The film was so widely beloved upon release that it became the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture, although it would end up losing to The Silence of the Lambs.
Beauty and the Beast's brilliant mixture of 2D and 3D animation made it revolutionary for its era of animation and would lay the groundwork for other animated films throughout the 90s and beyond. Its exceptional songs, emotionally charged characters, and masterful romance immediately placed it in contention for Walt Disney Animation Studio's greatest films. The film was so widely beloved upon release that it became the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture, although it would end up losing to The Silence of the Lambs.