Beauty and the Beast (2017)

[JessePinkman]

That music is super effective, the nostalgia is strong with this one. Hoping this isn't a CGI monstrosity like Alice in Wonderland. I like Emma Watson just fine, I don't know about this Dan Stevens, no one can match Robby Benson's voice.

Cogsworth and Lumiere look absolutely frightening. I'm guessing this is them in their "frozen" form, they'll look cuter in motion I'm sure.

[Spartan Girl]

No one can replace Robby Benson, but after hearing that reading, I think Dan Stevens will do just fine. His grumpy Beast voice made me smile. 

This movie can't come soon enough!

[metaphor]

Really quite eager for this one. The older cast is also great, what with Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson and Kevin Kline. I hope one of the new songs lets Audra McDonald really show off her pipes.

 

[Amethyst]

Lumiere looks ok, (where's the face?) but Cogworth is straight up nightmare fuel.  Too much detail.  Sometimes, less is more.

[Luckylyn]

The Robby Benson factor for me is one of the biggest hurdles.  His Beast was perfect.  I've liked Dan Stevens in other things.  I think I just have to give him a chance and stop comparing him to Robby.   It will be hard because I've crushed on Robby Benson since I was a kid (Ice Castles, Harry and Son, etc...) and that just made my attachment to his Beast even stronger.

Belle is one of my favorite Disney heroines.  I  could identify so much with a woman who loved books.  I think Emma can do a great job with Belle.  I think Beauty and the Beast was the first Disney animated feature to get the romance right.  Before Beauty and the Beast the romances were basically love at first sight with no development to show why the two characters should be together.  Belle and the Beast have to get to know each other and forge a bond, and it makes their love story compelling in a way the past films weren't.

[Spartan Girl]

Totally, Lucklyn. And I always roll my eyes when some people criticize the movie for supposedly romanticizing Stockholm Syndrome/abusive relationships. At worst, the Beast is a spoiled man child, whose anger management issues were exacerbated by the curse. And those people totally miss the point of his character development.

That snippet of the script makes it sound like Dan's Beast is an avid reader like Belle, so they've got something in common. That's intriguing...although I was really hoping they'd keep the subplot of her teaching him to read from the stage musical and Special Edition. Ah well. I hope they still keep his adorkable moments.

[Jazzy24]

I'm really excited about this I have always loved Beauty and the Beast and besides Jasmine, Belle is my favorite Disney Princesses. 

I have lots of fate in Disney I loved the live action of Cinderella so I'm very excited for this. 

[Bill1978]

For some reason I'm unable to quote at the moment. re: Lumiere's face, looking at the design I imagine he is facing the opposite direction and will unwind to reveal his face. To me it looks like his body is twisted.

I'm hesitant about this movie, I want to see it but I also don't. Beauty and the Beast is my all time favourite movie and I am worried that this will somehow ruin the original. I hope I am wrong. Maybe I'm being too closed in my acceptance cause I honestly don't understand why Disney is remaking all their animated films (well apart from the money). Let the original stand on their own. Maybe I am worried that this version will be the go to movie for future generations rather than the classic original.

 I think it was Roger Ebert who once said that the beauty of animation is that it allows a greater freedom for the fantastical to happen, Eg flying boats in space, talking clocks, without people questioning if it could be real. You just accept it. I feel that with advancements in CGI, movie studios are forgetting that sometime animation is better than making a 'cartoon' live action movie. I don't know about others, but I sit there and judge how realistic the CGI looks in a live action film. And often I come to the conclusion that they should have just built real sets and/or used models and miniatures.

[BetterButter]

Angela Lansbury Sings 'Beauty and the Beast' at Lincoln Center

[Spartan Girl]

She's still got it!

[GHScorpiosRule]

On September 19, 2016 at 6:46 PM, BetterButter said:

Angela Lansbury Sings 'Beauty and the Beast' at Lincoln Center

 

I was just about to post this!  She gave me goosebumps as she sang and made me laugh when she recited the line from the movie to her son Chip!

Good night Luv!❤️❤️❤️❤️

[raven]

I think this could work even with no Jerry Orbach :((

So I'll leave this here - couldn't find a better quality video but I teared up a little at "Be Our Guest"

[Spartan Girl]

Awww Jerry...

I almost feel guilty about being so excited for Ewan being Lumiere because nobody can ever replace Jerry.

Edited September 27, 2016 by Spartan Girl

[WendyCR72]

14 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

nobody can ever replace Jerry

Hear, hear. Totally agree. Still, if there must be someone else, Ewan is not a bad way to go. (Even if I think this adaption is pointless and, based on clips, even sorta creepy as far as the CGI'd castle staff is concerned, etc. Don't hurt me!)

[BetterButter]

New Beauty and the Beast Stills Give Us Our First Look at the Live-Action Beast

[Spartan Girl]

Emma looks great. And the Beast...wow. Aside from a few differences he looks like the cartoon version.

[GHScorpiosRule]

2 hours ago, BetterButter said:

New Beauty and the Beast Stills Give Us Our First Look at the Live-Action Beast

Okay, I'm going to be nitpicky here and say that in the original, Belle never looked away from Beast when they danced to Beauty and the Beast. She looked up at him and smiled and nuzzled into his chest.

What?

Other than that, I'm loving the look of Beast.

[Amethyst]

Yeah, that dancing shot looks more like concept art.  

I'm pretty lukewarm on the whole thing.  BatB is my favorite Disney movie, and Emma Watson is pretty, but I wouldn't have cast her as Belle.  In addition to the creepy CGI for the servants, I don't know if I'll bother seeing it in theaters.

[Spartan Girl]

3 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Okay, I'm going to be nitpicky here and say that in the original, Belle never looked away from Beast when they danced to Beauty and the Beast. She looked up at him and smiled and nuzzled into his chest.

What?

Other than that, I'm loving the look of Beast.

To be fair, this is just a still/concept art. I'm sure we'll see plenty of that in the actual scene.

[Spartan Girl]

We have photos!

They look SO GOOD.  And according to EW, they're enhancing Belle's backstory, making her the inventor while Maurice just makes music boxes.  

Hurry up, March 17!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[metaphor]

The official trailer is here. I must admit I grew a teensy bit wary after reading the EW feature due to supposed changes to the story, but seeing those animated scenes (especially 

Spoiler

the wolf attack and the dance

 ) in live action was so exciting. Cannot wait. 

Edited November 14, 2016 by metaphor

[Jediknight]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say this will probably win the Production Design Academy Award, because holy crap those sets.  And yeah, this was done with a lot of care and a lot of respect for the animated film.

Edited November 14, 2016 by Jediknight

[JessePinkman]

Nope. The animated objects are freaky looking. And everything is too ornate for me.

The music sounds lovely though.

[Spartan Girl]

That trailer looks awesome.  I needed this after last week.

[Bill1978]

I have been hesitate about this movie since it was announced. And while I still hate the design of the enchanted objects and not particularly fond of The Beast's design. I may be coming around to thinking this movie won't be horrible, even if I think the castle's design and grounds and a bit too Tim Burton like. I loved the use of so many of the scenes and lines from the original, and goddamn it, Menken's score got me. If anything, I'll be at the cinema just to hear Menken's work in a cinema again.

[GHScorpiosRule]

5 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

That trailer looks awesome.  I needed this after last week.

DITTO! And it gave me the good chills! At first I thought that Mrs. Potts was Angela Lansbury, but a quick check on imdb tells me it's Emma Thompson. I swear, it sort of sounded like Angela! John Ogden Stiers is still with us, so why not have him reprise his role?

Okay, never mind. I want to keep the original animated separate.

 

The slashed picture of the Prince was odd; it looked like he was a child; when he was supposed to be, what? 18? when he was cursed? Because based on the Disney version, they'd all been enchanted/cursed for 10 years.  And even the original made a goof--it stated he needed to fall in love by his 21st birthday, which means he was only cursed for three years; but if you use 10 years, that means he would have been 11 at the time of his curse, which doesn't work for me. So, the prince should be older in that slashed picture, is what I'm saying.

Gaston is fugly.

Edited November 14, 2016 by GHScorpiosRule

[SnoGirl]

I was hesitant of this movie because Beauty and the Beast is hands-down my favorite Disney movie. Belle was a Disney Princess I could relate to, I was (and still am) a gigantic bookworm. The scene where she opens her eyes in the Beast's library is still my favorite and probably why I have so many bookshelves in my own house. 

After this trailer, I can't wait for this live-action. Beast looks much better than he did in the pictures that had been released. Really, I knew, Beast would kinda look ridiculous considering the mash-up of animals he's composed of.  He looks better than I thought he would.

I love that Emma Watson is Belle. Real life bookworm, and has played one of my other favorite characters Hermione. 

I'm disappointed in Gaston. He was a beefcake and Luke Evans is tiny. It might be a dumb complaint, but I was hoping for a guy that eats, you know, five dozen eggs and looked roughly the size of a barge.

[Amethyst]

As a major skeptic, I admit that this was a good trailer.  Chip and Mrs. Potts are very cute.  Lumiere and Cogsworth still creep me out.  The trailer basically hit the right notes, although they basically gave the movie away.  I suppose they're aware of the nostalgia factor so they aren't worried about spoilers.

But the dress is still a disappointment.  Belle's yellow ballgown is iconic and they really shortchanged it here.  

[Bill1978]

I forgot to mention in my earlier post of excitement that it looks like they incorporated a little bit more of the original fairytale into the plot with Maurice snatching a rose from The Beast's garden and being caught by The Beast. If my memory serves me correctly, didn't Beauty ask her father to bring back a rose from his journey while her sisters asked for extravagant things?

[Spartan Girl]

7 hours ago, Amethyst said:

As a major skeptic, I admit that this was a good trailer.  Chip and Mrs. Potts are very cute.  Lumiere and Cogsworth still creep me out.  The trailer basically hit the right notes, although they basically gave the movie away.  I suppose they're aware of the nostalgia factor so they aren't worried about spoilers.

But the dress is still a disappointment.  Belle's yellow ballgown is iconic and they really shortchanged it here.  

Kinda hard to give the whole movie away with the original cartoon being out there for the past three decades...

I like the dress. Looks like Belle definitely has more costumes in this one than she did it the cartoon...

[Jediknight]

4 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Kinda hard to give the whole movie away with the original cartoon being out there for the past three decades...

Yeah, they've taken the mindset of people know the story, so let's just show them glimpses of big stuff that happens and wet their appetite to see the entire thing.  It's a good philosophy to have, they're coming right out and saying "You know this movie, so here are some big moments.  We're not going to fuck this up.  Those scenes you loved in the animated movie, they're here in the live action movie, have faith in us."

[Trini]

18 hours ago, Amethyst said:

But the dress is still a disappointment.  Belle's yellow ballgown is iconic and they really shortchanged it here.  

That's one of the things I'm confused about: everything else got more ornate but the dress seem less impressive.

Are they using any songs or scenes from the Broadway show?

Edited November 15, 2016 by Trini

[metaphor]

4 minutes ago, Trini said:

That's one of the things I'm confused about: everything else got a more ornate but the dress seem less impressive.

Are they using any songs or scenes from the Broadway show?

Per the EW feature, Emma wanted a dress that wasn't too constrictive due to the more active nature of the reimagined Belle, but I do think they could have gone with something more impactful. I guess we'll see how it all looks during the dance.

Several interviews with Alan Menken quote him as saying that

Spoiler

no additional songs from the Broadway show will be used. Three new songs -- one for Maurice, to be reprised by Belle; one for the Beast and one for the household (I think also including Belle) -- will be introduced, though.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I'm not sure why Lumierre couldn't have looked like a normal candle, you know?

[Trini]

I get that there would have to be changes because a real, live actress would have to dance in it, but Cinderella managed to come up with something stunning.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Trini

[raven]

OK, got chills with the music and teared up (been an emotional sad sack lately).  I think it looks amazing and like the slightly creepy vibe that Lumiere and Cogsworth have. The library!!  As a book nerd, I love it.    I'm really, really looking forward to this; opening night for sure.  

[starri]

Yeah, I cried too.

You know, we complain about Disney remaking all of their classics as live action, but they've all been done so well.

I was disappointed that they were doing Mrs. Potts without Angela Lansbury, but the more I think about it, the more I believe she was right to turn them down. She was perfect the first time, so why mess with peoples memories. 

[Wiendish Fitch]

I don't mind the re-casting one bit; for one, a remake, good or bad, needs to stand on its own. Besides, the re-casting is so damn right. I'm geeking out over the idea of Ian McKellan as Cogsworth, Emma Thompson can do no wrong in my eyes, and I was always on board with the idea of Emma Watson as Belle. I certainly didn't need Paige O'Hara and Susan Egan's enthusiastic endorsements for her... but they sure didn't hurt, either. 

[starri]

It's not the recasting in general that bothers me.  I mean, like I said, whether or not the remakes are necessary, they're done really, really well, and the casts have been phenomenal.  But if there's one thing that has always stuck with me from the original, it's Mrs. Potts.  I'm sure Emma Thompson will be great, because she's always great, but it will probably be like their forthcoming Lion King remake without James Earl Jones as Mufasa.

Although if they go ahead with the latter, they damned well better include some of the songs from Broadway, as a lot of them are even better than the film's songs.

[angora]

7 hours ago, starri said:

Although if they go ahead with the latter, they damned well better include some of the songs from Broadway, as a lot of them are even better than the film's songs.

Preach - "Endless Night" still gives me chills.

I'm so excited for this movie.  The wolf attack looks amazing, and the cast is amazing.  I saw the trailer on the big screen earlier tonight (before Fantastic Beasts,) and I had to suppress a squee as soon as I heard the opening notes of the music.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I just went crazy. I went to Hallmark's and was in time to get the last, the LAST of the Beauty and the Beast keepsake ornament--the one of Belle and Beast dancing the Waltz, and a "precious moment" of a Belle reading. The Lumiere was a limited edition that sold out in July! So of course I went to Amazon, because it was a Limited-IN STORE ONLY and they were all out! So I got me Lumiere, and the five piece set, which includes, Belle in her yellow dress, Beast, Gaston, Maurice's Horse, and Lumiere and Cogsworth.

Don't judge me. I'm weak.

And as an aside, I just had to get the Looney Tunes "What's Opera Doc?" of Bugs as the Valkyrie, and Elmer.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I'm not sure why these stupid headlines state things that are proven to be false in the actual article. Clickbait? I'm sure.

At first, I thought Angela Lansbury wasn't happy with the live remake, but that's not it at all.  Angela just doesn't understand why do a live remake? She thinks it's interesting and the animated one and the live version are two different things. She's not "ANGRY" nor does she have "strong words" as the headline states, falsely, I might add.

[Wiendish Fitch]

Look, even those of us who are excited for the remake are probably wondering, in our heart of hearts, "Why? The original was superb!" Lansbury says, not meanly, that the remake won't match the original... odds are good that she's right. I'm not saying the remake will be bad or mediocre-I'm not saying it will be great, either, because it isn't out yet, so it could be anything. Who knows? That said, I'm both geeking out and cautiously optimistic, and I am more than willing to see it opening weekend and give it a fair shake. The trailer is definitely promising, and the look of the film is certainly gorgeous.

Also, while gripes about Disney's live action remakes are more than fair, you can't say they've been done badly (I really liked Cinderella, haven't seen The Jungle Book, but it got great reviews). Plus, Beauty and the Beast was made into a massively successful Broadway musical that more than stood on its own from the animated original. Really, when you think about it, making Beauty and the Beast live action was just the next logical step.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Exactly @Wiendish Fitch! Couldn't have said it better myself. I will be going on opening night, but the animated version, with the voice talents of Benson, O'Hara, Orbach, Ogden Stiers, and the incomparable Angela Lansbury will forever be the best in my heart. No matter how many times I watch it, these voices make me laugh and yes, cry. EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.

I'm sure I'll love the live version as well, if it lives up to what I've seen thus far. But the 1991 version is my all time favorite, followed by Aladdin, due to Robin Williams' performance.

And thank you for not making fun of me for going crazy over the Christmas ? ornaments!?

[Wiendish Fitch]

3 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

And thank you for not making fun of me for going crazy over the Christmas ? ornaments!?

What?! Are you kidding?! The majority of Christmas ornaments I have are Hallmark Keepsakes! And my favorite one is-you guessed it-Belle! 

[GHScorpiosRule]

17 hours ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

What?! Are you kidding?! The majority of Christmas ornaments I have are Hallmark Keepsakes! And my favorite one is-you guessed it-Belle! 

SQUEE!!!! My Hallmark Keepsake of Beauty and Beast has Angela Lansbury ? and  NOT Celine Dion, thank you Jesus! "Tale as old as Time...Beauty and the Beast..."

Okay. That just gave me chills as I typed who was singing, while hearing her voice in my head.

Only this movie, y'all!!!!!

[Bill1978]

20 hours ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

What?! Are you kidding?! The majority of Christmas ornaments I have are Hallmark Keepsakes! And my favorite one is-you guessed it-Belle!

Oh thank goodness I'm not the only 'crazy nut' My entire tree involves Disney Hallmark Keepsakes and Disney Store ornaments. From The Great Mouse Detective to Moana. But it's my Beauty and The Beast ornaments that always get front and centre on the tree. I think I would die if they ever made an ornament for The Black Cauldron to hang on the tree.

On ‎26‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 7:22 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

At first, I thought Angela Lansbury wasn't happy with the live remake, but that's not it at all.  Angela just doesn't understand why do a live remake?

I'm with Angela on this one, mainly because I'm not understanding the logic of remaking an animated film into live action but still having so much of it animated. While I wouldn't expect them to go the Broadway path of having people sized enchanted objects, I initially thought they were going to get Ian, Ewan, Emma etc. to play the roles physically and then they would be shrunk down for the movie. I was majorly disappointed to hear they were fully animated and the actors just did the voices - they didn't even do Gollum filming.

Edited November 26, 2016 by Bill1978

[Athena]

I'm feeling a bit indifferent about this remake. While I don't think it will be bad, I'm with Ms Lansbury on this. I am not angry about it, but like her, the original Disney film was important to my life. The media have made stupid click bait title from her interview. However, the best part of the interview was her emphasis on how special the original was to everyone who made it and how lovingly it was crafted. B&TB is my favourite Disney film and an important part of my childhood. I love reading about how much it meant to all those involved.

[GHScorpiosRule]

22 hours ago, Bill1978 said:

Oh thank goodness I'm not the only 'crazy nut' My entire tree involves Disney Hallmark Keepsakes and Disney Store ornaments. From The Great Mouse Detective to Moana. But it's my Beauty and The Beast ornaments that always get front and centre on the tree. I think I would die if they ever made an ornament for The Black Cauldron to hang on the tree.

I'm with Angela on this one, mainly because I'm not understanding the logic of remaking an animated film into live action but still having so much of it animated. While I wouldn't expect them to go the Broadway path of having people sized enchanted objects, I initially thought they were going to get Ian, Ewan, Emma etc. to play the roles physically and then they would be shrunk down for the movie. I was majorly disappointed to hear they were fully animated and the actors just did the voices - they didn't even do Gollum filming.

SQUEE!!! Okay, okay, one more off-topic comment about ornaments--the five piece set I ordered that was supposed to be Beast, Belle, Phillipe, Gaston, and Lumiere and Cogsworth? It arrived this morning and it was SIX PIECES! The sixth one was Chip and Mrs. Potts! I am sooooooooo happy this morning!

14 hours ago, Athena said:

I'm feeling a bit indifferent about this remake. While I don't think it will be bad, I'm with Ms Lansbury on this. I am not angry about it, but like her, the original Disney film was important to my life. The media have made stupid click bait title from her interview. However, the best part of the interview was her emphasis on how special the original was to everyone who made it and how lovingly it was crafted. B&TB is my favourite Disney film and an important part of my childhood. I love reading about how much it meant to all those involved.

In case my original comment wasn't clear: I' m also on Angela Lansbury's side/feel the same way she does about the remake, and I also don't think it was necessary. But will see it because it looks good. But nothing will take the place of the original. I even recorded the music on my ornament and sent it to my friends. Why yes, I even moved my hand around it as if I was doing the waltz. What's her point?

Edited November 27, 2016 by GHScorpiosRule
Had to gush over my ornaments to like-minded individuals!

[ulkis]

On 11/14/2016 at 10:56 AM, JessePinkman said:

Nope. The animated objects are freaky looking. And everything is too ornate for me.

The music sounds lovely though.

Agree with both your statements. The beast looks cheesy to me, but to be fair, I think he's pretty damn hard to get to look right in live action.