Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast is a traditional folktale (type 425C -- search for a lost husband -- in the Aarne-Thompson classification). The first published version of the fairy tale was a meandering rendition by Madame Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, published in La jeune ameriquaine, et les contes marins in 1740. The best-known written version was an abridgement of M. Villeneuve's work published in 1756 by Mme Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, in Magasin des enfans, ou dialogues entre une sage gouvernante et plusieure de ses èleves; an English translation appeared in 1757.

Adaptations

The tale has been notably adapted for stage and screen several times.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In many of these adaptations, there is a common problem with the dramatic impact of the story; by the end of the story, the audience is so accustomed to and charmed by the Beast, that when he changes back into the prince, it is a disappointment to see him reduced to just another pretty face.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Movie versions

A sumptuous French version of Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bête) was made in 1946, directed by Jean Cocteau, starring his lover Jean Marais as the Beast and Josette Day as Beauty.

Related Topics:
French - Beauty and the Beast - 1946 - Jean Cocteau - Jean Marais - Josette Day

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1991 Disney produced an animated film of Beauty and the Beast with screenplay by Linda Woolverton, music by Alan Menken, and lyrics by Howard Ashman. It won Academy Awards for Best Song and Best Original Score and was the first animated feature ever nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. This version gave Beauty a name (Belle). The Beast's name, though never mentioned in the movie, was Adam. Also, in this version, the servants have been transformed into personified objects. The story is changed much also in this version. Belle's father is given a name, Maurice, and Belle is his only daughter. A handsome and popular but sexist man named Gaston wants to marry Belle so she can be his wife. But she does not want to marry him due to his sexist attitude, and he and his friends threaten Maurice and the beast, but eventually Gaston is killed during a final confrontation with the beast. It is now considered one of the Walt Disney Company's classic films of all time.

Related Topics:
1991 - Disney - Beauty and the Beast - Linda Woolverton - Alan Menken - Howard Ashman - Gaston - Walt Disney Company

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Stage Versions

The Disney film was adapted for the stage by Linda Woolverton and Alan Menken, who had worked on the film. Howard Ashman, the original lyricist, had died, and additional lyrics were written by Tim Rice. Five new songs, "No Matter What", "Home", "Me", and "If I Can't Love Her", and "Human Again" were added to those appearing in the original film score in the stage version. Later, another song, "A Change In Me", was added for Belle. There is a great deal of emphasis on pyrotechnics, costuming and special effects to produce the imagery of the enchanted castle. It was produced by Disney Theatrical. This version of Beauty and the Beast is often examined in gender studies because of underlying female and male roles it presents to young audiences.

Related Topics:
Adapted for the stage - Alan Menken - Howard Ashman - Tim Rice - Disney Theatrical

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Television and Fiction Versions

Beauty and the Beast, which owed as much to bodice-ripping romance novels and fantasy fiction as to the fairy tale, originally broadcast from 1987 to 1989, was centered around the relationship between Catherine, an attorney who lived in New York City, played by Linda Hamilton, and Vincent, a gentle but lion-faced "beast", played by Ron Perlman, who dwells in the tunnels beneath the city.

Related Topics:
Beauty and the Beast - Bodice-ripping - 1987 - 1989 - Linda Hamilton - Ron Perlman

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Beauty and the Beast has been the subject of many novels, most notably in Beauty by Robin McKinley, the Newbery Award-winning author. McKinley's second voyage into the tale of Beauty and the Beast resulted in "Rose Daughter." Donna Jo Napoli wrote a novel Beast centered around the Beast's point of view.

Related Topics:
Robin McKinley - Donna Jo Napoli

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Beauty and the Beast are characters in the Fables comic book. They are resident in the New York City branch of Fabletown, and are rather poor at the beginning of the series. After the election of Prince Charming as mayor of Fabletown, they are promoted to, respectively, assistant to the mayor and sheriff, vice "Bigby Wolf" (Big Bad Wolf) and Snow White, the previous holders of these offices, who do not wish to work with Prince Charming due to prior difficulties with him.

Related Topics:
Fables - Comic book - New York City - Fabletown - Prince Charming - Big Bad Wolf - Snow White

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The story was adapted by Mercedes Lackey into her Elemental Masters novel The Fire Rose. Shigeru Miyamoto cited the story as an inspiration for the Nintendo game Donkey Kong.

Related Topics:
Mercedes Lackey - Elemental Masters - The Fire Rose - Shigeru Miyamoto - Nintendo - Donkey Kong

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Leaverton

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~