A tale as old as time returns to theaters world-wide with Bill Condon’s live-action “Beauty and the Beast.” As the third installment in Disney’s live action adaptation venture, this recreation of the 1991 classic was one of the year’s most highly anticipated films.
To add to expectations, lead actors Emma Watson (Belle) and Dan Stevens (Beast/Prince) were joined by a myriad of noteworthy names like Ewan McGregor (Lumiere), Ian McKellen (Cogsworth), Emma Thompson (Mrs. Potts) and Stanley Tucci (Cadenza).
With the exception of Belle and the Beast, the rest of the characters are the house staff who have been transformed into enchanted knick-knacks. However, because most of the characters are CGI produced, the majority of this star-studded cast does not make a substantial appearance until the end.
High quality CGI work is again presented as the audience is introduced to the lavishly decorated castle, which was almost amusingly excessive. As the camera pans over countless sculptures and gold inlays, the fortress proves a solid contrast to the provincial village which Belle calls home.
The new film stays mostly true to the Disney classic while going more in depth into the pasts of both Belle and the Beast. These additions clear up some confusion about characters the original neglected, such as the death of Belle’s mother and the fate of the parents of the young prince who would become the Beast.
“The new film stays mostly true to the Disney classic while going more in depth into the pasts of Belle and the Beast.”
Claire Morrow
Despite the film bringing in an astounding $170 million dollars during its opening weekend, the revamped classic has prompted mixed feedback.
With the original animated film encapsulating an early example of a strong female lead, there was a sense that the modern version had even bigger shoes to fill. In spite of those expectations, the character of Belle stayed relatively similar to the 1991 version. Condon’s production kept her as vibrant and stubborn as ever and really allowed for her unique qualities to shine.
That being said, Condon may have tried to fit too many progressive issues into a single movie. Besides having Belle as a strong female lead, the movie also attempts to address various other issues and elements that lead to its substantial 129 minute runtime.
One of the issues which sparked controversy was the introduction of a gay character to the traditional script. Many felt that Condon’s claim of a “nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie,” was far from hitting its mark.
The “moment” promised is indeed just a one-second shot of sidekick character LeFou being thrown into the arms of an anonymous extra who is coincidentally dressed as a woman from an early quip.
The shot has been boiled down to a grasp at inclusivity and not much more. However, it was enough to have the film removed from an Alabama theater and banned by the entirety of Malaysia. Disney refused to cut the scene to please their more conservative markets. This was viewed as perhaps just another PR opportunity by some, and admirable to others.
Regardless of positive or negative reactions, the box office numbers don’t lie. Audiences flocked to relive their childhood fairytale, and even if this film did not exceed all expectations, the story and the characters still strike a chord in the hearts of many.
