Tale as old as time: new ‘Beauty and the Beast’ movie is refreshing yet timeless

Jamie Brunken, Staff Writer

It is a tale as old as time and one of Disney’s most beloved movies: “Beauty and the Beast.” When it was announced that a new adaption of the 1991 animated film would be coming out, everyone wondered if it would stick to the original script or take a modern twist and create a storyline of its own. After seeing the film, it is a movie I would strongly recommend that everyone sees, from little kids to those of us who are still kids at heart.

For those who do not know the plot of the movie, the main character is Belle, a beautiful young and independent woman. She is seen as somewhat strange in her village, and she is longing for something more than a provincial life, something the little town cannot give her. She ends up being taken prisoner by a beast in his castle and as time passes, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted inhabitants, including a clock, candlestick and tea pot. As Belle and the beast begin to spend more time together, she soon learns to look past the beast’s hideous looks. Instead, she searches within and sees the kind heart and soul of the prince.

Though the movie was entertaining and had some catchy songs to sing along to, it also portrayed messages that anyone can learn from. Even though the whole town thought Belle was a little odd, she did not let that bother her and she stayed true to herself. Then there is the beast, who stayed locked up in his castle, fearing what others would think of him and his looks, but when he met Belle, he did not feel the need to hide. Instead, he let down his guard and was able to see that people care about what is on the inside rather than the exterior, because having a big heart is the best beauty of all.

Despite the film staying pretty close to the original script, it developed its own storyline and added some modern elements to the movie, making it a coming of age story appropriate for today’s society. Even with the new additions and twists on the film, it is still a tale as old as time, true as it can be, “Beauty and the Beast.”