āWell thereās the usual things: flowersā¦ chocolatesā¦ promises you donāt intend to keep.ā ā Cogsworth
Initial thoughts before viewing: I, like most kids of my generation, grew up watching Beauty and the Beast. Although I was only 3 years-old when this came out in theaters, I did have a well worn VHS copy at home. Belle was also the first Disney heroine I remember having brown hair (like me!), so I very much identified with her character.
If you have never seen Beauty and the Beast (who hurt you?) or need a refresher, here is a link to the movie's Disney Wiki page where you can read the plot summary.
Highlights:
-Ashman & Menken strike again. We're all familiar with the songs in this movie. We've heard "Be Our Guest" and "Beauty and the Beast" dozens of times to the point where these songs have perhaps sadly lost a little bit of their dazzle. But what an joy it must have been to experience the songs of "Beauty and the Beast" for the very first time. Imagine being able to sit and watch this love story unfold through these exquisite songs without already knowing every word and melody. That's the mindset I try and put myself in when re-watching these films, and oh my goodness did I see Beauty and the Beast in a new light.
Beauty and the Beast is built like a Broadway musical whereas the songs actually help reveal a character's personality and/or moves the plot along in an organic way. Every single song in this movie is solid, intentional, and beautiful. This is in thanks to the immaculate duo of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, the brilliant team behind Disney classics like Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid. These songs are the culmination of Howard Ashman's life's work: few knew that he had actually been diagnosed with AIDS during the production of Beauty and the Beast, but he never stopped writing songs. It's incredibly moving to know that he literally wrote the songs for this movie from his deathbed. Sadly, Ashman died in 1991. He never saw the finished version of Beauty and the Beast and the movie is fittingly dedicated to him.
-The Beast is the Disney Prince we've been waiting for. What makes the Beast so special is his story and development as a fallen prince. The Beast is punished at the beginning of the film for being āspoiled, selfish, and unkind,ā the direct antithesis of a traditional Disney princes. Supervising animator Glen Keane described the Beast as āa twenty-one-year-old guy whoās insecure, wants to be loved, wants to love, but has this ugly exterior and has to overcome thisā (Koeing, 211). The Beast exhibits a complex range of emotions not typically seen from a protagonist in a Disney animated feature. From rage, despair, and even inadequacy, the Beasts emotions are a clear departure from tradition. The Beast has layers upon layers of complexity, and he becomes extremely sympathetic as the film progresses. His anger issues stem from the fact that he's lost his humanity and he struggles to convey his emotions any other way than shouting. While the other Disney princes are seemingly born with an innate kindness and princely nature, the Beast is set apart from them because he painstakingly must earns back his humanity and princely status.
Beauty and the Beast is also the first Disney animated feature that has the prince figure sharing the title of the film with the heroine. Whereas all the previous Disney fairytales focused exclusively on the heroineās journey, this is truly a story with 2 protagonists. Rather than being portrayed as the stereotypical bastion of strength and charm as most princes are, the Beast is actually the main hindrance of the heroine Belle and behaves much more like a villain for large parts of the film. This is what makes his character so great - the depth and development!
-Belle is the Disney heroine we've been waiting for. Belle breaks the mold. She's an active heroine who drives the story. She is actually WAY more active than the Beast who is passive and sits mournfully alone in his cursed castle. It's clear from the get-go that Belle craves adventure and someone who truly understands her. As she tells her father Maurice early on, "It's just that I'm not sure I fit in here. There's no one I can really talk to." Belle is āintelligent, aggressive and [has] more on her mind than getting marriedā (Koenig, 209). She's not looking for romantic love or marriage, and she certainly doesn't fall for the Beast the moment she meets him (unlike literally all the other Disney princesses at this point).
Belleās strength is that she learns to appreciate the Beast and grows to love him over time. In the song āSomething Thereā, Belle muses ātrue, that heās no prince charming, but thereās something in him that I simply didnāt see.ā Just as the Beast is a unique, complex figure who eventually grows into the romantic lead of the story, Belle (who wasn't looking for love!) also grows into the romantic lead as her feelings for the Beast begin to develop. Upon re-watch as an adult, it occurred to me exactly why Belle started to fall for the Beast; he didn't try to change her. Everyone else in town thought Belle was odd and had her nose stuck in books ("it's not right for a woman to read"), but the Beast actually encouraged her love of reading (he gave her a library!) and let Belle share her joy of reading with him. The Beast became the person she could "talk to" that she longed for - he became her friend. š
-No one sings like Gaston. šŖ Is "Gaston" perhaps the best villain song in Disney history? I didn't think so before, but I can't get it out of my head and the more I watch this sequence, the more I am convinced that this song is definitely in the top of the top. Also, the Gaston-led "The Mob Song" is a rousing sleeper hit buried amongst this super-stacked soundtrack.
-The ending. The last 15 minutes of this movie is such an emotional rollercoaster (in the best way). The Beast's "death" and transformation is one of the best sequences in animation history. Between the powerful score and dramatic visuals, this whole thing is a spectacular home run. I also never really realized that Belle didn't actually know that the Beast was a cursed man (although she may certainly have suspected since she saw his torn portrait). This makes their love story even more impressive: she truly grew to love the Beast as he was. It's also incredibly satisfying to see all the cursed servants return to human form!
Disliked:
-The Beast as a human is kinda blah? When the Beast finally learns to love and is restored to a human prince at the end of the film, all of his character complexity too seems to vanish. Human Beast is also a little too clean shaven for my taste (this would have been the perfect opportunity to introduce a prince with facial hair! Insert Flynn Rider here). Prince Adam (formerly known as the Beast) has less than 2 minutes of screen time. Perhaps this is why at Disney theme parks across the world, Belle greets guests with her prince as the Beast, not a human.
Random Thoughts I Had While Watching:
-Isn't Mrs. Potts a little past her child-bearing years? In human form, Mrs. Potts looks, well, mature. Her son Chip is supposed to be about 7 years-old...?
-Does Belle have Stockholm Syndrome? While I find Beauty and the Beast deeply empowering (Belle is the active agent!), I can sort of understand why others may find it somewhat oppressive or disturbing. The thing that convinces me that this is not a tale of romanticized Stockholm Syndrome, though, is that Belle chooses to remain in the castle (she gave her word that she'd stay in the place of Maurice, so she honors that). She persistently wants to leave the castle, and she does in fact leave as soon as the Beast releases her (if she had Stockholm Syndrome, she obviously would have stayed with him and been happy about that). And let's not forget, Belle returns to the castle voluntarily because she knows the Beast is not the monster Gaston says he is. She recognizes that the Beast has reformed and is no longer the villain he was in the first 20 minutes of the movie.
-Gaston's fate. In case you were wondering whether Gaston could have survived that fall, he's an Easter Egg for you: if you freeze the film, you'll see that animator's drew skulls in his eyes to assure the audience of Gaston's grim fate.
Closing Thoughts:
-Character is key. There are a lot of reasons to love this movie, but for me it comes down to the character development. Belle and the Beast are not perfect, nor are they presented as such. They have layers and complexities (like a parfait!). They argue, they're impetuous, they're stubborn, but they also give each other second chances -- and most importantly -- they learn from one another. Yes, this is a fairy tale with enchanted roses and talking teapots (shout out to Angela Lansbury), but it's still the most realistic and moving portrayal of a relationship I've seen in an animated movie. It's completely engrossing and well, enchanting.
-Beauty and the Beast changed the way people viewed animation. Beauty and the Beast is an elegant and triumphant film. And I don't mean "for an animated film." I'm saying that this is a GREAT FILM period. This movie garnered such universal acclaim upon its release that it really changed the way people viewed animation. Disney wasn't making movies "just for kids" anymore - it was creating art that bridged the generation gap and struck a chord with adults as well as children.
-It made film history (and in a big way). Beauty and the Beast was nominated for 5 Oscars, and holds the distinction of being the first animated movie ever to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar (and this was back when a max of 5 films could be nominated per year, btw). Beauty and the Beast ended up winning 2 Oscars (Best Original Score, Best Original Song for "Beauty and the Beast"). It was also the first animated film ever to actually win the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy.
Beauty and the Beast is often regarded as the finest animated movie ever made, and with good reason: it's a masterpiece.
My Rating: 10/10
Works Cited
Koenig, David. Mouse Under Glass: Secrets of Disney Animation and Theme Parks. Irvine, CA: Bonaventure Press, 1997.
Maltin, Leonard. The Disney Films. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1973.
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