Beauty and the Beast
'Belle, you must leave here; this castle is alive!' - Maurice
Popcorn, M&Ms and a large drink. Roll the film...
The animated classic is one of the rare films to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and the stage production set the standard for films transitioning to Broadway. How will the live-action edition fare with the fans?
The fairy-tale of Beauty and the Beast has been in existence since the 1700's and has been reintroduced to each generation in various forms throughout history. In literature, stage productions, televisions series and different manifestations on screen that have allowed the legend of Belle and the Beast to enter each century in a new manner. The 1991 Disney animated interpretation and the subsequent stage productions have held the attention of this modern era, but the House of Mouse could not stop there. Due to the success with live productions of other animated classics, Beauty and the Beast had to be a consideration to be re-introduced to the next generation. Even though it has been 26 years since the original Disney production, director Bill Condon is faced with the challenge of interpreting a much loved classic and make it fresh for new fans of this fantasy adventure.
The heart of the story has remained consistent and the production team have not diverted from the original elements that made the animated version maintain strong followers. Belle (Emma Watson) and her father, Maurice (Kevin Kline), live in a small French village where things are predictable and safe. The daughter of the local tinkerer never feels that she fits in with the local community. Her head and heart come alive within the literary world and she fails to connect with the local town folk. As her father goes to sell his wares in the marketplace, he finds himself lost and eventually imprisoned in an enchanted castle that is under the rule of a terrifying beast (Dan Stevens). In an attempt to save her father from a dire life within the gloomy prison walls of the fortress, Belle takes the place of Maurice. Unwittingly, she has placed herself into a magical world where she may be the key to breaking the curse of this gloomy fortress that has held its inhabitants captive for years. Will she be able to save herself, the Beast and the castle residents before the local town folk come to destroy the life that they are hoping to have together?
It is a story that is familiar to most and forces the veteran director of two Twilight films to offer something new for audiences. The biggest hill for Condon to climb is to live up to the animated behemoth and the smash hit musical Broadway productions. This proves to be a formidable task, even with the built in fan base, an excellent cast and a massive budget.
For the fans of the 1991 version, the look and feel remains relatively intact and should draw upon nostalgia to put hearts at ease. The village and castle settings provide a magnificent canvas for the musical to be played against and it sets the tone that closely aligns with the stage production. New characters and musical numbers are added to provide fresh elements to an exceptionally familiar narrative. The pacing is aligned with a stage production and a bit slower than the animated version, but the enchanting elements remain at the heart of the live action. There are elements within this magical world that are darker than it's predecessor and lacks the lightness of script and visual elements.
This long-anticipated live action version has been able to draw on some of the world’s greatest acting talent. The cast spans from Emma Thompson to Ian McKellen to Stanley Tucci and to comment on all of the performances would take too long. Most of the cast are relegated to CGI manifestations and it is difficult to critique their performances, except that the animation is good, but does not break any new cinematic ground. Some of these roles were well chosen and others were under-utilised, but for the sake of brevity, comments will be left to the central figures. Emma Watson carries an exceptional load as the beloved Disney heroine. She does encapsulate the look and attitude of Belle, but Condon may have forgotten that this is a musical. Watson is a talented actress, but does not have exceptional singing abilities. It is unfortunate that the casting director did not look to finding a vocalist that can act, opposed to a 'beauty' that can sing. This was the casting mistake with Dan Stevens, being a good actor with moderate singing abilities. Understandably, he is limited by the CGI animation that surrounds his character, but that does not diminish the need for musical skills. Both were admirable performances, but suffered from inevitable comparison. Thankfully, there was a highlight amongst the lead acting talent which was found in the much hated, but thoroughly engaging antagonist of Gaston. Luke Evans (The Hobbit) may not be the physical embodiment of his animated alter-ego, but he does take on the bloated ego and animal magnetism of the role and he can carry a tune.
To scale the heights of the original Disney release is a daunting task and Condon does his best, but fails to reach the summit. Without the inevitable comparison, this would be a good film and worth considering. It will perform well during the opening weekend, but it will suffer from the contrast that it represents to the original film and will not be remembered as fondly as the 1991 version.
What should parents know about Beauty and the Beast? With the controversies surrounding the release of the film, the Reel Dialogue team need to address the topics.
“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
Beauty is below the surface: The heart of this and other fairy tales relies on this biblical concept. Our value is not found in our outward appearances, but in what is in the heart. This is a fantastic spring board for parents to discuss this concept with children of all ages.
The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:22-24
Due to the production team's press release about one of the characters having same-sex attraction, it becomes a Reel Dialogue discussion point. If the production team had not made it an issue in the press, most people would not have even noticed it in the film. The scenes that are referenced in the film are subtle and would fly over the head of both the young and the old in attendance, but they do exist. Which leads to the conclusion that the film's creators want this topic to be at the forefront of the discussion during the release of this supposed children's film.
This leaves parents with opportunities for discussions and a decision.
Parents should be aware of what is in any film that their children are watching. They need to educate their children on the subjects effecting our society and then determine if they want their family to attend the screenings of the film. To answer some Reel Dialogue readers, boycotts have never been an effective method of protest and only pander to the press' perceptions of Christians. Instead, each family should take time to consider what the best option is for their children, pray about the decision and then have confidence that the Lord will honour that decision.
Thankfully, the Bible does equip Christians to address the topic of same-sex attraction in a loving and gracious manner. First by celebrating the marriage between a man and woman, which is positively depicted in the film. Secondly, by providing wise and plain language that can assist parents in this discussion. A conversation that may come from this film, but inevitably it will be a topic that will need to addressed with children at some point in the future.
Reel Dialogue encourages parents to be active participants in the entertainment choices of their children and discuss with them the lessons that they can learn from these films.
