Family Fun Saturday - Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Disney, 2017
Starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Kevin Kline, and Emma Thompson
Directed by Bill Condon
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice

I was more than a little concerned when Disney announced they were remaking this one. While I do like the stage musical, the original animated film is one of my favorite movies of all time. I actually went to see this in the theater as a birthday present to myself in April 2017. Is it as enchanting as its animated predecessor, or does it shrivel up like a dying rose? Let's return to that small town in 18th century France and find out...

The Story: Belle (Watson) is an outcast in the tiny town of Villeneuve. She's the daughter of Maurice (Kline), an inventor and artist, and loves books, reading, and adventure. The dull and illiterate citizens of the town regard her as an uppity child who doesn't know her place. Former soldier Gaston (Luke Evans) wants to marry her, not because he loves her, but because he believes the handsomest man in town should have the most beautiful wife. Belle thinks he's an idiot and brushes him off.

Her life changes when she learns that her father has been imprisoned in a dark, spooky castle after trying to bring her a rose. She convinces the terrifying Beast (Stevens) who captured him to let her take his place. With the encouragement of the moving objects who act as his servants, they begin to gradually understand and befriend one another.

Back in town, Gaston still hasn't given up on taking Belle for his wife...whether she wants it or not. He first abandons Maurice in the woods, but the town hermit Agathe (Hattie Morahan) rescues him. When the old inventor shows up ranting about a Beast, he has him sent to an insane asylum. Belle gets the Beast to let her go long enough to go after her father...but Gaston intercepts her and, convincing the townspeople that the Beast will hurt them, takes them to raid the castle. Only Belle can truly end the curse on the Beast and show everyone that real love means a lot more than admiring the first pretty face that comes along.

The Song and Dance: Absolutely gorgeous, possibly the best-produced of the Disney live-action remakes. The meticulous details on everything from the grimy small town to the Beast's shadowy  monstrosity of a castle, along with some of the best special effects of any recent Disney film, make this a delight for the eyes. The cast is fantastic, too. Thompson makes a warm and wise Mrs. Potts, Watson is a charming Belle, Stevens more than matches her as a more intelligent Beast, and Evans is a hoot as the vain and selfish Gaston. Josh Gad also has a lot of fun as LaFou, Gaston's oblivious and adoring best friend.

At the very least, they did try to do some things that would set it apart from the animated film (unlike the remake of The Lion King). I like that they re-added some details from the original French fairy tale  like Maurice stealing the rose, as well as the greater emphasis on how Belle and the Beast's education set them apart from the illiterate townspeople (including Gaston) and their backstories.

Favorite Number: "Be Our Guest" is nearly as much fun to watch here as it was in the original, with Ewan MacGregor as Lumeire swirling around dancing black and white feather dusters and delicate tea cups. The pub-set stomp to "Gaston" is even better. showing off terrific choreography as Gad and Evans sings the praises of being macho. "Something There" gets a lovely montage as Belle and the Beast realize that they have a lot more in common than previously suspected, and "Beauty and the Beast" is just as swirling and romantic here.

Three new songs were written directly for the film. "Days In the Sun" has Belle, the Beast, and the Enchanted Objects sadly recalling lost childhood memories or days of glory. "Evermore" is the Beast's tortured ballad when Belle leaves to save her father and he thinks he's lost her forever. "How Does a Moment Last Forever" is a touching ballad first sung by Maurice to the accompaniment of a music box as he recalls his late wife, and then by Belle after she learns how her mother died.

What I Don't Like: Did Disney really need to remake this? Frankly,  no. As lovely as it is, it still lacks a lot of the simple spark and charm that made the original so wildly popular, not to mention its Broadway-worthy cast. Watson is wonderful in the book scenes, but she's not really much of a singer or a dancer, and Stevens lacks Robby Benson's gruff charisma. I also wish they could have used at least some of the songs from the stage show. "Home" and "No Matter What" might have been especially nice here.

The Big Finale: It may not be necessary, but that doesn't mean it isn't lovely, romantic, and exquisite. This is by far my favorite of the Disney live-action remakes I've seen, and the only one to be anywhere near as delightful as its source material.

Home Media: As one of the more recent films I've reviewed and the second-biggest hit of 2017, this is easily found in all formats.

DVD
Blu-Ray
Google Play