DVDizzy Forum

From having a look on instagram, I was reading some posts about how there are actually several gowns for the live action movie :

* The dress seen on all promo / posters / toys / dolls - pleats only at the bottom edge of the dress

* The dress where she initially walks down the stairs to Beast, is a lot longer and the ruffles go all the way up

* The dancing dress is a lot shorter, presumably as it was easier to dance in ? Again with ruffles all the way up

There was never an explanation as to why the dress on ALL the merchandise etc was swapped out to the film. I'd love to know the reason !

Its under a user called axelmalibu on instagram if you wanted to look them up, they post brilliant findings.

It seems to me that they were still deciding what the dress should look like, and they thought they knew what they wanted when all the merchandise was made, but then they changed it again for the final filming of scenes.

Disney Duster wrote:It seems to me that they were still deciding what the dress should look like, and they thought they knew what they wanted when all the merchandise was made, but then they changed it again for the final filming of scenes.

I completely understand that, but what I'm after is an explanation. Even just acknowledging it - like we thought we wanted it this way, but it wouldn't work on film etc so we changed it.

As it wasn't mentioned ever, it just comes over that it's shady reasons as to why it was changed ? Interference from certain parties etc.

Maybe... I feel like they just changed it because they thought it would look even better the final way, but maybe...

blackcauldron85 wrote:I know that there have been African American Belles; they had brown hair, though!

Wait...at the parks there were African American Belles?

There were African American Belles on Broadway although I'm 99% sure the parks never featured one.

I at least knew about Toni Braxton on Broadway. She was amazing in the clip I heard of her singing "A Change in Me". That song was actually written for her! But I wonder if blackcauldron85 saw any black Belle's in the parks...

I've seen plenty of white Jasmines and Pocahontas(es) so maybe there was a white-passing biracial Belle.

No, I was referring to on Broadway. (All of this was in reference to that blond Belle picture that was posted.) I've only seen white Belles in the Parks. But I'd be fine with an African American Belle in the Parks; I think my whole hang-up is that Disney Princess hair is iconic, and we need the correct hairstyles...or at least I need them. If Blond Belle had the right hairstyle, I think maybe I could forgive the blond, but it wasn't even the same hairstyle. But, if I were actually watching the show with blond Belle, I'm sure I'd get swept away and believe that it was Belle...

I don't really mind on stage if the characters don't resemble themselves 100% as they looked in the movies such as a blonde Belle, an Asian Ariel, etc. For example, I watched The Phantom of the Opera with a Black Phantom (on social media I've been told by Black people that the term African American is antiquated and they have never liked being called that. They would prefer to be referred to as Black people, with emphasis on the capitalized term rather than lowercase) and I didn't find it unreasonable or unbelievable at all.

The only thing I do remember is that there were some rightful concerns that Black men already have a stereotypical image when it comes to "preying" on white women and the optics of a Black Phantom with a white Christine and a white Raoul don't necessarily look good. On the other hand, some people consider the Phantom to be the rightful love interest of Christine even if they don't end up together in the first musical and the Phantom is such an iconic and beloved character that not allowing Black men to play him, even to avoid a stereotypical image, would be even worse. I guess it depends on each individual Black actor and how comfortable they feel playing a role and clearly if one wants to play the Phantom, they deserve the right to do so just as anyone who wouldn't want to play the role shouldn't be forced to.

^It's funny you mention that, because Norm Lewis played the Phantom, but Sierra Boggess was his Christine, so when I watch clips online, I can't shake the thought of "That is your daughter!"

JeanGreyForever wrote:I guess it depends on each individual Black actor and how comfortable they feel playing a role and clearly if one wants to play the Phantom, they deserve the right to do so just as anyone who wouldn't want to play the role shouldn't be forced to.

I agree completely.

JeanGreyForever wrote:(on social media I've been told by Black people that the term African American is antiquated and they have never liked being called that. They would prefer to be referred to as Black people

I feel awful that I didn't know that. I've never had race really come into play with my Black friends and co-workers, as weird as that is, so I never was told what you just educated me about. Thank you.

Aw, Amy there's no need to feel awful! Anyway now you know!

I think if I was Black I would still dream of playing the Phantom because as a White person I would love that role.

That Norm Louis story is hilarious!

blackcauldron85 wrote:^It's funny you mention that, because Norm Lewis played the Phantom, but Sierra Boggess was his Christine, so when I watch clips online, I can't shake the thought of "That is your daughter!"

JeanGreyForever wrote:I guess it depends on each individual Black actor and how comfortable they feel playing a role and clearly if one wants to play the Phantom, they deserve the right to do so just as anyone who wouldn't want to play the role shouldn't be forced to.

I agree completely.

JeanGreyForever wrote:(on social media I've been told by Black people that the term African American is antiquated and they have never liked being called that. They would prefer to be referred to as Black people

I feel awful that I didn't know that. I've never had race really come into play with my Black friends and co-workers, as weird as that is, so I never was told what you just educated me about. Thank you.

It really is so strange that they can be father/daughter in one show and lovers in another! Especially since they're both so convincing in both sets of roles.

You don't need to feel bad at all. I grow up being conditioned to never refer to someone by their skin color so never say Black people or white people. The proper term was African American and I've seen people on TV get censured if they accidentally said Black people instead of African American. However, now with all the recent racial unrest in the U.S. there have been a lot of developments and Black people are revealing that they never liked the term African American. They would prefer to just be referred to as Black people. So you have nothing to feel terrible about especially since you've shown that you have an open mind and are willing to listen!

“We’re doing a whole new version of it,” Linda Woolverton broke the news during the Q&A that Disney is bringing Beauty and the Beast back to the stage, but it’s not just your typical revival. “They brought back the original team and we’re reimagining the show, redesigning and reconceptualizing many things and basically doing another version. Which has really been fun for me because there are cringe moments for me that I get to fix now.”

Source: https://www.laughingplace.com/w/article ... ter-hours/

I wonder what she cringes at and wants to fix.

Disney Duster wrote:I wonder what she cringes at and wants to fix.

For one thing that awful "dinner invitation". I think there were a lot of goofy moments that replaced the serious and mature tone of the film, so I guess that's what she's talking about.

I only saw the show once, on Youtube lol, so I don't remember that specific scene, but I believe you could be right.

Oh well here's to hoping they don't completely rewrite the show

Original Broadway Creatives At Work On BEAUTY AND THE BEAST UK/Ireland Tour to start in May 2021
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/O ... r-20200910

Production art:

They are using the live-action film's idea of the gold "Beauty" that turns into a stoney "Beast", except the word "Beast" is all stone and has a cool thorn idea to it. I wish the "Beauty" was more fancy and beautiful. It also looks like they are borrowing the live-action Beast and Belle look. At least Belle's hair is pinned up and more historically accurate than the live-action film. Maybe her dress will be better, but as far as we can tell in this poster, it doesn't have sleeves, like the terrible live-action dress. Uh-oh.

Hopefully all this borrowing of the live-action designs is just for the production art. I also wish the word "Beauty" would be more, well, beautiful.