Beauty and the Beast is a timeless classic that we all adored during our childhood. On March 17, the live action version of “Beauty and the Beast” starring Emma Watson as Belle, opened in theaters and had a major box office success. Many scenes from the original animated classic were replicated to include almost every detail, but there were also some new and welcomed changes.
1. Belle is portrayed as more than just a book lover, but also an inventor and tutor for the village girls. Which is an obvious Emma Watson-approved addition.
2. The Beast shows a deeper appreciation and love for Belle by taking her to the one place she has always wanted to go. While every girl dreams of their prince granting them the library of their dreams, this scene between the Beast and Belle allows their relationship to grow deeper than their cartoon predecessors.
3. LeFou is one of Disney’s first gay characters, which is a big development. Among the many scenes with Josh Gad’s hilarious rendition of Gaston’s companion this movie includes more progressive scenes and suggestions.
4. The one downside of this new rendition is that the Beast is kind of creepy looking. I understand that the whole moral of this story is that it’s what’s inside that counts, but the CGI version of Dan Stevens (aka Matthew Crowley from Downton Abbey) is not that easy on eyes.
5. Similar to the original, Emma Watson’s Belle is just as independent and headstrong. However, Watson is able to add a little more sass to her character which is always welcomed.
Photo courtesy of Photofest; Photo courtesy of Disney