Katzenberg ordered that production on the film be started over from scratch, hiring songwriting team Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who had just recently completed scoring The Little Mermaid, to write the film's songs. Dion and Bryson were hired to record a pop version of – and draw media attention to – the film's title song. Ashman, who was initially hesitant to join the project, died of AIDS before the film's completion and the album's release. During the 1970s and 1980s, Walt Disney Feature Animation struggled to release animated feature films that achieved the levels of success of some of the studio's earlier productions did. An animated musical that features songs written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken, The Little Mermaid was both a tremendous critical and commercial success.
Hoping to release a film that achieved similar success, the studio decided to adapt the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont into an animated film. In 2001, the soundtrack was re-released as a "Special Edition" to coincide with the IMAX re-issue of the film, and also to promote the upcoming DVD release. The soundtrack was again re-released in October 2010, as a "Diamond Edition" Soundtrack, to coincide with the successful Blu-ray and DVD Diamond Edition release of the film. This edition also features Jordin Sparks' version of "Beauty and the Beast". One of the interesting things about Beauty and the Beast as a musical is that it doesn't have a traditional love song duet.
The falling in love moment of the film really happens during the dance and the singing of the title song. It a lovely tune that has each character's inner monologue regarding the other. The most fun part of falling in love is the actual falling, and "Something There" really captures it. It's the only time our two lead characters sing together, and it's magical. Beauty and the Beast is the soundtrack album to the 2017 film Beauty and the Beast. The album, largely based on material from Disney's 1991 animated version, features songs and instrumental score composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman and three new songs composed by Menken with lyrics by Tim Rice.
The soundtrack album was released by Walt Disney Records on March 10, 2017. In December 2001, the soundtrack was re-released as a Special Edition to coincide with the IMAX re-issue of the film and the upcoming two-disc Platinum Edition. The soundtrack was reissued as the fourteenth entry in The Legacy Collection on February 9, 2018 and includes previously unreleased score. Every time I watch the animated Beauty and the Beast movie, I always forget this song exists! Luke Evans shows that he can be a really intimidating villain when he needs to be! And the background singers really help out a lot with the tone of the song!
Although, I still don't know why it's just simply called "The Mob Song" instead of "Kill the Beast". The last song we hear in Beauty and the Beast is called "The Mob Song" and it focuses on Gaston riling up the villagers in order to get them to help him attack the Beast's castle. Then the action shifts to the castle, and the servants all pick up the song as they prepare for the attack.
There's nothing really wrong with the tune, it doesn't do anything wrong. It just doesn't have the magic that so many of the other songs so instantly have. Other than hearing the title song again, we don't get any other music in the film. Which is too bad, because it doesn't really end the movie on a high note. The soundtrack includes new versions of classic Beauty and the Beast songs like "Be Our Guest" and "Beauty and the Beast," as well as orchestral music.
The movie is a remake of the 1991 animated film, the first animated feature to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. Step into the enchanted world of Broadway's classic, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, an international sensation that has been produced in 37 countries worldwide. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature, the stage version includes all of the wonderful songs written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice.
The original Broadway production ran for over thirteen years and was nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical. When the film was released, it garnered three separate Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song for "Belle", "Be Our Guest" and "Beauty and the Beast". Producer Don Hahn expressed concern that this would cause confusion among audiences and voters, and potentially result in an unfavorable tie. In order to prevent this from happening, the studio fought in favor of the film's title song and decided to release a pop rendition of "Beauty and the Beast" as a commercial single in an attempt to persuade voters to vote for it. When "Beauty and the Beast" was written, it was composed with the potential of having "half a life outside the movie." Menken revealed that this was the first time one of his compositions had been rearranged and "turned into ear candy". The familiar songs from the original animated classic "Beauty and the Beast" have been revived and reintroduced for the recent live-action blockbuster movie.
This concise medley includes the title song along with Belle and Be Our Guest in a flexibly scored version that will sound great with groups of varied sizes and instrumentations. Producer Hahn recalls a particular moment toward the end of "Belle" where Roger Allers wanted more back and forth among the townspeople. So, with Menken at an electric piano, and Ashman riding herd, phrases and suggestions of action were tossed back and forth as to what people could sing. In hindsight it seems a no-brainer that Beauty and the Beast, Disney's 30th animated feature, would have begun life as a musical. Songwriters Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, fresh off their success with The Little Mermaid, immediately began working on songs for Aladdin.
Beauty and the Beast was being developed for Disney by a British animation director and was intended to be a straight, non-musical feature. They agreed, setting aside work on Aladdin, with Ashman taking on the additional role of executive producer. 5) EVERMORE – Out of all the new songs that were put into the live-action version of the movie, "Evermore" is comfortably the strongest. Giving The Beast his solo song was an excellent decision, really showcasing the heartache he feels after letting Belle go, accepting his fate to remain in that physical state forever.
It's an incredible number that hits some huge heights in terms of vocals, with the instrumental sections matching it all the way. Much like "Aerie", whosoever role it is to play The Beast must take the challenge up and give it their all if the song were to appear in their production. Building on the success of The Little Mermaid, composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman reteam to tell a fantastical love story through song, complete with dancing dinnerware. "Belle" sets the scene in Broadway style, while the boastful "Gaston" is goofily great, and Angela Lansbury's voice easily lends itself to an animated character. Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson bring their star power to the title track, providing a swoon-worthy radio single that easily stands on its own. Of the new songs written for the live-action film, Menken and Rice's "Days in the Sun" is my least favorite.
Originally, Ashman and Menken had written a rather lengthy, large-scale musical number for the film called "Human Again". However, when it was deemed "too ambitious", they swiftly wrote and replaced it with a smaller-scale musical number entitled "Something There". According to Menken, the film's theme and title song, "Beauty and the Beast", was "a very hard song to come by" despite its relative simplicity.
He revealed that the writing process for "Beauty and the Beast" was the longest period of time that he had ever devoted to one particular song. Written to resemble a lullaby, Ashman and Menken conceived "Beauty and the Beast" as "a song that could have a life outside the movie." The film's final musical number, "The Mob Song", was written as what Menken described as "a macho adventure underscore". While composing the orchestral score that accompanies the film's prologue, Menken was inspired by the French suite The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns, referring to it as his own version of Saint-Saëns' composition. Accompanied by a full orchestra, it is considered Beauty and the Beast's "I Want" song. Ashman and Menken always intended the film's score to lend itself to stage performance, so every song was recorded with the orchestra and voice actors performing simultaneously, investing each number with the energy and cohesion of a live show. 'Belle', however, transcends the impact of a simple stage performance, entering the canny, intricate realms of operetta.
The overlapping words and melody lines bustle for attention, and yet somehow clearly establish several main characters and set up the basic plot, all in the space of five minutes. A big part of re-imagining "Beauty and the Beast" as a live-action movie was figuring out what to do with the soundtrack. Even as excitement for the March 2017 release of the Dan Stevens and Emma Watson-starrer Beauty and the Beast picks up — especially after the official trailer was released in November — Disney has offered up a new song sample from the film.
The song sample features Emma Watson — in character as Belle — singing the iconic 'Something There' track from the Disney musical. This song was originally recorded by actress Angela Lansbury for the Disney animated feature film "Beauty and the Beast" . Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson recorded it for the film's soundtrack. It was released as its only single on the 25th of November 1991.
Out of all the songs on this list, "Something There" was the hardest to choose between. Both versions are sweet and gives us a beautiful montage of those moments that led these two characters to fall in love with each other. I prefer Dan Stevens' voice as the Beast, which is the only reason why the live-action film won this song. I also love the moment in the remake where the Beast actually does hit Belle in the face with a giant snowball. 6) HOME – In keeping with the play's further exploration of Belle's arc, she sings about how she will never find happiness by being imprisoned in The Beast's castle. The main thesis of the song consists of not being able to go back in the past in order to fix your problems.
It's an emotionally seared song where Belle belts out about her deepest fears, her internal conflicts that have arisen. The song itself acts as a contrasting juxtaposition to Gaston's songs. Where Gaston broods about himself and how he will make Belle his housewife, here Belle stands firm against the trials and tribulations she has endured.
Going along with the theme of the show, it's almost vital that the showrunners include some sort of rendition of this in season 2. Choosing who to play Belle is tricky since there are loads of cast members who can step up to the plate and do it. While she certainly made the most of her supporting role in the first season, it would be a sin not to cast Ashlyn as the lead this time around.
Her stunning rendition of the emotional ballad "Wondering" in "High School Musical" achieved the impressive feat of rounding out fan-favorite Miss Darbus'. Prior to getting professionally involved with Disney, Ashman and Menken had collaborated on a musical adaptation of Little Shop of Horrors and its subsequent musical film adaptation. In addition to hiring a screenwriter, Katzenberg recruited Ashman and Menken to write the film's songs. Indeed, the core of the tale is less about simply falling in love or being yourself ; it is about having the courage to show vulnerability and accept your mistakes. Perhaps this is why Angela Lansbury was the perfect vocalist for the job; her voice is warm, yet frail, melodious and with an impressive range (two octaves – now you know). Despite being initially reluctant to perform a song she considered her voice unsuitable for, with encouragement from Ashman and Menken, Lansbury's first interpretation of the title track was both impressive enough to use, and to seal her casting as Mrs Potts.
The album for the live-action movie features updated versions of all your favorite songs from the original, as well as a few new numbers. Those include "How Does a Moment Last Forever," sung by Céline Dion -- who did the title track on the 1991 soundtrack -- and "Evermore," sung by Josh Groban. The live-action Beauty and the Beast film hits theaters next week, and the full soundtrack for the movie is officially available now. Clocking in at 19 total tracks, the album features cast members Emma Watson, Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, and Dan Stevens, as well as Ariana Grande, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, and John Legend. "How Does a Moment Last Forever" will reportedly play over the end credits of Beauty and the Beast. The song finds Dion reuniting with composer Alan Menken, who wrote the title song for Disney's beloved 1991 animated film, Beauty and the Beast, which Dion sang with Peabo Bryson.
Unapologetically romantic, visually exciting and freshly comedic, it went on to win two Academy Awards for best original score and best song. It was also the first Disney animated feature to become a stage musical, and was so successful that it ran on Broadway for 13 years and played in 20 countries and eight languages. Other than that, I felt like this song was performed pretty well. The background characters did a pretty good job and Luke Evans has a very strong voice. I don't know why they had to include that conversation between Gaston and Le Fou in the soundtrack though instead of having it be something we hear only in the movie itself.
And I'm sure Emma Watson is decent singer even without auto-tune. I still don't think she was a good choice to play Belle, though. To underscore the death of the Beast, Menken originally wrote a deeply moving, but very sad cue. As producer Don Hahn recalled, Jeffrey felt that the cue should play the love between Belle and the Beast, not his death. "The heart is in the love." Menken rewrote the cue, which was quickly recorded in New York.
One song that didn't make it into the original version of the film was "Human Again," wherein the household objects sing of their imminent hope to be returned to their human forms. It was replaced by "Something There," in which Belle and the Beast begin to grow fonder of one another. "Something There" is the only song that was recorded in Los Angeles and is also the only time we get to hear the Beast sing. McDonald also leads this finale version of the title song, though it's probably better experienced in the film than it is on the album.
2) AERIE – There's no denying that Audra McDonald, who portrays Madame de Garderobe aka the Wardrobe, has got an incredible voice, and that much is on display during this new song that is added to the live-action movie. If the song is to appear in season 2, it will be a tall task to whoever is cast as her character. This is a very operatic moment, and it certainly showcases anyone's fantastic vocal ability. Madame De Garderobe has a powerful voice, so one option is to cast Kourtney as her.
East High drama teacher Miss Jenn hinted in Season 1 that she had big plans for Kourtney after she wowed her theater peers with her powerful voice at tech rehearsal. The first big number of the movie is one that introduces the lead character of the story, Belle, and the village in which she lives. The song weaves through the village and features all of the characters chirping in with moments while Belle sings throughout. Just as the film made history by becoming the first animated film to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination, so too the soundtrack made history by becoming the first animated film soundtrack to receive an Album of the Year Grammy nomination .
The pop version of the title track "Beauty and the Beast" also received Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. In total, the soundtrack won 3 Grammys for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (Celine Dion & Peabo Bryson, Best Pop Instrumental Performance , and Best Song Written for a Motion Picture . When Beauty and the Beast was released in November 1991, several film and entertainment critics awarded specific praise to its music, both songs and score. Entertainment Weekly's Lisa Schwarzbaum wrote, "The songs unleash a chemical reaction of happiness." Reminiscent of Peter and the Wolf, certain characters are also assigned an instrument or theme, making an easy task of visualising the film from the soundtrack alone. For instance, Cogsworth's appearance is often heralded by a sort of Baroque harpsichord ditty edging its way into the main body of a song, mirroring his tightly-wound charm.
Similarly, the characters' feelings are intrinsic to the music accompanying them. This may seem like a fairly obvious statement to make about a movie soundtrack, but the way Menken weaves this number of melodic strands together is certainly not. Twenty six years after iconically singing the Beauty and the Beast ballad for the Disney animated film, Celine Dion has returned for the live-action remake with a new original song. The track, called "How Does a Moment Last Forever," features Dion's signature power-vocals, swelling strings and a romantic melody.
Condon sees the new songs as part of the classic Beauty and the Beast canon. "I want audiences to embrace the form and understand that, at its best, musical numbers in movies don't distract, they don't interrupt – they deepen and help create meaning. If you're moved by something, you're more moved when you hear some of those Alan Menken notes or hear some of those Howard Ashman lyrics. Eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice have written three new beauties. The new songs augment rather than replace the haunting original score written by Menken and the late Howard Ashman, leading the storyline into new areas without jeopardising the tale. As songs were completed and routined, they were arranged by Alan Menken and Danny Troob, orchestrated by Troob, and then recorded under the baton of conductor David Friedman .
Sessions took place in the now long-gone, and much missed, B.M.G. Recordings Studios on West 44th Street in New York City. As with Mermaid, Ashman insisted that the singers be allowed to perform the songs at the same time the orchestra was playing—not as an overdub to a pre-recorded track. The vitality of the live orchestra, Ashman argued, would energize the singers, almost as if they were giving a performance before a live audience.
As a lyricist, Ashman knew that he had to understand his characters backwards and forwards before he could begin to put words in their mouths. I was already convinced that Thompson was a queen, and then she goes and drops this kind of fire on the mic, and I'm officially in love. It's so simple and yet so enchanting, and Thompson's version is just as magical as the original, if not a tiny bit more theatrical. Angela Lansbury told The Huffington Post that Ashman and Menken had originally written the song in the style of a rock ballad.
