When people think about stories that have been extremely popular in the past, there are many of them which are thought of as "old" or not popular anymore. Like Gone With The Wind or It's A Wonderful Life--these are old classic movies that people no longer want to watch because they don't know much about them or think they are dated.
There is, however, at least one story that does not abide by this stigma of movies becoming irrelevant: Beauty and the Beast.
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This story, for years, has garnered the attention of many generations. And it is no different with the new live-action version. This version came out on March 17th and brings to life the classic world of Belle and her Beast one more time.
Despite the fact that this story has been around for centuries (the original story came out in 1756) it is still an amazingly popular story. Perhaps because it's about a spunky girl stuck in an area of the world that isn't ready for her, or perhaps it's because it's about a girl who falls in love with someone not based on looks but based on personality.
Even though there are many reasons for why this story might still be popular, one that I think is a big reason for its popularity is that no matter what country you live in, language you speak, or lifestyle you live there is always a way to relate to this tale of a girl who against all odds and all thoughts of what should happen falls in love with a man no one believes anyone could ever love. She finds the good in Adam and learns that when you meet a person, much more than just their outward appearance matters.
This is the song that the Beast sings when he sets Belle free to go save her father and this is the song that shows just how much Adam has changed. He is no longer the tough abrasive soul she came across in the beginning. He has learned to be kind and is far better for it.
However, while the Beast has a rough exterior and a very redeeming soul, Gaston has a beautiful exterior with nothing redeeming on the inside. As is said in this song about Gaston, "As a specimen, yes [he's] intimidating," but aside from that he has barely any sort of substance.
This movie has been garnering a lot of bad media because a lot of people have decided not to watch it for the sole reason that at the end there are two characters of the same gender who have a 5 second scene where they dance together and apparently that is really offensive.
The way I see it, this movie is the same movie as the animated one--in fact, in my opinion, it's even better than the old one. It answers the long asked question of what happened to Belle's mother and that is just the beginning of the issues with the original that have been fixed.
If you don't give this movie a chance merely because two guys end up in each other's arms towards the end of the movie, then I hate to break it to you, but you are missing out on a movie that is not only magnificently and beautifully made but one that is also a perfect retelling of a classic tale that will never grow old.
A tale as old as time, that can somehow still be relatable today.
