My Thoughts: Disney's Beauty and The Beast
Hey everybody!
Apologies that I have been a little under the radar of late. I've just got back from my first ever ski holiday which was really quite surprising... in that I enjoyed it a lot more than I had expected!
Grumpy and I left for Geneva on Saturday 18th March before heading to the French Alps; this was just 24 hours after the UK release of Walt Disney's live action Beauty and The Beast so naturally, a cinema trip took place for me hours before we departed! I couldn't wait until we got back. I had to see this movie...
Beauty and The Beast has huge sentimental value to me. Not only is it my favourite animated Disney movie, it was also the first musical that I ever saw in London's West End when I was a little girl. We went three times because my Mum and I loved it so much!
Also, the original Beauty and The Beast was released in 1991, the year that I was born and did I also mention that Belle is one of my all time favourite Disney Princesses? Also, as a huge Harry Potter fan, I was delighted that Belle was played by the brilliant Emma Watson... that's Hermione Granger for those of you that don't know! Oh and, as if you needed any more understanding as to just how excited I was about this movie, I should also add that I'm a big fan of Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge! is one of my all time favourite movies) and Sir Ian McKellen is another favourite actor of mine so needless to say, I could not quite control the excitement I had upon entering the Odeon in Brighton that evening...
Thankfully, the movie did not disappoint.
I want to write this post as 'spoiler free' as possible so naturally, it may be a little shorter than previous movie reviews that I have compiled. Let's start at the very beginning...
Prior to seeing Beauty and The Beast, I had my apprehensions. I mentioned last April in my review for The Jungle Book that I am not completely sold on all of the live action remakes that Disney seem to have committed themselves to creating. Maleficent was shocking, Cinderella slightly disappointing and I do not hold out much hope for Tim Burton's adaptation of Dumbo either! I was nervous that Beauty and The Beast would leave me disappointed and feeling slightly perplexed but I am so pleased to say that it did not... it did not at all. Despite my high expectations, it met them triumphantly.
Beauty and The Beast is a charming, witty, beautiful film that brilliantly emulates the original animation and captures Belle's forward-thinking by catapulting her straight into the 21st Century. The music is ever just as catchy as in the original and the new songs are a welcome addition to the already wonderful Alan Menken score that we are all so familiar with. My personal favourite aspect of the movie was the comedy; by cleverly twisting and subverting famous scenes and lines, the movie was able to create real, genuine humour - an unexpected but very welcome addition. I was also really pleased with the way in which the narrative was able to fill in the 'gaps' from the original... so many of Buzzfeed's posts are now redundant with the answers to questions that we have been longing for!
For me, Luke Evans' Gaston accompanied by the brilliant Josh Gad in the role of Le Fou, were really the stars of the entire movie. Perfectly marrying a brilliant sort of idiocy and slapstick humour with a much darker, sinister undertone, the two were the most excellent characters from the moment that they appeared on screen until their final moments.
The costumes and scenery were gorgeous throughout, the musical numbers, just charming; I cannot fault the whimsical yet spectacular feeling that this film gave me as I sat there, glued to my seat, watching my favourite story unfold with my Mum and Sister... I honestly can't wait to go again.
Oh and another fun fact for you that really helped to make this movie so memorable: I went to school with one of the actresses playing a Bimbette! True story. In fact, I did my final Drama GCSE piece with her... we both got an A*.
Have you seen Beauty and The Beast yet? What were your thoughts and opinions? Let me know in the comments below and if you have any specific, 'spoiler free' questions for me, do let me know.
Mercedes x
Apologies that I have been a little under the radar of late. I've just got back from my first ever ski holiday which was really quite surprising... in that I enjoyed it a lot more than I had expected!
Grumpy and I left for Geneva on Saturday 18th March before heading to the French Alps; this was just 24 hours after the UK release of Walt Disney's live action Beauty and The Beast so naturally, a cinema trip took place for me hours before we departed! I couldn't wait until we got back. I had to see this movie...
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| Theatrical Poster: IMDB |
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| Beauty and The Beast on Broadway: Beauty and The Beast Movie News |
Thankfully, the movie did not disappoint.
I want to write this post as 'spoiler free' as possible so naturally, it may be a little shorter than previous movie reviews that I have compiled. Let's start at the very beginning...
Prior to seeing Beauty and The Beast, I had my apprehensions. I mentioned last April in my review for The Jungle Book that I am not completely sold on all of the live action remakes that Disney seem to have committed themselves to creating. Maleficent was shocking, Cinderella slightly disappointing and I do not hold out much hope for Tim Burton's adaptation of Dumbo either! I was nervous that Beauty and The Beast would leave me disappointed and feeling slightly perplexed but I am so pleased to say that it did not... it did not at all. Despite my high expectations, it met them triumphantly.
Beauty and The Beast is a charming, witty, beautiful film that brilliantly emulates the original animation and captures Belle's forward-thinking by catapulting her straight into the 21st Century. The music is ever just as catchy as in the original and the new songs are a welcome addition to the already wonderful Alan Menken score that we are all so familiar with. My personal favourite aspect of the movie was the comedy; by cleverly twisting and subverting famous scenes and lines, the movie was able to create real, genuine humour - an unexpected but very welcome addition. I was also really pleased with the way in which the narrative was able to fill in the 'gaps' from the original... so many of Buzzfeed's posts are now redundant with the answers to questions that we have been longing for!
For me, Luke Evans' Gaston accompanied by the brilliant Josh Gad in the role of Le Fou, were really the stars of the entire movie. Perfectly marrying a brilliant sort of idiocy and slapstick humour with a much darker, sinister undertone, the two were the most excellent characters from the moment that they appeared on screen until their final moments.
The costumes and scenery were gorgeous throughout, the musical numbers, just charming; I cannot fault the whimsical yet spectacular feeling that this film gave me as I sat there, glued to my seat, watching my favourite story unfold with my Mum and Sister... I honestly can't wait to go again.
Oh and another fun fact for you that really helped to make this movie so memorable: I went to school with one of the actresses playing a Bimbette! True story. In fact, I did my final Drama GCSE piece with her... we both got an A*.
 |
| Art by Henry Wilkinson |
Mercedes x