Beauty and the beast
Year of release : 2014
Language : French
Run time : 1h 52min
Genre : Fantasy / Romance
This movie takes a different spin to the very well known story of the Beauty and the Beast.It is based on the fairy tale of the same name by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve,published in 1740.
Belle's father is a merchant who's ships were lost at sea after a storm. They have to move to the country as they have no money and Belle's siblings are big spenders. Belle loves it in the country while her siblings do not. The father finds one of his ships and thinks he can make a comeback but he was so much in debt that the ship was taken by one of his creditors.
Trying to get back home in the country,on a stormy winter night,his horse trips and falls,probably breaking his front legs.
He finds a castle with a lot of food on the table and a fire burning,but with no one around. After he eats as much as he can,he finds the castle's treasures and decides to steal it. He promised Belle a rose ,so finding a rose bush on his way out,he cuts one .Unluckily for him,the beast comes out of the bush,demanding a life for a rose.
Hearing her father's ordeal,that he had to go back and live with the beast,Belle feels responsible for his faith and leaves in his place.
Although at first scared by the beast's appearance and his demeanor,she starts to fall for him,as at night she has dreams induced by the former princess of the castle about his life story. He was a prince obsessed with hunting,and obsessed with hunting a particular deer.
I loved this new take on the story,it made so much more sense about the curse,killing the daughter of the god of the forest,and being punished to live as a beast to see what's like to be an animal,and be hunted.
The movie is breathtaking,everything in it is a feast for the eyes. The visual effects are great. The film sets were gorgeous,the dresses the women wore,the jewelry,especially the ones Belle wore..,the clothes the men wore,the interior design..everything was so beautiful,and looked just like in a fairytale!
The acting was great,I have nothing to complain about,visually this movie was a delight to watch!
What I didn't like was the fact it felt that Belle fell in love with the beast within a few days,but he was awful to her. I don't know how can someone fall in love with someone like that,arrogant,demanding,in such a short time,especially since he wasn't that amazing in the dream sequences either,he was the same arrogant,demanding man,obsessed with getting his way,not to mention,he didn't keep his promises.
Rating : It's so money !