Is the “Beauty and the Beast” 25th Anniversary Edition worth it?

Yes, and for good reason!

Beauty and the Beast went into the vault in 2012, and it wasn’t until four years later that we can finally see the film on shelves again. Four whole years of technological advancements means that the quality of this special 25th Anniversary Edition is top-notch.

If that’s not enough to tempt you, however, the Blu-Ray also contains a lot of wonderful features for Disney fans:

The Blu-Ray has not one, not two, but three different editions of the movie:

• The Original Theatrical Edition – great for those who just want to feel like it’s 1991 again.
• The Extended Edition – including the fan-favorite “Human Again.”
• The Sing Along Version. I know what you’re thinking – I already know all the words to all the songs! – but this is way more than your usual “follow the bouncing ball” karaoke. The words sparkle and light up and, at times, even have other effects – it’s a fun because you can tell they had fun thinking of the different ways to animate each line. (Also, it was nice to finally know all the villagers’ lines at the end of “Belle”).

The Blu-Ray also has an incredible set of special features:

• Always Belle – A special one on one with Paige O’Hara about what it was like to bring Belle to life. It’s surreal to be able to see her giving Belle a voice in the recording studio!
• Menken & Friends: 25 Years of Musical Inspiration – In this special you’ll join Robert and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stephen Schwartz, and Alan Menken in 54 Below to talk about (and perform!) the music of Beauty and the Beast. It’s a music-lovers paradise.
• #1074: Walt, Fairy Tales & “Beauty and the Beast” – Don Hahn (Producer, Beauty and the Beast), Rebecca Cline (Director, Walt Disney Archives), and others explain how Walt Disney stumbled upon the story of Beauty and the Beast. You’ll even hear original recordings of Walt talking about his experiences!
• The Recording Sessions – Don Hahn brings us all the way back to 1990 to show us real footage of the stars recording the voices of the movie. Because they were used by animators, these recordings have never been released till now – and they’re amazing to see.
• 25 Fun Facts About “Beauty and the Beast” – Kayla Maisonet and Gus Kamp from Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle and Best Friends Whenever take you through 25 incredible things you might not have known about the film. It’s a perfect bridge between classic and modern Disney.
• “Beauty and the Beast” 2017 sneak peak – This feature starts extends the teaser to show you previews of the set and shooting, costume design, and even concept art.
• Song Selection (for the Sing-Along Edition)
• Audio Commentary (for the Extended Edition)

And if that’s not enough to convince you to get a copy, the Digital Copy opens up a huge library of features.

Buying the Blu-Ray set will also get you the Digital Copy, which gives you access to even more Beauty and the Beast goodness like alternate editions, music videos, and other special features found on the Diamond and Platinum Editions. As if you’d need any more Beauty and the Beast after the Blu-Ray special features!

Bear in mind that these special features are only available on the Blu-Ray set – the DVD, which bears a beautiful edition of the film and is great for those who just want to watch it, doesn’t have any of these extras.

At just $25 at the Disney store (great, appropriate price) and just $23 at Target and Amazon, I’d say that this Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital set, with its different versions and amazing array of special features, is well worth the price.

You can get your very own set of Beauty and the Beast – available in stores and online now!