Assignment 6

One difference I noted in the two versions of Beauty and the Beast is the more evident use of magic in the Cocteau film. For example, when the father stumbles across the Beast's home in the film version, the gates magically open for him. The candelabras also guide him to the dinner table. In the text version, he wanders inside on his own and is afraid to eat in the seemingly empty house. Also, while the Beaumont version does have the magic mirror, the Cocteau film also has other enchanted objects, including a glove and key.

Prompt 6: Beauty and the Beast

The element of magic is what stood out to me the most when comparing the Cocteau’s movie to Beaumont’s version of Beauty and the Beast. In this written version, the merchant father finds an “immense castle,” but the detail of him exploring the “house” makes it sound pretty normal. The way that Beaumont sneaks the element of magic in is by having the father say, “Surely…this palace belongs to some good fairy who has taken pity on me” (34). This conveys that all of the seemingly natural events explained, were actually caused by the supernatural. As for the introduction of the castle, Beaumont downplays the magic. Meanwhile, Cocteau uses the small detail of magic in the castle to create a big dramatic scene for the singing merchant father. There are moving human arms attached to all the candle lights in the hallways that turn on and off according to where the father (or Belle) goes. Similar arms can also be found at the dinner table, serving food, as well as opening curtains for the guest. The music in the background has a mystical and mysterious sound that is also eerie. The creepy statues in the dining room, as well as many other rooms, have heads that move to follow the guest. Their eyes also light up, as if they can see. Another magical aspect is that the horse, Magnificent, somehow knows exactly where to take Belle and the father. As if all of this is not enough, Cocteau emphasizes magic even more when Belle is getting accustomed to the mysterious castle. The doors sing to her to tell her which room is for her, and the mirror sings to give instructions. Also, the bed prepares itself for Belle by pulling back the sheets. Clearly, Cocteau took a fairly small detail that Beaumont kept a bit hidden, and exaggerated to make this part of the story more exhilarating.

Beauty and The Beast

The Cocteau film version differed greatly from the Beaumont version of Beauty and the Beast by the ways that each dealt with the fate of the evil sisters of Beauty. There is a wrapped up conclusion to the sister's having to be punished for treating Beauty so wickedly by having the fairy transform them into statues and that would be their fate to suffer. While in the film version there was no mention of the sisters by the end of the tale. It did not tie a pretty little bow that described the Beauty seeking revenge upon her sisters that really did not love and care for their father like Beauty did, and were so jealous that Beauty was the most chased after woman that they constantly wanted to see her fail. I just wish that the film would have expressed the fate of the sisters since they did seem like a vital part of the story line itself that it was just odd to not to find out what ended up happening to them by the end.

Assignment 6 - 10.March 2009

Hi Keith, Erica, Mallory and Anna,

Here is your assignment for this week, with deadlines different from the usual.

Pick one scene or element from Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast, and compare it or contrast it with de Beaumont's version. You might pick something that interests you, that seems odd, or something that you missed in one version or the other, for example.

For those of you who didn't manage to, you have time to complete the reading and watch the film, which is available on OAK and also on Reserve in the Library.

Deadline for putting up your responses is 09.00 p.m. on Wednesday.

Deadline for comment on at least one post is 10.00 a.m. on Thursday.

Ann