My Review of Beauty And The Beast (2017)

Written by Stephen Chbosky & Evan Spiliotopoulos
Directed by Bill Condon

Belle:"I want adventure in the great wide somewhere, I want it more than I can tell... And for once it might be grand to have someone understand, I want so much more than they've got planned!"

You know the general gist with this one. I was originally going to view this live action remake to a classic Disney animated movie in the cinema, but changed my mind. The movie itself would go on to make a billion, a fate it would share with live action remakes of Aladdin and The Lion King. The obvious question, box office numbers aside - is it any good?

The answer is yes, of course it's good. It's not quite as enchanting as the animated version but there's plenty to like her. The main story is largely unchanged but there's certainly some additions as this live action take attempts to modernise the story a bit for a new generation of audiences.

Our story begins with a spoiled Prince named Adam (Dan Stevens) rejecting a beggar woman (Hattie Morahan) named Agathe. This turns out to be a rather fatal mistake as Agathe reveals herself to be an Enchantress and therefore not only turns Adam into a beast but all of his guests into household objects and if Adam can't find true love at a certain time, then he's doomed to remain a beast for eternity.

Cut to the village nearby and a young girl named Belle (Emma Watson)is the object of curiosity and derision by the villagers and the unwanted affection of the vain and boorish huntsman, Gaston (Luke Evans). When Belle's father, Maurice (Kevin Kline) makes the mistake of stealing a rose from the Beast's garden, Belle trades her own freedom for her father's and a fraught relationship between the title characters soon takes place.

I know there's problematic elements with this whole romance (Stockholm Syndrome, toxic masculinity, you name it, it's there) but seeing as I can separate fiction from reality and embrace the story as it is, the gradual thawing of Belle and the Beast's relationship from hostility to love is handled reasonably well with the extended time this live action version affords it.

The extended time doesn't massively expand upon some of the supporting characters as much as you'd expect but the characters aren't too short changed either. The likes of Lumiere (Ewan McGregor), Cosgworth (Ian McKellen), Mrs Potts (Emma Thompson) and Plumette (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) have some good moments in the movie as does Gaston's foolish friend, LeFou (Josh Gad).

Speaking of LeFou, the storm in a teacup (not you, Chip) over the character's homosexuality really was all for nothing. I'm not criticising as such but aside from a few moments that suggest he's in love with Gaston and a literal blink and you miss it dance moment with a male extra in the palace, it's nothing of a real note, which does seem to be an ongoing issue with Disney productions.

A little more noteworthy though was the movie's extra length to expand upon both Belle and Adam's respective childhoods with some tragic flashbacks to years before hand that informed their actions in the present day. Neither were really needed but both added a lot to the movie and while the chemistry with Emma Watson and Dan Stevens isn't as electric as it could've been, the two of them do compliment one another one.

- Originally director Bill Condon wasn't going to have music in this one. Fortunately he changed his mind.
- Alan Menken who scored the original movie returned to do music for this one along with Tim Rice.
- Standout music: The usual suspects (Belle, Be Our Guest, Beauty And The Beast, Gaston etc) but I did like the additions of Evermore and Days In The Sun. I wasn't too keen on How Does A Moment Last Forever.
- Chronology: If we're going by Gaston and LeFou's backstory, then sometime after 1763.

Beauty And The Beast doesn't quite have the magic of the 1991 classic but it's an intriguing live action of two halves - faithful remake while also adding it's own little bits. All the leading cast do a strong job in bringing the characters to the big screen and Condon certainly has some truly enchanting and gorgeously shot moments throughout the movie.

Rating: 7 out of 10

My Review of Beauty And The Beast (1991)

Written by Brenda Chapman & Chris Sanders & Burny Mattinson & Kevin Harkey & Brian Pimental & Bruce Woodside & Joe Ranft & Tom Ellery & Kelly Asbury & Robert Lence
Directed by Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise

Beast: "And at least... at least I got to see you... one last time."
Belle: "No, No! Please. Please... Please don't leave me. I love you!"

Seeing as it's due a live action release in 2017 that I'm looking forward to actually seeing, I thought it was time to give the animated version from 1991 another view. It's been a long while since I've last seen this version of the classic fairytale and the opening scene alone was a stark reminder as to why it's one of the best Disney movies ever made.

The movie starts with a vain prince (Robby Benson) turning away an ugly beggar woman. The woman then reveals herself to be a beautiful enchantress who then turns curses the prince into a beastly creature while also transforming both his castle and staff for good measure. The Beast now has to learn to love someone for more than their looks and they in return have to love him back before the last petal of an enchanted rose falls.

This is where a young, slightly odd village girl named Belle (Paige O'Hara) factors into things. More interested in books than marrying the brutish Gaston (Richard White), Belle finds herself trading her own freedom for her foolhardy father, Maurice (Rex Everhart) when the latter overstays his welcome at the Beast's gothic looking castle.

Needless to say, both Belle and the Beast initially clash and with his inability to control his temper and her snooping into the West Wing, it certainly wasn't getting off to a great start with the pair of them. Of course Belle nearly getting mauled by a pack of wolves and the Beast showing a little softness did however seem to smooth things between the pair.

Then there was the ultimate romantic moment as the Beast's staff - candled Lumiere (Jerry Orbach), clock Cogsworth (David Osgden Stiers), tea pot Mrs Potts (Angela Lansbury), her son the tea cup Chip (Bradley Pierce), the foot stool that clearly was a dog and a wardrobe to name a few arranged for both Belle and the Beast to get closer, only for the latter to return home to her ailing father and the monstrous Gaston along with bumbling Lefou (Jesse Corti) to use the opportunity to mount an army after the Beast.

Gaston is one of the best Disney baddies and probably one of the most realistic too. He's an angry, brutish lout, equally as vain as the Beast had been prior to his transformation, only without any redeeming features. His downfall at the end of the movie, coinciding with the Beast's curse finally being lifted is a thing of beauty though.

The relationship between Beast and Belle is definitely open for a lot of debate but it's still a compelling one and clearly one that has influenced a lot of modern romances (and two less than stellar book and movie franchises). It's hard not to fall in love with both of them as their connection comes through beautifully throughout the movie.

- Aside from a sequel, Belle also makes a blink and you'll miss it cameo appearance in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame.
- Belle is an only child in this movie where she's usually the youngest of three girls in the source material.
- This movie was the last one to feature music from Howard Ashman. There's a dedication to him as well.
- The music highlights - Beauty And The Beast (Angela Lansbury and Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson), Gaston's Song, Be Our Guest and Little Town. The score music in this movie is gorgeous though.

I could gush and gush about this movie and I will. The animation is beautiful, the music incredible, the love story between Belle and the Beast is genuinely effective and it's just a gorgeous movie from start to finish. Beauty And The Beast is easily one of the best movies of all time and definitely one of Disney's best to date.

Rating: 10 out of 10