OxfordPress.com

Grade: A

Verdict: More beautiful than ever.

Details: With the voices of Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson and Jerry Orbach. Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. Rated G. Only at Imax Theaters. One hour, 34 minutes.

See it: Local theaters and showtimes for [an error occurred while processing this directive]Beauty and the Beast

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Review: It's not really better, because it was just about perfect in the first place.

But it is bigger. A lot bigger. Imax-size bigger.

Disney's animators have come up with a smashing idea to celebrate the 10th anniversary of "Beauty and the Beast." They've spruced up the print, dusted off the digital sound and blown up the film to fit an Imax screen.

So you might be thinking, "Hmmm, they've already milked an ice-skating show and a Broadway musical out of this material, guess they had to get creative to keep the cash cow going."

But with the very first frame, your market-wise cynicism melts away. In the Imax format, the introduction of the Beast's castle has a breathtaking 3-D effect. And throughout the film, you see textures and details you never noticed.

The story is the same. Belle (voice by Paige O'Hara) is still a beautiful bookworm who comes to live with--and ultimately love--the lonely, ferocious Beast (Robby Benson). And all the animated inanimate objects who run the Beast's enchanted castle are on hand--from Lumiere (Jerry Orbach), the amorous candelabra with Yves Montand style, to motherly Mrs. Potts (Angela Lansbury), whose heart is as warm as her tea.

There is one new scene, a six-minute musical number called "Human Again" that was written for the original film and first used in the Broadway musical. In it, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts and the rest of the Beast's bric-a-brac sing of their yearning to become people again. It's a big production number a la "Be My Guest," though not quite as good. Basically, the movie is fine with it and fine without it.

As was true of "Apocalypse Now Redux," something as good as "Beauty and the Beast" is welcome in any size, shape or format. As you allow yourself to be entranced all over again, you may find yourself thinking, "Wonder what 'Lady and the Tramp' would look like as an Imax film. Or 'Pinocchio.' Or 'Bambi.' "

— Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, (none)