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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?
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