Disney’s Platinum Series may only be releasing one of its 10 selections to DVD each year, but so far this has proved to ensure high quality releases. First was last year’s well-reviewed “Snow White'” and this year brings “Beauty and the Beast.”

“Beauty and the Beast” was originally released in 1991 and received critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. Filled with excellent animation and charming musical numbers, it’s the story of Belle, an odd village girl, who exchanges herself as a prisoner for her father in the magical castle of the Beast, a once-spoiled prince.

However, in storybook fashion, the two start to see sides of each other they had previously overlooked and form a friendship. The story is both charming and heartfelt, and has action sequences mixed in for extra flair. It’s full of great characters and is certainly one of Disney’s finer examples over the years.

“Beauty and the Beast” has enjoyed multiple releases, first with a work-in-progress edition shown in 1991 at the New York Film Festival, then the original theatrical version and most recently in the IMAX special edition. Amazingly, Disney has decided to pack all three of these versions onto this DVD set.

All three come in excellent condition as well, the only differences being in the sound options, which is only a minor and mostly unnoticeable difference. The original version and special edition are for the most part the same, with only a new song sequence and some animation changes differing, but both are still entertaining.

The work-in-progress edition is a great new way to watch the film and see the extremes of the levels of animation that go into a Disney film. It’s definitely entertaining on its own and well worth watching over again, as are the other two versions.

With the extras, “Snow White'” set the standard of what the Platinum Series should be, and for the most part, “Beauty and the Beast” lives up to it. Included on the first disc is a nice audio commentary from the filmmakers, a sing-along track and a game used to access more content on disc two.

Disc two is packed with all sorts of information, including multiple interview bits with animators and filmmakers. There are also lots of details on story, animation and all the processes involved. These are all very informative and interesting, and lots of behind-the-scenes footage gives an excellent glimpse into the animation process.

Sadly, many of these features, but not all, are rather short and feel abrupt. You feel like there should be more to them, and their shortness makes them less likely to be enjoyed multiple times. Disc two also contains some games that will appeal to younger viewers, as well as information on other Disney titles, which are not as noteworthy as the other sections.

All together, “Beauty and the Beast” is an excellent second installment in the Platinum Series and helps continue the standards set by “Snow White.” As mentioned, some of the extras really lack in depth and length, especially for a film that many consider Disney’s best of the last 20 years.

Still, what’s included is plentiful and does give some interesting behind-the-scenes looks and great interviews. The true beauty of this set, though, is the three versions of the film, as each is in top quality and entertaining on its own.