Disney has unveiled the first full clip from the live-actionBeauty and the Beast, and it features a very memorable musical number from the 1991 animated Best Picture nominee. In this clip we get a snippet ofEmma Watson’s rendition of “Belle”, and it’s really good. The number, as envisioned byDreamgirlsdirectorBill Condon, still has the vibrancy and town-chorus of the animated film, but is brought into the live-action realm in an interesting way that maintains the theatricality of the beloved classic. Indeed, that’s been one of the biggest questions with regards toBeauty and the Beast: how with the musical nature of the animated film translate to live-action? This was sidestepped inCinderellaandPete’s Dragonby not using songs, andThe Jungle Bookonly featured a couple of very stripped down pieces of music, butBeauty and the Beastis a full-on musical in every sense of the word.
Disney’s track record thus far has me optimistic aboutBeauty and the Beast, and the talent of Watson as a performer bodes well. While I wasn’t entirely sold on the aesthetic before, this clip suggests everything works better within the context of the actual movie.
Check out the clip below, via Disney. Scripted byStephen ChboskyandEvan Spiliotopouloswith music by Disney veteranAlan Menken, the film also starsDan Stevens,Luke Evans,Kevin Kline,Josh Gad,Ewan McGregor,Stanley Tucci,Audra McDonald,Gugu Mbatha-Raw,Ian McKellen, andEmmat Thompson.Beauty and the Beastopens in theaters on March 17th.
Here’s the official synopsis forBeauty and the Beast:
“Beauty and the Beast” is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within.
And for more onBeauty and the Beast, be sure to check out our previous write-ups:
