I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s noticed Disney’s latest trend of recreating classic animated movies into live-action films. Within the last few years, many of the greats have made ‘bigger and better’ comebacks, such as Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, and The Jungle Book, just to name a few. Depending on who you talk to, these recreations are New and Improved™ and allow for the simple plotline we all enjoyed as young children to be more developed to cater to our more ‘sophisticated’ tastes as young adults. Or, according to others, they’re just a marketing ploy, taking a story we loved as children and tweaking it a little or maybe a lot and thus ruining the tale entirely – and making millions of dollars on our desperate need to indulge in our nostalgia.
I think I fall somewhere in the latter category, simply because I tend to appreciate the novelty of original work. Covers and remakes are just not my cup of tea. So, when I saw that Disney was going to attempt to create my absolute favorite princess movie, Beauty and the Beast, I was immediately skeptical. Even after I discovered my beloved Belle would be portrayed by the flawless Emma Watson and each trailer they released was more spectacular and alluring than the previous one, I still prepared myself for any sort of disappointment when going into the movie to lessen its impact if the film was a total flop.
And it was all for nothing, because it was – dare I say it – better than the original.
I know – that’s a strong claim to make! And maybe I’m biased since I love the story so much on its own. But I think Disney knew they had some pretty big shoes to fill this time around and didn’t want this film to fade relatively quickly like several of the recent remakes have. They secured an amazing cast, led by one of the most recognizable and adored actresses in the industry, revamped the original soundtrack with some new tunes, and created a beautiful town and castle for the story to ensue. Those scenes that take place in the lavish palace of the Beast and his servants-turned-to-furniture friends are especially stunning. Perfectly aligned with Baroque-period France, everything – down to the garden paths and crown molding – is so intricate and grandiose it’s literally breathtaking. I found myself in tears several times, especially during the famous dance between Belle and Beast in which Emma Watson SLAYED in the iconic golden ball gown, just because I was so overwhelmed by the sheer beauty.
While the film is incredibly satisfying aesthetically, what truly makes it a winner in my eyes is the depth they effortlessly wove into the plot. In the animated version, Belle was a fairly deep character to begin with, with her sense of adventure, fierce bravery, dazzling intelligence, and kind heart. However, in this rendition, we get to see some of these features in more detail. She takes after her father’s inventive side and creates a new way to wash her laundry and stands up for herself when she’s ridiculed for teaching little girls how to read. Her father comments that she is way ahead of her time, and especially with the gender equality issues we see even now, this quality of hers proves extremely relevant and admirable. We even get the backstory of her mother, something that wasn’t addressed in the original film. Every character, including the Beast himself, who is much more intelligent this time around, is given more complexity, making the tale more mentally stimulating and satisfying. This may have caused some inconsistencies with the original film, but the new and exciting subplots made up for virtually all of them.
Although I’ll never be totally sold on live-action remakes, I have to give Disney this one: they totally nailed it. Having such a strong female character literally come to life and become even more remarkable in front of our eyes is something many of us need to enjoy right now! Even more so, it’s refreshing to see that even with some modern adjustments, the story doesn’t lose its moral takeaway message in the slightest. If you were worried that you’d be paying to see a story you’re all too familiar with, I can assure you that this tale as old as time will feel practically brand new!
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