Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast is one of those Disney movies that holds a special place in my heart, as the first Disney animated film released in my lifetime. I spent my first couple of years adoring the film, but, as I tended to do with films in my youth, I suddenly developed an intense fear of the Beast at about two years old. I gave away my copy of VHS and didn’t watch the film again until I was in high school. I remained familiar with the songs that were on my Disney Sing-Along Songs tapes, but whenever I revisit the movie as a whole, I lament the many years I avoided the film. In its time, it was an outstanding film that revitalized the animated fairy tale, and it remains one of the greatest Disney films of all time.
Among the many elements that make the film a masterpiece, the atmosphere is particularly powerful. The first moments of the film, with the prologue told through stained glass windows with the gorgeous orchestration, immediately suggest the grandness of the story that is to come. And so much of the film fulfills this majestic promise. Everything in this film has an immensity to it, from the eerie yet elegant Beast’s castle to the Broadway-worthy music and lyrics by Alan Menkin and Howard Ashman, it’s difficult to not be awe-struck by the effort and reverence to animation and storytelling that the filmmaker’s all exhibit. I also love the unique (for the time) seasonal setting of winter as the romance between the Beast and Belle blossoms. The visual showstopper is undoubtedly the ballroom scene, which beautifully utilizes computer animation to make the 2D animated characters exist in a space of depth like never before. I can only imagine how breathtaking this scene must have been to a theatrical audience in 1991. I also love the sweet simplicity of Ashman and Menkin’s title song, making the grand visuals complement an intimate moment between Belle and the Beast.
Speaking of Ashman and Menkin, I’d be remiss not to mention Beauty and the Beast’s place in animation history as one of the first films in what is now called the “Disney Renaissance,” consisting of a string of hit animated musicals released by Disney. A major contribution of the success of Disney during this time was of the composers who contributed to the films, with Disney taking a lead from Broadway and live-action musicals by making the music more integral to the plot of the film. Ashman and Menkin kicked off the Disney Renaissance with The Little Mermaid (1989, dir. John Musker, Roger Clements), but the pair perfected this Broadway-adjacent style with Beauty and the Beast, which begins with a production number worthy of the stage in “Belle,” a catchy, multipurpose song that introduces several main characters, the world of the story, introduces the main conflict of the film (Gaston’s unwanted affections) and illustrates what distances Belle from the rest of the village. I find it truly amazing that such a functional song is one of the catchiest in the entire film. I dare you to start singing it in front of a ‘90s kid. The film also features voice talent from some big Broadway names, including Angela Lansbury and Jerry Orbach.
Though not without her problems, Belle represented a significant step forward in the evolution of the “Disney princess.” She is a girl with interests, who doesn’t fall for the first man who shows an interest in her. Sure, her relationship with the Beast started in a bad way, and the power dynamics are certainly not weighted in her favor, but her love for the Beast comes from something more than first sight. Like Ariel, she is a rescuer of men, but rather than saving the life of a love interest alone, she also sacrifices her freedom for her father. While not quite as evolved as someone like Elsa, for example, Belle is a far cry from Disney’s early damsel, Snow White.
I do feel completely justified in my fear of the Beast as a child. His introductory moments, in particular, are genuinely scary. The animators build wonderful anticipation leading up to his full revelation, and he initially darts through the shadows, unbeknownst to Maurice. When he is finally revealed, and slinks down the stairs on all fours and, teeth bared and eyes wide, climbs all over the chair that Maurice is occupying, I find myself truly creeped out. As the film goes on and he is more humanized, it is the Beast’s unpredictability that becomes the scary thing. Sometimes his beastliness is expressed in a more innocent, puppy dog-like way, but his quick temper can send him into a terrifying, roaring rage at a moment’s notice (shoutout to Robby Benson, whose voice I still can’t believe can naturally make both the Beast and Prince voices). It’s a pretty intense character for an anxious young viewer to follow. On the other hand, the film provides some immediately loveable characters in the servants of the castle, with Lumiere being a particular standout. And don’t get me started on little old Maurice, one of the most wonderful tiny old dads in the Disney canon.
While there are a few slight logistical problems with the story, I greatly enjoy the way that the film plays on so many tropes that had become common to Disney animated romance films. I love how Gaston’s physical and personal characteristics are almost grotesquely emphasized based on the ideal hero of Disney’s past films. I also love that for once it isn’t the classic kiss that breaks the spell and that it isn’t the female, but the male who is the one under it (though, the princesses’ spells tend to be physically debilitating in some way, while the Beast becomes stronger as a result of his enchantment). Additionally, and I may be one of the few people that feels this way, but I prefer the Beast to the Prince. While I adore the climactic transformation moment, with its intense animation and score, when the prince sharply turns to reveal his true visage, I can’t help but think he looks a bit… silly. It’s just a bit disappointing. The Beast animation was spectacular, with every expression so detailed. The prince, on the other hand, looks flat and lifeless. For that reason, I always feel the film’s final moments don’t live up to the rest of the film.
Beauty and the Beast is a wonderful fantasy film, with so many aspects done perfectly. I consider it one of the last sincere Disney films, with the company quickly taking the DreamWorks road of self-referential comedy. It is a genuinely thrilling experience for audiences of all ages and is one of the best examples of the magic of Disney. I always look forward to the next time I will get to see it. – Bailey 🌹
I do have to admit that Beauty and the Beast (1991, dirs. Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise) is probably my all-time favorite Disney animated film. What is not to love about this movie? Seriously, it is perfection. The music, the animation, and the utter Disney magic… My inner child was singing along with the soundtrack from beginning to end, and I am still tempted to watch it again out of sheer nostalgia.
Nevertheless, I was struck by a few rather troubling realizations as I watched this film. For one thing, some of the math surrounding the Beast’s enchantment did not really add up. It had truly been a long time since I have watched this film, so much so, that I really did not remember that the enchantress in the film’s prologue cursed the Beast until the last petal would fall from the enchanted rose on his twenty-first birthday. (This put a whole new level of drama on the climactic showdown in which Gaston and the angry mob raid the castle… a fine ‘happy birthday’ to you, Beast, indeed?) When you combine the curse with the line that Lumiere sings during the ‘Be Our Guest’ sequence, stating “Ten years we've been rusting / Needing so much more than dusting /Needing exercise, a chance to use our skills,” it would mean that the Beast was cursed by the enchantress as an eleven-year-old… (Unless, of course Lumiere is simply being hyperbolic, and time moves differently inside the bubble of the enchanted castle… but I digress.) Yes, an 11-year-old-child was cursed for being a rude brat and turning an old woman away from ‘his’ castle. I’ll just let that sink in for a moment…
This realization then led me to the problem that nearly every Disney film has, and that is the treatment of parents (or rather the utter lack thereof). Sure, fairy tales are loaded with absent or deceased parents, but Disney often takes it to whole other levels when it comes to the traumatizing depictions of families being ripped apart by horrifying life events. I’m sure we all have scenes etched into our minds from such classics as Bambi (1942, dir. David Hand), Dumbo (1941, dir. Ben Sharpsteen), and even Frozen (2013, dirs. Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee), in which the protagonist’s parent(s) (particularly mothers) are ripped from their lives in rather untimely manners. With Beauty and the Beast, we have to assume that Belle’s mother has died, and that something tragic has to have happened to the Beast’s parents for an 11-year-old to be running his own castle with the aid of a motley assortment of servants… The Beast’s behavior, particularly his destruction of the castle, bad temper, and ill-manners, can all be attributed to a form of arrested development. (Don’t get me started on Belle’s ‘mothering’ of the Beast… that dynamic is best saved for another day…) While this is no excuse for his actions, it certainly adds a level of depth to the character that I had not previously noticed.
Another element that I was hyper-aware of, and thoroughly enjoyed, were all the nods to early Hollywood musicals, particularly during the “Be Our Guest” (and “Human Again” – included in the 2002 Special Edition restoration and edit) musical sequence. The animation captured the movie magic of early Busby Berkeley choreography, especially with the spoons synchronized swimming and dinner plates gracefully rolling across the screen. You also cannot help but get swept up in the musicality of Alan Menken and lyrics of Howard Ashman, particularly during the ballroom sequence with Angela Lansbury, as Mrs. Potts, singing “Beauty and the Beast (Tale as Old as Time).” What else can I say? This movie is always a sheer delight.
Whether you have seen Beauty and the Beast for the first time, or the hundredth, there are always new moments that will capture viewers of all ages. As far as Disney films go, the animation in this picture is delightful, and certainly some of the best from the ‘Disney renaissance’ period (circa 1989-1999). Now, excuse me while I go and queue up the film for another re-watch… - Sarah 📚💕📚
What did you think of Beauty and the Beast? Be honest, how many times (estimates are perfectly acceptable) have you seen this film before? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and check back soon for the announcement of our December Film Club Pick!
Copyright © 2021 Sarah Crane & Bailey Lizotte Clark
