Coolest Geek Alive

ANIMATED: Crown Jewel of the Disney Renaissance - Beauty and the Beast! 

Today, Coolest Alive, host Jesse Blaze Snider celebrates Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, which changed animation forever, becoming the first animated film nominated for Best Picture and proving that animated storytelling could carry emotional, musical, and cinematic weight equal to live-action films. In this episode, we explore the film’s groundbreaking animation, the Broadway-style music by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, the powerful themes of love and transformation, and how the story of Belle and the Beast reshaped the Disney Renaissance and modern animated filmmaking. From unforgettable songs to revolutionary storytelling techniques, we break down why this film remains one of the most important animated movies ever made.