Disney's producing a live-action Beauty and the Beast movie

EPCOTCenterLover

Well-Known Member
I won't bother everyone with all my thoughts on the film. (If you want them, go here.)
But I do have a question- at one point in time, someone mentioned to watch the furniture as the human emerges from it during the transformation back. I couldn't find it, but Im assuming it was someone associated with the 1991 movie. Who was it?
 

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
So I have been to see this movie a second time. I enjoyed it the first go-around but really enjoyed it the second time. Lots of foreshadowing and some of the texture is lost when you first see it. I think because I was comparing the original in my mind almost shot for shot or scene for scene I did not appreciate all the detail.

The new songs are very good. Evermore is going to be a new classic and felt very much at home.

Lots of people have asked why remake this classic? This live-action will be a new classic. Listening to folks around me in the theatre was a treat both times. People teared up, laughed and appreciated the spectacle. I don't have anything negative to say about the acting or some of the directing or story choices. This movie is staying with me in my mind and that is a good thing.

Agree, seeing it a second time does make it better.

A couple of friends and I recently saw it again and I left with the same impression.
Lots of things you pick up on that are missed the first time around.

There are still some aspects that irk me a tiny bit, but after seeing it a second time I like it even more then I did after my first showing.

Well worth seeing on the big screen, and beautiful to look at in 3D.

-
 

StarWarsGirl

Well-Known Member
As I'm here watching original BatB after seing the new one several days after seeing the new one, I can't help but think about my favorite change to the new one, being Maurice. I liked what they did with his character in the new one. He had more common sense. Like when he finds things talking in the castle, his reaction isn't, "Wow, how's this happening?" It's "Yeah, I should leave. This place is weird." That's how you should react if your teacup starts talking. And I like that in the new version, he's as against Belle marrying Gaston as Belle was, if not more so, whereas in the original, he suggests Belle hang out with Gaston. Yeah...

I also of course like where it's explained what happened to his wife. It makes him a much more sympathetic character.

Oh, and of course, where he aids in their escape from the asylum and then is kind of a smart a** to the guy standing guard (whatever his name is).

I liked a lot of the changes and how they fleshed out the characters, but I think that was my favorite change.
 

StarWarsGirl

Well-Known Member
I do like that they kept Mrs. Potts as the one to sing "Beauty and the Beast," however it's undeniable Audra McDonald is a much better singer than Emma Thompson. I'm glad McDonald got to sing a little bit of the song in the end.

As I said in an earlier post, I'm a little offended by how short McDonald's one and only solo, "Aria" is. She sings for like 30 or 40 seconds in total. Ridiculous.
Well, yes of course Audra McDonald is a better singer than Emma Thompson. Opera singer who has won four Tony awards..yes, she'll have a very strong voice.

That being said, I like her better when she's not using her opera style voice (because I have always very much hated opera; please don't kill me for saying that:eek:), and since she uses her operatic voice in BatB, I'm fine with hearing her less. I like her voice best like this:

 

StarWarsGirl

Well-Known Member
I love the Beast's anti-Romeo and Juliet stance. I feel the same.
I agree. Have always hated Romeo and Juliet.

That being said, that entire conversation just felt so real. She loves the romance, and he rolls his eyes at the whole thing. I watched it and had to laugh because I've had that conversation with guys over the years (just usually about chick flicks). I thought, "Oh, how typical." It made him seem very real.
 

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
Well, yes of course Audra McDonald is a better singer than Emma Thompson. Opera singer who has won four Tony awards..yes, she'll have a very strong voice.

That being said, I like her better when she's not using her opera style voice (because I have always very much hated opera; please don't kill me for saying that:eek:), and since she uses her operatic voice in BatB, I'm fine with hearing her less. I like her voice best like this:



I enjoy her voice in any form.
 

mf1972

Well-Known Member
finally got to see it last night, & thought it was very well done. only thing i didn't care for was the gaston number. just couldn't get into it. prob just need to see it again.
 

Fox&Hound

Well-Known Member
Just saw it and loved it!

****Spoilers***

I loved the look of the film and really thought they captured the magic of the animated masterpiece. Thought Emma Watson did a great job, although she definitely was much more auto-tuned that I first thought. But, I still think she was right for the part even if her voice was lacking. Loved Evan(?) as Gaston- especially how they led to his "let's make Maurice" crazy plot to cover for his own transgressions. LeFou did nothing for me. I was not bothered by the sexual undertones but it seemed like LeFou was majorly scaled back like Gadd was holding back for some reason on a part that is so wild and unrestrained.

I especially liked how a lot of the plot holes from the original were filled in. But my favorite part by far? That snowball to the face- priceless....

Overall, I thought it was great! You just have to go in knowing that it is a completely different experience than the animated. Don't compare; just look for ways to enjoy both!
 

Princess Leia

Well-Known Member
Okay, some quick thoughts that I had during the movie:
  • Audra! :joyfull:
  • Emma Watson's singing sounded a little forced? "Something sweet and unrefined" indeed. Idk, there were just some sections that I wasn't crazy about.
  • Forget everything I said about Gaston's early scenes the last time I watched it. Just finished bingeing 'Big Little Lies', and I kept comparing Gaston to Perry... so definitely did not like him at all. The friend that I went with felt that Evans wasn't right at first, but like me, changed her mind later on. He really did a good job in the part.
  • "Be Our Guest... but don't touch the food, just look at the aesthetic- I told you, no touchy!" Seriously Lumiere, I understand this is your big production, but let the poor woman eat.
  • Emma Thompson's accent... not the best. I know that Angela Lansbury has a similar sounding accent, but it didn't sound as cockney as Emma's.
  • Definitely only 5 days passed. Disney went from trying to update the fairy tale in Cinderella by letting Kit and Ella be better acquainted to regressing a bit here with Belle & Beast only getting 5 days to fall in love (but 4/5 were spent almost entirely in each other's company, I'll give them that).
  • Speaking of time passing- I don't think the castle staff aged during the curse. Those on the outside probably did (though that beckons the question of how much of an age gap there was between Cogsworth and his wife)
  • Still got teary eyed over the dog trying to wake his dead parents up... And then the moment was ruined by Mrs. Potts (I am sorry, but that accent really took me out of the scene)
  • I liked Evermore better this time! Still isn't on par with "If I Can't Love Her" for me, and I started to think that Belle got lost in the hedge maze trying to leave, but I did like it better. "How Can a Moment Last Forever" is my favorite new addition though, but I will also give major kudos for whoever wrote Audra McDonald's part in "Days in the Sun". Holy moly. And then the harmonies with Emma Watson (in one of her better songs)? So good. :inlove:
All in all, I guess I'm moving my rating from a C+ to a B-.
 

Tony Perkis

Well-Known Member
Agreed on both accounts. In recent years, Beauty and the Beast is the only live-action remake I really like from Disney.

I was very confused by the end shot, too. It was a nice shot, but it made no sense to me.

I'm guessing Condon wanted people singing to be the last shot. It's a poor decision. It should have been an overview shot of the dance floor.
 

Tony Perkis

Well-Known Member
I agree I really wish she had done the singing in the ballroom scene instead of Emma Thompson. She sounded more like Bert's sister from Mary Poppins than a romantic voice. Obviously having such a talented singer and not having her actually sing a full song is sorta disappointing.
Nah, I disagree with this. Ms. Potts is a much more integral character, and the song means significantly more coming from her
 

Tony Perkis

Well-Known Member
I go to the Alamo Drafthouse. it's great.


I go to the Alamo Drafthouse - it's amazing. I have actually not seen a movie in theaters because it's not showing there. One of the things they are known for is their preshow PSA telling people not to talk in the theater. Many times they are themed to the movie you are seeing and some movie companies even make special one for Alamo.

This is my favorite - I've seen it a few times in front of R rated movies - NSFW


They made a parody of it they play in front of Star Wars Movies


Disney had a special Moana one made -


My son was terrified that he would be "ejected from the theater" he thought it actually meant they would launch him out of the theater like an ejection seat.

I saw the film at Drafthouse in Dallas. I'm close to the point of not going to a film in theatres unless it's at ADH.

This is far and away my favorite venue to view a film.
 

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