Year: 2017
Director: Bill Condon
Country: US
Language: English
In 1991 Beauty and the Beast managed to shock all by being the only animated feature, at the time, to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. It was made during Disney's late 80's to mid 90's so-called Renaissance where they managed to produce hit after hit. I have seen that animated, as well as a live performance at Disney World, a live performance at Rainbow Stage in Winnipeg, MB, Canada and Jean Cocteau's 1948 feature. I like Cocteau's version the best, can you guess which one I liked the least?
A young woman (Emma Watson) whose father has been imprisoned by a
Here's the thing; every version of Beauty and the Beast I've seen has worked primarily because the Beast is an intimidating authoritative figure who is primarily all id and isn't fully in control of his animal impulses. We worry about Belle's safety and are legitimately concerned that she will come to some harm. This beast? Even at his most angry he just seems like a very hairy British guy who's just woken up from a nice nap. There isn't anything to fear. Not only that, but the animation looks cheap and his fur is so obviously artificial. He doesn't even look intimidating.
Though the music is better than La La Land, I must condemn this picture for the lack of color. Every scene is full of muted greys and dark tinted greens. Even when there is some color in the picture, like Belle's yellow dress, it doesn't pop-out the way it ought to. A lot of the computer animation is indeed dull and lifeless, even the animated feature felt more human.
I will admit that I liked Gaston and Le Fou, both are terrific characters. I also liked that Beauty and the Beast didn't stray too far from the beloved 1991 musical, albeit it didn't exactly impress as being pretty much a replicate. Difficult to give this a rating as it was pretty much the same, except worse. It's not something I'd ever revisit, but many moments weren't terrible.
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