What’s better in 3D? Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in a Theatre Near You

Beauty Beast 3D - Limited time theatre release

How many times have you seen this movie? I bet you even own it? Me too. Nothing however, stops us from watching it time after time (good thing DVDs can’t get dog-eared). So why should you take your family to the theatre to see this again… because this time, it’s in 3D.

Think of the fun the kids will have with the 3D glasses and seeing the action of the characters dancing and interacting. Imagine their little hands reaching out to touch them. Engaging them… Who knows, maybe it will keep them occupied so they forget about needing to have snacks or run to the bathroom?

What’s amazing to me about this is that   “Beauty and the Beast” was the first hand-drawn film to be dimensionalized into 3D… and that’s no easy feat AND Walt Disney Studios didn’t initially have plans to release “Beauty and the Beast” or “The Lion King” theatrically in 3D they were just going to offer it for home sales. So why now? They tested “The Lion King” in 3D as there was a gap in scheduling releases and it made $100 million – which confirmed that audiences wanted to see the 3D version.

Question – do you remember when it first was released?  Walt Disney Pictures’ 30th full-length animated feature, ”Beauty and the Beast,” premiered in 1991. That’s 20 years ago, and it will be a first-time experience for children going to see it in a theatre setting which makes the experience more fun.

Bonus playing with “Beauty and the Beast” – is the “Tangled Ever After” Short: “The Pursuit”

More fun facts

“Beauty and the Beast” was the fifth classic fairy tale to be adapted as a Disney animated feature. The tradition began in 1937 with “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” which was based on the famous story by the Brothers Grimm. In the 1950s, Walt Disney and his animators successfully tackled two classic folk tales by French author Charles Perrault––”Cinderella” (1950) and “Sleeping Beauty” (1959). Another famous purveyor of fairy tales, Hans Christian Andersen, was the source of ”The Little Mermaid,” Disney’s 1989 release, which went on to become the Studio’s most successful animated feature up until that time.

• “Beauty and the Beast” was nominated for six Academy Awards® and won Oscars® for Best Song, by the renowned Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, and Best Original Score (Menken).
• Céline Dion won a GRAMMY® Award (with Peabo Bryson) for her chart-topping recording of the title song.
• “Beauty and the Beast” was the 1st animated feature to bring in more than $100 million
• Three years after the film’s debut, “Beauty and the Beast” hit Broadway opening at the Palace Theatre in New York and ran for 5,464 performances between 1994 and 2007, becoming the eighth-longest running production – it has even played in 13 countries and 115 cities and continues to enchant audiences worldwide

Celebrity sightings at the premiere

Last Saturday the stars came out to the special screening of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D – and to get their pictures taken with Belle and Beast at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.

Rico Rodriguez of Modern Family and Disney Channel stars with Belle and Beast from a special BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D

Zachary Levi - who is the voice of “Flynn” in TANGLED EVER AFTER

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (In Disney Digital 3D™)

WALT DISNEY PICTURES

• Voice Cast:                              Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers,
• Angela Lansbury, Bradley Pierce, Rex Everhart, Jesse Corti, Hal Smith, JoAnne Worley
• Directors:                                 Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
• Producer:                                 Don Hahn
• Executive Producer:                Howard Ashman
• Screenplay by:                        Linda Woolverton

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ magical classic “Beauty and the Beast” returns to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™, introducing a whole new generation to the Disney classic with stunning new 3D imagery. The film captures the fantastic journey of Belle (voice of Paige O’Hara), a bright and beautiful young woman who’s taken prisoner by a hideous beast (voice of Robby Benson) in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff—a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others—and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast’s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince.

Featuring unforgettable music by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, and an enormously talented vocal ensemble, “Beauty and the Beast” was the first animated feature to receive a Best Picture nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

“Like” BEAUTY AND THE BEAST on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DisneyBeautyAndTheBeast

Celine Dion and family 

Céline Dion/“Beauty and the Beast” 3D Disney’s beloved Belle, and the Beast from “Beauty and the Beast

Céline Dion/“Beauty and the Beast” 3D Disney’s beloved Belle, and the Beast from “Beauty and the Beast,” flank internationally acclaimed singing superstar Céline Dion (center, left) and her family (center left to right) Nelson, René-Charles, Eddy, and husband René Angélil, backstage at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, on the occasion of The Walt Disney Studios’ Academy Award®-nominated classic animated feature being released for the first time in 3D on January 13.

 

 

Brave – a new Animated Action Adventure Comedy from Disney Pixar

Meet Merida from Disney Pixar's Brave

We received notice of this new animated feature coming (next summer) from Disney-Pixar and thought we’d share it with you. First, because it features the character “Merida” who is a skilled archer and daughter of the King and second because it looks like another one of those animated films that remind you of childhood and living vicariously through the characters of the stories your parents read to you at night. Here’s a sneak peek…

More about BRAVE:

Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In “Brave,” a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts.

Disney Pixar's Brave

Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Wise Woman (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

Directed by Mark Andrews (“The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” “John Carter”) and Brenda Chapman (“The Lion King,” “Prince of Egypt”), and produced by Katherine Sarafian (“Lifted,” “The Incredibles”), “Brave” is a grand adventure full of heart, memorable characters and the signature Pixar humor enjoyed by audiences of all ages. The film takes aim at theaters on June 22, 2012, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

Voice Talent:                 Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane

Directors:                      Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman

Producer:                      Katherine Sarafian

Like BRAVE on Facebook: facebook.com/PixarBrave

Follow on Twitter: twitter.com/disneypixar

BRAVE hits theatres everywhere in Disney Digital 3D on June 22, 2012!

Cars 2 Review – Why We Loved it and You Will Too

Mingle Media TV was excited to be on the Cars 2 red carpet premiere to talk to the celebs last Saturday night and to be honest, we were even more excited to be invited to the early screening of this film at the El Capitan Theatre last night. Here’s our review of “Cars 2” without spoilers…

We’ve been a big fan of Disney forever (this reporter will not admit the year but it is more than 20 years) and found Cars 2 to be even better than Cars. From the moment the movie opened with a very serious mood to the next scene where the mood is comedic to the detail in the animation, music, and realistic scenery surrounding each segment, we found “Cars 2” to be delightfully engaging. The detail in the characters and their personality, the landscapes and the overall story were captivating. Just imagine Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) traveling around the world and driving on the wrong side of the road in England or driving in Tokyo where the street signs are in Kanji lettering not English. There were lots of kids in the theatre with us last night and we could hear them watching with their eyes and being surprisingly quieter than the adults in the theatre who like us, were laughing out loud and enjoying the ride. In true Disney fashion, this is another movie that transcends age, gender and even geo-location and can be enjoyed by all on planet earth!

Sidebar: Although we enjoyed Cars when it came out, we have to say that Cars 2 is one sequel that will surpass it in so many ways. (Our prediction: it will be a smash hit and be Oscar nominated – and win!)

My son and I started going to movies together when he was really young and we started a tradition to talk about our favorite parts as we left the theatre. As he grew older, this changed up from favorite parts to did you see this or that nuance, that might have been missed and is related to the writer, director, studio, like Marvel movies having Stan Lee make a cameo. Well, here are some fun facts about the film that you can share with your family and friends before or after you see “Cars 2” that we found interesting about the movie:

• Lightning McQueen is voiced by Owen Wilson but is named in memory after Glenn McQueen a Pixar animator who worked on the original “Cars” movie
• Lightning McQueen’s “Lightyear” tires are a reference to another Disney Pixar character: Buzz Lightyear
• The #95 on Lightning McQueen’s car is in reference to the year “Toy Story” came out 1995 (wow)
• Mater is voiced by Larry the Cable Guy and the number A113 is a reference to the CalArts classroom where director John Lasseter, Brad Bird, Pete Docter and Andrew Stanton attended
• Finn McMissile is voiced by none other than Michael Caine and his small tailfins are inspired by the late 50’s British sports car called the Peerless GT
• Finn McMissile would have been in the first “Cars” movie but was cut out  – only to be revived by Lasseter due to his love of spy movies
• Holly Shiftwell is voiced by Emily Mortimer and is equiped with all kinds of state-of-the-art gadgetry
• Believe it or not, Jeff Gorvette is voiced by and named after NASCAR racer Jeff Gordon
• The “Cars 2” character team built 145 new character models for the film with 781 variants making a total of 926 new characters
• The “Cars 2” film is an International adventure covering Tokyo, Paris, The Riveria, and London – pay attention to the integration of the landscapes, buildings and characters
• The PIT lane configuration is based on the Formula 1 track in the Kingdom of Bahrain
• If you are a car buff, you’ll also notice that the cars in all of the different locations around the globe match up to the country you find them in

Haven’t seen any trailers yet? Watch this clip to get a feel for the “spy genre” that was incorporated into this film:

We don’t want to spoil the story but can guarantee you won’t be disappointed one little bit…so we’re going to ask you to go out this Friday, June 24th, to a theatre near you and see Cars 2, in Disney Digital 3D or IMAX 3D. Don’t forget to be a FAN and LIKE the Cars 2 Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PixarCars.

If you want to see what the celebrities at the premiere had to say about their favorite Cars character  watch this video clip:

Don’t forget to come back and tell us how you liked it… Vrrroooom Vrrooooom.

Who is Your Favorite Cars (Cars 2) Character? See What the Stars on the Red Carpet Had to Say…

Mingle Media TV and our entertainment reporter, Kristyn Burtt, were on the Red Carpet Saturday night for the Cars 2 Premiere. Big question… who is YOUR favorite Cars character?

Find out what the celebrities we spoke to had to say here:

Share your Cars character with us and be sure to go see Cars 2 in Disney Digital 3D this weekend.

To watch in-depth video interviews with all the stars we spoke to, please visit the Red Carpet Report channel on Mingle Media TV atwww.minglemediatv.com/redcarpetreport.html

See all the photos from the premiere here on our Flickr page:PHOTOS

For more information about the moving coming out June 24th in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D be a FAN and LIKE the Cars 2 Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PixarCars

 

Kristyn Burtt reporting from the Red Carpet Premiere of “Cars 2”

The “Cars 2” World Premiere is like no other: this red carpet is a global speedway, complete with starting and finish lines, plus giant flags representing the international locales from which the film’s World Grand Prix competitors hail. Rolling down the race track will be life-size remote-controlled cars modeled after their big-screen likenesses Lightning McQueen, Mater and Finn McMissile, Guests will don “Cars 2”-themed RealD 3D glasses and view the film at the El Capitan and Grauman’s Chinese Theatres at 8 p.m., followed by a “Cars 2”-style reception at the “Cars 2” World Grand Prix attraction, presented by Kodak To watch the video interviews, visit the Red Carpet Report channel on Mingle Media TV at http://www.minglemediatv.com/redcarpetreport.html

Fireball Tim at the Disney Pixar Cars 2 Red Carpet Premiere

The “Cars 2” World Premiere is like no other: this red carpet is a global speedway, complete with starting and finish lines, plus giant flags representing the international locales from which the film’s World Grand Prix competitors hail. Rolling down the race track will be life-size remote-controlled cars modeled after their big-screen likenesses Lightning McQueen, Mater and Finn McMissile, Guests will don “Cars 2”-themed RealD 3D glasses and view the film at the El Capitan and Grauman’s Chinese Theatres at 8 p.m., followed by a “Cars 2”-style reception at the “Cars 2” World Grand Prix attraction, presented by Kodak To watch the video interviews, visit the Red Carpet Report channel on Mingle Media TV at http://www.minglemediatv.com/redcarpetreport.html For more information about the moving coming out June 24th in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D be a FAN and LIKE the Cars 2 Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/PixarCars

Vincent Martella at the Disney Pixar Cars 2 Red Carpet Premiere

Mingle Media TV and entertainment reporter Kristyn Burtt were on the Red Carpet last night for the Disney Pixar Cars 2. The “Cars 2” World Premiere is like no other: this red carpet is a global speedway, complete with starting and finish lines, plus giant flags representing the international locales from which the film’s World Grand Prix competitors hail. Rolling down the race track will be life-size remote-controlled cars modeled after their big-screen likenesses Lightning McQueen, Mater and Finn McMissile, Guests will don “Cars 2”-themed RealD 3D glasses and view the film at the El Capitan and Grauman’s Chinese Theatres at 8 p.m., followed by a “Cars 2”-style reception at the “Cars 2” World Grand Prix attraction, presented by Kodak To watch the video interviews, visit the Red Carpet Report channel on Mingle Media TV at http://www.minglemediatv.com/redcarpetreport.html For more information about the moving coming out June 24th in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D be a FAN and LIKE the Cars 2 Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/PixarCars

Peter Jacobson at the Disney Pixar Cars 2 Red Carpet Premiere

Mingle Media TV and entertainment reporter Kristyn Burtt were on the Red Carpet last night for the Disney Pixar Cars 2. The “Cars 2” World Premiere is like no other: this red carpet is a global speedway, complete with starting and finish lines, plus giant flags representing the international locales from which the film’s World Grand Prix competitors hail. Rolling down the race track will be life-size remote-controlled cars modeled after their big-screen likenesses Lightning McQueen, Mater and Finn McMissile, Guests will don “Cars 2”-themed RealD 3D glasses and view the film at the El Capitan and Grauman’s Chinese Theatres at 8 p.m., followed by a “Cars 2”-style reception at the “Cars 2” World Grand Prix attraction, presented by Kodak To watch the video interviews, visit the Red Carpet Report channel on Mingle Media TV at http://www.minglemediatv.com/redcarpetreport.html For more information about the moving coming out June 24th in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D be a FAN and LIKE the Cars 2 Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/PixarCars

Sig Hansen at the Disney Pixar Cars 2 Red Carpet Premiere

Mingle Media TV and entertainment reporter Kristyn Burtt were on the Red Carpet last night for the Disney Pixar Cars 2. The “Cars 2” World Premiere is like no other: this red carpet is a global speedway, complete with starting and finish lines, plus giant flags representing the international locales from which the film’s World Grand Prix competitors hail. Rolling down the race track will be life-size remote-controlled cars modeled after their big-screen likenesses Lightning McQueen, Mater and Finn McMissile, Guests will don “Cars 2”-themed RealD 3D glasses and view the film at the El Capitan and Grauman’s Chinese Theatres at 8 p.m., followed by a “Cars 2”-style reception at the “Cars 2” World Grand Prix attraction, presented by Kodak To watch the video interviews, visit the Red Carpet Report channel on Mingle Media TV at http://www.minglemediatv.com/redcarpetreport.html For more information about the moving coming out June 24th in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D be a FAN and LIKE the Cars 2 Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/PixarCars

Trevor Jackson at the Disney Pixar Cars 2 Red Carpet Premiere

Mingle Media TV and entertainment reporter Kristyn Burtt were on the Red Carpet last night for the Disney Pixar Cars 2. The “Cars 2” World Premiere is like no other: this red carpet is a global speedway, complete with starting and finish lines, plus giant flags representing the international locales from which the film’s World Grand Prix competitors hail. Rolling down the race track will be life-size remote-controlled cars modeled after their big-screen likenesses Lightning McQueen, Mater and Finn McMissile, Guests will don “Cars 2”-themed RealD 3D glasses and view the film at the El Capitan and Grauman’s Chinese Theatres at 8 p.m., followed by a “Cars 2”-style reception at the “Cars 2” World Grand Prix attraction, presented by Kodak To watch the video interviews, visit the Red Carpet Report channel on Mingle Media TV at http://www.minglemediatv.com/redcarpetreport.html For more information about the moving coming out June 24th in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D be a FAN and LIKE the Cars 2 Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/PixarCars