DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2017)




Believe it or not, this reviewer is still holding on to the cassette of 1991’s Beauty and the Beast. The 2017 release of the live action movie just means one thing: it is time to revisit the tale and the music, both as old as time (before you wonder where this writer is going to get a cassette player in this day and age – he does also have a CD version of the soundtrack).

There were 50 minutes of music spread over 15 tracks in the beloved album. The first half contains the movie’s musical numbers writer by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, while the second half features Menken’s Oscar winning score. If you didn’t already know, the titular track “Beauty and the Beast” also took home the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Enough reasons to be excited about this deluxe edition soundtrack of the 2017 film directed by Bill Condon? You bet.

Disc One contains 63 minutes of songs spread over 24 tracks. If you are a fan and already remember the 1991 tunes by heart, you will be pleased to hear Emma Watson giving a distinct character to “Belle” and Belle (Reprise)”; Josh Gad and Luke Evans crooning to the hilarious lyrics in “Gaston”; Ewan McGregor, Emma Thompson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Ian McKellen performing the big show number “Be Our Guest”; Watson and Dan Stevens sharing a romantic moment in “Something There”; Evans and Gad rousing heated emotions in “The Mob Song” and of course – Thompson singing to you that “Beauty and the Beast” is “tale as old as time” and “song as old as rhyme”.

Fans who have put the 1991 soundtrack on repeat for the last 26 years may spot several alterations to instrumental arrangements and changes to lyrics. The performers may also not meet the vocal heights of original voice cast members like Paige O’ Hara (Belle), Richard White (Beast), Jerry Orbach (Lumiere) and the perfect Angela Lansbury (Mrs Potts). But be assured that the new renditions of these songs still deliver musical movie magic.

There are also new songs written for the 2017 movie (lyrics by Tim Rice) which you will find on Disc One. “How Does a Moment Last Forever” is a lullaby performed lovingly by Kevin Kline in the “Music Box” version and Watson in the “Montmartre” version. Celine Dion (who sang “Beauty and the Beast” with Peabo Bryson during the 1991 movie’s end credits) performs the beautiful radio edit here. “Days in the Sun” is performed by the enchanted objects in the movie, while Stevens’ Beast sings the soulful “Evermore” (Josh Groban is the perfect choice for the radio edit).

If there is one thing we have some qualms about, it would be the choice to have Ariana Grande and John Legend perform the radio edit of “Beauty and the Beast”: the end result seems a little too contemporary for comfort. Disc One is rounded up by five of Menken’s demo tracks (it is a trend to include demo tracks in the deluxe versions of soundtracks to make up the bulk).

Soundtrack fans will also rejoice at the fact that there are 69 minutes of Menken’s score on Disc Two. There are references to the songs throughout the score, and if you are familiar with the Disney’s Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast, you will recognise the nice touch to include “Home” from the stage version. It has been a while since Disney spoilt its fans with such an immersive musical experience. With the many live action adaptations of Disney’s beloved classics coming up, we hope we can continually be spoilt with such lovely soundtrack albums.  

ALBUM RATING:

 

Recommended Track: 
Disc One - (5) Belle 

Review by John Li

Back

TRACK LISTING

DISC ONE
1
Overture
2
Main Title: Prologue Pt. 1
3
Aria
4
Main Title: Prologue Pt. 2
5
Belle
6
How Does a Moment Last Forever (Music Box)
7
Belle (Reprise)
8
Gaston
9
Be Our Guest
10
Days in the Sun
11
Something There
12
How Does a Moment Last Forever (Montmartre)
13
Beauty and the Beast
14
Evermore
15
The Mob Song
16
Beauty and the Beast (Finale)
17
How Does a Moment Last Forever - performed by Celine Dion
18
Beauty and the Beast - performed by Ariana Grande and John Legend
19
Evermore - performed by Josh Groban
20
Aria (Demo) - performed by Alan Menken
21
How Does a Moment Last Forever (Music Box) (Demo) - performed by Alan Menken
22
Days in the Sun (Demo)  - performed by Alan Menken
23
How Does a Moment Last Forever (Montmartre) (Demo) - performed by Alan Menken
24
Evermore (Demo) - performed by Alan Menken



DISC TWO
1 Main Title: Prologue
2 Belle Meets Gaston
3 Your Mother
4 The Laverie
5 Wolf Chase
6 Entering the Castle
7 A White Rose
8 The Beast
9 Meet the Staff
10 Home (extended mix)
11 Madame de Garderobe
12 There's a Beast
13 A Petal Drops
14 A Bracing Cup of Tea
15 The West Wing
16 Wolves Attack Belle
17 The Library
18 Colonnade Chat
19 The Plague
20 Maurice Accuses Gaston
21 Beast Takes a Bath
22 The Dress
23 You Must Go to Him
24 Belle Stops the Wagon
25 Castle Under Attack
26 Turret Pursuit
27 You Came Back
28 Transformations

 

 ABOUT THE SOUNDTRACK

Composer: Score by Alan Menken; Songs by Alan Menken (Music), Howard Ashman and Tim Rice (Lyrics)
Label: Walt Disney Records
Release Date: March 10, 2017