Disney is known to create magic with its near enchanting content; there is little doubt about that. Their animated feature, Beauty and the Beast of 1991 is possibly one of the most adored pieces of storytelling. From the plot to portrayal and the values it attempted to impart, it has been a fan favourite since then.
And now, with the changing times, Disney is taking the same storytelling forward with a live-action adaptation of the classic. With its release impending for 17 March, 2017 and a trailer already out in the recent past, the company has released the final trailer for the movie and it looks surreal.
Beauty and the Beast tells the tale of an arrogant prince by the name of Adam, who is turned into a hideous monster by an unknown enchantress. The curse can only be lifted when he learns to love and gets loved in return, but has to do it by the time the last petal falls from the rose which blooms on his 21st birthday. A village girl by the name of Belle ventures into the beast’s castle and agrees to take the spot of her father, who has been a prisoner there. Eventually Belle observes the good side of the prince and falls for him.
As observed in the past, the live-action adaptations haven’t been as successful as the original animated movie; however, Beauty and the Beast still looks as enchanting as you would expect from a Disney movie. With detailed sceneries and the majestic castle of the beast to the creation of the beast himself the VFX contribution from Digital Domain and Framestore compliments director Bill Condon’s movie pretty well. The walking – talking antiques present throughout the beast’s castle have also been beautifully created, as the trailer showcases them to be the ones who assert Belle with the back story of the prince-turned-beast.
The fresh trailer gives an extended look into the movie, including portions of its tracks, including the title track by Ariana Grande and John Legend and the final dance of Belle and the Beast. Eight time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, who won an Oscar for the original score of 1991 has provided the score for this one as well. Apart from Menken, new tunes have been composed by Howard Ashman and new songs have been written by Menken and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice.
The cast of the film includes Emma Watson as Belle, Dan Stevens as the Beast, Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts., Josh Gad as Le Fou and Luke Evans as Gaston.
Let’s wait for the release and see if the live-action adaptation manages to swoon the audience the way its animated counterpart did more than a decade ago.