Abstract

            The “Beauty and the Beast” is alive action version illustrating the story of a vain or hopeless prince Dan Stevens who is bewitched by an enchantress Hattie Morahan. The effect of that curse ended up making him to live a life of a beast in a lonely enchanted castle as one of the means of making him to understand the effect of making value judgments based on personal appearance.  Love is the only way to lift his curse regardless of his beastly appearance. This in return sets up the stage for beast interaction with Maurice (Kevin Kline) the merchant who wanders into the enthralled castle. Before leaving, he decided to give his daughter Belle (Emma Watson) the rose he had promised her but unfortunately he became imprisoned in the enchanted castle for stealing the rose. The only person who finally decides to rescue Maurice from the Beast is her daughter. Although what follows next is a problematic romance as she fail in love with the Beast, the curse is finally broken (Trice & Holland, 2001). 

Clip 1: Maurice being chased by the wolves and later imprisoned by the Beast

            In this scene, when Maurice and Phillippe were on their way to the far, they got lost in the forest. As they tried to get down to a dark path, they encountered wolves and bats. In the process of assisting Phillippe to control their horse, it threw them off and runs away. After recovering from his fall, he shows the wolves approaching and run down the cliff with them wolves chasing him. Fortunately, he shows a gate from a distance and decided to seek rescue there. Although he did not have any idea that it belonged to the Beast, he managed to open it and shut it before the wolves could tear him apart. Once inside, he called for help and he was shown to the Beast’s guestroom. Although he tried to explain to the Beast about what he encountered in the forest, he was locked by the Beast in the dungeon. The reason for that is because the beast thought that he had come to stare at him (Trice & Holland, 2001). 

Significance of the visual effect used: while in the dark forest, it was important to use the real world as well as the fierce noise of the wolves so as to make the viewers to be part of what was transpiring there. From the perspectives of the filmmaker, the need to build a huge front balcony that connects to the front of the castle with night thunderstorm and lightening was to enable the intended audience to have a picture of how it astonishing it appeared to be for Maurice after escaping the wolves (Stephen, 2014).

Clip 2: The singing of the song “Something There” by Belle

            Analysis: As the movie continues to unfold, this song is heard halfway during the scene in which the Beast and Belle had started acknowledging the feelings or affection of each other. Contextually, the essence of this song can be identified as dramatizing the partnership of the two. By directing us to the musical sequence, first, the Beast decided to surprise Belle by introducing her to his library before learning to dine together. As the scene continued, Belle and the Beast started not to let their negative perceptions about one’s appearance and started appreciating their inner qualities. It is this scenario that enabled them to slowly open up to each other (Trice & Holland, 2001). 

Significance of visual effects used: in this clip, the frame enlargement of the Beast with his whole body covered with fur and wearing several clothing aids the viewers to perceive his true nature.  Likewise, bringing the dining table to life and the smooth singing of the song, “something There” enables the intended audience to develop a mental picture of what was transpiring in the mind of Belle and the Beast. Thus, the reason to why these visual effects and others inside the enchanted castle by the filmmakers is to ensure that they have created a real word as well as ensure that the characters have appeared as they were supposed to look like (Stephen, 2014).

Clip 3: Maurice seeking help from the villagers after being freed by her daughter from the beast

            After Maurice is freed by her daughter from the dungeon, she decided to use a horseless carriage to send him back to the village. After arriving, he went to the local tavern to ask for help from Gaston and the villager. Unfortunately, he did not get the help he wanted to free her daughter from the Beast. Believing that Maurice has gone crazy, they threw him out thus giving Gaston an idea of how to marry Belle. After being freed from the asylum, he decided to plan on how to free his daughter without the help of the villagers.

Significance of visual effect used: After arriving at the town and meeting with the villagers, the use of their facial expression and the eyeline matching is what assists the filmmaker to let the audience understand how Maurice was disappointed whilst considering him insane from the Beast tales he was telling them.  It became easier to illustrate what each one of them was thinking about him (Stephen, 2014).

Clip 4: Freeing Maurice from the asylum and the villagers’ plan to attack the beast

            After declining to marry Gaston, Belle used the magic mirror he took from the beast to prove to the villagers that her father was not insane. Finally, Maurice is set free because they understood that he was telling the truth.  Later, Gaston manages to convince them that the Beast is extremely dangerous and decided to come up with a plan to attack it. After locking Maurice and her daughter in the cellar, they are luckily freed by Chip through the use of Maurice’s invention. They rode back to the castle on Philippe (Trice & Holland, 2001). 

Significance of visual effect used: for the filmmaker, the use of dim night light, the frame enlargement of Belle and Gaston aid the audience to have a clear picture of how both were not in agreement about the Existence of the Beast. Moreover, once Belle showed them the mirror with the Beast in it, the gestural and the facial components of acting used aid the audience to develop a mental picture about what could have happened while she was in the castle, how the Beast looks like, and the compare it with the real life circumstances, situations, and emotions (Stephen, 2014).

Conclusion

            Each film ultimately requires unique sets of visual effects. Therefore, from the perspectives of this movie, the use of various textures, paintings, color variations, modeled objects, facial anatomy, and many more others is what assist the viewers to understand what was likely to happen next or what is in the mind of the characters. Moreover, the concept of the artwork used in this movie enables the viewers to invite a clear comparison of each scene and what happens in the real world (Stephen, 2014).

           

 

 

 

 

 

                                                            Reference

Stephen, P. (2014). Movies and Meaning: An Introduction to Film. Pearson Education Limited

Trice, A. D., & Holland, S. A. (2001). Heroes, Antiheroes and Dolts: Portrayals of Masculinity in American Popular Films, 1921-1999. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers.