The story of “Beauty and the Beast” has captivated audiences for centuries,evolving through various adaptations across literature, theatre, and film.The 2018 live-action adaption of “Beauty and the Beast ” brings a fresh perspective to this timeless tale, offering both faithful nods to its animated predecessor and innovative reinterpretations of classic elements.In exploring the differences between the 2018 film and its animated counterpart, we can delve into the nuances of character development, narrative expansion, visual presentation, and thematic exploration.
However, despite these family – friendly versions filled with songs,talking objects, and lighthearted comedy, the original 1740 French novel by Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve told a very different, much darker story.Later on, this version would be rewritten as a short story for children by another French writer named Jeanne – Marie LePrince de Beaumont. Her version would become more popular than the original and though the two stories are fairly similar, each varies with its own version.
My interest in the story was piqued after reading what is considered the definitive version of the Beauty and the Beast story [1757] by Madame Jeanne – Marie LePrince de Beaumont. This version of the tale features a family of the new middle class, particularly an intelligent daughter named Beauty, whose discernment is essential in freeing both the Beast from his curse and her family from their troubles. While Disney claims to have created a new , more feminist – friendly heroine in Belle. She is intelligent nor discerned when breaking the spell on her Beast . But as the animated classic, the live – action remake and the original Fairytale largely stay on the theme of learning to love.
While the basic idea of a handsome prince being cursed is the same throughout both the original story and movies. The movie shows a selfish prince who must redeem himself through a spell, after turning his back on a kind old woman in need of help.But when it comes to the book’s version is largely innocent.
The rose is something that appears in both the movies and the original story. In the movie the flower counts the days until the Beast’s demise, signaling the time Belle has left to help break the spell. But the original text, the rose is what instigates the entire mess. When Belle’s father, the merchant , goes for a business trip he comes upon a castle. He partake of its unexplained hospitality for awhile, and when he remembers his promise to his daughter that he will bring her back a single rose, he picks one from the palace’s garden which makes the Beast angry and demands the merchant to stay as his prisoner or go home and send his daughter to stay with him.
Gaston who is the villain in the movie ,was trying to kill the Beast to marry Belle. But when it comes to the real story there isn’t a villain like Gaston, unless one counts the fairy who cursed the Beast to begin with.
The beloved candelabra Lumiere and ornate clock Cogsworth of the Disney films aren’t so helpful in the original story. Instead of placing singing servants and inanimate objects in the palace to help Belle, the novel version surrounds her birds and monkeys.
Beauty and the Beast slowly fall in love over time in the films, after spending time together in the Beast’s palace. But the book’s journey is quite different. The Beast hardly talks to her in the original story. Every night she rejects his proposals but she didn’t know that the Beast was the same handsome young man who comes to her in her dreams, but because she misunderstands,she struggles with loving the man of her dreams while befriending the Beast.
The climatic moment of the film, when the Beast reverts to the handsome prince is not an important point when it comes to the fairytale. Actually Belle say yes to marry the Beast but even after that romantic moment he remains unchanged. The next day she see the young man from her dreams, asleep next to her but she can’t wake him.But the prince’s mother stops the fairy to thank Belle for freeing the prince from his curse only because Belle was a mere merchant’s daughter. It’s only then the prince rises to join Belle and explain his story.
In conclusion, the 2018 live – action adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast” offers a fresh interpretation of a beloved classic, enriching the familiar narrative with expanded character development, narrative canvas, and it’s innovative blend of old and new elements, the film honors the legacy of its animated predecessor while carving out it’s own distinctive identity. As audiences continue to be enchanted by the timeless tales of love, redemption and the power of inner beauty, the 2018 adaption stands as a shining example of cinematic storytelling at it’s most enchanting and enduring.
sources:
Galef, David. “A Sense of Magic: Reality and Illusion in Cocteau’s Beauty and the
Beast.” Literature Film Quarterly, vol. 12, no. 2, 1984, pp. 96-106.
Jeffords, Susan. “The Curse of Masculinity: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.” From
Mouse to Mermaid: The Politics of Film, Gender, and Culture, edited by Elizabeth
Bell, Lynda Haas, Laura Sells, Indiana University Press, 1995, pp. 161-172.
La Belle et La Bête. Directed by Jean Cocteau, Janus Films, 2014.
Schaller, Peggy. “Jeanne Marie LePrince de Beaumont (1711-1780): Biographical Essay
for Chawton House Library and Women Writers.” Women Writers, Chawton
House Library, 2008. Web.
Schaller, Margaret P. “An Alternative Enlightenment: The Moral Philosophy Of Jeanne
Marie LePrince de Beaumont (1711-1780).” Dissertation Abstracts International,
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Pauly, Rebecca M. “Beauty and the Beast: From Fable to Film.” Literature Film
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Gitsga
This analysis seems to focus more on the 1759 depiction of “Belle” than the modern interpretation. We are given many examples of the original depiction with snippets of the animated, and live-action Disney interpretations of the character. The analysis was difficult for me to follow, it felt very disjointed. While the main points of the differences between the depictions of the characters are there, it doesn’t feel fleshed out. The main points I found were that the original depiction of Belle is more of an intelligent character than the modern counterpart which is ostensibly a more feminist-friendly character but is shown not to be as smart or concerned with breaking the curse of the Beast. There are indeed scholarly sources, but I am unable to see how they are linked to the analysis. I think this analysis would do well with some more thought into how the sections are connected. As I stated previously, it seems like the points are disjointed and don’t follow a pattern. In terms of content, the analysis could give more examples of the character “Belle” from 2 depictions. As it stands, the analysis looks at 3 separate versions of the character and goes into explaining side characters, which I feel are unnecessary for this assignment. The images depict the 2018 live-action version of the character and the cover of the original book. If the analysis were of only these 2 depictions it would be sufficient, but we also learn of the animated depiction of the character.