I was exactly the same age as my daughter is now, watching the live action version, when I first saw ‘Beauty and the Beast’ on the big screen
It’s hard to describe the feeling when one realizes that the animated film version of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” was first released in 1991. That’s more than a quarter of a century!
Has it really been that long? What a way to realize how much older one has gotten.
A quick review of the years also tells me that when I first saw the film on the big screen, I was exactly the same age as my daughter now as she watches the new live-action version.
How I loved the animated version when I was her age! My mom bought me the CD of the movie after it was released, and I must have listened to it so many times that, to this day, I can still sing more than half the songs, much to my daughter’s embarrassment.
While much of the new live-action film remains faithful to the animated original, there are some parts that have been updated to suit today’s audience.
For instance, “Beauty and the Beast” 2017 takes into consideration that questions need to be answered, as children will not settle for anything less than a clear explanation of how things came about.
Twenty years ago, we all just accepted what was presented to us, no questions asked.
In this new live-action version which stars Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as The Prince/Beast, we learn why and how Belle’s father, Maurice (Kevin Kline), ends up in a small provincial town with his daughter and where Belle’s mother is in all of this.
We are given a glimpse into Belle’s tragic family history through the introduction of a magical book into the story.
It’s not just new magical items that are woven into the plot. There are new songs, as well, which give the characters more depth as they express their feelings and bring to light issues previously undisclosed.
Forward-thinking
Belle’s father is also given justice as being more than just “crazy old Maurice.” It turns out he’s an artist and a modern, forward-thinking man, which influences his daughter to be just as open-minded and progressive.
Belle is more than just a bookworm. She is an inventor and an advocate for women’s literacy—teaching, in one scene, a young girl how to read.
LeFou, Gaston’s faithful sidekick, is likewise given a new image in the sense that, though he’s loyal as ever, he is not as foolish and blind as he used to be. He questions Gaston, though fearfully. Eventually he distinguishes right from wrong and does what should be done.
Is LeFou simply Gaston’s clingy best friend and number one fan, or is there something more? Disney has given clues about LeFou’s sexuality but you’d have to look very closely and make your own conclusions, as the clues are hidden so carefully that they can pass unnoticed.
Most importantly, we discover why the people in the castle are also cursed along with the Prince, for what seems to be his fault alone.
When Belle asks Mrs. Potts why they still care about him when they have done nothing to deserve the curse, she sadly agrees and says that, indeed, they have done no wrong.
They do nothing to stop their young ward from growing into the hideous young man he becomes after the tragic loss of his loving mother.
They do nothing to stop the young prince’s cruel father from turning his young, innocent child into a beast. And in doing nothing, they allow the young boy to grow into a man devoid of love and compassion—a reminder to all parent of our responsibilities, and how much influence we have over how our children turn out.
All in all, both mother and daughter thoroughly enjoyed this remake of a timeless classic. It is as magical as ever, but with more depth, and in some ways, geared toward this modern generation, ensuring us that this beautiful tale of love, looking beyond what we see, and celebrating the importance of inner beauty will continue to live on.
