Beauty and the Beast

[eliyes]

Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite Disney movies; I identify more with Belle than any other heroine they've given us, I guess. It helps that I used to have this wonderful book with the fairytale in question illustrated by rich, detailed paintings. (And much closer to Psyche & Eros than Belle and... Adam? Whatever the Beast's real name is. *blocks the memory*)

It's a touching magical story about not judging a book by its cover, Stockholme Syndrome, and the perils of over-hunting.

Now, the first two points are obvious, but somehow people seem to miss the third one.

Look, Gaston shoots anything that moves, basically. He uses antlers in all of his decorating. Meanwhile, there's a pack of wolves attacking travelers in the woods. Why? BECAUSE GASTON HAS KILLED ALL THE PREY.

Seriously, if you watch Bambi and Beauty and the Beast back-to-back, Gaston's villainy is obviously more than just egotism long before he starts conniving to imprison Maurice.

Every now and then I try to rewrite things so that Belle actually gets the adventure, instead of imprisonment. Alas.

Comments

[kiffie.livejournal.com]

Every now and then I try to rewrite things so that Belle actually gets the adventure, instead of imprisonment. Alas.

I like to think that, somewhere in there, she and Beast had some awesome little side-adventures. I mean, they weren't cooped up in that castle all the time (Belle was way too awesome to submit to that), and Beast didn't just fall in love with her because she looked hot in that dress read him bedtime stories.

As active as Belle is in the Disney version, however, I would not mind at all should a newer movie version give her a larger role in foiling Gaston, or, if not outright fending off Beast's attackers, then at least delaying them... [/ramble]

[eliyes.livejournal.com]

Okay, I have to confess that I used to have this Star Trek Mary-Sue self-insert chickie -- we are talking her name was like two steps off my name, and she did all the things I'd want to do and was friends with all my fave characters, right -- and since I was not especially good at drawing, she was represented by slightly modified printed-out line-art of Belle. X3

I love Belle. And that dress is fine.

But Belle, while more active than the version in the fairytale I grew up with, does not get the adventure she wanted. Hell, maybe after she marries the prince, they set up a lab for her inventor dad in the castle and he builds a flying machine and they go off adventuring. That would be grand.

I just can't help feeling like she settled.

[kiffie.livejournal.com]

Dear God, do not give Maurice ideas.

(Who knew Beast was afraid of flying?)

[eliyes.livejournal.com]

Maurice gets enough ideas on his own?

(Chip knew. But we don't talk about The Incident.)

[ladymoondancer.livejournal.com]

Meanwhile, there's a pack of wolves attacking travelers in the woods. Why? BECAUSE GASTON HAS KILLED ALL THE PREY.

I never liked the "RAWR vicious wolveses!", but this explanation makes PERFECT SENSE.

Damn you, Gaston! Damn you for using antlers in all of your decorating!

[eliyes.livejournal.com]

I never liked the "RAWR vicious wolveses!", but this explanation makes PERFECT SENSE.

Doesn't it? I can't help but suspect the writers set ip up in case someone called them on the vicious wolveses.