Disney finally pulled back the curtains on its full trailer for the live action adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast." After watching it, I was compelled to go back and watch the 1991 animated classic. What I found is that this trailer really proves how committed Disney is to translating the story to live action, instead of altering its tone.
Emma Watson pulls off the wonder and grace of Belle. We see glimpses of her in some of the most memorable scenes, from singing "Belle" on the hilltops to the final fight between Gaston and The Beast. I'm excited to see what she brings to the character and how her singing holds up. There's a couple quick shots of Luke Evans as Gaston, who's now sporting some facial hair. Also standing next to him is Josh Gad, who I believe is PERFECT casting for LeFou. I think his comedic acting and voice just perfectly match up with the original characters' personality. I'm excited to see Gad and Evans on screen together.
Something that the internet has been losing its mind about is the use of CG in this film. While I agree that it doesn't look perfect, I'm loving the idea of Ewan McGregor playing Lumière. The housewares brings to life the charm of Beasts' castle, so I have faith it'll be done right. The Beast, played by Dan Stevens, needed to be CG in my opinion. The first shot we see of him in the dungeons is proof. Belle brings the candle up to his face to get a better look at him, and you see the anger and confusion on his face. Only through motion capture technology is that sort of facial expression possible; it wouldn't have looked right with practical makeup and facial masks.
Much is still unknown, and we haven't heard even a line of the music being performed by these actors, but I'm hopeful. They've got an all star cast, and the sets look grand and epic. If "Cinderella" and "Jungle Book" were any indication, I think we're in good hands.
