Hunter Fullhart
Photography and Social Media Editor
Disney Live-Action Studios has done it again, and this time, they transformed one of the most iconic Disney movies ever made into a live-action marvel. Beauty and The Beast is a beloved classic for any and every Disney fanatic, and it finally got the live-action remake that it deserved. With all the live-action movies being made, including Pete’s Dragon, The Jungle Book, and Alice in Wonderland, it was time for Belle to say “Bonjour!” and step into the live-action world.
Everybody knows the story of Belle and the Beast, it’s one of the best Disney stories out there and Emma Watson and Dan Stevens are the perfect Belle and Beast duo. The casting of Beauty and The Beast was spot on except for one. Lumiere, played by Ewan McGregor, could have been casted differently. Not saying that McGregor is a bad actor by any means, he just didn’t fit the bill as Lumiere the candelabra. For example when he talks, you can obviously tell that his accent is fake. It’s almost hard to understand him at times. Other notable names that are cast in the movie are Sir Ian McKellen (Cogsworth), Emma Thompson (Mrs. Potts), Audra McDonald (Madame Garderobe), Stanley Tucci (Maestro Cadenza), Kevin Kline (Maurice), Luke Evans (Gaston) and Josh Gad as Gaston’s sidekick, LeFou. This movie is a star-studded sensation.
There are some parts that are very different from the live-action remake and the animated classic, so take it with a grain of salt when you view the movie because the changes don’t affect the movie too terribly much. One big difference in the live-action movie is that we get slim to no information on Belle’s mother in the animated movie, but in the live-action, the Beast basically takes Belle back in time to find out how her mother passed away, via an enchanted book he received from the enchantress that turned him into the Beast. This change delivered some closure to the backstory of Belle’s mom, and it was very nice to get that question answered.
One of the best parts about a Disney film is the music, and this movie has every song from the original movie including a few extras. My most favorite new song from the movie is called “Evermore,” and it is sung by the Beast as Belle is leaving the castle to help her father. It is so powerful and moving that it made me shed a tear and had goosebumps running up and down my spine. Stevens is a magnificent singer, and his voice will just make your soul shudder and feel the emotion in the song.
Overall, this movie was beautiful. The cinematography work of this movie is virtually perfect. The colors are vibrant throughout the movie, and you can tell when a scene with the Beast is going to happen because all the colors and the tone of the movie just get very dark and dull and you can tell when Belle enters because everything lights up and gets brighter. The thought process of Director Bill Condon is mind-blowing. The song, “Be Our Guest,” is breathtaking. The use of color and flashy objects is the perfect approach when tackling that song. It’s so sparkly and shiny that you feel like you’re sitting by the table watching with Belle.
This movie is perfect. I rarely give movies 10 out of 10’s, but this one deserves it. I have seen this movie three times since it came out, and I would gladly see it five more times before it left theaters. Although it isn’t my favorite Disney movie, Beauty and The Beast finally was given some justice in the live-action world of movies.
