Beauty and the Beast: Turning Leftovers Into a Feast!

When Disney began retooling their classic animation catalog as live action event films, many of us feared the worst.

Remembering back to 101 Dalmatians (1996), and the “Unsee! Unsee!” horrors of other live-action-izations (Mike Meyers’ The Cat in the Hat, anyone? – not Disney, but wow…!), it’s a trend that could have been just that – a trend – a business decision, and one bereft of any real caring or eye towards longevity. But surprisingly, the same yardstick of quality that’s buoyed Disney’s efforts with the Star Wars and Marvel franchises has been used in this new series of films, and it’s been paying off handsomely. With both Cinderella and The Jungle Book, real care was made to craft an engaging entertainment that would both satisfy generations of original fans, while introducing them to a whole new legion of young devotees. Classic animation can seemingly live harmoniously with modern, high definition reimaginings – and with Beauty and the Beast, Disney’s taken the model and gone nuclear.

Released 26 years ago, Beauty and the Beast is beloved by millions – and taking this story and making it “visually literal” could easily have gone wrong a hundred different ways. The original is hardly a tale of feminist empowerment; you’ve got the weird “woman/beast/prisoner” subtext that can get more than a little uncomfortable; plus, there’s all the talking furniture. Can you render that in modern terms – with music – and avoid having the whole thing come crashing down in flames? Oh, yes – spectacularly so. Because Beauty and the Beast has been lovingly, shrewdly engineered to deliver maximum charm to its audience, and did it ever open huge at the box office. It’s a global phenomenon.

Directed by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, Mr. Holmes), Beauty and the Beast is sweeping and lavish to behold, and very deliberately echoes many key moments and shot compositions straight out of the original. There will be those who scream “paint by numbers,” but if you look at these films the way you’d look at any theater company mounting their own rendition of a classic musical, it’s a lot easier to succumb to its charms and appreciate the effort, which is considerable. When you think of girls who are bookish and headstrong, Hermione Granger’s bound to come to mind, and so Beast (along with The Circle) sees Emma Watson making the transition to more mature roles in quick fashion. As a singer, Paige O’Hara is a tough act to follow, but Watson delivers ably (albeit carefully modulated), making Belle a more independent and spirited role model for today’s audience. She’s no stranger to green-screen, that’s for sure.

Dan Stevens is one of the best actors out there these days (if you haven’t seen The Guest yet, run!), and this role must have been a real challenge. The Beast’s design is more organic, but also wholly dependent on CG. Most of the time, you believe The Beast without thinking, thanks in large part to the strength of Stevens’ voice work and charisma. Though there are moments – when descending a flight of stairs – where the effects are still clunky and less convincing. Those awkward lion legs, after all.

As Gaston, the boorish, self-involved narcissist of Belle’s nightmares, Luke Evans does a fantastic job. The role calls for Bruce Campbell lantern-jawed cluelessness, but Evans is a great fit – less cartoonish, but at turns roguishly charming, malevolent and hilarious. As LeFou, Josh Gad is, well, Josh Gad. He’s funny, but he seems curiously detached at times. Kevin Kline is terrific as Belle’s father, giving her a much deeper backstory than in the original, a really nice touch. Emma Thompson, Ian McKellan and Ewan McGregor round-out the bewitched accessories of The Beast’s enchanted castle. It’s odd not to see those familiar wide-eyed animated faces, with candlesticks and teapots here that might be just as much at home in Pan’s Labyrinth. But somehow, it all works, and works delightfully. Though Ewan, that French accent – guessing it’s meant to be deliberately bad…? “Eet ees pain-fell to Zee EEEars, mon amis!”

But what makes Beauty and the Beast such an enduring classic is what’s making it connect with audiences right now: The lavish fairy tale – a romance where someone fueled by selfish rage has to learn to tame himself and think of others – of looking past frightening exteriors to appreciate the person within; a catalog of classic show tunes that are impossible not to sing. The film actually adds new songs, which while quite well done, were unnecessary, and have the effect of dragging out the pace. Disney realizes it’s a rare thing to have a musical (!) that the whole family will willingly go to, and they’ve done a great job of cementing Belle and The Beast’s legacy for generations to come. Beauty and the Beast is a richly detailed, romantic and fun fantasy, that’s only going to inspire plenty more trips back to the well.