A Beauty of a Film

Rating: 9/10 (14 March 2017)

"Beauty and the Beast" is a wondrous film that can never be touched...well...unless Disney is the one doing the refurbishments. This classic "tale as old as time" was brilliantly reimagined with all of the same pomp and circumstance as the original. The production design and costuming perfectly captured the dark ominous moods while simultaneously highlighting the sheer elegance of the picture. A piece of this elegance was brought about by the film's effervescent and at times, gripping score provided by the composer of the original film's score, Alan Menken. The familiarity of the film in its score and story was astonishing and probably the only thing I could see anybody having a grievance about. However, the picture did provide some much needed backstory that was glossed over in the 1991 version of the film. With that, Disney did a commendable job at adapting several aspects of the story while still maintaining the nostalgia for the film we all know and love. Finally, I must mention that the casting for this film was phenomenal. With Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts, Ian McKellen and Ewan McGregor as Cogsworth and Lumière, Dan Stevens as Beast, and Emma Watson as Belle, the talent was truly immeasurable. I know that some fans of the beloved animated film were a bit skeptical of Emma Watson in the role of Belle as she had no musical theatre experience prior to playing this cherished Disney Princess. Nevertheless, I can assure those fans that she did an outstanding job as Belle. While Watson's vocals did seem a bit fine-tuned, she still managed to bring a higher level of emotion and meaning to Belle's voice. She boldly characterized the true meaning of feminism all while subtly hinting at Belle's down-to-earth nature. With that, I must say that this film was, without a doubt, transcendent of our modern era. The picture gave life to a new generation of family entertainment, yet it still managed to charm us with its nostalgic vibes. For me, this film lived up to the glory of its predecessor and may have even surpassed it. From now on, when I think of the story of "Beauty and the Beast," I will think of this enchanting masterpiece.