Beauty and the Beast is a classic Disney film that I would say ranks among my favorite of the Disney princess movies. I love this story so much because it isn’t just your classic “damsel in distress” story, but rather a movie chocked- full of valuable lessons. Not only is it full of valuable lessons, but Bell, one of the main characters, is the heroin, something we don’t see all that often in many Disney princess movies. This story is so delicately crafted in the way that it weaves in romance and lessons pertaining to integrity and values. I think the re-make of this film did a stellar job in reminding us of so many of the little things that often go forgotten.
As a child, I always loved Beauty and the Beast for the fact that I was able to take something away from the film. The biggest lesson one can learn from this film is to not judge someone just based on how they look. You must allow for someone to open up and show you their true character before you’re able to judge them. Words we're all too familiar with. In addition to this, Bell never fit the traditional “princess” image. She is independent, intelligent, firm in her standing, brave, and of course, kind. Not at all like the cliché, and generally hollow princess character that Disney depicts most of its other princess characters.
I also love the fact that this love story is not trite and overly anticipated like most other romantic stories. In fact, the beginning of the film could have you fooled into thinking that this story isn’t at all about love. Throughout the story, we see that love is cultivated through the gaining of respect and understanding of one another in addition to a mutual intellectual attraction between Bell and the Beast. I think depicting love in this sort of sense shows us that there’s more to love than just physical attraction. And that fairlytale love isn’t always just love at first sight and then you live happily ever after.
I typically don’t enjoy remakes of films for the fact that more often than not, the remake doesn’t do the original justice. The remake of Beauty and the Beast however, blew me away. For once in my life, I think I can honestly say that the remake was better than the original.
The music was marvelous. The acting was flawless. The artistry was just astounding. And the diversity among characters was reflective of the society that we live in. Truly spectacular. If you’re anything like me and you loved the original film, you’re sure to love the remake just as much, if not more. Kudos to Disney for hitting the mark spot on with this re-make.
