Spring 2017 will bring audiences what just might be the most visually stunning film of the year with Disney's release of a live action version of Beauty and the Beast.
In the late 80s through the mid 90s, Disney released a slate of animated films which were so entertaining and visually stunning that those film's critical and financial success rivaled that of any live action film in theaters at the time. These were the films a generation grew up to revere. Those children have grown to adulthood still remembering the infectious songs from these films.
While I also remember the music, what I look back to with awe is the visual style and storytelling. The film's colors were vibrant, the motions of the characters were fluid and graceful, and many of scenes were visual masterpieces. Think back to The Little Mermaid. The scene is the young protagonist Ariel sitting on a rock just off shore looking at Prince Erik, whom she saved the previous night. She is first laying belly down on the stone and as she pushes herself up she sings how much she wants to be apart of this new world and the waves of the ocean also rise and crash behind her. It is a scene that says that this heroine's passion is so great that it rivals that of ocean waves raging. Of all of the animated classics that came about during this renaissance, I recall Beauty and the Beast being my favorite.
The cinematography and visual storytelling of Beauty and the Beast is magical in every sense of the word. The opening, scene which explains the beast's origin, starts the film very dark and gothic fitting the ominous castle in which it takes place. Then seamlessly the film transitions to the bright French Countryside with the cheerful musical number Belle (the Bonjour! song). That kind of variety in the film is a testament to how the palette of colors and fluidity of modern animation was creating a whole new film experience. Then there is the popular ballroom dance sequence. The shot is a tracking shot which begins up with the chandelier so as to get a wide shot of the entire empty ballroom with only Belle and The Beast dancing. The shot closes in on them in spinning opposite of The Beast spinning Belle and the cloth of her bright yellow dress following. Their movement is graceful and picturesque beyond compare to live actors. Additionally, this shot tells the story that all alone in this castle with no eyes on them, they insisted on dressing up for each other because all that matters in the entire world at that very moment is that they are with each other. All of the beautiful animation is given more substance with a story about finding the inner beauty in the most unlikely places. Beauty and the Beast was so amazing that in 1991 it became the first animated film ever to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. Sadly it did not win, but what an accomplishment in of itself!
Never would I have thought anything live action could even come close to reinterpreting this masterpiece in filmmaking. Then Disney surprises me with a flood of images that are sure to create a surreal experience by presenting an animated treasure like I could never have anticipated. At the helm of this new endeavor is director Bill Condon. Mr. Condon's filmography is both extensive and impressive, but the only film of his you need to see that can relate to Beauty and the Beast is his musical Dreamgirls. One viewing of Dreamgirls will reveal his ability at orchestrating the complexities of a movie musical as well as the perfect visual style for creating a vibrant world.
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