Beauty And The Beast (Animated) (DVD)

...Old as Time - the Beauty and The Beast title track (re-hashed, commercialised and stripped of some of its heartrending beauty by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson).

As they walk outside under the stars (once more, lovely attention to detail as we see a dramatic shooting star), the Beast realises that he loves her, and must let her return to her father. After a tender scene together, the Beast gives her a magic mirror, which she can use ...
...the splendour of its predecessor.

Beauty and The Beast: approach with an open mind, allow the purity of childhood to re-emerge, and you'll love this film as much as I have.







  ... more

I was lent this video by my seven year old cousin, as he was very insistent that I watch it. Well, being open-minded, I thought to myself, "Well, there's nothing to lose." The part of me that is still a child was secretly looking forward to it.

Suffice it to say - this is magical stuff. What follows is an outline of the plot, which I've done in detail. It includes the ending, which I would imagine many people know. I've also commented on what, for me, brings the whole thing to life and makes these scenes such a huge success. However, if you don't want to know, please don't read any further. If you know the ending, and want to read my thoughts, please continue...
Whatever - this film is a masterpiece!

A low solemn chord sounds out, followed by a surreal and a soft crystal-clear orchestra. Then the vista is opened, revealing a beautiful scene of trees, waterfalls and dancing butterflies. A true storyteller's voice begins the tale, appealing to the inner five-year-old, and instantly the viewer is transfixed. There's something immediate and arresting about this Disney classic.

The storyteller (David Ogden Stiers) takes us to the summit of a green hill, atop of which flashes a splendid castle. It's a traditional fairytale, but delivered so strongly that it avoids the trap of being corny. In the castle, lives a young prince - pampered, spoilt, selfish and unkind. The trigger for the tale occurs when the prince is visited by an old beggar woman, offering a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold night. The prince, in true villainous style, refuses the gift, turning the old woman away, cruelly dismissing her as a repulsive old hag. But, oh, you can imagine the air tingling as she warns him, in her croaky old voice, not to be deceived. The foolish, stupid prince slams the door on her once more, whereupon she reveals herself as a beautiful Enchantress of terrible power, towering above him, her eyes glinting with anger. The Prince tries vainly to apologise, but it is too late! A cruel punishment is brought down on him as he is transformed into a hideous Beast; the splendour of the castle is reduced to shabby, darkened ruins and the innocent servants are also placed under the enchantment, the full details of which we don't see until later. The scene steps slowly back from the devastation, showing the Beast in his monstrous new form, and in a state of despair. There is one ray of hope: the rose she had offered is itself placed under an enchantment. If he can learn to love another, and receive her love in return, the spell wil be broken. If not, he would remain hideous forever. It's a simple introduction, childlike, but curiously sinister and compelling too.

The dark magical drama descends on this note of despair, but then the curtain rises immediately, panto-esque, on a morning scene, with a beautiful young woman emerging from a country cottage. At once, viewers will realise that this special girly is the one to break the spell. And the film makers realise, too, that their audience will have reached this conclusion, and even make the point several times in the later dialogue. Anyway, the opening song - a lovely cheerful ditty - sees Belle the heroine (the crystal-voiced Paige O Hara), roaming around town, singing of her love of books, and cataloguing her frustrations. The whole town echo with her in the chorus: she's a beautiful thing, but doesn't fit in here. At this point, we're introduced to another villain - the handsome but loathsome Gaston (voiced by Richard White). He declares himself as Belle's suitor, but she has other plans. She is no weak, pathetic stereotype, but a liberated woman with a strong mind of her own. This is one of the things I love about this film - the characters are strongly drawn and credible. You can emotionally identify with them as if they were flesh and blood!

Belle goes home to find inventor father, busy with his latest project. It's such an innovation that he intends selling it at the local fair. Of course, in true fairytale tradition, he gets himself in a pickle , and hopelessly lost on the way there. In the end he's pursued by ravenous wolves. Just in time, he stumbles across the ghostly castle, ranked by demonic looking statues. He has no choice but to go in. The austere orchestral backing adds even more atmosphere to an already frightening scene.

Here he discovers the castle's enchanted inhabitants - the officious Cogsworth (again voiced by David Ogden Stiers, showing his range of talents) who has been changed into a carriage clock, charming French candlestick Lumiere (Jerry Orbach), Mrs Potts (Angela Lansbury of "Murder She Wrote" fame) and various other kitchen utensils come to life. They make the wanderer comfortable, until the cruel eyes of the Beast see what is happening. With a terrifying roar, his shadowy figure throws open the door; he lifts the poor traveller of his feet and throws him into a cold, dreadful dungeon. The haunted castle is evoked succesfully, with a creepy feeling the viewer can really experience for themself. Attention to detail is the key thing: the dark statues with tormented faces - really effective symbolism.

Belle comes looking for her father, guided by his horse, and meets the Beast head-on. You see the first glimpse of pity in his huge blue eyes as she pleads with him for her father. He cuts her a deal in which she can take his place. She agrees, and her father is banished. Belle is shown to her room by an austere, but slightly less scary Beast. She must promise to stay here for ever.

The story develops as the fated couple get to know each other. The characters are vivid and sharp - real - with depth. It's probably the first time I've ever experienced a genuine emotional response when watching a cartoon!

There are some great songs - Be My Guest, played against the backdrop of a forbidden meal - is a showtime number with dancing cutlery, and all manner of living ornaments. Crazily entertaining for the kids, and for some adults!

After a few scuffles and an escape attempt, Belle stands up to the Beast, and the pair realise they can learn much from each other. They dine together, read together and dance together; it seems, somehow, that a little light has shone back into the gloomy castle and restored some of its glory. There are some visually beautiful scenes, as Belle and the Beast play in the snowy grounds of the castle, but the heartstopper is the ballroom dance, with the Song as Old as Time - the Beauty and The Beast title track (re-hashed, commercialised and stripped of some of its heartrending beauty by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson).

As they walk outside under the stars (once more, lovely attention to detail as we see a dramatic shooting star), the Beast realises that he loves her, and must let her return to her father. After a tender scene together, the Beast gives her a magic mirror, which she can use to see him in his castle. They part, and a huge tortured howl shoots up in the air as she rides off to the night.

On returning home, Belle tends to her father, but a malicious pair of eyes is watching. Gaston arrives with his gawky henchman, Lefou (Jesse Corti). Gaston demands her hand in marriage, threatening her family with severe consequences if she refuses. Then, on Belles's request, the magic mirror blazes dramatically into life, revealing the Beast, lonely and despairing in his castle. The villagers are amazed and appalled. Egged on by Gaston, who jealously realises the extent of Belle's affection for her new friend, the village storms round to the castle, to a chorus of gathering anger. Gaston declares that he will kill the Beast! You see the human emotions painstakingly drawn in the animated faces - more so than I've seen in any cartoon film.

The lightning blazes and dark rain pours as the vigilantes roll up to the drawbridge, battering the doors with a huge tree. In a delightful scene, the enchanted people of the castle repel the invaders using all manner of bizarre weapons. But Gaston slips quietly upstairs, unnoticed.

Gaston finds the Beast alone, powerless and crushed. He pumps an arrow into him, then hurls him through the window: utterly merciless. The Beast lies down, preparing himself for a beating. Until Belle rides up in the storm, calling the Beast's name. He is revitalised, fighting back against Gaston with a sudden ferocity.

The pair fight each other to a standstill, but Gaston suddenly plunges a knife into the Beast (a bit un-Disney methinks!) before falling to his own death off the ramparts of the castle.

Belle runs up to the dying Beast, and in a scene which moved me to tears - the only time a cartoon has ever done this - and reduced everyone to silence, tells him she loves him. The Beast closes his eyes and dies, dramatic, final and hopeless - a scene brought even more to life against the bleak background of lightning and black rain.

All the other castle inhabitants look on in despair, but suddenly we have a glimpse of the forgotten enchanted rose, whose final petal falls sombrely, tragically to the ground. Just in time! According to true Disney tradition, the spell is lifted, at the last instant, in an awesome scene...The "Beast" climbs to his feet, turns around to Belle, handsome and beaming.

They kiss, and the sky is transformed, showering down a magic rain which cleanses the castle, restoring it and its inhabitants.

There's an obvious theme of Disney morality running all through this film - someone can be beautiful on the inside but ugly on the outside. OK, so now it sounds corny! But the film never descends into mediocrity or becomes trite or contrived.

There are lots of "extras" that come with the film, including the illuminating story of how the film was first conceived, a surprisingly long time ago, and how it nearly failed to happen at all.

One extra note: in the trailers, reference is made to a sequel "The Enchanted Christmas". It captures something unique of its own but doesn't, for me, quite live up to the splendour of its predecessor.

Beauty and The Beast: approach with an open mind, allow the purity of childhood to re-emerge, and you'll love this film as much as I have.

 

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