Disney Movie Challenge Bonus: Beauty and the Beast (2017)

 Disney Movie Challenge Bonus

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

I always say it’s a little unfair to review a remake when you watch it close in time to the original.  With that in mind I don’t want to do a full review of the live action Beauty and the Beast.  The movie wasn't bad but and under different circumstances I think I might have enjoyed it more.  But with things as they are I’m just going to point out a few things in the live action version that made me realize how great the animated version really is. 

For me there are two scenes in the live action version that just feel like poor imitations of the same scenes in the animated version.  The two scenes are the Be Our Guest scene and the fight scene at the end where the objects are fighting the townsfolk. In the animated film the Be Our Guest scene is fun, bright, and a bit trippy.  The live action version just feels dull in comparison.  Some of that could be because Ewan McGregor has an awful French accent and his singing isn’t that great.  But I think the special effects just didn’t capture the fun and mesmerizing quality that the animated version had.  See for yourself here https://youtu.be/Fub_t22bK1w . Another problem is that trying to make a singing candlestick look realistic just doesn’t work.  Which is the major problem with the battle scene at the end. Trying to have a realistic looking objects fight in unrealistic ways really confuses the brain. While there are some funny bits in the fight scenes most of the time you are just looking like WTF? How can a clock throw books? How can a harpsichord shoot out his keys? How can a tea pot hang on a chandelier? Having the film fully animated helps with the suspension of disbelief.  And some of the objects just look awful.  For me the most worst looking object is the wardrobe.  Not sure what they were going for but it just comes off as kind of disturbing.  

A few quick things that also didn’t work well in the live action version.  

-Lumière and Cogsworth have a better friendship in animation. The banter in the animated version just works better. 

-Not sure why Disney feels everyone needs a backstory in the live action remake but some of it feels unnecessary and makes the film feel bloated.  Also the backstory about Belle’s mother dying  of the plague gave my kid nightmares. 

-New songs are fine but didn’t add much. 

For an interesting look at remakes check out this video from Cracked https://fb.watch/3a7maY_qix/

Overall:

I don’t want to bash the film.  Besides for Ewan McGregor the acting was fine.  Josh Gad as LeFou is probably the best casting in the film.  Also, the movie does give LeFou a bit more depth and an arc which is kind of cool.  I would like to revisit the film after more time has passed since I watched the animated version.