The original Beauty and the Beast was the first animated film ever to be nominated for Best Picture and earned an Academy Award for Best Original Song. I even have a cassette tape version of Beauty and The Beast song when it first came out 1991.
Did Disney’s Beauty and the Beast live action remake did a good job?
What Beauty and the Beast Movie did well
Music, Production, and Wardrobe
I am amazed that they recreated each scene in detail. Belle’s beautiful gowns come to life and the musical score behind the songs sound better.
Belle’s town intro song
notable scene : Gaston chasing Belle in the busy marketplace while Belle is singing as merchants barking their wares.
Gaston song
notable scene : LeFou’s dance moves which caused a heated debate. He was very into character including the voice.
Be Our Guest
notable scenes: Mrs Potts dishwashing scene with sugar jars dancing, grand finale with all the cakes and fireworks.
Beauty and the Beast 2017 Song
Dance is accurate to the original however they removed some scenes within the dance where Belle lay her head on Beast’s chest and Beast looked at Lumiere and Cogsworth with a big smile.
Belle’s beautiful dresses
Disney has already started selling Belle’s yellow dress and Belle’s celebration dress for kids! I can imagine this will be a popular dress for celerations or as halloween costumes. Which one would you choose?
Beauty and the Beast characters
Belle – Emma Watson vs Paige O’Hara
I agree with this casting decision. Emma Watson played a fantastic Belle on each scene although I still prefer the original voice of Belle played by Paige O’Hara. Her voice had more emotional impact yet still gentle and feminine.
Who was the better Belle? – Tie. Emma Watson has nailed the acting and singing but Paige O’Hara’s voice felt more real and into character. Emma Watson’s voice seems autotuned.
Beast – Dan Stevens vs Robby Benson
I am impressed with how they used real facial expressions on Beast. The voice is almost similar but they made it deeper and more fearsome. The beast was also much meaner in the live action.
I like the moment the beast transformed into the prince, they copied the exact actions on that scene – the examining of the hands and the abrupt turn, in the live action version.
Who was the better Beast? – Dan Stevens from Beauty and the Beast live action
Gaston – Luke Evans vs Richard White
Luke Evans really did a great job acting as Gaston as well as the singing. However I feel that the original voice of Gaston played by Richard White had more passion that left a memorable character in our hearts while Luke plainly copied what was already created.
I wonder if Antonio Banderas could be a better Gaston?
Who was the better Gaston? – Tie. Just like Emma Watson, they acted the role well. It’s just that the original voices were more heartfelt.
Lumiere – Ewan McGregor vs Jerry Orbach
I like how they added a face and clothes to this memorable candlestick in Beauty and the Beast. Ewan McGregor sings very well, especially in his musical movie Moulin Rouge. I still think the better French accent goes to Jerry Orbach. The way he sings in Be Our Guest seems so natural, effortless yet distinctly French.
Who was the better Lumiere? Jerry Orbach from the original Beauty and the Beast.
Le Fou – Josh Gad vs Jesse Corti
I am amazed that they found someone who can resemble this character and act like him through Josh Gad. I like his performance in the song “Gaston” he really made LeFou come to life with his acting and voice.
Who was the better LeFou? This was a tough choice, At first, I slightly prefer the original voice of LeFou by Jesse Corti. To be fair, making the animated version come to life while being accurate to the character is a hard feat so I would have to give credit to live action version of LeFou played by Josh Gad. He also made LeFou sing more artisticly than having a purely wacky voice.
Mrs Potts Teapot – Emma Thompson vs Angela Lansbury
Mrs Potts line “Tale as old as time” is iconic. I like the new design of Mrs Potts. They made her look elegant. Emma Thompson did a great job with her voice acting.
Who was the better Mrs Potts? Another tough choice. Emma Thompson voiced Mrs Potts very well. I prefer the musical score of the dance scene but the voice of Angela Lansbury.
Do you know anyone who would want their own Mrs Potts tea set ?
Cogsworth – Ian McKellen vs David Ogden Stiers
This clock from Beauty and the Beast has always been the funniest sidekick to Lumiere. The live action version just made him sound like a plain old man.
Who was the better Cogsworth? David Ogden Stiers from the original Beauty and the Beast.
Would you get a limited edition Cogsworth clock around your house? I wonder if it can speak some phrases.
Madame de Garderobe Wardrobe closet – Audra McDonald vs Jo Anne Worley
I really like the details done with the wardrobe closet design and how they used a real closet than purely CGI while filming the scene. Audra McDonald did her voice very well.
Who was the better wardrobe closet? This is a tough choice. I still prefer the wardrobe voice from the original Beauty and the Beast.
What I didn’t like about the Live action Beauty and the Beast
Script
I loved Belle for being a subtle witty person. The new Belle was straightforward, missing the witty jokes it had from the original Beauty and the Beast.
Belle turns down Gaston in marriage scene
In the original scene, Belle remains composure despite being pressured by Gaston. She gave subtle hints that she is not interested.
BELLE: Gaston, what a pleasant…surprise.
GASTON: Isn’t it though? I’m just full of surprises. You know, Belle.
There’s not a girl in town who wouldn’t love to be in your shoes.
This is the day…(GASTON pauses by a mirror and licks his teeth
clean.) This is the day your dreams come true.
BELLE: What do you know about my dreams, Gaston?
GASTON: Plenty. Here, picture this. (GASTON plops down in the chair and
props his mud-covered feet up on BELLE’s book. He begins to kick
off his boots and wiggle his toes through his hole-y socks.) A
rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire, and my
little wife, massaging my feet, while the little ones play with
the dogs. (BELLE looks positively disgusted. GASTON gets up
next to her face.) We’ll have six or seven.
BELLE: Dogs?
GASTON: No, Belle! Strapping boys, like me!
BELLE: Imagine that. (She picks up her book, places a mark in it, and
puts it on the shelf.)
GASTON: And do you know who that wife will be?
BELLE: Let me think.
GASTON: (Corners BELLE ) You, Belle!
BELLE: (Ducking under GASTON’S arms) Gaston, I’m speechless. I really
don’t know what to say.
GASTON: (Pushing chairs and things out of the way until he reaches BELLE
and traps her against the door) Say you’ll marry me.
BELLE: (Reaching for the doorknob) I’m very sorry, Gaston, but I just
don’t deserve you. (She twists the knob and the door opens (this
time outward). BELLE ducks under GASTON as he tumbles out the
door and into the mud.)
New scene
Gaston visits Belle’s home and squashes cabbages from her garden. Gaston suggests that Belle should take care of her own children and Belle objecting that she is not ready to have her own.
Gaston suggests that maybe she hasn’t met the right guy and it could be in front of her, Belle rebutted that she has met all the guys in town.
In the end she turns Gaston down bluntly and angrily, “I’m never going to marry you”
Gaston helps Maurice OUT
MAURICE: Yes, yes. Will you help me?
GASTON: All right, old man. We’ll help you out.
(The OLD CRONIES pick up MAURICE and help him out by throwing him through the
door.)
Tour in the castle by Cogsworth
COGSWORTH: As you can see, the pseudo facade was stripped away to reveal a minimalist rococo design. Note the unusual inverted vaulted
ceilings. This is yet another example of the neo-classic baroque
period, and as I always say, if it’s not baroque, don’t fix it!
Conclusion
Overall I enjoyed the new Beauty and the Beast. The new musical score sounds great and the actors really made an effort to sing like the original, most notably LeFou, Gaston, and Mrs Potts however, it still does not measure up to the original voice actors and creators of this amazing classic.
I found myself just enjoying the songs, sets, costumes and nothing more. It has lost its funny scenes and script like Beast hovered by lots of birds, Beast and Belle having a porridge toast, and the snow fight chase scene replaced with Beast actually hitting Belle with a big snowball and falls to the ground as if dead then the scene cuts. What was that?
Rotten Tomatoes has only given it a score of 70% Average Rating: 6.7/10.
What do you think of the original Beauty and the Beast compared to the live action remake?
Share in the comments below.
“Belle” Song Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Comparison 1991 vs 2017 (Animated vs. Live Action)
“Gaston” Song Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Comparison 1991 vs 2017 (Animated vs. Live Action)
Beauty & The Beast | Scene by Scene comparison
Beauty and the Beast reviews from netizens
In other news, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST IS A BEAUTIFUL MOVIE. Boys, take your mum, sisters and girl out to see it, they’ll thank you for it.
— Yajaira (@yayanappe) March 23, 2017
If you stop your child from seeing Beauty and the Beast because of the gay scene, the problem isn’t the movie. The problem is you.
— Memo (@getheMemo) March 19, 2017
Beauty and the Beast is a movie you absolutely need to see. It literally was one of the best things I’ve ever watched.
— kelslay🌀 (@kelseydietrich7) March 18, 2017
If you grew up watching the cartoon ‘Beauty and the Beast’, you gon love the real movie! Frrr#AllTheFeelingsss
— JuniorToleafoa (@JuniorToleafoa) March 17, 2017
People are so pressed over a gay character in Beauty and the Beast like the movie isn’t about Emma Watson falling for a buffalo.
— Maddy (@xMaddyCx) March 16, 2017
Beauty and The beast controversies
‘Beauty and the Beast’ actor reacts to ‘gay controversy’
Beauty and the beast could be the most controversial Disney remake in history — and the bar is higher than you might think — having weathered all manner of social media storms over its production and stars.
Controversy Halts ‘Beauty and the Beast’ In Malaysia
Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is at the center of a controversy in Malaysia, which has a strong and vocal Muslim-majority. Major cinema chains in Malaysia have postponed the film’s release. The movie was cleared by censors after producers cut the controversial “gay moment” from the film. But the cinema chains are still delaying the release, due to “unforeseen circumstances.” Disney representatives in Kuala Lumpur have not released any statement on the postponement.
The Vigilant Christian In this video I talk about a news story surrounding the release of the beauty and the beast Disney movie! Because of a gay dance scene by a gay character many are banning the movie! In Malaysia homosexuality is illegal and they will not be playing the film unless Disney allows them to modify it. But they won’t of course!
MALAYSIANS REACTION TO BANNED BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
