Beauty and the Beast

This is the best adaptation I have ever seen of this classic tale. Great performances by all especially Alessandro Preziosi and Blanca Suarez and their voice actors, they light up the screen together, great chemistry, very romantic. Great cinematography, beautiful musical score, costumes and set design. This is a very romantic, beautiful and magical movie. This two part movie is like a great symphony that you can listen to (in this case watch) over and over again, it is that great. I had to have this wonderful movie in my DVD collection so I purchased the Region 2 DVD and a multi-region DVD player. Amazon please make this great movie available on a Region 1 DVD or Blu-Ray Disc.

The moral of the story: For things to become lovable, they must first be loved.--- Beauty and The Beast (2014)In this crazy new topsy turvy world we live in, there is a poorly written teenaged romantic comedy called The Kissing Booth to sum it up is basically a movie series about a teenaged girl constantly lying to her beta male best friend about her relationship with his alpha male older brother. The fact that he is aggressive and fights to defends her honor makes people label him as a toxic male when he is only an alpha male guy who has anger issues and through his love of the female protagonist he learns to control his anger even when intentionally provoked. We're told this is the horrible guy your daughter should not date but his emotional, beta male brother who loves to dress in drag, girls aren't interested in and constantly gets beat up at school is the guy your daughter should want. Which is why most men and women in the crumbling Western society are single. Women are taught to be masculine while men are taught to be feminine. I say all this because in today's climate a love story like Bella and Prince Leon or a dare to say 1991's Beauty and Beast would not even be accepted and has been linked in occasions to a story about beastality, Stockholm Syndrome, and toxic love.Yet, I love this story even those the 1991's animated version will always be a classic. I like this adult take on a tale as old as time. In this version makes more sense than Disney's version and is realistic. Prince Leon aka The Beast didn't disappear because of a curse turning him into a wild animal that everyone forgot exists. He was a good man once with prestige, wealth, and a beautiful wife who adored him and everything else a man of his status could want. Then one night a fire broke out. He believed the love of his life cheated on him. His face was permanently scarred and his wife fell to her death believing the prince murdered his wife. The death and deception of his late wife, being permanently disfigured, and having to take some green concoction created by his uncle The Count, he grows to be cruel and trusts no one or nothing. He gets pleasure from torturing his servants and subjects, bedding their wives and daughters, and so forth. He's jaded and bored with life and growing eccentric tastes causes fear in his subjects who cower before him.Bella, a middle class girl in 17th or 18th century France, comes across his path when her hero, her father, a sea captain with his own ship, comes home one day looking old and defeated. A dangerous storm gave him no choice but to throw the cargo overboard in order to save his men's life. This leaves him in debt to Prince Leon who shortly after sends his henchman to collect his payment. Without the cargo, the prince gives her father two choices: sell his ship to him or give him one of his daughters as an indentured servant until his debt is repaid. Bella's oldest sister had been like a mother to Bella and spent her prime raising Bella. Her sister's only dream was to marry her fiance but even though he had a title, he had no money and they could not marry until he had a dowry. So Bella does a selfless act, leaves a note for her family, and journeys off to Prince Leon's castle to volunteer herself as a servant until her father's debt is paid. Prince Leon is impressed by her fiery spirit and her selfless act. Witnessing her cousin being told off by a servant standing up to him on her father's behalf who comes to make a bargain to offer his services and the ship until his debt is paid in exchange for his daughter's freedom. Leon grants her a way out and Bella rejects it, his cousin comes up with a plan to win Leon over. They place a bet that if he cannot bed Bella within a certain time frame, he would have to marry his cousin. Leon is so sure he would win he says he will have Bella and his cousin will have no one and if she loses, she must marry a suitor he selects for her. While wooing an untrusting Bella and intercepting her mail to manipulate her and get a better understanding of her likes and dislikes, he begins to fall for her.Bella begins to realize there is more to the prince than meets the eyes and also begins to care for him the more she gets to know him. When he invites her to dinner after his cousin's attempt to manipulate him backfires and ended up only bringing them closer together, he sets her free and if she did not return within three days, the deadline for the bet to end, he knows there is no hope for them. She returns home and different person then she was. Then keeps her promise to return ready to give herself to the prince. Yet, while he realizes he's in love with her and does not want to take her in that way, she learns of the bet and tries to run away. Prince Leon chases after her in the climactic scene and reminds her she is still in debt to him and belongs to him. Bella refuses to eat and becomes ill with a broken heart and nearly dies from being forced in a situation she no longer wanted to be in with the two people who betrayed her. With Bella in the verge of death and being powerless to save her, he learns love cannot be forced. It must be earned and gained with trust. He prays to God if he saves her, he will changed. Bella also realizes the Beast is also a complex character and to love him she must accept both the beast and the man. It's through The Beast Bella learns her inner strength and its through Bella The Beast takes off his mask for good and learns through her love and kindness to love again and to be a better leader to his subjects. When Prince Leon nearly dies, Bella asks him why and he tells her how else can a beast show his love when he thought he lost her for good and had nothing else to live for.The movie had a good message. The side characters had their only little side stories. The movie was well-paced and well told. How dreams change and love can change people for the better while some for the worse. How to never give up on the hopeless. To love someone who many believed could not be saved. A love lost, the idealistic love between a father and daughter and between the romantic love between a woman and the man she choose to spend the rest of her life with. So many great little messages in this movie.

Although similar to the original Beauty & the Beast this movie had a lot more unexpected plots and twists and the characters were more believable. Because of this, I thought there was more depth to the overall storyline. The movie didn't follow a linear pattern like the original. It was exciting, romantic and enchanting and I will definitely watch it again later in the year.

This video will not play in region 2

I was pleasantly surprised when I first saw parts of the movie on YouTube then I ordered it from Amazon. It's a lovely story with many twists. Your DVD might not play it because the movie comes from Europe and has zones

Very good romantic tale. Remind me the Phantom of the Opera even if the demon that afflicts the beast ( prince León ) is more his internal suffering for the guilt he feels concerning the death of his wife. This tragedy impacts his behavior and he become hostile and hateful with everyone. Bella is his savior. With her beauty and innocence and compassion she make the prince change and he falls deeply in love with her! I recommend this romantic tale that has a great ending!

I just loved this version of Beauty and the Beast. Loved all the actors - Alessandro Preziosi played a fabulous part! Really enjoyed this and highly recommend!

*First, make sure you have the correct DVD player in order to watch this movie!!!* The "Region FREE" DVD players so cheap if you need one. About $30-$40 and easy to setup!**This movie is one of MY ABSOLUTELY FAVORITES!!!!! The BEST at showing the love that grows between Belle and Master!!! This is a MUST see if you love Beauty and the Beast as much as I do!!! I can't wait for mine to come in!!!