{"id":35050,"date":"2014-11-04T08:55:42","date_gmt":"2014-11-04T13:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/?p=35050"},"modified":"2022-02-05T23:58:34","modified_gmt":"2022-02-06T04:58:34","slug":"movie-review-beauty-beast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/movie-review-beauty-beast\/","title":{"rendered":"Movie Review: Beauty and the Beast"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"DVD<\/a>
DVD cover \u00a9Disney<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Based on Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont\u2019s 18th<\/sup> century French fairy tale of the same name, Beauty and the Beast<\/em> was released as the 30th<\/sup> full-length animated feature in Disney history on November 22, 1991. The 91-minute flick was theatrically re-released in 3D in January 2012.<\/p>\n

Plot Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beauty and the Beast. The former character, appropriately named Belle, is a beautiful and compassionate, albeit eccentric, young woman. She may not fit in with the crowd, but her looks are attractive to male suitors, most notably the popular Gaston.<\/p>\n

The Beast, conversely, is a hideous brute of a creature. He used to be a handsome prince, but his entitled personality caused a traveler to place a spell over his castle and its inhabitants. If he doesn\u2019t find reciprocated love by his twenty-first birthday, he will remain a beast forever. He wants to redeem himself, but time is running out, and hope is essentially lost. After all, nobody could love a creature like him. Right?<\/p>\n

Morality<\/strong><\/p>\n

The old saying \u201cdon\u2019t judge a book by its cover\u201d implies that quality is often found beneath the surface. Such is the case in Beauty and the Beast<\/em>. Belle may be both beautiful and kindhearted, but the two qualities don\u2019t coexist in everyone. Gaston\u2019s vile personality is shielded by his good looks, while the Beast\u2019s hideous exterior masks his potentially caring heart.<\/p>\n

Gaston is conceited and arrogant. In the vein of a passionate mob leader, he excites the townspeople to kill the Beast so that Gaston can marry Belle.<\/p>\n

The Beast\u2019s initial actions toward Belle and her father, Maurice, would hardly be excusable in a real-world setting, but they can be forgiven in a Disney movie. On this note, the Beast demonstrates selflessness by allowing Belle to leave the castle to rescue her father in spite of the fact that Belle is his last hope to break the curse. He may have to remain a beast forever, but Belle showed concern for him, gave him a chance, and his own fate is secondary to her happiness as a result.<\/p>\n

Actions Speak Louder Than Words<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Beast meets greater success in winning Belle\u2019s trust through his actions than his words. A half-hearted \u201cplease\u201d didn\u2019t convince Belle to come to dinner, but fighting a pack of angry wolves to save her life altered the course of the relationship.<\/p>\n

Women<\/strong><\/p>\n

Belle is an independent woman. She reads frequently and is not afraid to speak her mind. Belle shuns Gaston numerous times and holds her own in a heated debate with the Beast over who was at fault for the latter\u2019s injury, suffered from fighting the wolves.<\/p>\n

Childhood Innocence<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chip Potts, the son of Mrs. Potts, demonstrates childhood innocence. He asks questions, most of which his mother is afraid to answer, and is willing to take risks, such as secretly departing the castle with Belle to find out why she left. His actions and personality are in sharp contrast to those of the Beast, who has resigned himself to eternal misery. Chip is young and ignorant about the world\u2019s vices, while the Beast has been corrupted by society.<\/p>\n

Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n

What happened to the king and queen? Was the prince an orphan, and if not, who raised him?<\/p>\n

Was Chip born as a human or as a teacup? The spell has existed for ten years, and he seems rather young.<\/p>\n

Why did the Beast attempt to save Belle from the wolves? Did he love her at that point, or did he just want to bring her back as a prisoner? In any event, he made the right decision.<\/p>\n

Emotion<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beauty and the Beast <\/em>excels at manipulating a viewer\u2019s emotions. The situations surrounding Belle\u2019s relationships with her father and, later, the Beast are often tear-inducing, and the caustic demeanor of Gaston will likely evoke rage. Gaston is a pure bully.<\/p>\n

Humor<\/strong><\/p>\n

With the possible exception of The Hunchback of Notre Dame<\/em> (1996), Beauty and the Beast<\/em> is the darkest movie from the Disney Renaissance period (1989-99). Humor is intermittently inserted, but it\u2019s subtle.<\/p>\n

The film\u2019s funniest character is LeFou, Gaston\u2019s dimwitted sidekick. Almost entirely present for comic relief, this petite antagonist is adept at absorbing literal punches from Gaston, surviving the wrath of falling furniture, hiding inside snowmen, and dealing with guerrilla warfare from traditionally inanimate objects.<\/p>\n

The interactions between the enchanted candlestick, Lumi\u00e8re, and his clock counterpart, Cogsworth, are also entertaining. Lumiere is optimistic and whimsical, while Cogsworth is conservative and serious. The latter is hesitant to take risks that the former embraces, leading to tension.<\/p>\n

Music<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beauty and the Beast<\/em>\u2019s soundtrack is excellent. The numbers, alternatively upbeat and soothing, are catchy and seamlessly aid the story.<\/p>\n

The song \u201cBelle,\u201d which is performed by the townspeople, showcases the title character\u2019s awkward demeanor and Gaston\u2019s desire to marry her. Belle is so captivated by the book she is reading that she is oblivious to the people badmouthing her behind her back.<\/p>\n

Probably my favorite song in the movie, \u201cSomething There\u201d utilizes the same tune as \u201cBelle\u201d to demonstrate the evolving feelings between Belle and the Beast.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe Our Guest\u201d is an upbeat number initiated by Lumiere at dinner. The lyrics showcase the servants\u2019 joy at entertaining a prisoner\u2026err, guest\u2026 after ten years of inactivity. The visuals during this segment are abstract with numerous dancing utensils.<\/p>\n

The flick\u2019s flagship song, \u201cBeauty and the Beast,\u201d shows the improbable true love that has emerged between the title characters. I prefer the popular version, sung by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson during the end credits, to the in-film rendition. Then again, I always prefer the popular versions of these songs.<\/p>\n

Beauty and the Beast<\/em>\u2019s only mediocre song, in my opinion, is \u201cHuman Again.\u201d This drab number involves the Beast\u2019s enchanted counterparts dreaming of the spell perishing and their transforming back into humans. On a positive note, the song culminates in Splashtacular fashion! (Ed. Note:\u00a0 “Human Again” was originally cut from the 1991 version. It was only re-introduced when it was included in the 1994 theatrical version and therefore brought back beginning in the 2002 DVD release of the film.)<\/em><\/p>\n

Relationship to Other Disney Films<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the beginning of the film, Belle tells the baker that she just finished a book featuring a beanstalk. Fun and Fancy Free <\/em>(1947) contains a short called \u201cMickey and the Beanstalk.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Beast makes a brief cameo in Aladdin<\/em> (1992).\u00a0 Look close to find him!<\/p>\n

The Hunchback of Notre Dame<\/em> is relatable to Beauty and the Beast<\/em> in several ways. First, Belle makes a cameo in the streets of Paris during Quasimodo\u2019s rendition of \u201cOut There.\u201d Secondly, Quasimodo, like the Beast, must fight a peculiar exterior to win love. Finally, both flicks feature a conclusive battle scene atop a tower.<\/p>\n

In the Parks<\/strong><\/p>\n

At Disney\u2019s Hollywood Studios, guests can view a Broadway-style performance of Beauty and the Beast <\/em>at \u201cBeauty and the Beast – Live on Stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the flick made you hungry for French pastries, check out \u201cLes Halles Boulangerie & Patisserie\u201d in Epcot\u2019s France pavilion. Guests can also meet Belle at the France pavilion.<\/p>\n

Beast\u2019s Castle in the Magic Kingdom\u2019s Fantasyland houses the \u201cBe Our Guest Restaurant.\u201d This eatery offers counter-service dining at lunch and full-service dining at dinner. Beer and wine are available at the latter meal, in addition to the \u201cGrey Stuff\u201d dessert, which Belle enjoyed during the rendition of \u201cBe Our Guest\u201d in the movie. There are a few different ways to enjoy the “Grey Stuff”.\u00a0 The traditional “Grey Stuff” served by itself on a plate is typically only available at dinner for guests celebrating something. In addition, at lunch, there is the option to purchase “The Master’s Cupcake” which is a chocolate sponge cake cupcake that includes the “Grey Stuff”.\u00a0 At dinner, there is the “Grey Stuff” option, which is a chocolate shell, cookie cr\u00e8me topped the\u201cGrey Stuff\u201d\u00a0 At the restaurant, diners can also interact with the Beast only during dinner.<\/p>\n

\"Beauty<\/a><\/p>\n

Also in Fantasyland, children and adults alike can participate in a reenactment of Beauty and the Beast<\/em> amongst Belle and animatronics in \u201cEnchanted Tales with Belle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finally in Fantasyland, cinnamon rolls, pork shanks, and a specialty frozen beverage called \u201cLeFou\u2019s Brew\u201d are offered at \u201cGaston\u2019s Tavern.\u201d<\/p>\n

Overall<\/strong><\/p>\n

With great music, a well-developed plot, and engaging characters, Beauty and the Beast<\/em> is a Disney masterpiece.<\/p>\n

What do you think of Beauty and the Beast? Let me know in the comments!<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sponsored Ad:<\/strong>\u00a0 Would you like to help support The Mouse For Less website in continuing their mission of being THE Disney vacation planning resource?\u00a0 You can do so by purchasing Beauty and the Beast <\/em>from our Affiliate Link through Amazon.<\/a> Thanks so much for your support!<\/span><\/p>\n

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    Based on Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont\u2019s 18th century French fairy tale of the same name, Beauty and the Beast was released as the 30th full-length animated feature in Disney history on November 22, 1991. The 91-minute flick was theatrically re-released in 3D in January 2012. Plot Summary Beauty and the Beast. The former character, appropriately…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":35051,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-disney-movies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35050"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35050\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82610,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35050\/revisions\/82610"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35051"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}