Musings on Beauty & The Beast

[mshanson3121]

So we just got home from seeing it - and I'll say this: wow, just wow. It was phenomenal, so incredibly well done. They stayed perfectly in keeping with the original, and I had tears in my eyes at the end. The kids absolutely loved it. I loved that they played homage to Celine Dion's contributions to the original movie, by having her do a song during the ending credits.

As for the "gay" moment: all I can say to that is, what a bunch of malarkey that was. There was absolutely no overtly gay moment(s) in the film whatsoever. A few small, tiny undertones? Sure. But even they could have been easily overlooked by those who weren't paying attention, and certainly nothing that kids would pick up on. So sorry, but the director's "leak" was absolutely nothing but a very obvious, overblown (I'd almost say bordering on lying) marketing ploy.

So what that makes me wonder is: was preliminary interest in the film lacking and they felt they needed something to raise interest? Or were they testing the waters? Trying to see what the reaction would be in media, at the box office etc... with the intention of possibly trying an actual gay moment in a future film? Time will tell.

 

[Aurora0427]

We loved the movie.... my 6 year old did too. I loved how they addressed what happened to Belle's mother, and I thought that scene with her and the Beast at her childhood home was fantastic... it made the Beast seem more human. Gaston and LaFou were perfectly cast. The costumes were incredible- just everything blew me away.

I thought the gay scenes- for lack of a better term, were perfectfor the age in which we live.... I especially liked the scene in which the wardrobe told the man to be free. That was not a coincidence. A modern twist on a very old tale. I loved it.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I'm not sure why Disney felt the need to put that statement out there. It certainly did get people talking about the film. So it was probably done just to create buzz.

I'm not sure exactly what an 'exclusively' gay moment is. I thought there were more overt 'gay moments' earlier in the film than the dancing scene at the end.

 

[Disney_traveler]

I just saw it today and I completely agree with what has already been posted. I even looked back through (now closed) threads to find links to make sure the words "exclusively gay" weren't something I made up. Then I found an article with Bill Condon being tired of the talk about the scene and wanting people to quit asking and talking about it. I wish I could talk to him directly and tell him that HE is the one that started it all.
Other thoughts I had:
-what?!?! No "and every last inch of me is covered with hair!!!"
- I think the Gaston's singing voice was too high. They should have switched the singing voices of Gaston's and the Beast hahaha
- I was really thinking Belle's "ahead of her time" mom had run off or so,etching and become the enchantress/lady in the woods that saved Maurice...THAT would have been a neat twist
- I gasped at The Beast being shot----twice
-I didn't cry when the Beast died, but ugly cried/blubbered over the house staff/furniture part!

 

[TLM2015]

I just saw it today and I completely agree with what has already been posted. I even looked back through (now closed) threads to find links to make sure the words "exclusively gay" weren't something I made up. Then I found an article with Bill Condon being tired of the talk about the scene and wanting people to quit asking and talking about it. I wish I could talk to him directly and tell him that HE is the one that started it all.
Other thoughts I had:
-what?!?! No "and every last inch of me is covered with hair!!!"
- I think the Gaston's singing voice was too high. They should have switched the singing voices of Gaston's and the Beast hahaha
- I was really thinking Belle's "ahead of her time" mom had run off or so,etching and become the enchantress/lady in the woods that saved Maurice...THAT would have been a neat twist
- I gasped at The Beast being shot----twice
-I didn't cry when the Beast died, but ugly cried/blubbered over the house staff/furniture part!

I thought I was going to be the only person disappointed in the "every last inch of me covered in hair" part!! That is perhaps my favorite line from all the songs in Beauty and the Beast and it would have been so awesome to have in a live action movie. I thought that Gaston's song was not as good as it could have been. Having seen the Broadway show of Beauty and the Beast last year (not on Broadway but the touring cast) I knew that a live action version of Beauty and the Beast could be done and done well and Gaston's song was better in the Broadway show.

Anyway, I did love the movie and really want to see it again. I like the animated version better though but my daughter likes the live action better and either way both are things that I want in my collection.

As far as the "gay" moment, that was probably leaked and played up to gain more publicity. Had no one mentioned anything, it would have not been anything that anyone talked about. That said, when my sister mentioned that she read or heard in passing that there was going to be a gay character in Beauty and the Beast, I immediately guessed it was La Fou. Even in the animated movie he seemed to have a "crush" or intense bromance with Gaston so if it were any character I would have guessed it would be him. But the whole thing has been overblown. Overall good movie and really fun. I've enjoyed the live action versions of the animated classics and I like that they give slightly different takes on the story than just recreating the animated film.