Review of Beauty and the Beast (2017) by Dann M — 28 Jul 2018

26 years since the Best Picture Oscar nominated animated film that was a big movie of my childhood. Disney has been transferring many of its renaissance films to the Broadway stage and the structure of its animated movies with songs and story match the Broadway style already.

Now with CGI having the ability to bring to life fantastical fairy tale elements Disney is transferring many titles to live action. This does not replace the great 1991 animated feature in my mind. I do enjoy Emma Watson and Dan Stevens as the leads.

However, adding to the stories of the furniture/knick knacks/servants was problematic. I am not referring to the addition of characters like Madame Garderobe. With stars like McGregor, McKellen, Thompson, McDonald, Tucci, and Mbatha-Raw playing these roles their backstories and relationships were expanded, which is unnecessary and just gets in the way of the central relationship.

I'm not sure if any of this was borrowed from the stage version. The development of Belle and the Beast's relationship is the only one of interest. In fact, I just watched a YouTube video by Lindsay Ellis that dispels accusations of this story being one of Stockholm Syndrome.

I recommend her channel. Also the limits that CGI and live action still has compared to full animation made the climactic battle between the Beast and Gaston less thrilling. And these same changes to the life and death battle also made the emotional punch of Beauty and the Beast discovering true love feel less impactful.

Still it is a grandly magical tale as old as time.