Blu-ray Bounty for Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast will waltz on to Blu-ray and Digital HD next week with a bevy of extras not on the DVD.

It will go on sale here three weeks after its US bow but three weeks ahead of its UK launch.

And unlike the US market, the June 28 NZ release includes a 3D edition.

US critics thought the 2D 1080p transfer exceptional. Blu-ray.com dubbed it “practically flawless … The image appears limited only by the available resolution.”

And Home Theater Forum graded both the video and audio 5/5. “The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 sound mix offers the kind of reference quality sound design that top flight productions today can attain.”

Here are the extras:

• Beauty and the Beast Music Video: Ariana Grande and John Legend perform the iconic song.
• Enchanted Table Read: The cast;s elaborately staged table read includes singing and dancing to live music, set pieces and more.
• A Beauty of a Tale: How a beloved animated film was transformed into live action.
• The Women Behind Beauty and the Beast: Emma Watson introduces some of the women who helped to bring the enchanted tale to life.
• Making a Moment with Celine Dion: Celine Dion shares what it’s like to sing “How Does a Moment Last Forever”.
• From Song to Screen: Making the Musical Sequences: Four featurettes reveal what went into making some of the best-known moments.
• Deleted Scenes: Director Bill Condon introduces eight scenes that had to be cut.
• Extended Song: “Days in the Sun”  — learn more about Beast’s childhood in an alternate version of this song, introduced by Condon.
• Making the Music Video: On the set of Ariana Grande and John Legend’s recording.
• Disney Song Selection: Jump directly to all favourite songs and sing along with the movie.