Official "Beauty & the Beast" Film Adaptation Thread — Page 59

Theatre Fan 3 - whilst we may loose a little innocence as we grow older I also hope that we look for things with a little more depth and a little more critically than a 6 year old girl in a party dress. Disney at it's best works on many levels and appeals to all ages - indeed it was the mark of the Howard Ashman era (and Hunchback in part) movies that it achieved this and are credited with reviving the studios animations. Some people maybe focusing on their disappointments with this movie more than they would otherwise (there are obviously great moments) because they are disappointed with the handling of the source material and feel that with all the shotcomings mentioned it didn't achieve anything. Personally I was disappointed that a "live action movie" is 70% CGI. If you are willing to overlook that then fine. But if Disney are going to throw creativity out of the window and just remake their back catalogue it is fair to compare them and be critical when they fail to live up to what made the originals so great.

ukpuppetboy said: "Theatre Fan 3 - whilst we may loose a little innocence as we grow older I also hope that we look for things with a little more depth and a little more critically than a 6 year old girl in a party dress. Disney at it's best works on many levels and appeals to all ages - indeed it was the mark of the Howard Ashman era (and Hunchback in part) movies that it achieved this and are credited with reviving the studios animations. Some people maybe focusing on their disappointments with this movie more than they would otherwise (there are obviously great moments) because they are disappointed with the handling of the source material and feel that with all the shotcomings mentioned it didn't achieve anything. Personally I was disappointed that a "live action movie" is 70% CGI. If you are willing to overlook that then fine. But if Disney are going to throw creativity out of the window and just remake their back catalogue it is fair to compare them and be critical when they fail to live up to what made the originals so great."

As I stated above ... I totally respect your right to your opinion. In my particular case, I guess I choose not to over-analyze and compare films whether they be re-boots, re-makes, or whatever ... I just enjoy movies in general and I guess I just prefer to decide whether or not I liked a film once I've seen it, as it stands on it's own, without putting it side-by-side to another film. The originals, that people compare them to, and tend to judge them by, will not change ... they'll still be the same film that they fell in love with before ... the new will never erase the old. The same holds true when people say "Oh, the book was much better than the film" .... or ... "I liked the film version better than the stage version" or vice-versa. They are all entirely different entities and it's really hard to judge them as equals when one is "apples" and the other is "oranges". But, I realize the whole purpose of these message boards is to give people a place to come together and share their thoughts and feelings on a common subject ... I just wish so many of them weren't so negative and disrespectful towards opposing opinions.

Updated On: 3/19/17 at 06:42 PM

I found the film to be incredibly boring and uninspired. These live actions films just seem like a ploy for Disney to cash in (which they're doing easily). All of the acting and singing was fine, I just don't see why the need for the film; the animated film is superior in every way.

God bless, Audra Mcdonald.

Blue_Lotus said: "Has anyone read this article written by Jason McHenry. It's entitled: "If We're Going To Csst Movie Stars in Musicals It's Time To Bring Back Dubbing."

Beauty and the Beast might be the most egregious attempt to shove an actor into a singing role beyond their abilities...

I laughed my butt off reading that article.

Hi MC,

You joined "today"... so just FYI, Part Of Your World is Little Mermaid....

To Defend Ms Watson's performance for a moment, I think we all forget that Belle is not a princess known for her song. In actuality she is one of 3 princesses who do not actually have an iconic "I Want" song. These include Jasmine, whose song is actually the Duet A Whole New World with Aladdin, as she is not the protagonist. Add to that when Alladin was adapted for the stage I think they went through 2 or 3 different "I want" songs for her before settling on These Palace Walls. The other is Merida who doesn't sing.

Yes Belle has the Belle Reprise, which is 1 minute and 3 seconds of mostly spoken or softly song lyrics except for the following two lines "I want much more than this provincial life/ I want adventure in the great wide somewhere". If you actually listen to the original animated version or even the original Broadway version, its not so much Belle's vocals getting more powerful, as it is the orchestra swelling.

The lead vocal performance of Beauty and the Beast, has never actually been Belle's. In the original movie it was Lumiere and Mrs Potts, and in the Original Broadway adaptation it was Beast. Belle didn't even have a vocal moment outside of Belle in the Broadway adaptation until Toni Braxton joined the production and A Change in Me was added to the score.

Do I think Emma Watson's vocal capabilities are the reason why A Change in Me, was dropped from the live action adaptation? Partially I do, but it also would not work in the live action film, as it would come right after the film stopping Forever More, causing the movie to come to a stop for 2 big ballads.

In all honesty Watson is a fine Belle, and people need to stop confusing Belle with the vocal Powerhouse Princesses of Ariel (Part of Your World, Mulan (Reflection), Pocahontas (Colors of the Wind), Tiana (Almost There), Rapunzel (When Will my Life Begin), Anna (For the First Time in Forever), Elsa (Let it Go), Moana (How Far I'll Go), as Belle does not have a song that those pipes are need for.

I saw it yesterday and LOVED it! I thought the cast was great, and there isn't really much I'd consider changing. I'll definitely be heading back for another viewing.

MaryCarey said: "Isn't it really a more feminist message if Belle isn't a powerhouse singer? Disney has set young girls up to believe they have to look a certain way and be musically gifted and that's the only way they are worthy of love. That's why so many young women have self-esteem issues. Why does the Disney princess have to be beautiful and talented while the guy can just be a hairy jerk? What are we telling our daughters? Maybe it's time to celebrate mediocrity.

You are REACHING!

Audra enchanted me, I dunno if it was her characters look or her screen presence but she was so drawing and captivating. The musical numbers where all quite dull to be honest. Where was this amazing choreography we heard about for Be Our Guest, that was very small scale considering the hype. I liked Belle, Gaston and the Mob Song they were staged well and energetic.

Unfortunately every new song they added to the film were staged terribly and added absolutely nothing to the plot. The film works great as an homage though and some of it is magical. I like the furniture a lot better in this than the animated film and show.

Steve C. said: "
1] I saw it in IMAX 3D Experience and it really didn't play off of that technology well.



"

I saw it in IMAX 2D and I thought it was quite pleasing.

I saw it! I liked it! Thank goodness it was better than the endless, boring Cinderella remake. As feared, Emma Watson's singing wasn't the best, but I noticed it less and less as the film went on (possibly because Belle sings less in the later stages?) and got on board with her character anyway. Dan Stevens and the rest of the cast were great. I thought most of the plot additions 'justified themselves' by filling in a few minor plot holes from the animated version and

It wasn't perfect, but a good time was had by all.

"Isn't it really a more feminist message if Belle isn't a powerhouse singer? Disney has set young girls up to believe they have to look a certain way and be musically gifted and that's the only way they are worthy of love. That's why so many young women have self-esteem issues. Why does the Disney princess have to be beautiful and talented while the guy can just be a hairy jerk? What are we telling our daughters? Maybe it's time to celebrate mediocrity.

I have the same expectation for the guy to be a good singer, too.