Review 289: Beauty and the Beast
Two years before Beauty and the Beast, Disney Animation reinvented the animated feature with The Little Mermaind, bringing the genre new sophistication without sacrificing the charm. Now
Based on the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne Marie Leprince de Beaumont, In a small French village, the beautiful and intelligent Belle (Paige O'Hara) ignores her suitor, the vain and boorish Gaston (Richard White), as she cares for her father, eccentric inventor Maurice (Rex Everhart).
On his way to the fair, Maurice stumbles upon a foreboding castle in the woods, and is thrown into a dungeon by the castle's occupant-a huge savage beast (Robby Benson). Belle comes to rescue her ailing father, and offers to take his place as the Beast's prisoner. Belle discovers that the castle's house staff has been transformed into objects by the same magic spell that made their master a beast. In order to break the spell, the Beast must learn to love another and be loved in return.
At its heart, Beauty and the Beast is a love story and a very powerful, touching, moving and meaningful love one at that. It tugs at the audience heartstrings.
Beauty and the Beast, like many of Disney's best animated features, surrounds its two titular characters with a large ensambles of loveable and chattery supporting characters. Like the Beast, they're also the victims of enchantment.
When Belle first meets the Beast, she's sees this hideous, ugly monster but deep down he's truly kind hearted and grows to love her and in turn she grows to love him.
Gaston on the other hand, is almost like a polar opposite to the Beast, he looks great on the outside, but on the inside (personality wise) he's horrible, whereas the Beast is ugly on the exterior and has a heart of gold, Gaston is handsome on the exterior and has the heart of a pig. As the film goes on, Gaston reveals his evil nature, he will kill the Beast, not because he believes he's a monster but because the Beast is in the way of what Gaston wants: Belle. All these plot points show that when judging a person, it's not how he/she looks on the outside, it's whats inside that counts.
Ultimately, Beauty and the Beast is about the transforming power of love: love does heal and love conquers all. True Beauty comes from within and spirit of the person and it doesn't matter what they look like.
Gaston on the other hand, is almost like a polar opposite to the Beast, he looks great on the outside, but on the inside (personality wise) he's horrible, whereas the Beast is ugly on the exterior and has a heart of gold, Gaston is handsome on the exterior and has the heart of a pig. As the film goes on, Gaston reveals his evil nature, he will kill the Beast, not because he believes he's a monster but because the Beast is in the way of what Gaston wants: Belle. All these plot points show that when judging a person, it's not how he/she looks on the outside, it's whats inside that counts.
Ultimately, Beauty and the Beast is about the transforming power of love: love does heal and love conquers all. True Beauty comes from within and spirit of the person and it doesn't matter what they look like.
Directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise's animation direction is precise, the animation is beautiful, complete with magnificently drawn frames and rich colours which bring out the texture and vibrance.
The production design is brilliant and incredible, the character design is wonderful, the score by Alan Menken is majestic, the songs (Belle, Gaston, Be Our Guest, Human Again and Beauty and the Beast) by Menken and Howard Ashman are enchanting, the musical numbers are expertly staged and fun to watch; of particular note is a cinematic ballroom scene, set to the title track which was animated with CGI resulting in a truly breathtaking and aweinspiring sequence which is truly a high point of the film.
the comedy is excellent, the French setting is gorgeous, the scenery is breathtaking, the action scenes are exciting and the ending makes me laugh and cry at the same time.
The voice cast is tremendous, Paige O'Hara is wonderful as Belle, intelligent, brave, smart, courageous and independent, but completely unaware of those features
The voice cast is tremendous, Paige O'Hara is wonderful as Belle, intelligent, brave, smart, courageous and independent, but completely unaware of those features
and seems rather to the other people living in her hometown. Which helps enhance the films theme. Plus her journey in getting to know the Beast is really moving and quite mesmerising.
Robby Benson is incredible as the Beast, expertly bringing to life the characters inner rage and conflict. He looks ugly on the outside and the audience is lead to believe this in when we first meet, but as the movie progresses we find that deep down beneath all these animalistic features we find he has a heart of gold and he grows to love Belle and in turn she grows to love him. Which is a beautiful journey on both their parts.
Richard White is just sick as Gaston, you get the sense that he's what a bad Disney Prince is: He's rude, conceited, small-minded, narcissistic, and spends his time fighting, drinking and hunting. How atrocious. But to everyone else in the town he's the hero and they're completely oblivious to this.
The sad irony is, he starts out as a bit of an idiot but as the film progresses he becomes more villainous.
Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Angela Lansbury and Bradley Pierce are exceptional as Lumière, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts and Chip respectively. They add warmth and comedy to the story and support Belle and the Beast on both their parts. They bring so much personality to their characters.
Lumière is just so cheeky and rebelious but kind-hearted, Cogsworth is so uptight and British but also very loyal and good hearted. So loyal it leads to a rivalry with Lumière, which gives us a few laughs.
Robby Benson is incredible as the Beast, expertly bringing to life the characters inner rage and conflict. He looks ugly on the outside and the audience is lead to believe this in when we first meet, but as the movie progresses we find that deep down beneath all these animalistic features we find he has a heart of gold and he grows to love Belle and in turn she grows to love him. Which is a beautiful journey on both their parts.
Richard White is just sick as Gaston, you get the sense that he's what a bad Disney Prince is: He's rude, conceited, small-minded, narcissistic, and spends his time fighting, drinking and hunting. How atrocious. But to everyone else in the town he's the hero and they're completely oblivious to this.
The sad irony is, he starts out as a bit of an idiot but as the film progresses he becomes more villainous.
Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Angela Lansbury and Bradley Pierce are exceptional as Lumière, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts and Chip respectively. They add warmth and comedy to the story and support Belle and the Beast on both their parts. They bring so much personality to their characters.
Lumière is just so cheeky and rebelious but kind-hearted, Cogsworth is so uptight and British but also very loyal and good hearted. So loyal it leads to a rivalry with Lumière, which gives us a few laughs.
Mrs. Potts is such a mum and really helps and supports Belle during her stay at the Beasts castle.
Chip is so cute and wants the relationship between Belle and the Beast to work out well just as well as we (the audience do).
Beauty and the Beast is not only one of Disney's best animated offerings but in my opinion one of the best love stories ever told on screen, 5/5.
The Anonymous Critic.
Chip is so cute and wants the relationship between Belle and the Beast to work out well just as well as we (the audience do).
Beauty and the Beast is not only one of Disney's best animated offerings but in my opinion one of the best love stories ever told on screen, 5/5.
The Anonymous Critic.
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