This past weekend I went to go relive my childhood and see Beauty and the Beast in theaters. I was completely taken by the beautiful sets and amazingly crafted details. However, the movie got me thinking, what is it with all of the live action Disney remakes? Additionally, after reading some mixed reviews of the film, I started to wonder whether Disney’s live action remakes add new magic to familiar classics. Or, are they are simply a cheap ploy for financial gain that ultimately distract from the beauty of the original films?
To answer my question I turned to some of the Disney experts in my life. Courtney Magoon, aged 23, has been going to Disney World for the past 18 years at least once a year. She was able to get even more involved in the “Disney magic” when she was accepted into the Disney College Program as a Photo Pass Photographer. “I loved every second of it,” Magoon gushed of her opportunity at Disney, “I had the opportunity to meet people from all around the world, help capture their memories, and hear all about their Disney experiences.” In regards to the live action films, Magoon found the Beauty and the Beast adaptation both magical and relatable. “I find that by bringing these characters to life in a live-action film, they are much more relatable to the audience. The live-action version was able to give the scene so much more emotion than any animated version could have, and you empathized with the characters.” The realatability Magoon describes is essential to the success of live action films. The use of real people, allows for the audience to relate to the characters in a way that animation does not allow, and I definitely noticed this when I viewed Beauty and the Beast.
Another Disney fan, Kayla Dunn, aged 19, thought the new version of Beauty and the Beast added some new pizzazz. “So far I feel like the live action remakes have all been really well done. The fine details of the live actions have added to the magic for me as an adult.” I think that many people can agree that the attention to detail in these live action films has been impeccable and adds a certain sparkle to the films.
However, not everyone has enjoyed these Disney remakes. “The charm was totally sucked out of it,” says nineteen-year-old Kathryn Olivia Chinetti, “you might tell me to separate the animated from the original, but that’s impossible when it’s almost a shot for shot remake.”
Chinetti’s point rings true. Many have been critical of the live action Beauty and the Beast’s similarities to the original animated version. Ty Burr of the Boston Globe also makes comments on the ineffective addition of new content by arguing, “this ‘Beauty and the Beast’ slavishly follows the plot and pace of the 1991 cartoon, with some supporting characters fleshed out (as it were) and four new songs from lyricist Tim Rice and original composer Alan Menken that you probably won’t be humming on the drive home.” Burr isn’t the only one of this opinion—it seems clear to most critics that this remake was just a desperate grab to bring in more sales by selling an old concept as new. “Really, though,” Burr continues, “it’s about brand extension and familiarity and maintaining a steady profit stream.”
Nevertheless, overall I think that it is fair to say that the new Beauty and the Beast is mesmerizing, beautiful, and breathtaking. However, it will never have the same magical impact of the original. But does this mean that Disney should stop making live action versions? I think that the answer to that question will be answered by Disney’s future live action films.