Beauty and the Beast (Live-Action)

[megustajake]

Yikes! Down to 68% now - I hope it manages to end with above 70%.

[Musical Master]

I'm sure it will rise soon enough. It's getting better reviews than Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, and Alice Through The Looking Glass if that helps.

[Marce82]

Hey everyone,

So I listened to the soundtrack... and I'm quite underwhelmed. In general, it feels like a downgrade from the original.
I did like the ending of Something There, when the objects start singing. Nice adaptation, and I liked the orchestrations.

Other than that... it seems like a lot of the songs have been modified where a pause in the song has been added (for dialogue?), killing the flow of the song... this happened quite a bit with the Broadway versions as well. (for example, in Belle, right after the Bimbettes sing, there is a pause in the flow of the song).

Emma's singing is ok... I don't mind her voice so much, but I don't like her pacing and phrasing at times. And well... it REALLY pales in comparison to the original.

As for Gaston's singing: I said it before, and now it's confirmed (IMO), that Luke Evans sings very well... but he sadly isn't the kind of baritone needed for the character. Gaston is supposed to be super macho... and in the original, he IS the size of a barge, and his voice is booming. Both characteristics are gone now

[Marce82]

Oh, and one more thing. Why include the screeching opera voice? I always felt it was out of place in the Broadway show, and still feels out of place here.

I'm not saying all opera is screeching... but in a cast of non operatic voices, it really sticks out.

[disneyprincess11]

This album was amazing! Was Emma perfect? No, but she does a serviceable job and she does has a nice voice. Josh and Luke are absolutely perfect as Gaston and Lefou and their voices were so strong! I can't wait to see the dance break. Dan blew me away. His voice is beautiful. Evan also blew me away. He doesn't have Jerry Orbach's warmth and charm, but his energy and accent are fantastic. Emma Thompson's voice is beautiful, but misses the warmth of Angela Lansbury. Great orchestrations, loved the new songs (Funny how I managed to leak the whole DiS), liked the new lyrics and everyone did great in this! I'm even more excited to see the movie next week.

Question: Is the reprise of Gaston still in the movie?

[Musical Master]

This album was amazing! Was Emma perfect? No, but she does a serviceable job and she does has a nice voice. Josh and Luke are absolutely perfect as Gaston and Lefou and their voices were so strong! I can't wait to see the dance break. Dan blew me away. His voice is beautiful. Evan also blew me away. He doesn't have Jerry Orbach's warmth and charm, but his energy and accent are fantastic. Emma Thompson's voice is beautiful, but misses the warmth of Angela Lansbury. Great orchestrations, loved the new songs (Funny how I managed to leak the whole DiS), liked the new lyrics and everyone did great in this! I'm even more excited to see the movie next week.

Question: Is the reprise of Gaston still in the movie?

The reprise has been cut from this version.

[tsom]

Excited to watch it again tomorrow and see if I notice stuff that I missed the first time. It's a good movie, but I unbiasedly agree with its position on Rotten Tomatoes compared to the other Disney live action remake (I don't think it should be a 68% though). It's definitely better than Maleficent and Alice In Wonderland, but Cinderella edges it (not by much, just slightly). One plus this movie has over Cinderella is definitely the songs. The musical numbers make the film. Be Our Guest got an applause after it was sung and performed. It was the only musical number that got a big reaction. The other applause was for the two distinct but very short gay moments.

[justcuttinhair]

hey, i actually enjoyed the soundteack. of course, it is going to pale in comparison to the original...but, in defense of it...i would like to remind everyone that the majority of the leads in the animated film were from the broadway realm...in fact, im not sure where i viewed it, but, i remember that howard ashman insisted on them seeking out musical theatre vets and the score/movie was written as a broadway production would be. anyways, some of the songs work...some dont! but it is what it is. "days in the sun" is perhaps the best of the new songs. i am loving audra mcdonald's vocals in this..esp. the "BATB reprise"

[DisneyJedi]

Yikes! Down to 68% now - I hope it manages to end with above 70%.

NO!!!

[estefan]

I saw the movie yesterday and I quite liked it. Despite the absence of the Broadway songs (minus a couple of points where Alan Menken sneaks their melodies into the score, which got an instant smile from me), it brought me back to seeing the stage musical twenty years ago. I saw it on IMAX, which was the perfect format to watch a big, glossy Broadway musical. The production values were top-notch and it told the story suitably well. The musical numbers are wonderful with the proper Disney magic.

Most of the additions to the story worked, especially the expanded relationship between Gaston and Lefou. Luke Evans did a great job of putting a "nice guy" act in the beginning and then slowly but surely showing how much of a real jerk Gaston is. And the change of Lefou's character was well written and nicely performed by Josh Gad. I also thought the explanation for why the town folks seem unaware of the castle's existence until the Mob Song was cleverly done. I don't think we really needed to get into the back story of why Belle has no mother. It's not that pivotal to the story and I never watched the animated film and wondered what happened to her mother. I just assumed she suffered from Disney Dead Parent Syndrome.

Oddly, I thought the weak link here was Belle herself. They just seemed to check off the boxes on how to write the character, but almost everyone else was more interesting than she was. Which is a shame, because I love how Belle was written in the animated film and Broadway musical. Emma Watson gives it a game try, but I would have liked a little less auto-tune in her singing. Every other singer easily out-classes her in the film. It was also hard to see her portray a book-smart girl surrounded by magic and enchanted objects and not think of Hermione.

But, overall, it works as a big, splashy Broadway musical. My problem with The Jungle Book is I kept flashing back to the animated film and wondering why they went through the trouble of making the same movie but with CG animals. I didn't encounter that issue here, because I was reminded a lot more of the stage show. Which is saying something, since Beauty and the Beast is my favourite Disney animated film. It doesn't reach those heights, but I was able to separate two in my mind.

[Musical Master]

I have a few questions for you.

1. What happened to Belle's mother?

2. How did you like the new prologue with Audra's song "Aria"? For that matter is the musical numbers well directed/choreographed?

3. Where would you rank this one among the other live-action movies Disney has done since Alice in Wonderland?

4. What is your favorite new song of the movie? (The new ones Alan Menken and Tim Rice wrote for the movie)

5. Who gives the best performance of the film in your mind?

[tsom]

Just returned from a press screening. I noticed some stuff that I missed the first time, like the foreshadowing in the Gaston number for example. It's so funny how the two very different audiences in both screenings I attended reacted the same way to the same scenes and same lines. It's a visually stunning movie and everyone did a great job. Again, Josh Gad got the biggest applause during the end credits.

[Disney Duster]

And you're not nasty and pathetic at all, are you? I'll leave you to your Charlie Sheen-style ramblings.

Yea, I'm not. Unlike you who called a film I like trash and lots of other mean things. I just tried to win an argument and pointed out things to you. But if you think I was what you said, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.

[estefan]

I have a few questions for you.

1. What happened to Belle's mother?

2. How did you like the new prologue with Audra's song "Aria"? For that matter is the musical numbers well directed/choreographed?

3. Where would you rank this one among the other live-action movies Disney has done since Alice in Wonderland?

4. What is your favorite new song of the movie? (The new ones Alan Menken and Tim Rice wrote for the movie)

5. Who gives the best performance of the film in your mind?

1. It's revealed the plague killer her mother, when Belle was a baby. That's why Maurice took her to live in the village in the first place.

2. The new prologue was beautifully done. And the musical numbers were the highlight. Bill Condon and the choreographers direct them with the proper energy and magic. As I said, it's like watching a lavish Broadway musical.

3. In terms of where it stands among the recent Disney re-dos, I'd said it's in second place behind Cinderella. I'm not particularly fond of The Jungle Book, Pete's Dragon and Maleficent, though.

4. I probably like all of the new songs about equally. Of them, I think "Evermore" will be the one Disney most pushes for an Oscar.

5. Josh Gad, surprisingly enough. He was allowed to take Lefou in a new direction and he handles the comedic, musical and more subtle portions really well. You frequently see the wheels turning in his head through the film. Making Lefou more than just Gaston's blind lackey was a nice touch and it was a change from the animated film that works to the film's advantage, rather than distracts.

[Musical Master]

I have a few questions for you.

1. What happened to Belle's mother?

2. How did you like the new prologue with Audra's song "Aria"? For that matter is the musical numbers well directed/choreographed?

3. Where would you rank this one among the other live-action movies Disney has done since Alice in Wonderland?

4. What is your favorite new song of the movie? (The new ones Alan Menken and Tim Rice wrote for the movie)

5. Who gives the best performance of the film in your mind?

1. It's revealed the plague killer her mother, when Belle was a baby. That's why Maurice took her to live in the village in the first place.

2. The new prologue was beautifully done. And the musical numbers were the highlight. Bill Condon and the choreographers direct them with the proper energy and magic. As I said, it's like watching a lavish Broadway musical.

3. In terms of where it stands among the recent Disney re-dos, I'd said it's in second place behind Cinderella. I'm not particularly fond of The Jungle Book, Pete's Dragon and Maleficent, though.

4. I probably like all of the new songs about equally. Of them, I think "Evermore" will be the one Disney most pushes for an Oscar.

5. Josh Gad, surprisingly enough. He was allowed to take Lefou in a new direction and he handles the comedic, musical and more subtle portions really well. You frequently see the wheels turning in his head through the film. Making Lefou more than just Gaston's blind lackey was a nice touch and it was a change from the animated film that works to the film's advantage, rather than distracts.

I'm glad that Bill Condon and the choreographers treated this like a true, lavish musical and by NOT being afraid of it's genre which some filmmakers fall into the trap of. I think Bill Condon and Rob Marshall are the best directors of the musical film genre today which is why I'm very excited for this and Marshall's upcoming Mary Poppins Returns.

Oh I can't believe I forgot to ask this, but what did you think of Dan Stevens as The Beast?

[Lady Cluck]

After listening to the soundtrack, Emma Watson remains the weak link and she's the lead role. What were you thinking Disney?!

Most of the others sound decent enough. Thank goodness for Audra McDonald.

My interest piqued during the new songs. Evermore sounds like a dramatic moment in the film, something fresh at least. Still think they should have done more of the Broadway songs people aren't as familiar with so they wouldn't be compared unfavorably to the original film.

[Sotiris]

You were very cruel to me and my favorite live-action film, but now I have more proof I have overcome it.

On Rotten Tomatoes, Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast has a 70%, while Disney's live-action Cinderella beats it by far with 83%. I won against your cruelty. Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast score may change, but it is still highly doubtful it will be able to beat Disney's live-action Cinderella. I win.

Also, I found out that over Disney's animated Beauty and the Beast at 93%, The Little Mermaid at 92%, Aladdin at 94%, and The Lion King at 92%, Disney's animated Cinderella beats them all with 97%. I win twice.

Will Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast be more successful monetarily than Disney's live-action Cinderella? Probably. But we know shallow money is not what matters. Cinderella was more successful in critical acclaim. I win.

[Disney's Divinity]

Yea, I'm not. Unlike you who called a film I like trash and lots of other mean things.

This coming from a person with a lifelong career of denigrating all things not-Cinderella. You’re quite the saint.

I just tried to win an argument and pointed out things to you.

You're having an argument with yourself by relying on RottenTomatoes. Did I indicate that I consider it a barometer of success? The fact that I hated Cinderella 2015 despite these great reviews you’ve mentioned should’ve been a hint. I believe my argument was that Cinderella 2015 was the lesser film because of its failure to achieve the same financial success as the other re-makes and inability to draw the same interest (particularly in comparison to other female-lead films like Maleficent and Alice). And I’m sure that argument will still stand after B&tB-LA and its soundtrack rake in the dough the next few months. Cheers.

[pick]

estefan, thanks for all the information! Let me ask you please, is the soundtrack "Overture" anywhere to be found in the movie, or it's something they did only for the album? Thanks a lot!

[tsom]

2. The new prologue was beautifully done. And the musical numbers were the highlight. Bill Condon and the choreographers direct them with the proper energy and magic. As I said, it's like watching a lavish Broadway musical.

3. In terms of where it stands among the recent Disney re-dos, I'd said it's in second place behind Cinderella. I'm not particularly fond of The Jungle Book, Pete's Dragon and Maleficent, though.

4. I probably like all of the new songs about equally. Of them, I think "Evermore" will be the one Disney most pushes for an Oscar.

5. Josh Gad, surprisingly enough. He was allowed to take Lefou in a new direction and he handles the comedic, musical and more subtle portions really well. You frequently see the wheels turning in his head through the film. Making Lefou more than just Gaston's blind lackey was a nice touch and it was a change from the animated film that works to the film's advantage, rather than distracts.

I agree with everything you wrote! I have the exact same feelings.