High On A Hill
Beautiful Detail: Lashing rain, tiny men carrying blazing torches, vengeful flashes of lightning, no love has been spared when it comes to the gothic home of the titular Beast.
Did It Make The Final Cut? Sure did, this being as near to a final shot from the film as possible.
Be Our Guest
Beautiful Detail: Cogsworth is very nearly the spit of his final design, while Lumière hovers over Belle serenading her. We like the added touch of the rose on our heroine’s dress, as well, linking her to the fatal flower that counts down the Beast’s days.
Did It Make The Final Cut? Very nearly, though in the film Belle’s attire is far more fitting for an inventor’s daughter. Here she seems ready for a night on the tiles. Disney also put the kabosh on that cleavage…
Gentle Beast
Beautiful Detail: Clearly this former Prince hasn’t found a shop that makes silk shirts for human-animal hybrids – tufts of fur have pushed through the seams.
Did It Make The Final Cut? Those gooey eyes obviously got the chop for rendering the Beast a little too effeminate, while the fangs received a serious upgrade in the final product.
Purrrdy Lady
Beautiful Detail: It’s all about showing off Belle’s classic couture again, as animators seek to find the right colour palette for our blushing babe. The droopy cuffs, slicing necklace and decorated corset are hella polished.
Did It Make The Final Cut? Nope, we’re still not quite there yet. Belle’s still looking a bit too refined for our liking. Later, Disney will downgrade her to her now infamous plain blue dress.
Twee Tea
Beautiful Detail: A trio of designs testing variations on the appearance of chirpy Mrs Potts – both as servant girl and as a cursed teapot. We’re sure we’ve seen that gorgeous blue one on our nan’s shelf…
Did It Make The Final Cut? Directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise plumped for a much more simplistic design for Mrs Potts’ final image. We wonder if Angela Lansbury got a say in it.
Winter Wonderland
Beautiful Detail: Evoking a chilly mood, this early proposition for the Beast’s castle has class in spades. Those trees hem the austere abode in, isolating it from the world, while mountains loom in the background to choke it even further into obscurity.
Did It Make The Final Cut? Not quite, but you can certainly see the beginnings of the Beast’s now famous dwelling.
Horny Devil
Beautiful Detail: The Beast has truly taken on his final form here, recognisable traits such as the stunted horns, clasped cloak, sharp talons and flared nostrils are all in place. Sketched to perfection.
Did It Make The Final Cut? This might as well be an unpainted cell from the movie, that’s how closely it resembles the Beast we all know and love.
Belle Of The Ball
Beautiful Detail: Aha, now they’ve got the idea. Paring back the frills, Belle’s in much more modest attire, the emphasis instead on her features. Jessica Rabbit’s lips can go sulk in a corner now.
Did It Make The Final Cut? The dress went the way of the Dodo, but that face is definitely the Belle who manages to soften the Beast’s stone-cold chest cavity.
Candle In The Wind
Beautiful Detail: More early concept art for our final exclusive image, this time of the Beast’s unruly maître d'. They’ve got the life-like candelabra down pat, but... Did they seriously model Lumière’s human form on Anthony Hopkins?
Did It Make The Final Cut? Sadly not. Lumière’s human form ended up more closely resembling Jerry Orbach, the chap who voiced the character. Close call if you ask us.
Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition is out now on Blu-ray and Disney DVD Doubleplay
