Disney’s highly anticipated remake of Beauty & the Beast proves to be a major success

Courtesy of IMDB.com

Beauty and the Beast fills the audience with a sense of nostalgia.

Julia Benedetto, Eastside Staff

Disney’s newest rendition of the famous story, Beauty and the Beast, hit the big screen last weekend in both 2D and 3D. This modern remake of the classic 1991 film was anticipated by thousands of people of all ages who were looking forward to a newer and updated version of the well known tale.

The movie is a lengthy two hours and nineteen minutes but definitely does not feel dragged out. The storyline is well developed and very effectively spaced out. The movie begins with the history behind the Beast, played by Dan Stevens, and how this horrid creature came to be. It then progresses into a tour of the little French village where Belle, played by Emma Watson, and her father live. The audience can then see how Belle is a girl who loves to read and wishes to adventure, which is not normal for a woman in her time. Other characters like Gaston (Luke Evans) and LeFou (Josh Gad) are introduced as strong and manly French soldiers. Gaston wishes to marry Belle since she is the prettiest girl around, but Belle does not feel the same way. She prefers to look after her dear father and do things her own way rather than just became a housewife. But, when her father randomly stumbles upon a supposedly abandoned castle and gets taken as a prisoner by the Beast, Belle sacrifices herself and takes his spot. This is where the story really begins, when Belle and the Beast meet and now must learn to understand and communicate with one another.

As everyone knows, in Beauty and the Beast, there are talking pieces of furniture. This version of course did not leave them out, as the infamous candlestick Lumière, played by Ewan McGregor, and clock Cogsworth, played by Ian McKellen, are both present. The animation involving both the Beast and all of the furniture was extremely realistic and almost believable at times. The soundtrack fit the scenes very well and several of the upbeat songs made you want to get up and dance along with the actors and actresses.

The well-known waltzing scene was depicted perfectly. From Belle’s stunning dress to the amazing visuals of the ballroom, it was every little girl’s dream come true. The different camera angles plus the several chandeliers in the ballroom made the two dancers sparkle and only added to their newfound chemistry.

The modern day version is extremely similar to the original, which many people look for in remade movies. While the new version is similar to the old, it also has a few touches of its own. A few new songs can be found added into the soundtrack, but they have the same kind of feel as the others do. It is very hard to please people when remaking an extremely famous and well known movie, yet Disney did a fantastic job with Beauty and the Beast. It brings the old fairy tale back to life in a modern way which in turn helps to rekindle everyone’s love for Disney.