The Beauty of
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast is my favorite movie, and has been ever since I was eight years old and saw for the first time in the big-screen theatre. Ever since then I have regarded it as my favorite Disney film, and now, my favorite film of all. Why do I love Beauty and the Beast so much?
The Story
Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my favorite fairy tales. How the beautiful girl comes to love the ugly beast simply because of what she sees inside him. It's a story that has lasted hundreds of years, and a story that teaches us to look not upon the surface of the skin, but inside the depths of the heart. It's a story that we keep telling, to remind everyone of the wonderful tale of the Beauty who fell in love with the Beast.
The Characters
The characters are marvelous. They are people you can feel for and sympathize with. I hope for Belle when she dreams of adventure, I mourn for the Prince who is now a Beast. Do you not worry for them when they are in trouble, and are you not happy for them when they triumph? Belle and the Beast show us that a beautiful girl can fall in love with an ugly beast, because even though his exterior is frightening, his soul is truly beautiful. The objects help to carry the story, but also provide comic relief. The constant bickering of Cogsworth and Lumiere, the antics of Chip, and the bumblings of Lefou put humor into the plot. All the characters are wonderfully designed and perfectly presented.
The Songs
The songs are beautiful. The Prolouge's haunting music provide the perfect mood for the tale of how the Beast came to be. "Belle" tells of the hope she holds that someday she will find a place where she is appreciated for her love of adventure in a wonderfully musical way. "Gaston" shows us exactly how high Gaston is held in esteem with the villagers-as well as with himself. "Be Our Guest" is the "fun" song in the movie, the bouncing song that carries the story, but mainly provides us with great music and lyrics to listen to. "Beauty and the Beast" is the beautiful song that tells of Belle and the Beast's love, and how they came to feel affection for one another.
The Score
One of the best things about the movie is its beautiful score. The background music always underlines the tone and mood of the movie-slow and deep in tense moments, bouncing in happy moments. I think that this is one of the best scores I have ever heard in a Disney movie, and the only one that I think can compare to it is the score from the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Why is this movie so popular?
Screenwriter Linda Wolverton says "Because it's a love story, but more because of the theme: Don't judge a book by its cover; look below the surface."
Producer Don Hahn says "People could relate to the Beast and his longing to find someone to break the spell or accept him for what he was. Or they could relate to Belle and her desire to get out of her little provincial life and into the fairy tales she read about. That, along with the comedy and music and the sincerity, are what make this picture. Sincerity embodies why these movies succeed, because you really believe these characters on the screen."
Co-Director Gary Trousdale says "My wife tells me it's because Beauty and the Beast is every woman's fantasy: to take the guy who is a beast and change him into a prince."
Have an opinion about this movie? Send it in: clopinsgirl@geocities.com
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