The live action film adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast” has been the talk of the town for quite a while and it’s no surprise why. The movie is a remake of one of the most popular Disney classics derived from a beloved fairy tale. The director of the movie sat down for an interview just recently and talked about its production and how “La La Land” helped paved way to the revival of real musicals.
“Beauty and the Beast” Remake Could Have Been Different
Bill Condon went on an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, revealing what Disney had planned for the remakes of its animated classics, referring particularly to the formula it applies to making live action films. Condon revealed that before he was even onboard, Disney was already thinking of a drastic remake that was similar to how Universal Pictures adapted “Snow White and the Huntsman”, which was a live action movie adapted from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. He went to say that the story could have involved the War of the Austrian Succession since it was on the table a lot but Condon wasn’t just interested.
Then when “Frozen”, an animated musical, became a sudden worldwide hit, Disney reconsidered and saw that they could give the “Beauty and the Beast” remake a traditional movie-music approach. Condon further revealed that Disney decided on a remake with “only half full of songs”, he described. When Condon backed out, Disney gave in to his idea—a full musical live action film.
“La La Land” Paved Way To The Revival Of Musicals
Anybody who have seen “La La Land” would have felt that it brought back the magic in movies, something that came out of musicals films Barbra Streisand and Julie Andrews starred in. Condon believes that the impact of the said movie starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling will have a huge impact since it has returned the essence of an original musical that has been rare in films for a while. He compared “Beauty and the Beast” to a Broadway musical put into a film.
He also said that that they are aiming to attract and reassure the male audience that “Beauty and the Beast” is also a movie that they can enjoy. “La La Land” might have just reached out to male viewers also since it not only garnered enthusiasts but also those that don’t usually appreciate musicals. “La La Land” was a musical that incorporated modern times and pop music, which is different from “Beauty and the Beast” but given that the latter has been an animated classic loved by all for decades, it will surely be a hit to all kinds of audiences.
