There is a lot to like about the 'Faerie Tale Theatre' series. Many of their adaptations of various well-known and well-loved fairy tales are charming, clever and sometimes funny, a few even emotionally moving. 'Faerie Tale Theatre' puts its own magical spin on the best of the episodes while still capturing the essence of the stories, while also giving further enjoyments in seeing talented performers in early roles or in roles that are departures from their usual roles.
'Beauty and the Beast' is a story that warms my heart and touches me to this day, with two characters that burn long into the memory. It has been oft-adapted, no wonder, though the quality has varied. 'Faerie Tale Theatre's' adaptation doesn't hold a candle to the stunning 1946 Jean Cocteau film or one of the best animated films ever made in Disney's from 1991 in terms of production values and memorability. It is however a very decent version, though not for all, that is nowhere near as bad as some have made out.
It is not one of the classics of the series. Between "The Tale of the Frog Prince" and this, that title is applicable to "Rumpelstiltskin", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Hansel and Gretel", "The Princess and the Pea" and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". At the same time, while one of the weaker episodes up to this point alongside "The Nightingale", "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Pinocchio", it is not skip-able.
Anybody expecting high energy and humour from "Beauty and the Beast" will be disappointed. "Beauty and the Beast" is played very straight, with no humour at all really (not a bad thing as the original story is as serious and mature as one can get), and is more measured in pacing. The latter is one of the weakest elements, there are parts that do lack momentum and drag as a result.
Cocteau's 'La Belle Et La Bete' has often been brought up and one can understand why. Visually, "Beauty and the Beast" does look pretty sumptuous and the Gothic look is very atmospheric and striking. Was expecting Beast's costume and make-up to look stiff and weird, neither were the case here, he was very convincingly animalistic. Against all that, it is in some way far too closely indebted to 'La Belle Et La Bete' and could have done much more to steer beyond that, it just felt too derivative and Cocteau's had more charm and emotional power. Was not pleased at the relative waste of Anjelica Huston either, a fine actress with little to do.
However, as said, it looks good and has a hauntingly beautiful score that does have the memorability factor if not the unforgettable factor like Disney's. The dialogue doesn't ramble and doesn't feel cheesy, instead being quite touching.
Despite it being too faithful to 'La Belle Et La Bete' with not enough touches of its own, the story is still very movingly told, the growing relationship between Beauty and Beast being well depicted and not rushed, a good thing as the love is meant to be very much gradual.
Susan Sarandon has rarely looked lovelier and she portrays Beauty with enchanting dignity and affecting sincerity. Stealing the show, and the best thing about "Beauty and the Beast" is Klaus Kinski's incredibly powerful Beast. He gets right under the Beast's complex and conflicted character, his presence is magnetic and his voice every bit as commanding (Kinski was actually German so am not sure why there are complaints about his accent). Underneath the frightening and animalistic exterior that has a real creepiness there's the soulful eyes, gentle voice and loving soul, that is why the complexity and conflict works so well with Kinski's interpretation.
In conclusion, not a classic of 'Faerie Tale Theatre' but hardly a skip-able stinker, up to this point in the show none of the episodes fall under that dubious category. 7/10 Bethany Cox
'Beauty and the Beast' is a story that warms my heart and touches me to this day, with two characters that burn long into the memory. It has been oft-adapted, no wonder, though the quality has varied. 'Faerie Tale Theatre's' adaptation doesn't hold a candle to the stunning 1946 Jean Cocteau film or one of the best animated films ever made in Disney's from 1991 in terms of production values and memorability. It is however a very decent version, though not for all, that is nowhere near as bad as some have made out.
It is not one of the classics of the series. Between "The Tale of the Frog Prince" and this, that title is applicable to "Rumpelstiltskin", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Hansel and Gretel", "The Princess and the Pea" and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". At the same time, while one of the weaker episodes up to this point alongside "The Nightingale", "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Pinocchio", it is not skip-able.
Anybody expecting high energy and humour from "Beauty and the Beast" will be disappointed. "Beauty and the Beast" is played very straight, with no humour at all really (not a bad thing as the original story is as serious and mature as one can get), and is more measured in pacing. The latter is one of the weakest elements, there are parts that do lack momentum and drag as a result.
Cocteau's 'La Belle Et La Bete' has often been brought up and one can understand why. Visually, "Beauty and the Beast" does look pretty sumptuous and the Gothic look is very atmospheric and striking. Was expecting Beast's costume and make-up to look stiff and weird, neither were the case here, he was very convincingly animalistic. Against all that, it is in some way far too closely indebted to 'La Belle Et La Bete' and could have done much more to steer beyond that, it just felt too derivative and Cocteau's had more charm and emotional power. Was not pleased at the relative waste of Anjelica Huston either, a fine actress with little to do.
However, as said, it looks good and has a hauntingly beautiful score that does have the memorability factor if not the unforgettable factor like Disney's. The dialogue doesn't ramble and doesn't feel cheesy, instead being quite touching.
Despite it being too faithful to 'La Belle Et La Bete' with not enough touches of its own, the story is still very movingly told, the growing relationship between Beauty and Beast being well depicted and not rushed, a good thing as the love is meant to be very much gradual.
Susan Sarandon has rarely looked lovelier and she portrays Beauty with enchanting dignity and affecting sincerity. Stealing the show, and the best thing about "Beauty and the Beast" is Klaus Kinski's incredibly powerful Beast. He gets right under the Beast's complex and conflicted character, his presence is magnetic and his voice every bit as commanding (Kinski was actually German so am not sure why there are complaints about his accent). Underneath the frightening and animalistic exterior that has a real creepiness there's the soulful eyes, gentle voice and loving soul, that is why the complexity and conflict works so well with Kinski's interpretation.
In conclusion, not a classic of 'Faerie Tale Theatre' but hardly a skip-able stinker, up to this point in the show none of the episodes fall under that dubious category. 7/10 Bethany Cox
