Beauty And The Beast Comparison

The animated Beauty and the Beast set a high standard for the subsequent adaptation to follow with its use of previously cutting-edge animation techniques, nonetheless, the remake was able to bring a sense of magic to the screen using current CG technology. One of the more obvious examples of the different uses of technology between the two versions is the appearance given to the cursed characters. For example, both movies depict servants transformed into anthropomorphic household objects but the way in which they do so varies greatly. The animated version gave the servants faces with clearly human qualities whereas the adaptation imbeds photorealistic faces for the characters into the design of the household object they represent. Characters
For example, in the original movie Cogsworth describes the castle to Belle as being a combination of the Rococo and the “late [N]eoclassical Baroque period[s]” (Beauty and the Beast 1991), however, the reimagined castle in the adaptation needs no description because the details speak for themselves. According to Elizabeth Stamp of Architectural Digest, Cogsworth may have been a bit confused with his time periods (Neoclassic and Baroque were two separate periods with Baroque before Rococo and Neoclassic being after) and the new version sought to create a castle that was more period accurate. The castle maintains some of the original heavy, dark Baroque design elements in the West Wing where the Beast resides, adding a more somber mood and a sense of danger to the forbidden area. In contrast, the remainder of the castle appears to have been remodeled to reflect the exuberant opulence of the Rococo period which features light colors, such as white and pastels, and organic shapes like ornate scalloped shell details (Stamp). These differences can be seen in Figure 3 of the Baroque-inspired library, which I am happy to report included the rolling ladder, and Figure 4 of the Rococo-inspired ballroom. The sets of the village and Belle’s home were also designed with period accuracy in mind, drawing inspiration from Cocques, an 18th-century town in southern France (Stamp). In addition to the sets, the costumes were designed as an homage to the original movie, but less “Disneyfied” and with more accuracy in regard to replicating the time period (Gellar). An example of this is the classic blue dress Belle wears in the village as she sings her opening number. In the new movie, Belle is given a more practical version with more layers, such as bloomers and a sweater, that includes pockets and boots to allow her to run around the village (Figure