Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated musical fantasy film from Walt Disney Feature Animation. It adapts the French fairy tale of the same name, following Belle and a prince cursed to live as a beast until he learns to love and be loved in return.

What it is

The film is a Disney animated adaptation of the classic fairy tale. Its central story concerns Belle, who befriends a cursed prince living as a Beast. The curse is broken when the Beast learns to love and be loved in return.

Why it matters

Released in 1991, it became one of Disney’s major animated successes and a landmark of the Disney Renaissance. It was the first animated feature film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, and its title song and score won Oscars.

Key details

The film is set in an enchanted castle where a prince has been transformed into a Beast after rejecting a mysterious enchantress. Belle enters his world, and the story develops around their relationship and the curse, with the Beast needing to change before the final petal falls from an enchanted rose.

In short

  • First animated feature nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
  • Title song and score won Oscars.
  • Central story: Belle and a cursed prince who must learn to love and be loved.
  • Part of the Disney Renaissance and widely popular in Canada.
Canadian angle

The film has long been popular in Canada through theatrical release, television, home video, and Disney-branded distribution, and it is part of the wider Disney catalogue widely consumed by Canadian audiences.

Quick questions

What is Beauty and the Beast?
It is a 1991 Disney animated musical fantasy film based on the French fairy tale of the same name.
Who are the main characters?
The central characters are Belle, a young woman, and the Beast, a cursed prince.
Why is the film notable?
It was the first animated feature nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Sources

  1. Disney — https://movies.disney.com/beauty-and-the-beast
    Supports: Official release date, genre, and Disney identification of the film.
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_and_the_Beast_(1991_film)
    Supports: Plot outline, setting, and broad description of the film’s significance.
  3. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101414/
    Supports: Plot synopsis and basic film identification.
  4. Time Out — https://time.com/news/beauty-and-the-beast-turns-30-heres-30-facts-about-the-classic-disney-animation-101022/
    Supports: Historical background, relation to earlier fairy-tale versions, and anniversary context.
  5. D23 — https://d23.com/beauty-and-the-beast-at-30-from-production-to-classic/
    Supports: Disney production history and studio significance.