Disney’s Beauty & The Beast on VCD (Genuine)

Disney do not market VCD’s in the UK, and VCD is a format that is often associated with counterfeit, however in Asia Disney do market VCD’s and this is a very good example of a good quality genuine Disney VCD.

This one arrived from the Philippines, it’s distributed by VIVA Video INC.

The compression used on VCD’s is ideally suited to animation, and the picture and sound quality of this is really very good.  VCD’s can take much more abuse than a DVD, so they are ideal for Kids who tend to be a bit rough when handling discs.  It will look a bit blocky if you view it on a 42″ TV, but on smaller screens up to about 29″ there is little noticeable  difference between this and a DVD for the average viewer.

Beauty and the Beast is quite rare now on any format, if you are a collector you should add some VCD’s to your collection as this is a great title to start with.

It does include extras, which many VCD’s do not.

See more images below (Click to Zoom)

Imported Disney Beauty & The Beast DVD for UK Buyers

Disney have not sold Beauty and the Beast on DVD in the UK for a few years now, so the only option for most people is to buy an imported version.  It’s possible to buy an imported version because whilst Disney do not market this title in the UK or in the USA, it is marketed in many countries around the world.

Buyers from the UK are often surprised to find that UK Disney DVDs differ substantially from nearly every country outside Europe.  Main areas of surprise include the following.

• Imported Disney DVDs do not have the hologram ring on the disc itself (however no Beauty and the Beast DVDs have ever yet been manufactured with the Hologram ring anyway)
• Unlike UK DVDs many Imports have no hologram, or if a hologram is present then the Disney hologram is on the front cover and not on the back or spine like most new UK titles.
• USA Disney DVDs have NO HOLOGRAM on either the box nor the packaging, this comes as a surprise to many UK buyers.
• Imported Disney DVDs DO NOT come in blue or purple plastic boxes, they come in black or clear boxes that do not say “Disney” inside the actual box.
• Imported Disney DVDs rarely have insert leaflets.
• Imports can be 1 or 2 Disc versions depending on Origin

As if all that does not make it complicated enough the quality of the printing can vary a great deal depending on the country in which it’s manufactured.

With Licenced Disney DVDs being manufactured worldwide in more than 100 countries, and Beauty and the Beast being manufactured under licence in a handful of those countries at any one time how do you tell an original from a counterfeit?

It’s even more difficult now that traditional “dodgy” countries such as the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia now manufacture genuine licenced Disney DVDs that are sold at a fraction of the UK price and often find their way to the UK via eBay and DVD Websites.

How to Tell: The only genuine imported Beauty and the Beast DVDs that I have seen recently are 2-disc editions, surprisingly the genuine 2-disc special edition of Beauty and the Beast IS available in parts of Southeast-Asia including mainland China.

Note:  The USA release has not been on sale new for many years, the few sealed ones that are around are unlikely to sell for less than US $100, If it’s coming from anywhere outside of the USA or Canada then it’s very very unlikely to be USA Edition.

DON’T even look for a hologram ring on the disc, it will not be there.  BEAUTY & THE BEAST has NEVER been manufactured with a HOLOGRAM on the DVD.