little holiday movie.
The movie has many high points. All of the original cast is back, except for Chip, but he's actually been replaced by Haley Joel Osment. This immediately gives this movie some credibility, as the voice actors are all top notch. Joining the cast is another great actor, Tim Curry as the villain Forte. Coupled with some delicious computer animation, Forte is a very worthy villain. He towers over everyone else, accomplishes much evil even though he is bolted to the wall, and is really creepy in human form. Unfortunately, he gets the one dull song in the movie, but thankfully, all the others are top-notch fun. And the animation in general is very good; a few characters look slightly off at times (Lumiere and Cogsworth in human form in the intro, for example), but overall everything has a very warm, rich feeling.
So what are the movie's low points? The story itself doesn't disappoint, but it's nothing super special either. It won't match up to other holiday classsics like Garfield, Peanuts, Grinch, and Disney's own A Christmas Carol. And while almost everything fits within continuity with the original, it's best not to think about such things. Just because Belle wore her yellow dress to dance with the beast in the original, does it mean that was the only time she wore it? No, but using the dress again kinda tarnishes the magic of that moment in the ball room. The only glaring continuity error is at the movie's end. While the movie packs in some decent action (which I did not expect from a holiday movie), you'll find yourself wondering how everything was restored back to normal later. Other than this, I wish they had used that lovely feather duster character more instead of making her another background object. And lastly, the movie seems a little too dark at times. If your TV set is darker than normal, a lot of the fine details in the animation will be lost on you.
But overall, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas is worth owning. There's good acting and animation, and while the story isn't quite up there, it's worth a repeated viewing, and might in time join your family's lineup of traditional holiday movies.
21 If you have to watch it, rent it, don't buy it.
I got this (the original video release, not the new DVD release) for my wife for Christmas a few years ago because she really liked the movie "Beauty and the Beast." We watched it once and came to the conclusion that it is not suitable for our children until they're older. Our kids are older now, and we still haven't bothered to get it out of storage.
22 Belle's blunder
Belle's singing in this sequel is deserving of 0 stars. There is a line in the "stories" song that is so poorly sung that I couldn't believe my ears. OUCH!
"New and a bit alarming..."
23 Too Frightening...
We have about two dozen Disney DVD's, and this one is too frightening for our three year-old. A new pipe organ character is very somber, dark and scary, and he appears through much of the movie. It's a shame, really, because our daughter adores the Beauty & the Beast characters.
I would not recommend this movie for young children.
24 My Commentary on the Special Edition DVD
The original film is such a masterpiece that it sets the bar so high for this sequel, and you have to keep this in mind when you sit down to watch this. First of all, I think it is such a delight to have the entire cast from the original back and at it. I think the film would really have been hurt if even one of the voice actors had been replaced.
I think what made the original so strong was the music and lyrics of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. Every song was beautiful, witty, and did so much to develop the story and characters. There a but a few songs in The Enchanted Christmas, and the only one that is somewhat memorable is the song "Stories", whose melody becomes a sort of musical motif that recurs throughout the film. The interesting animation sequence during this song is one of the highlights of the film, and it is nothing like anything featured in the original.
If you are a die-hard fan of Beauty and the Beast like myself, you will enjoy seeing the characters in action... but, sadly, it feels different and less magical than the original. The script is a little thin, and the voice acting isn't totally consistent with the original. For example, Robby Benson, who voices Beast, sounds very strange at times and seems to be overacting. But it seems that the Beast in general is very exaggerated throughout the film so this is probably not Benson's fault. Paige O'Hara as Belle as always has a remarkably beautiful voice, whether she is singing or talking. It is so wonderful to hear her put life into the character again.
One thing that I feel was very wrong with this film is that an entire sequence was devoted to showing how the Prince turned away the Enchantress on Christmas and became the Beast. I think that the original film did a marvelous job by telling this part of the story through the stained glass sequence in the beginning, but seeing it portrayed here again sort lacks that fairy-tale wonder to it that the images in stained glass conveyed so well.
Aside from this minor point, I believe if you enjoyed the original like myself, you won't have too hard a time of enjoying this film. Like I mentioned, it would be impossible to match the beauty and magic of the original solely in that the music just cannot match the genius of the Menken/Ashman collaboration. Even though the animation is low-budget, a wonderful soundtrack would have made the sequel great.
My commentary on the Special Edition DVD is that I thought the behind-the-scenes feature was wonderful, and although it is short, you get some really great interviews from the voice actors including Tim Curry who makes his debut as the story's new villain. You don't get to see Paul Reubens though, whose voice and character I found rather annoying. No big loss. One problem I had, however, is with the quality of the image. The Special Edition of the original on DVD has an amazing picture quality, and the colors are so lucid and spectacular, yet in the Enchanted Christmas DVD the colors are somewhat dull and faded. Aside from that, the other special features are just some nonsense that is thrown in just to satisfy the Special Edition title, but the behind-the-scenes feature is good enough for me.
On a final note, I noticed that there are Roman numerals on the side of the DVD cases of both films. Supposedly there will be a third Beauty and the Beast Special Edition coming out soon. Can't wait.
25 PARENTAL ADVISORY! EXPLICIT LYRICS!
Be warned that this movie isn't necessarily for the little ones. It's fairly scary and intense at times, but not much more than the original. Much of this is brought on by the fact that this movie has a central, ominous villain, whereas the original did not. Also, given where this story takes place in the original's timeline, the Beast is still mean, coarse and unrefined, prone to a lot of yelling and destruction. On top of that, the villainous FortŽ sings a song that very clearly and deliberately contains the word "hell." How that made it into a G-rated movie is beyond me.
The movie itself isn't as bad as one might expect for a straight-to-video sequel. It also doesn't have a lot to do with Christmas other than it happens to take place on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The holiday basically serves as a plot device to allow the Beast to thaw a little. As a movie, it's pretty decent, but as a holiday movie, it's not so good. Can you think of a better way to celebrate such a heartwarming holiday than with a movie containing an explosive, abusive Beast and a song that screams the word "hell?"
The special features of the DVD are so-so, but credit goes to Disney for doing something other than releasing a bare-bones disc. The behind-the-scenes featurette isn't really behind-the-scenes of THIS movie, as much as it is the B&B series and animation in general, but it's informative on a surface level. The memory game is kind of difficult at first, but since it doesn't change, you'll never visit it again once you master it. The Enchanted Environments are an interesting addition as they are simply mock fireplaces. Also included is a sing-along feature that puts the words on the screen as the songs appear in the movie, as well as stand-alone sing-along selections. These nifty features allow your children to read profanity as well as sing along. As an unlisted feature, I suppose you could program your multi-disc player to insert the chapters of this movie into the appropriate place in the original for an extended viewing experience.
If we had seen this movie before purchasing it for our four year-old daughter, we probably wouldn't have bought it. Still, it's an entertaining movie for older viewers that has about as much to do with Christmas as Die Hard.
26 Dark for a Holiday movie
We bought this DVD in hopes to add to our collection for holiday movies. My daughter barely made it through the first 1/2 hr. She seemed intersted in the beginning but as the movie went on it got very dark and for her a little scary. The beast was angry through most it. The reason for 2 stars, the beginning was fine as was the end. The majority of the movie was disappointing. Was not my idea of a good classical holiday movie. It still contained a good message, but it took too long to get to that message.
27 QUITE PLEASED
SELLER SENT PROMPTLY AND FOR THE PRICE I AM MORE THAN HAPPY
28 VERY PLEASED
I AM VERY HAPPY WITH MY ORDER. IT CAME QUICKLY AND IN EXCELLENT CONDITION SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG FOR THE REVIEW
29 Scared my kids to death!
I do not think this is a very warm and fuzzy 'holiday classic' My kids aged 4 and 3 wanted this video. Bought it and it scared the bejesus our of them! Half of the movie was dark, sinister and little one had her fingers in her ears so she didn't have to listen to it.
Natch, the ending is o.k., but they only focus on like 3 minutes of happy. If they went potty at the end they'd miss it.
We should have gotten the Pooh one, not this one. I doubt they will want to watch this again. Not a holiday classic for us!!
30 A Classic Christmas Saga!
It's a little something for all Beauty and the Beast fans. It's sweet and enjoyable. The songs are nothing compared to the original animated feature but still it's worth a check. It revives Disney's magical tale that earned an Oscar nominee for best picture!
The tale revolves around the lovable cast celebrating Christmas a year after what you saw in the original tale. They all start to have an argument over who saved Christmas the year before. They then go back to the original tale but in more detail this time. There are more new characters and a whole new villain. The 'musical' villain serves as a friend to the Beast. He's quite jealous and his music helps the Beast relax. Watch how the characters plan, sing, destroy, and save Christmas!
The story is of coarse nothing compared to Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Still with the characters returning to their objects and Belle singing around about 'stories', this feature is definitely worth seeing if you enjoyed the original!
31 this movie is cool!
I got this movie for a birthday present when I was 7 (my birthday is right after Christmas). I totally loved it, and I still do, 5 years later, lol! It's a really cute movie and I think lots of kids would like it.
32 Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas DVD
Compared to today's Direct To Video Disney, this 1997 "sequel" to Beauty and the Beast seems very high quality. The animation does not match the original, no DTV ever will, but luckily it lacks a lot of that flat feel that plagues many Direct To Video productions today. Perhaps because the colors are darker. The only problem is the lack of detail in the backgrounds at times, it's too simplistic. And the characters sometimes are very flat, with no depth like the original classic.
All the original voices return from the original (except Chip), which gives it good continuity. Tim Curry is excellent as the villain Forte. The songs are strong enough, better than anything I've heard in most of the other DTV's from Disney.
Now, to the big problem. Despite the entire movie taking place in two days, it's very hard to swallow that this entire new story took place within the first film. There was not enough time in the first film for this "lost chapter" to have taken place. Continuity errors arise when the Beast imprisons Belle for trying to escape (she was going to cut down a Christmas tree) after giving her word that she wouldn't leave. Problem is that Belle already fled once before in the original, when the Beast rescued her from wolves. And after that incident, the Beast and Belle began to get closer almost immediatley.
Even worse, it turns out (unless Belle and Beast wore the same outfits twice) that the ball room sequence in the original occurred during their Christmas celebration. C'mon, it was obvious that it was not Christmas during the original. It was winter yeah, but Christmas was the last thing on anybodies mind during the incidents that occurred in the original. Oh, and also the Beast hates Christmas becuase it turns out that he was turned into a Beast on the holiday. (Guess the narrator forgot to mention that in the original, didn't he?)
As far as trying to make this story fit within the original, I think a below average job was done. So why four stars? Because even though this does not hold a candle to the original, it is still a very good holiday movie, on it's own, for children. This is much better then those annual Mickey Mouse and Winnie The Pooh Christmas movies that Disney puts out, and I can gaurantee that parents will have an easier time sitting through this movie than those.
It is also vastly superior in terms of quality when compared to recent Disney sequels, just compare this to "The Hunchback of Notre Dame II" and you'll see what I mean. Just don't expect a Best Picture Oscar-calibre film like the original was.
33 Mediocrity incompetency at its best
I saw "Beauty and the Beast" when I was a little girl, and I just absolutely loved that movie.
When I heard about this sequel, I borrowed a copy of "B&tB: The Enchanted Christmas" and I have to say this: While I did have lower expectations for a DTV sequel, this went below the bar. Far below. Yes, the entire cast from the original was there. Yes, animation wasn't as good as its precedecessor. And yes, Disney had to make a sequel off of one of their best films ever.
And I don't even want to know what's going to be in the "Special Edition" of "The Enchanted Christmas." The cover looks far too good for a DTV sequel.
34 A correction
One of the reviewers said that Forte was jealous of Belle because
Beast looked to him for comfort. That's incorrect. Forte was gay.
He labored under an unrequited attraction to the Prince.Did you really think he chose Fife as an accomplice because Fife was the best one for the job? Fife was an idiot. He chose Fife because Fife,a very phallic object,was a reminder of Forte's lost
genitalia.
35 Just as good as the original!
Beauty & the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas is a great movie that is really underestimated (like most sequels). Forte is a unique villian. The animation is almost as good as the original & it has great songs (like "As long as there's Christmas"). Ignore all those anti-sequels people & buy this masterpiece.
36 Kids will enjoy, but adults should avoid
Though not as charming as the original this is a fine movie for kids 12 and under. Unlike the original which appealed to both kids and adults, this christmas version will appeal more for kids.
I bought this movie as a teen which was a mistake so I didn't like it very much. Buy it for the kids, but if you're a teen or an adult watch something else, because this movie is awful compared to its original version.
I'm sorry to say it but it does not hold up well and I'd rather watch the original. I stress again that only kids should watch it since it'll appeal more for them, while adults will think of it as a horrid sequel.
37 An answer
No,I will NOT ease up! The only way I will EVER recognize that
pack of uncanonical lies is if I'm lighting the match to burn
every last copy to ASHES! It DESERVES to be hated and
ridiculed and reviled because it's WRONG,it DESPISES its own
audience,not to mention its soulless joylessness. Those aren't the characters from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,those are corporately sponsored fan fiction POD PEOPLE!
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is a transcendent film that celebrates art and beauty and the human soul. Why does this thing exist? Can you tell me? What does it celebrate? If it exists,
it exists in a different universe than BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
*There are no events in "The Enchanted Xmas" that don't agree with the original.* Uh,YES there ARE. You obviously haven't seen
my ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS Error List. I will not shut up until this
movie is banished from the face of the planet.
38 a beautiful sequel to the classic Disney epic
THE ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS is a wonderful continuation of Disney's acclaimed Oscar-winning BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, which tells the untold chapter of the fateful Christmas where Belle stole the heart of the gruff Beast.
The best thing is the presence of the entire original voice cast; Paige O'Hara as Belle, Robby Benson as The Beast, Jerry Orbach as Lumiere, David Odgen Stiers as Cogsworth and Angela Lansbury as Mrs Potts. Joining them as brand-new characters are Bernadette Peters as Angelique, Paul Reubens as Fife and Tim Curry as the evil Forte. There is also Haley Joel Osment in the role of tiny Chip.
The story is heart-warming, and as someone who has grown up with the original movie (and it has to be my favorite Disney film), it was like seeing dear old friends again.
Do not miss it! The DVD transfer is gorgeous.
39 Awful
LOUSY, DULL, POOR ANIMATION, BORING, AND IDIOTIC! WHY IS DISNEY MAKING SUCH [bad] SEQUELS? I'M SORRY I BOUGHT THIS THING ON VIDEOTAPE! MY ADVICE--STICK WITH THE ORIGINAL AND YOU WON'T BE SORRY...
40 An untold chapter from the original
This title is an excellent sequel to the original Beauty and the Beast. It tells about an untold chapter after the time when Belle was rescued from a pack of wolves by the Beast, but before the Library scene. The Beast is still cold-hearted and ill-tempered, but Belle is attempting to get him out of this unacceptable form of behavior. She decides to bring Christmas to the castle (despite the fact the Beast hates the holiday; Christmas was the time when the fairy transformed the then Prince into a Beast), and establishes a plan using all of the Enchanted Objects to celebrate Christmas. There is a villan in the story: A notrocious pipe organ named Forte. As is shown in the movie, Forte was the court composer. The whole Beauty and the Beast trilogy takes place during the early Industrial Revolution (c. 1780) and the scene of the Prince just before his transforation into the Beast reveals Forte dressed in Baroque period clothing. The pipe organ was an extremely popular instrument in the Baroque era, and this clearly shows one the approximate time period in history. With the help of Fife, a young piccolo, Forte plans to rid Belle's plan by coaxing her into the Black Forest in an effort to possess a Christmas Tree for the castle. She nearly dies in the process, but the Beast rescues her again. This time, he is furious at Belle leaving the castle grounds, and throws her in the dungeon. After opening the present Belle gave to him, the Beast finally looks at Christmas in terms of it's true meaning, and releases Belle. We ultimately see Forte's demise as he attempts to demolish the castle using excessive sound levels. He commits suicide after the Beast removes his keyboard. Forte was extremely jealous at Belle because the Beast looked to him for comfort after the spell was cast. The ending is very nice, and sets the stage for the ballroom dance seen in the first movie.
With very good animation, as well as comical script, this movie is a must have for all familes during the holiday season. Although not as good as the original, it still has many of the characteristics we all cherish.
41 An enchanting new Christmas tradition!
Okay, the reason this doesn't get 5 stars is that it's not as perfect as we all know the original was. Still, for a straight to video production it ranks among Disney's better ones. Not on the level of Simba's Pride, which was nearly as good as its predecessor, but far superior to Return of Jafar, the first Disney straight to video piece of.....animation. So I guess this is about as good as King of Thieves, only with some added points for Christmas flair. I LOVE a good Holiday special, be it Christmas, Halloween, Easter, or whatever. As Jean Shepherd said, "Americans measure their lives by holidays." Anyway, this film takes place somewhere in the middle of the original feature, while Belle is still Beast's prisoner, but starting to wear him down a bit. Meanwhile, an evil pipe organ, voiced by Tim Curry, is scheming to get rid of Belle before she steals the Beast's attention from his gloomy music. Belle wants to have a proper Christmas in the castle, against the Beast's wishes, and also against the wishes of the organ, who doesn't want joy to come to the gloomy castle. Anyway, all turns out well in the end, and it's really a sweet little movie, maybe a bit gruff at times. Definitely worth having and watching at least once a year! And Tim Curry is always great, though I have yet to muster the courage, or rather find the appropriate opportunity, to sit through Rocky Horror Picture Show.
42 I am reminded of a quote from THE SIMPSONS
It's from the episode where a new character named Poochie is added to THE ITCHY AND SCRATCHY SHOW. The viewers loathe him. Homer,who supplied Poochie's voice,gets depressed,but Lisa tells him that Poochie was basically "a soulless byproduct of committee thinking."
That is all THE ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS is: A soulless byproduct of committee thinking. These are not the characters we know and love from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST; they're clunky forgeries bereft of soul and depth.
I advocate burning every copy of this film not just because I love BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,but because BEAUTY AND THE BEAST should not have to coexist alongside this trivial drivel. For the very sake of cinema itself,don't spend your hard-earned money on a fake.
43 The Enchantment
Starring a new set of characters, Fife, a cute little piccolo, and Forte, a pipe organ (voiced-over by none other than TIM CURRY!), and Angelique, a cute "decorater" angel, it's just as good as the original with an air of Christmas.
Forte sort of frightens me with the way he was drawn, but since it's Tim Curry that voiced-over it, I'm as happy as a lark.
The mischievousness of the "evil" characters, Forte and Fife, is appealing, and it is lively and enjoyable. However, the living version fo Forte instead of the pipe organ, is horribly creepy looking.
Belle's ambitions to make Christmas happen make this a great movie and defitely worth seeing. I highly recommend it.
44 A wonderful, cheery holiday CLASSIC!
This is one of the best sequels I've ever seen! I am OBSESSED with Beauty and the Beast and this sequel allowed me to visit all my old friends (Belle, Lumiere, Chip, Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth and the Beast) and introduced me to new ones like Angelique, Fife and the Ornaments! And Forte, the evil villain is STUNNINGLY animated and is a much better villain than Gaston! I *HIGHLY* reccomend this to everyone!
45 WONDERFUL !
UNLIKE SOME OF THE PREVIOUS REVIEWS, I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GREAT CHRISTMAS MOVIE. THE MAGIC IS STILL THERE WITH THE RETURNING CHARACTERS PLUS SOME NEW ONES. FIFE, ONE OF THE NEW CHARACTERS IS JUST ADORABLE ONCE HE FIGURES OUT THAT HE IS BEING TRICKED INTO DOING BAD THINGS BY THE NEW VILLIAN FORTE. THE SONGS WHERE BEAUTIFUL. I SAY GIVE IT A TRY. I THINK YOU WILL LIKE IT.
46 Beauty and the Beast: The Unenchanted Christmas
From the start, Disney's line of TV department-created sequels (begun with 1994's "The Return of Jafar") was bad, and I can't for a minute believe I ever supported these horrible films. With the noteable exception of "The Lion King II," Disney's sequels to its hardcore masterpieces have all been among the worst films of all time, and this is one of the worst of the line.
Although the movie states that the events occur between Belle's imprisonment and release from the Beast's castle, there are several obvious reasons why the events chronicled here COULD NOT have occured within that period of time. Secondly, everything that made the origianl a classic masterpiece is missing from this offering -- the characters are zero-dementional; the songs are flat and dry; animation is far below acceptable; and above all the plot is weak and predictible. It really deserves zero stars, but since I have to give it one it'll be for reassembling the original cast. That at least gives the movie a microscopic boost.
I regret wasting my money and time every time I enjoyed this. Looking back on it, when it came out the original was not a movie I viewed frequently and I hadn't appriciated it as I do now, so it was easier for me to accept this movie. Now "Beauty and the Beast" is one of my most-watched Disney animated classics and I appriciate it like I never did before, so the total lack of everything in this piece of crud that Disney markets as a film is no longer an honored possession of mine. I will never view it again under any circumstances, and long for the day when I am able to burn it.
Some people who enjoy it have called it "an enchanting new Christmas tradition." I call it a totally unenchanting movie that doesn't exsist and urge you to make a tradition out of watching the amazing BEAUTY AND THE BEAST rather than this piece of completely worthless [blank].
47 I resent this movie's existence
The simple,cold fact is is that THE ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS is superfluous,unneccessary,and wrong. If I could burn every copy, I really would. If you'd like to see the Error List I compiled, detailing all the errors that were made,please e-mail me. It's important that THE ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS is recognized for what it is-a blasphemous,uncanonical hack job that just doesn't count.
48 Mediocre Chip Off The Old Block
Why Disney feels the need to produce sequels to every one of their hit animated features is beyond me. In this department the House of Mouse too often goes for quantity over quality. They turned the hilarious feature "Aladdin" into a trilogy as well as sequels to "The Lion King" and "Pocahontas". It's unfortunate to mar a classic with theses watered down re-visits. The animation in this one would qualify as above average Saturday morning fare. It could have been much worse. The concept is somewhat interesting, returning the viewer to a supposed Christmas incident that took place whille Belle was held captive by the Beast in the original film. At one point the film even shows just how the Prince was turned into the Beast, elaborating on the wonderfully subtle stained glass opening of the first film. However good the concept, the actual story is a bit weak and drags out the standard "true meaning of Christmas" theme without much new to say. All the original voices are back, which is nice. However the heart and soul of the original is missing. The songs are afterthoughts and forgettable. This might keep the young ones who are fans of "Beauty and the Beast" entertained but, unlike it's predecessor, "The Enchanted Christmas" doesn't stand up to repeat viewings. Most people will purchase this to ad to their clam-shell collections of self declared Disney classics and that's exactly what Disney was banking on for this ho hum installment. The follow-up to this one is even worse.
49 Mediocre Chip Off The Old Block
Why Disney feels the need to produce sequels to every one of their hit animated features is beyond me. In this department the House of Mouse too often goes for quantity over quality. It's unfortunate to mar a classic with theses watered down re-visits. The animation in this one would qualify as above average Saturday morning fare. It could have been much worse. The concept is somewhat interesting, returning the viewer to a supposed Christmas incident that took place whille Belle was held captive by the Beast in the original film. However good the concept, the actual story is a bit weak and drags out the standard "true meaning of Christmas" theme without much new to say. All the original voices are back, which is nice. However the heart and soul of the original is missing. The songs are afterthoughts and forgettable. This might keep the young ones who are fans of "Beauty and the Beast" entertained but, unlike it's predecessor, "The Enchanted Christmas" doesn't stand up to repeat viewings. Most people will purchase this to ad to their clam-shell collections of self declared Disney classics and that's exactly what Disney was banking on for this ho hum installment. The follow-up to this one is even worse.
50 A Masterpiece
I am a HUGE fan of Beauty and the Beast, the original. I absolutely love this movie. One of the best. The characters are great. I love Angelique especially. This movie is one to own.
51 It's not as bad as people say!
True, it's not as grand as what we saw in the first Beauty and the Beast, but the fantastic fact that all actors came back to do the sequel (if you can call it that) is great. The animation is NOT poor and is actually very pretty. The story is strong and it is a fitting and warm yuletitde DVD title. It has some great songs which people will love and they are sung by O'Hara as in the original. What most people forget is that this title doesn't have to conform to the tight, well known, fable that the original had to. The flexible narrative suits the subject - which is love, freindship, and seasonal spirit. I would defend this title and say it is great for all. I'm 21 and found it most pleasing. P.S: Don't you think the titles sound like Savana the soap opera show? Hmmm....
52 How can anyone defend this?
I strongly advise everyone who reads this to burn all the copies of THE ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS that you possibly can. As a lover of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,I do not recognize THE ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS and never will. I hate this movie with all my heart. Please contact me if you'd like a detailed list of the errors that negate the possibility of the events in this film. I will not rest until the world knows.
53 Truly Enchanted !
The true spirit of Christmas is evedent here . I loved this one even more than the original ! This one is more imaginative and includes more characters . I like the Christmas ornament characters a lot and also Forte's evil cheracter .The Musical score is very well done indeed . One of my favorite Disney features !
54 It was just wonderful!
This movie is an absolutely perfect movie that teaches a lot of morals and has a lot of fun characters in there as well. All of them were wonderful and the entire thing was magical. The songs were beautiful and meaningful. It was just simply magical.
55 It's a beauty!
Like the other reviewer, I've seen this lovely little movie dozens of times, and never get tired of it. Angela Lansbury and Paige O'Hara are just as charming as in the original, and Bernadette Peters' Angelique will melt your heart. Her song, "As Long As There's Christmas," just might put a catch in your throat. The animation - especially the evil Forte - is eye-popping, just as you would expect from Disney. I would recommend this movie for all Disney-cartoon fans, as well as those who want a collection of cheery, heart-warming Christmas videos/DVDs. Get it ... You won't be disappointed. (FYI: Disney released a CD soundtrack that is just as much fun as the movie!)
56 The cast was fantastic
Angela Lansbury was excellent as always. Tim Curry, who always makes a great villain, strikes again. While Paul Reubens and the rest of the supporting cast provide great comic relief.
57 It is great for everyone!
If you like Beauty and the Beast, you'll like this too. Everyone has the same voices except Chip and it's a holiday classic. I have it and I love it!
58 VERY ENTERTAINING!!!!!!
This movie in my opinion was da bomb! I got this movie last Christmas and have probably watched it 40 times and I NEVER get tired of it. I especially liked evil Forte. This movie definitely has humor also. I even liked it better than the original Beauty and the Beast!
59 Looks good. Creaky story. Thankfully short.
This sequel has the original voices, some new characters, and some substandard songs. It's OK for the sprogs, but is only about 25% as good as the original. Unsurprisingly, the attempt to squeeze and entire new story into the confines of the original is not a success.
