It’s been a long wait, but Disney’s live-actionBeauty and the Beastis just around the corner and we’re finally starting to get a sense of how the film will come together. Early trailers and images revealed the patterned, textural aesthetic ofBill Condon’s (Dreamgirls) remake, but it was hard to imagine how that would translate in action. Last week, we got our first taste with a clip ofEmma Watsonsinging “Belle,” and today brings a new clip that puts the focus onLuke Evans' Gaston andJosh Gad’s LeFou as they bring down the house with the village crowd-pleaser “Gaston”.
I can’t say I’m 100% convinced by the look of the film yet, though seeing it in context helps, but I appreciate that Condon went all-out on giving the film that “fairy tale” atmosphere. Gad’s turn as the smarmy LeFou is quite possibly the most impeccable piece of casting in the whole film and Evans certainly has Gaston’s look down pat. Disney did an incredible job translating the distinct charms ofCinderellaandThe Jungle Bookto the screen, and I’m so hoping they can do the same for the 1991 animated classic. However, this the first time they’re sticking to a remake’s musical roots, so it will be interesting to see if they’re still working out the kinks of that format.
Check out the clip below, via Disney. Scripted byStephen ChboskyandEvan Spiliotopouloswith music by Disney veteranAlan Menken, the film also starsDan Stevens,Kevin Kline,Ewan McGregor,Stanley Tucci,Audra McDonald,Gugu Mbatha-Raw,Ian McKellen, andEmma 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.
