Full Movie Plot: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_and_the_Beast_(1991_film)
Beauty and the Beast, released in 1991, is the story of Belle falling in love with a young prince who was previously transformed into a hideous beast. As a human, the prince was spoiled and bitter, so when he refused to help an elderly woman seeking shelter from a horrible storm, she turned him into a beast and all his servants into furniture and household items. She also gave him a rose which would bloom until his 21st birthday; he had to learn to love and be loved by his 21st birthday or he would remain an ugly beast forever.
The movie emphasizes that beauty stems from inside and that appearances are of peripheral importance. Gaston, the local hero, embodies the sinful qualities of lust and hubris and is justly punished. Midway through the movie, I noticed an instance of “dante-esque” retributive justice. After Gaston corners Belle in her home and expects her to marry him (because of his dastardly good looks), Belle unlocks the door he cornered her against and dumps him into the mud with the pigs. Gaston is put into the mud like a pig because of his egotism, greed, and lust for Belle – three unattractive and self-indulgent qualities.
Gaston is also finally punished for his hubris; upon hearing of Belle’s love for the Beast, he storms the castle and challenges the Beast alone. Despite having a small army on his side, Gaston arrogantly assumes he’s such a good hunter that he can kill the Beast by himself. After fighting with the Beast, and having his life spared by him, Gaston makes a final attempt to kill the Beast, but loses his balance and falls off the side of the castle to his death. Gaston’s unfortunate ending serves as a warning to kids against such hubris and arrogance; it is his own vanity and self-centeredness that ultimately leads to his downfall. In my opinion, Gaston is more like a typical Disney prince than the Beast; he expects to come in and win over the princess with his handsomeness and charm. So it’s not that this story is different because it lacks a typical Disney prince, rather it lacks a typical Disney princess. Belle rejects the archetypal Disney male in favor of a real, deep character.
In the same way that Gaston is a bad example, Belle sets a good example for young girls. Unlike most other Disney princesses – Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White – Belle didn’t fall in love with a charming, handsome prince. She was patient and caring enough to see through a less attractive exterior and get to know what turned out to be a kind and genuine person. Belle understood that beauty is only skin deep, and instead of marrying Gaston and being miserable she met her soul mate, who (bonus!) turned out to be a prince. Belle’s kindness and sincerity was rewarded in the end.
Overall, I really enjoyed the movie and thought it provided a simple but important message for kids and adults alike. Our modern society has shifted recently and become overly preoccupied with appearances. Truthfully, it wouldn’t hurt any of us to take a step back and realize there are more important things in life.
Like Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast has been remade recently. The new movie, Beastly, follows the story of a modern-day Belle falling in love with a “beastly”-looking boy.
No comments:
Post a Comment