Starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, Beauty and the Beast is the long awaited live-action adaptation of the 1991 Disney animation that won an Academy Award for best original score.
The new film does a superb job of bringing to life the pageantry and memorable characters of the classic fairytale with an all-star cast that also includes Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellan and Emma Thompson. What makes this movie a Disney film is its musical score, which director Bill Condon and composer Alan Menken kept mostly intact from the 1991 version except for the addition of three new songs. The new film also does well in fleshing out both the Beast and Beauty’s pasts, providing a deeper glimpse into both characters’ motivations.
The story of Beauty and the Beast, for those unfamiliar with the tale, revolves around Belle (Emma Watson), an idealistic young woman, living in the small village of Villeneuve, France long, long ago. The villagers consider her odd because unlike other women, Belle is a headstrong ‘bookworm’ who is rebuked in the opening scene for teaching a little girl how to read. Watson’s character is resourceful, persistent, courageous, and she longs to leave behind her provincial life but can only do so through the imaginary world of books. She soon gets the chance to leave Villeneuve when her father, Maurice (Kevin Kline), is imprisoned by the Beast (Dan Stevens). Belle succeeds in rescuing her father but is imprisoned in the Beast’s enchanted castle. Unbeknown to Belle, both the Beast and his castle are also under captivity because of a spell placed upon them. To break the curse, the Beast must find someone with whom he can fall in love.
“Where beauty and peace are found, it is in noble characters like Belle and the Beast"
Aside from the gorgeous visuals and memorable score, the film’s refrain on the notion of façade serves as a reminder that there is more than meets the eye. Where beauty and peace are found, it is in noble characters like Belle and the Beast. Despite the Beast being prone to bouts of anger and violence, Belle sees his softer side, and later discovers that he is a also book lover who can effortlessly quote Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. However uplifting this film may be, the updated (come on, it’s 2017!) Beauty and the Beast still perpetuates a patriarchal view of reality.
Even though one may be skeptical of whether Belle’s feelings for the Beast are real or if it’s is a result of Stockholm Syndrome, the film’s central theme is clear: love bonds. To genuinely love and to sacrifice oneself to another is no simple thing for a recluse like the Beast. Belle’s suitor, Gaston (Luke Evans), and the entire village of Villeneuve find his horrifying appearance repulsive; such is the absurdity of hate that springs from ignorance. It takes a virtuous character like Belle to model humility and love, to show us that when we spend time and energy to listen and learn, we realize what we feared is only a façade of our own invention. In the end, it is love that changes everything.
Catch the movie in theaters across China.
