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Over the years, there have been countless adaptations, official and unofficial, of “La Belle et la Bete” as it was infamously translated to “Beauty and the Beast”. Starting from the captivating live-action in 1946 that was directed by Jean Cocteau to the exuberant Disney animated version from 1991, this fairy tale has always had an attractive aura around it. Not to mention, the Disney version is set to receive a live action adaptation next year but I digress. The history of this story shows that anyone attempting to add another layer to it will really have to be creative, unlike their predecessors. However, the French version of the tale which came out in 2014, is only now making its way to America, and it does 2 things right it provides astonishing visuals, and casts two of France’s most loved actors in the leading roles. When the credits roll, you get a sturdy and dazzling experience that makes you marvel at French cinema, and it is sure to please audiences all around the world.
The story begins with a widowed French merchant (Andre Dussollier) an unfortunate soul who had to resort to bankruptcy due to losing his ships in the sea. He is forced to sell his possessions in order to migrate to a small house in the countryside with his children, all of whom happen to be vile but for his youngest daughter whom he adores, named Belle (Léa Seydoux). While in the city, he comes across a ferocious man who demands money from his eldest son, so in order to escape he picks up a single perfect red rose to take back to Belle. This beautiful rose comes at a price, he picks it along with the property belonging to a ferocious creature named The Beast (Vincent Cassel). The beast places a $0.02 on the rose and demands either to kill his family or have him spend the rest of his life as a servant. Which case Belle’s father also agrees to. Offering him plenty of time to say bye to his children. He is now forced to live with the guilt of abandoning his kids. In a horrified state, Belle sets out towards the castle of the Beast on the magic horse her father rode in on, ordering him to take her place.
On her arrival, the Beast accepts the terms and starts gifting Belle lovely dresses and allowing her to roam the castle so long as she joins him for dinner every single night. When he asks her if she will ever come to love him, he gets a violent no. Eventually, however, Belle’s feelings for him do begin to thaw slightly and she has a series of dreams that seem to portray the castle in its former vivid glory while also detailing how the Beast came to be. After some time, Belle finally persuades him to allow her to visit her father for one night only under the condition that she will return. The Beast darkly states that if she doesn’t, he will die from the loss. As it turns out, Belle’s older brother hears this story, assumes the castle is filled with treasures, and goes with some men to slay the Beast and claim the treasure. At this point, Belle understands she loves the Beast, but she knows that love alone is not enough to save him from the troops who are on their way.
Christophe Gans, the film’s director, is French and has previously created many memorable films like “Brotherhood of the Wolf” (2001), which features the French Revolution blended with kung fu, and horror, and has an incredibly clever aspect where Monica Bellucci’s breast exit shot blends into a snow covered mountains shot. He also directed “Silent Hill” (2006), which came from a video game, and although entertaining lacked a solid plot, was visually appealing. It appears that Gans is one of many contemporary filmmakers who compete to show off every single scene, but unlike the rest of them, he actually accomplished it. The film is filled with amazing visuals from stunning set designs to random pieces sprinkled throughout the frame, making it a delight to watch. Though there are many F/X-heavy films, Gans is different because he seems to have a preference for taking pride in his work. A majority of the CGI in fantasy films is usually unbearable, but the way Gans uses it is fascinating which makes it feel more helpful than intrusive.
You might have come across films that try to capture eventful moments, but this is designed like a buffet where you get endless servings until you feel like you can burst from being stuffed. Most people will want to take their time enjoying it before they feel satisfied.
However, “Beauty and the Beast” would be nothing without the efforts of its two leads, as it is more than just a spectacle of lavish special effects. If you have recently watched “Blue is the Warmest Color,” you will surely understand why Seydoux is an odd fit for the role of Belle. She mostly takes on tough, no-nonsense roles. However, she does earnestly surprise here with her portrayal of a woman who is expected to be fierce in her demeanour while still commanding strength and honesty in how she interacts with the Beast. She does a very commendable job in the end. Cassel, as the Beast, is at a little bit of a disadvantage at first as his character does not get introduced in the best of ways but he completely transforms my mind with his performance during the moving flashback scenes that show how the Beast came to be. He truly excels in those.
“Beauty and the Beast” has a couple of slight hiccups to it, which are assumed to stem from Gans’s inclination towards visual storytelling instead of traditional narrative. As a result, a little too much time is spent rushing the actual romance between Beauty and Beast and the intricacies in the conflict-filled climax are a little too tangled.
It is unavoidable that, despite the countless richness that this version has, it still falls short of Cocteau’s masterpiece. (It goes without saying that this can be said for nearly all films in cinematic history, but I digress.) Gans and Co. have also managed to give us a more than satisfactory and visually appealing take on the story, which is in and of itself a noteworthy creation. Yes, it is indeed a tale as old as time, as the song goes, but this film truly manages to redefine and reinvigorate it.
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