Once upon a time, in a far away land...
This sequence of slow push-ins that open the haunting prologue immediately recall Citizen Kane, drawing us ever closer to the unknown subject of our intrigue; in this case, a series of stained glass tableaux depicting the Beast's woeful backstory. Less obvious and more fleeting than the pretty colours and angular window art that quickly grab our attention is the architecture and sense of space communicated by those two early wide shots, providing a brief but necessary contrast to the stifling Gothic environs that dominate the first half of the film. We've seen Eden, so now we actually have an appreciation for the simultaneous isolation and congestion of the Beast's personal hell:
As the sun will rise...
Even for a film with the word “beauty” right there in the title, I can't overstate how beautiful it is! There are literally dozens of shots I could include for their sheer gorgeousness, but I decided to pick one representative. And it's probably the most obvious choice:
Seamlessly rendered with what were, at the time, revolutionary advancements in computer animation, this majestic “crane” shot stands out as the visual apex of the film. As much credit should go to Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's lovely title tune, but unlike every other shot in the film (which work to fit the music), this one actually elevates the power of the music, and elevates us too along with those soaring strings. It's no longer just a pretty ballad, but a perfect synergy of visual and musical stimuli that yields a genuinely emotional effect.
I wonder why I didn't see it there before...
But my favourite shot is not the most artistically accomplished or visually impressive one. Instead, it's one that's easy to overlook; one of those rare, subtle details that went over your head as a child, but that just make you glad you've revisited it as an adult. In the charming musical number “Something There”, the Beast tries – a tad too aggressively – to feed some birds. With Belle steadying his arm and soothing his ambition, he manages to get one bluebird to overcome its reluctance and fly into his hands:
This quick and simple metaphor for Belle (her being the only denzien of her poor provincial town to sport the colour blue) defeating her prejudices and coming to trust in the Beast is not dwelt upon too long, nor of any real significance to the plot, but as a more discerning adult viewer rewatching a childhood favourite for the first time in years, it was this moment that made me realize Beauty and the Beast was more than simply an enjoyable piece of family entertainment, but a thoughtful and nuanced piece of cinema as well.
