With Halloween now firmly within the rearview mirror, it’s time to show our focus to what many imagine to be probably the most fantastic time of the 12 months: Christmas. Whether or not you started decorating immediately on Nov. 1 (no judgments right here!) or waited till after Thanksgiving — or fall someplace in between — the vacation season is formally in full swing. And whereas everybody has their very own traditions to assist mark this joyous event, there’s one factor all of us collectively like to do: watch Christmas movies. However whereas a number of basic decisions have earned a spot in our yearly viewing rotation, there’s one Disney Christmas film that I really feel all the time will get woefully neglected time and time once more. I’m speaking about Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas. When you’re pondering, “What’s that about? I’ve by no means heard of it,” then imagine me, you’re lacking out.
The movie got here out in 1997 and served as a direct-to-video follow-up to the unique. I wouldn’t name it a sequel, per se, on condition that the majority of the storyline takes place by way of flashbacks someplace in the course of the unique movie’s time-frame. … again when Belle remained underneath home arrest on the citadel (that sounds higher imprisoned, proper?), the Beast had but to be reworked again to his human type, and all of his staff had been nonetheless inanimate objects. Clearly, we all know that this all ultimately results in a fortunately ever after for all the characters (besides, after all, Gaston), however this film presents a more in-depth take a look at their time collectively earlier than all of that involves a head, particularly round Christmas time.
But regardless of its holiday-skewed plot, it’s by no means acquired the right reward and fanfare it deserves. Effectively, that each one modifications now. It’s excessive time this Disney underdog earned a spot within the vacation line-up.
The voice forged is next-level
Whereas the forged is generally made up of the identical voice actors reprising their roles from the unique, there are a number of newcomers, together with Tim Curry (!), who voices the Beast’s good-friend-turned-pipe-organ, Forte; Paul Reubens, who serves as Forte’s a lot kinder sidekick, Fife; and Bernadette Peters, who voices the position of Christmas decorator extraordinaire, Angelique. These additions alone are sufficient to lift this movie to next-level standing.
The soundtrack slaps
With the curse nonetheless looming over their heads, nobody is strictly within the temper to rejoice the vacations — aside from Belle. Regardless of studying that the Beast hates Christmas since that’s when the sorceress forged her spell on all of them (thereby prompting him to basically ban all merry-making transferring ahead), Belle decides to reestablish the vacation. And whereas the Beast begins to heat as much as the concept, Forte consistently tries to govern the Beast and sabotage Belle’s Christmas celebrations. A technique he does that is by singing an anti-love ballad, aptly titled “Don’t Fall in Love.” (Conclusion: He isn’t a Belle and Beast shipper.) In the meantime, Angelique and Belle belt out a transferring duet of “As Lengthy As There’s Christmas” (together with the reprise), and Belle performs a love letter to books in “Tales” whereas creating her Christmas current to the Beast.
Positive, they might not be as iconic or beloved as the unique’s basic hits like “Story As Outdated As Time” or “Be Our Visitor,” however they’re nonetheless actually enjoyable and catchy and greater than value including to your Christmas music listing.
Good triumphs over evil
It wouldn’t be a real Disney movie with out adhering to the normal formulation of excellent prevailing over evil. Forte will get defeated, Belle and the Beast develop nearer than ever, and everybody within the citadel celebrates a cheerful Christmas collectively. Positive, the curse remains to be there, ever-looming over their upholstered heads, however fortunately, viewers get a quick flash-forward to the present-day, post-curse Christmas, so we all know all of it ultimately works out in the long run. In the case of fortunately ever afters, it doesn’t get a lot better than that.
Look, the unique Magnificence and the Beast will all the time maintain a particular place in my coronary heart. It’s a timeless basic that’s tough to dwell as much as, however IMO, The Enchanted Christmas is an under-appreciated gem assured to maintain you holly and jolly all 12 months spherical.
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