We’ve been anticipating this movie for a long time, especially once we found out Emma Watson would be playing Belle. For adults and teenagers the cartoon was a part of our childhood and this live action would allow us to relive it. For the kids, it may be there first time seeing Beauty and the Beast. Whether you can recite every line word for word, or it was your first time seeing it, this live action has an impact on all.
I don’t know about y’all, but as soon as previews started coming out I couldn’t stop watching them, and as soon as clips of the songs began to surface I couldn’t wait. There are many critics that don’t think Emma Watson should have played Belle because she is not a professional singer. Well you know what, she was amazing! Sure not every note was perfect and she could have had better support, but it was still very good. Especially because she was tricked into singing live on set. In an interview she said the director told her they would do one take with her singing live and then another with the backing track, but never did the one with the backing track.
Now, being a theatre person and knowing the broadway cast recording, I wish they would have had her sing “Home” instead of just playing the instrument as background music. I also wasn’t a fan of the Beast’s new song, but I did like “How Does a Moment Last Forever” and “Days in the Sun.”
And all the stuff about Le Fou being gay, ya know what, in the cartoon he was a little clingy and out there. Times are changing and whether you agree with it or not is your opinion and you are 100% entitled to it, but let Disney do what they want. Maybe that’s what they were going for and maybe it wasn’t and people read too much into it, but either way I think it helped make the movie.
And what is it with all these movies that take place in France using British actors? I absolutely love accents, especially British accents, but when you have Les Mis and Beauty and the Beast that take place in France, shouldn’t everyone have French accents. Sure you can cast someone with a British accent, but they should try and talk with a French one.
Now there is one sad thing about all of this. This new generation of kids will know Emma Watson as Belle, not Hermione, and that is kind of heart breaking. We all grew up with Harry Potter. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was Emma’s first movie and we watched her grow from 11 years old. When someone says Emma Watson I picture the young girl with frizzy hair. Now kids will picture Belle.
All in all, I absolutely LOVED the live action Beauty and the Beast. I want to see it again and I cannot wait until it comes out on DVD. In the meantime, I already downloaded it on Spotify and will be listening to the soundtrack non stop.
