Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Countdown to 'Beauty and the Beast' #9


Trivia Tuesday- ""Flowers, chocolates, promises you don't intend to keep."

David Ogden Stiers, the voice of Cogsworth, improvised while recording some of his lines for the animated classic. Stiers spoke about his improvisations during last week's 25th anniversary screening and even treated fans to a live performance of one of Cogsworth's famous lines.


Watch more videos from the 25th anniversary screening here.

Watchful Wednesday- The Little Mermaid (Howard Ashman & Alan Menken)


I don't know when, I don't know how
But I know something's starting right now

Released in November 1989, The Little Mermaid is the first film in the era that would later become known as the Disney Renaissance. The film, which is based on the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale, won two Oscars for Best Song ("Under the Sea") and Best Original Score, in addition to two Golden Globes and two Grammy awards. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker (Aladdin, Hercules, The Princess and the Frog), The Little Mermaid features the voice talents of Jodi Benson (Ariel), Samuel E. Wright (Sebastian), and Pat Carroll (Ursula).

The Little Mermaid's success also greatly influenced the production of Beauty and the Beast, which was not originally planned as a musical. Producer Don Hahn recently spoke about the change in direction at a screening of Beauty and the Beast.
"There was a little film that came out before us called 'The Little Mermaid,'" revealed producer Don Hahn. That flick's success brought "Mermaid" songwriters Howard Ashman and Alan Menken onto the project ... and the original version was totally scrapped.

Hahn says the tunes took what he called a "European story" and turned it into "something uniquely musical."

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