4,171 posts
|
Post by anthony40 on Mar 19, 2017 10:55:05 GMT
Also Jimmy Johnston (Will Parker in NT's Oklahoma) Really? I don't recall. |
|
5,139 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Mar 19, 2017 11:05:40 GMT
Saw this last night and was so apprehensive - it could have been rubbish.
THANKFULLY, it was bloody brilliant!
As everyone has said, Luke Evans is the star. Totally cool, dashing, and a fantastic voice - proves what we've said all along about having people trained to do these roles! Thought Dan Stevens was also great, he sang Evermore very well. I'm so glad they've made the Beast have a sense of humour!
Emma Watson I agree isn't great, however it bothered me less as we went on, and by the end I'd forgotten she was pretty naff.
Loved the objects - Audra (obviously) and Emma Thompson were my standouts. Ian McKellen and Ewan McGregor were both hilarious as their little double act.
I actually cried at two points too - Be Our Guest was outstanding as it just got bigger and bigger and bigger and more spectacular. And then I cried right at the end when they were singing the finale (I did an involuntary fist pump as the 'Josh Gad' moment - although it's blink and you miss it so I don't think they should have made as much out of it as they have - glad it's there though.)
I can't wait to see what happens with the rest of these live animated remakes - if this is what we get for Beauty and the Beast then the possibilities are endless for Milan etc (I'm desperate for Hunchback live action with the score from the musical!)
Sorry this was a bit long, but a massive 5* from me!
|
|
628 posts
|
Post by jek on Mar 19, 2017 11:13:20 GMT
Looking forward to seeing this this afternoon. Had a nice Disney musical related experience yesterday. A local community event (here in East London, at the Museum of London Docklands branch) had different groups/choirs singing in it. My daughter and her teenage friends represented a local music trust and their performance was sandwiched between a Lithuanian choir and the gloriously named 'Sputnik Association of Russian Women and the Globus Supplementary School'. The latter consisted of two women and assorted children all dressed in national costume (including a very serious young boy in a wonderful pioneer's style outfit). Alongside a funked up version of Kalinka (including a rap middle section) and Borodin's Stranger In Paradise they also sang, in Russian, Once Upon A December from Anastasia. Absolutely charmed the lot of us.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2017 11:18:36 GMT
As much as i love the songs in Mulan, i think if they want to make the movie a bit more true to the legend it would make sense not to have the songs.
I saw the movie yesterday and it was so much better than i was expecting.
Luke Evans was great as Gaston, although acting wise it wasnt a massive stretch for him, villains seem to be his thing now. His voice is good but i dont quite see what everyone is raving about. Josh Gad was great, really made Lefou more of a character.
Emma got better as the movie went on, she still wouldnt be my first choice but she just about pulls it off.
Dan as the beast was good although the cgi didn't quite work. and there were other moments in the movie where the cgi/effects seemed a bit poor
Emma Thompson, god knows what that accent is meant to be but it was bad. Lumiere and Cogsworth were both great. Liked audres character but actually didnt like her singing which surprised me. Be Our Guest didnt quite work for me as it went back to animation which is understandable but then its not lice action. The same issue i have with a 'live action' lion king.
The little additions to the story were great although not sure on the trip to paris and enchantress at the end.
Niggles aside though the story and music are so magical you just get swept along and the two hours flew by.
|
|
7,052 posts
|
Post by Jon on Mar 19, 2017 14:47:29 GMT
I've read that they plan to do 'Mulan' like 'Cinderella' & 'The Jungle Book' with no songs...I think that's a big shame as generally 'I'll Make a Man Out of You' is one of Disney's best musical numbers ever but production hasn't started and with 'Beauty and the Beast' breaking box office records that may change! I think until BATB, the songs in Mulan aren't necessary and the film would still work without them, it's a film I envisioned working better without the songs and in live action |
|
217 posts
|
Post by zsazsa on Mar 19, 2017 15:08:15 GMT
Also Jimmy Johnston (Will Parker in NT's Oklahoma) Really? I don't recall. He was either "Tom, Dick or Stanley" in 'Gaston' |
|
4,171 posts
|
Post by anthony40 on Mar 19, 2017 15:49:57 GMT
He was either "Tom, Dick or Stanley" in 'Gaston' Ah, cheers zsazsa! |
|
|
|
Post by lolli on Mar 19, 2017 23:25:29 GMT
Audra McDonald is wonderful in this
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2017 23:35:26 GMT
Spotted Jimmy Johnston alright during the mob scene, and was delighted to see him having loved his performance in Oklahoma! all those years ago.
Also, I'm sick to my teeth of people saying they were crying at this film.
|
|
677 posts
|
Post by westendcub on Mar 19, 2017 23:41:53 GMT
What's wrong with crying? If you emotionally connect to a film or a show it's quite normal to have a cry and a few tears.
I found it's ending very moving in how they did it (Yes I know the story backwards) and shed a few tears on my 2nd visit yesterday. I have very fond family memories attached to 'Beauty and the Beast'.
I don't recommend seeing the musical 'Titanic'..it's hard to hold back tears throughout Act 2!!
|
|
214 posts
|
Post by BoOverall on Mar 19, 2017 23:47:42 GMT
Oh Audra McDonald. Wow. So pleased she got to sing at least some of the title song: but the snippet she had oozed class. Boy did I have goosebumps at that point. I can only imagine her singing the whole song. Sigh!
|
|
628 posts
|
Post by jek on Mar 20, 2017 10:03:08 GMT
Enjoyed playing spot the British character actor in this - bit like old movies like The Amazing Mr Blunden or The Railway Children. Especially pleased to see Hattie Morahan. And like many people have a fondness for the original movie and its songs. But this film was so not for me. It just seemed relentless - incredibly loud and in your face. Emerged at the end feeling like I needed a lie down. Thought it might just be me but my 15 year old daughter felt similarly. Having said that the sold out house at the Stratford Picturehouse appeared to be enjoying it a great deal, so I seem to be in a minority on this one. I only read the 2 star Observer review after seeing it (I'd bought the paper on the way to the cinema) but felt they had it about right.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2017 10:38:42 GMT
Liked because you mentioned The Amazing Mr Blunden! One of my favourite films as a child
|
|
573 posts
|
Post by Dave25 on Mar 20, 2017 10:58:12 GMT
|
|
345 posts
|
Post by johartuk on Mar 20, 2017 13:09:02 GMT
Just listening to some of the songs.
'Prologue' - I just love the music, and have done since the original film. So haunting and beautiful, it really sets the scene. Not sure about the female narration - I prefer the male voice from the original film. I can't help thinking Ian McKellen would have been a better choice to narrate the prologue.
'Be My Guest' sounds good.
'Belle' - the autotune is really apparent on Emma W's vocals, not least because everyone else's vocals either aren't autotuned or are autotuned to a much lesser degree, so they sound much more natural. Emma also seemed to have missed the memo about singing with English accents, so there are times when an American twang creeps in. Luke Evans sounds fab, great vocals!
'Gaston' - Liking this, great vocals from Luke again.
'Beauty & The Beast' - OK, but Emma Thompson's vocals lack the warmth of Angela Lansbury's. I also agree about Emma's accent, though it's not quite Dick Van Dyke bad!
'Beauty & The Beast' (Finale) - Is that Audra singing the first bit? Love her voice!
'Evermore' - Blimey, is that Dan Stevens? Great job from him, and a tricky song to sing, so well done!
'Something There' - Again, fab from Dan Stevens! Emma is autotuned to within an inch of her life (she does sound rather like 'Siri') and the American twang is there again.
'Days In The Sun' - Lovely song. Audra sounding great again, but Siri..er...Emma is really starting to bug me!
Overall, I think it's a strong soundtrack. It's just a shame they didn't get an actress who could actually sing to play Belle.
|
|
214 posts
|
Post by BoOverall on Mar 20, 2017 17:41:17 GMT
As we were leaving the cinema, a young girl told her mum it was sad Gaston didn't love LeFou back and asked her mum if she thought LeFou would find a boyfriend. A really heart-warming thing to hear, which kind of made my evening!
|
|
1,481 posts
|
Post by steve10086 on Mar 20, 2017 17:44:42 GMT
When I saw it, and Gaston fell to his death, a little kid screamed "yessss!". Good kid :-)
|
|
5,139 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Mar 20, 2017 18:33:51 GMT
Totally forgot that the audience actually clapped at this! Have only had that at the Les Mis film before, but it thoroughly deserved it.
|
|
882 posts
|
Post by longinthetooth on Mar 20, 2017 18:38:52 GMT
I think I must be odd. Beauty and the Beast has passed me by on all levels and I can't summon up any interest in the film whatsoever. In fact, the first I knew of it was when Emma Watson kept turning up on everything on TV and in the papers the other week, and I wondered why.
|
|
19,659 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 20, 2017 18:52:34 GMT
I think I must be odd. Beauty and the Beast has passed me by on all levels and I can't summon up any interest in the film whatsoever. In fact, the first I knew of it was when Emma Watson kept turning up on everything on TV and in the papers the other week, and I wondered why. The cartoon... sorry 'animation' passed me by too. I only saw it for the first time last year. I thought it was nice. That's all. I have zero emotional investment in it which is, I suspect, why I liked the new version. You're the perfect punter for this. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2017 19:17:08 GMT
I've found that cinema audiences are very fond of clapping for musicals.
|
|
4,369 posts
|
Post by Michael on Mar 20, 2017 21:56:42 GMT
After all the bad comments, I decided to give it a miss, but since I'm currently on a business trip, the local movie was screening it in English w/o subtitles and I had nothing better to do, I just saw BatB.
What can I say - I wish I hadn't. Firstly, Emma Watson. I had lowered my expectations to the bare minimum, but she undercut them - with ease. The amount of auto tune made her sound horribly horrible (sic!). I can't understand how she even made it past the first round of auditions, let alone be in the actual movie. If they wanted a name (not that it's necessary), they should have cast Anna Kendrick instead.
But for Ms Watson's defence, no-one's singing voice stood really out.
Also disappointed that If I Can't Love Her didn't make it. I know, it's not in the animated movie either, but it's such a great song.
Way too much CGI for my liking.
I'm so not buying the soundtrack, and I'm not sure if I'll ever buy the Bluray.
Lastly, the audience behaviour was terrible. Popcorn munching and constant talking - even during Beauty and the Beast (the song...) when I finally walked over and shushed them. Didn't help for long unfortunately. Seriously, what's wrong with people?
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2017 10:49:57 GMT
Totally forgot that the audience actually clapped at this! Have only had that at the Les Mis film before, but it thoroughly deserved it. When I saw Les Mis in the cinema there wasn't just applause, at the end of the film there was a standing ovation! And this wasn't any special showing, just a casual Friday night. Though totally deserved haha. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2017 11:10:11 GMT
Totally forgot that the audience actually clapped at this! Have only had that at the Les Mis film before, but it thoroughly deserved it. When I saw Les Mis in the cinema there wasn't just applause, at the end of the film there was a standing ovation! And this wasn't any special showing, just a casual Friday night. Though totally deserved haha. Ha! How stupid were THAT audience!? |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2017 15:00:47 GMT
Ha! How stupid were THAT audience!? Well, not as stupid as me. Not seen the movie but I've been intrigued by the casting of Emma Watson and perplexed that there's so little love for her performance. I admit she does sound like leftfield casting for Beauty but I thought she gave the tv drama performance of the year in Apple Tree Yard. So I've now booked a ticket for the film. And then I decided to have a quick peek preview by viewing the trailer. AAGGHH - that was Emily Watson ... |
|
