Disney-fication: Modern Day Modification

     Disney is a the version that most children and adults are familiar with in today's day and age. Disney has an incredible knack for taking the ancient tales and folklores of our forefathers and twisting them into happy-ended romances. The tale was adapted into a colorful, song-filled film in 1991.



        The films starts by narrating the curse of a young, selfish prince who turns away an old, ugly beggar woman who asks for shelter. The woman offers him a single rose in return, but again he throws the old woman out. She transforms into a beauty enchantress who curses him to be a beast. If he can return to his form state if he can love and be loved by a woman by his 21st birthday, or he'll remain a beast forever. The prince his away in his castle, ashamed of his form, the castle and its inhabitants are cursed along with him.

       

         In a small French town, Belle is introduced as a beautiful young peasant girl who is found odd by the rest of the town. She is a bit more independent, loves books, and has no interest in the handsome male antagonist Gaston. Her father Maurice, like her, is also a bit ostracized by the town as the "crazy" inventor. The father creates a wood chopping machine, loads it onto their horse Philippe, and sets off for the fair.

       In the meantime, Gaston, the great, manly hunter of the town, attempts to pursue Belle. He even goes so far as to set up the wedding before proposing to her as he believes no woman can resist him. When Belle flatly refuses him, he becomes enraged and vows that he'll have her for his wife no matter what. 

       Maurice becomes lost on his journey to the fair and is chased by ravenous woods. Barely escaping with his life, he flees to a dark, looming castle. He finds no humans within the castle, but moving, talking inanimate objects which offer him a fire and tea. Before he can even sip the tea, a monstrous beast bursts into the room and throws him into the dungeon for trespassing.

 

         Philippe returns empty-handed and Belle sets off to go find her father. The horse leads her to the castle, but refuses to go any farther. Wandering through the castle, she finds her father in the dark, cold dungeon of the castle. He has grown ill from cold. Belle demands to know who has done such a thing to her father. The Beast appears claims the father as his prisoner. The girl offers herself in her father's place. At first, the beast scoffs at her offer, but is then moved by it, telling her that if she agrees, she will have to live there forever. Despite her father's strong objections, Belle agrees. The Beast rips Maurice from his prison and throws him in an enchanted carriage that brings him back to the town without letting the two say goodbye.

        Belle is devastated by this. She is lead to her room and the Beast orders her to accompany him for dinner. The Beast is ill-mannered and appears to have anger issues. When rejects the command, he forbids her to unless it is with him. Belle wanders the enchanted castle but is also forbidden to enter the West Wing, which is the Beast's living space. Her curiosity gets the best of her and when she enters, the Beast terrifies her with a territorial fit. She flees the castle, breaking her promise, and is attacked by the very wolves that chased her father. The Beast, ashamed of his angry outburst, rescues her from the rabid wolves but his wounded himself. They return to the castle where she tends his wounds and there they begin to understand each other and slowly build rapport.

      Meanwhile, in town Maurice tells the town of the creature that stole his daughter. Gaston thinks him insane but creates a plan to marry Belle, using her father's weak mind as leverage. As time passes, Belle and the Beast grow to care very much for each other, but she misses her father greatly. He gives her a magic mirror to see her father and she sees that he is ill and lost in the woods while trying to search for her. With heavy heart he lets her go, know that soon his 21st birthday will be upon him and he will forever be a hideous creature.

      Belle finds her father and nurses him back to health. Gaston knocks at her door and comes to claim her father for the insane asylum. She defends her father's honor and sanity by showing them the Beast via the magic mirror. Seeing the terrifying Beast, Gaston rallies the townsmen to join him in hunting the creature. Though the castle's servants in their object form attempt to defend the castle and Beast, Gaston slips through and finds the despairing Beast. He is too depressed and disheartened from losing Belle to fight and is wounded with an arrow. Belle rushes to the castle to warn the Beast, to find him just as Gaston is attacking him. Roused by her return, the Beast fights back.

       Belle runs up to the roof where they two are battling. Whilst the Beast climbs for her, Gaston stabs him in the side. The beast flails and Gaston loses his grip and falls to his death. The Beast is mortally wounded, lying before her. Desperately she clings to him and confesses her love. He collapses lets out his last breath.



       A series of bright lights illuminates the beast, the castle, and all of servants. His body transforms into a handsome prince. A splendid celebration ensues in honor of the prince's restoration and their marriage. The two live happily ever after. 

Word Count: 963

Reference:

 Beauty and the Beast. Dir. Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. By Linda Woolverton, Paige O'Hara, and            Robby Benson. Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc., 1991. DVD.