Beauty and the Beast (Disney Animated)

Disney animation returned to its golden state in their late 1980s and 1990s films. These reinvented fairy tales as Broadway-style musicals. The second of these is my favorite animated Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast.

Beauty and the Beast has more complex and well-written characters than earlier Disney films. The Beast's desire to be loved and Belle's desire for adventure are both relatable even though I see this as more Belle's story. The Beast stays in his castle until he learns to love others despite their appearances. Belle, in contrast, makes choices that help break the Beast's spell. 

Belle is distinct from other Disney princesses. Like Snow White, Cinderella and Aurora; she is conventionally feminine (quiet, sweet, and patient). Unlike earlier princesses, though, Belle is an active protagonist. She speaks up for herself, her father Maurice, and the Beast when facing bigotry. Belle also saves Maurice and the Beast with her love multiple times.

As for the Beast, he fears nobody will ever love him because of his transformation. Hence, he initially throws Maurice into prison. When Belle takes his place, the Beast sees her as his last hope and feels guilty every time he attacks her. Once the Beast saves Belle from the wolves, their relationship improves. 

Gaston is also one of my favorite Disney villains. He's a handsome and muscular man on the outside. Yet, he mistreats outcasts; Gaston tries to force Belle into marrying him, he attempts to send Maurice to an asylum, and finally, he leads the townsfolk to kill the Beast even after he changed. A lot of Disney villains have ugly facial characteristics, which can teach kids to associate ugliness with evil. However, Gaston sends the opposite message. Besides, while the Beast changes for the better, Gaston changes for the worse. 

The household object servants all serve a purpose in the story. Cogsworth, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, Chip (who's there for the kids), and Babette work together to get Belle and the Beast to fall in love.

The story is another strength in the movie. It is to-the-point with no unnecessary scenes. The primary message is to look beyond appearances, but Beauty and the Beast teaches us so much more than that. On a deeper lever, it teaches us to speak up for outcasts and resist the sinful ways of the world as Belle does. The story also teaches selflessness. As a Christian, I appreciate these themes. 

As I described above, the movie celebrates femininity. Society typically sees feminine traits such as kindness and patience as weak. Yet, Belle's femininity is a strength since she uses it to help others. Plus, the Beast adopts some of Belle's feminine traits to break the curse.

As in many Disney movies, there is a lot of color contrast. Plus, the art style (especially for Belle with her blue provincial dress and smile) is adorable. The animation highlight, however, is the ballroom scene. The animators used the CAPS system from Pixar to design the ballroom and give it a sweeping view for the audience. 

The eight songs are well-spaced throughout the movie. After the Beast's backstory, the opening number "Belle" begins playing. It introduces viewers to the protagonist and musical format before the five-minute mark, which is crucial for pulling them in. All the other songs serve a purpose, whether they move the story forward ("Something There") or add character development ("Gaston"). The movie also ends in a reprise of "Beauty and the Beast," making it a proper musical.

Beauty and the Beast has received criticism for depicting Stockholm syndrome because Belle was initially in prison. However, the Beast imprisoned visitors because he didn't think anyone could love him. He improves his treatment of Belle gradually, such as when giving her a bedroom. Besides, Belle sees the castle as an escape from her patriarchal village and chance for adventure. Hence, she was not really trapped. Another thing is that Belle does not bond with the Beast until he changed. 

The movie has a lot of positive messages, but it is not a model for real life. Two misfits falling in love in an enchanted castle with the help of enchanted objects only works in fairy tales. This being said, Beauty and the Beast is a mere allegory illustrating the healing power of love.

Viewers have also had questions over the years such as "Why did the servants get cursed?" and "Why doesn't the village know about the curse?" However, I find it self-explanatory. If the Beast's entire castle got cursed, it would make sense for it to also affect the servants. The Beast also isolated himself inside his castle for many years, making the rest of the world forget about him. 

There are also some animation mistakes. For instance, Belle has her white apron on and off right before "The Mob Song." However, there's always going to be some animation errors. They don't affect the quality of the film. The mistakes are simply Easter eggs that make the movie more interesting. 

The film has complex characters, strong writing, enchanting animation, and memorable songs. Hence, it's no wonder Beauty and the Beast became the first animated film to get the Best Picture nomination from the Academy Awards. It may have lost to Silence of the Lambs, but the nomination remains a major milestone. 

I find Beauty and the Beast to be one of Disney's few perfect films. As someone who has always felt different, I easily connect with the story and will watch my favorite Disney movie many more times. 

Have you seen Beauty and the Beast? What do you think about it?

The Wizard of Oz

There are various adaptations of L. Frank Baum's classic novel, but the 1939 Metro Goldwyn-Mayer film is the most famous. Many people have seen it at some point. Besides, this film appears on several "best movie" lists, including the American Film Institute's top 100. 

I just watched The Wizard of Oz for the first time. I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would, but I still appreciated it. 

The film opens up to the Gale farm in sepia tone. There is no color until Dorothy finds herself in the land of Oz. Once Dorothy returns to Kansas, the sepia comes back. Signaling the location through color is one of the most creative techniques I've ever seen in a movie. The backgrounds in the land of Oz also look like they're from an animated movie and the set looks like something I'd see on Broadway. Visual-wise, The Wizard of Oz is the most creative film there is. 

The designs of Dorothy's male friends are also endearing, especially the Cowardly Lion. I have not forgotten his round ears and smile. His acting also shined when leaping towards Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man. For the Scarecrow, his face is appealingly friendly. 

And, of course, nobody can forget Dorothy's blue gingham dress and ruby red slippers. Judy Garland's performance as Dorothy is as charming and emotional as ever. Besides, Dorothy is among the strongest girls in fairy tales. She saves the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion on her way to the Emerald City. Not only that, but she also defeats the Wicked Witch of the West herself. 

Dorothy may charm, but Glinda is my favorite female character. Her pink dress, crown, and wand make her look more like a fairy godmother than a "good witch." Glinda's motherly tone adds to it. 

One of my problems with the film, however, is the pacing. I grew tired about halfway through, which is around the time Dorothy and her friends arrived in Emerald City. This movie came out in 1939; a slow pace is to be expected in older films. Still, I prefer newer, tighter-knit movies.

Another issue with The Wizard of Oz is the music. Dorothy sings the first song, "Over the Rainbow" over five minutes into the film. Besides, most of the songs, including "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead," play in Munchkin Land before Dorothy travels down the yellow brick road. The song she sings while doing so is one of the last ones. Not only does the film not introduce itself as a musical, but they have clumped the songs into a certain segment of the movie. 

However, the songs themselves are not bad. They are engaging and move the story along nicely. Besides, "Over the Rainbow" is an early example of an "I Want" song that mentions wishing upon a star. As a Disney musical fan, I appreciated that reference. 

The Wizard of Oz may not be my favorite fairy tale movie, but I understand its acclaim. It is a simple story featuring creative visuals, interesting characters, and iconic songs. The most profound element, though, is the message. As Dorothy would say, "There's no place like home!"

What do you think about The Wizard of Oz?

The Little Mermaid (Disney Live-Action)

Disney has been releasing several live-action remakes of their animated classics over the past decade. These include the films from the early Disney Renaissance, such as Beauty and the Beast (2017), Aladdin (2019), and The Lion King (2019). Hence, it's no surprise that The Little Mermaid has gotten its turn. 

Many Disney remakes copy the animated films shot-for-shot while adding filler scenes and details. That's what makes some remakes, such as Beauty and the Beast, nearly an hour longer than the original. While The Little Mermaid has a similar runtime, there is hardly any padding. Instead, the writers expanded the story to focus more on Prince Eric's goals. 

The animated film was merely Ariel's story. In contrast, the remake is just as much Eric's story as it is Ariel's. Even though their parents undergo more internal transformation, Ariel and Eric reach their own goals with each other's help. 

If the story also belongs to Eric, though, why is the movie still The Little Mermaid and not Ariel and Eric? Ariel finds a mini figurine which she referred to as "the little mermaid" while staying in Eric's castle. Besides, a quote about mermaids from Hans Christian Andersen appears right before the title card. Hence, the expansion doesn't take away meaning from The Little Mermaid.

Even though The Little Mermaid follows the same storyline as the animated film, there are enough changes to make this stand out. Besides expanding Eric's character, the scenes between Ariel's arrival on land and the Kiss the Girl number are different. Eric meets Ariel in the study room and goes to a beach party with her. Plus, Ariel's sisters have different names than their animated counterparts and Ursula is King Triton's sister. Scuttle is gender bent and a diving bird instead of a seagull as well.  

There are also some new songs along with the ones we know and love. These include Wild Uncharted Waters, a solo in which Eric expresses his desires; For the First Time, which plays after Ariel arrives on land; and the Scuttlebutt. 

However, two songs from the original are also absent: Daughters of Triton and Les Poissons. I like the removal of Les Poissons because it wasn't necessary in the animated film. However, removing Daughter of Triton was a mistake. They removed it to increase anticipation for Part of Your World. However, it's crucial to spend the first five minutes introducing the musical format. Otherwise, the songs come out of nowhere. There is also not a reprise of Part of Your World to close off the musical. 

Even worse: while the animated film introduced us to Ariel under six minutes into the film, the remake did so past the six-minute mark (even without the song). It is crucial to introduce the protagonist as early as possible so that viewers can connect with them before their attention spans run out. 

The casting is one of the remake's best aspects. Halle Bailey resembles the curious and energetic nature of Ariel despite her lack of rebellion and darker skin tone. Her singing, especially during the Under the Sea number, was strong. Melissa McCarthy as Ursula also lived up to her sinister personality. 

As with some Disney remakes, The Little Mermaid includes extra elements from the original Hans Christian Andersen tale. For instance, King Triton turns into sea form before the final battle with Ursula. Jodi Benson, Ariel's original voice actor, also makes a cameo as a market vendor during the beach party scene. 

Did the remake improve upon the original? In some ways, yes. By expanding Eric's backstory, they gave him and Ariel more romantic chemistry. Plus, turning Scuttle into a diving bird prevents Ariel from going to the surface before singing Part of Your World. That makes Ariel's choice to go to the surface upon hearing fireworks more powerful. Making Ursula King Triton's sister ensures Ariel does not make a deal with a total stranger. Finally, the film no longer mentions Ariel's age. Marrying at sixteen is problematic. 

The remake also has diverse actors and even portrays diverse cultures. The drums at the beach party, especially, seem to stem from non-European culture. 

However, there are also areas where the remake downgraded from the original. Flounder is completely expressionless, for instance. Watching sea creatures dance during the Under the Sea number also makes me cringe. Plus, it makes no sense for Ariel to sing at the end of For the First Time since she has lost her voice before then. 

While not perfect, The Little Mermaid is one of Disney's best live-action remakes. It has a similar feel to the animated film despite being more grand and intense. Disney fans and viewers who are nostalgic for the animated film and/or want another version or should check the remake out on Disney +. 

Have you seen The Little Mermaid? What do you think about it?

Welcome to FaeTales!

Are you a fan of fairy tales? Do you want to read reviews, lists, and unique takes regarding fairy tale books, movies, and TV shows? FaeTales is for you!

I'm Bri, a fairy tale fan who enjoys watching certain Disney and related movies along with writing my own versions of fairy tales. On this site, I will review fairy tales from all mediums. I will also feature lists and recommendations for fairy tales along with some essays on the topic.  

This fairy tale blog is for fans of any age and background. If you ever have questions, please write them down in the comments. I'll answer them whenever I can. 

I have a question myself. What posts do you want to see?