A live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast was and is forever unnecessary. Some movies are simply perfection as they are, and Disney’s 1991 cartoon version of Beauty and the Beast is among them. All I can imagine is that Hollywood must be a place devoid of ideas. Otherwise, why so many remakes, especially of flawless films? The biggest waste of time for Hollywood and viewers possibly ever was the 2017 remaking of the 1991 film about Belle and the cursed prince, if you ask me.
Examples of Perfection in the 1991 Cartoon
In the world of movies, there are certain elements that earn a movie a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. Check off every box with the 1991 version of Beauty and the Beast: Comedy, romance, drama, suspense, and a cheeky candelabra named Lumière. The following are among the delights that no other version could compete with nor should anyone try:
- Gaston and his sidekick, Lefou, sing that hilarious song in the pub. Gaston is so conceited, he’s clueless that he’s the butt of many a joke, within the lyrics. He’s especially good at expectorating? He eats five dozen eggs every morning, and he’s roughly the size of a barge? It’s hilarious.
- The songs in Beauty and the Beast are all good, and there are just enough. It’s not one of those musicals where the songs get in the way of enjoying the movie. No tunes were completely unnecessary, unlike in a certain recent version of the movie that included live action (cough-Evermore-cough and Days in the Sun-cough).
- A great story doesn’t have jarring information that deviates from traditional story lines. So that’s a Bravo! for the 1991 version and a Boo! for the 2017 version, in which Belle learns her mother died of the plague. The scene was extremely weird and added nothing.
- The beast in the cartoon is a much more believable and scary character than a man in a buffalo-like/wolf-like suit. When the beast screams for Belle to GET OUT, it can raise some hairs on the back of your neck. It did on mine.
- Dancing, singing plates and silverware in the cartoon are a spectacular feast for the eyes and ears!
Look Harder for New Scripts
You know, there’s a lot more I could say, when I take a comparative approach to the versions of Beauty and the Beast. What it boils down to is that movies which have already been done flawlessly need not be redone. Get a clue, Hollywood! Try harder to find new scripts instead of screwing up old ones!
