A Tale of Two Soundtracks-Belle et la Bete: Know the Score

Before Disney, Jean Cocteau created the definitive "Beauty and the Beast" movie. Here's a look at its musical aspects, both the original soundtrack and...an operatic dub?
Visit Musical Hell at:
MusicalHell.com
Support me on Patreon!
www.patreon.com/user?u=235731
Follow me!
@MusicalHell
musicalhell.tumblr.com
divasmusicalhell
For more reviews, commentary, and general awesomeness of every kind, visit:
rvtentertainment.com
rtgomer.com

[@TheaterRaven]

3:28--"Both are played by Jean Marais." Having the "Gaston" character and the Beast played by the same actor? Fucking brilliant.

[@chancep4050]

"May the devil himself splatter you with dung" Pure poetry .Favorite line in the movie

[@MusicalHell]

So much more elegant than "fuck you," right?

[@chancep4050]

Musical Hell Exactly ! Much classier then the curses we have nowadays .

[@TheITinFIT]

A line like that should not sound as classy as it does in French, yet it does. Brava, Cocteau 😆

[@chancep4050]

Exactly! I was kind of surprised by that line when I first saw this movie.

[@MusicalHell]

Random story: I first saw this movie on VHS (yes, that long ago) with some rather half-assed subtitles, and that line was translated as "The Devil take you!" Needless to say, when I saw the Criterion DVD I was surprised and endlessly amused by the actual translation.

[@jemboy1987]

I learned that the woman who wrote the screenplay for Disney's Beauty and the Beast refused used to watch this version so she would not accidentally rip it off. Despite this you can tell that the animators took inspiration from it.

[@MuseDuCafe]

Took inspiration? Bullshit. They flat-out ripped off so much business directly from the Cocteau film it is a monument to a lack of imagination.

[@willlyon7129]

I ironic that big named movie studios “borrowed” from other films.

[@isobelduncan]

I must confess, I'm only familiar with La Belle et La Bête (the film) through references, but watching your analysis not only was very insightful but also blew me away with just how beautiful the film is.

[@MuseDuCafe]

Apart from its utter charm and poetry, there is a broad consensus it is, frame by frame from beginning to end, the most beautiful black and white film ever made. Upside down or sideways, the composition, THE LIGHTING, are impeccable, and flat-out gorgeous. I think the only restored version (you'll want that) with English subtitles is only available to buy or rent. Rent it. I don't think you will regret it, and will forget about the money -- probably within the first 10 minutes of watching it.

[@willlyon7129]

La Belle et La Bete is one of my favorite alternatives to the Disney movie.

[@stefanfilipovits9221]

I love Glass's score for the re-release of the Lugosi Dracula in 2000. I refuse to watch that movie without it now.

[@MuseDuCafe]

I think he's at his best writing INCIDENTAL music for films..... His score for Kundun, or the rather epic score for Koyaanisqatsi, and the score for The Illusionist, all work perfectly with the films... listen to them apart as 'just music,' and they don't do so much.

[@ZNKChannel]

2-part question, Diva: 1. Have you seen the 3-part Brows Held High/Some Jerk with a Camera crossover review of Belle et la Bete? kzbin.info/aero/PLykltEs6RqL0wpz3_DEVnDCR9xTLn_jqZ 2. What are your thoughts on last year's live-action Jungle Book? It's not gonna be a future Musical Hell case, will it?

[@DrGregoryHouseIT]

I have come to accept Glass can do no wrong after his majestic score for Candyman. And count me in as another cautious fan; the 1992 Disney B&tB was the very first movie I ever saw in a movie theater (I was 7) and it's my favorite Disney movie to this day, so you can see why I'm wary of the new one.

[@TheITinFIT]

I can count myself as one of those very cautiously optimistic fans as well. I adore Beauty and the Beast and really enjoy La Belle et la Bete as well (though the Disney one will always be my favorite). Both scores are beautiful, though the one thing that irked me about Phillip Glass' was that I wished there was more orchestration behind it instead of a few instruments and a synthesizer (learning that he was a minimalist composer does make a lot of sense though). Also, funny story, I took my boyfriend to a screening of LBELB earlier this year and I had a hard time not cracking up when Belle's father is wandering around the gardens calling out while this bombastic orchestra was playing because it always made me think he's looking for whomever's playing that loud music XD

[@LadyTylerBioRodriguez]

I do agree, the 1946 version is pretty good, though I will always feel that the Disney version is better. Both Coctow and Disney realized that adapting the fairytale wholesale was a bad idea. It doesn't really work as a movie, you needed to add some things. They both came to the same conclusion, you needed a real antagonist, and Aveount and Gaston were created to fill that role.

[@lwf3652]

Brilliant analysis! Just one small correction: "chorale" is pronounced like cor-RAL, not like COR-al.

[@larkint6295]

One one hand, I'm excited for the new BATB, on the other hand, I'm hesitant, because the clips of Emma's singing didn't really win me over (and the autotune doesn't help).

[@YuukitheMighty1]

I'm so fucking excited for this movie, if it wasn't obvious by my icon haha.

[@lilliedoubleyou3865]

Uggh. Diva, could you have put up some kind of "Viewer Discretion is Advised" warning that you'd be using scenes from the live-action *Beauty and the Beast*, please? Maybe I'm the only person on this planet who is horrified by the prospect of Disney's classic, nearly-perfect film being shamelessly repackaged as live-action fare, but...nevertheless, a warning would have been nice.

[@dunes8817]

At least it looks more promising than some of Disney's other remakes.

[@MuseDuCafe]

If you've seen the Cocteau film first, either of the Disney re-dos / rip-offs become clearly derivative and absolute trash. If you were a kid when it first seized your imagination, that is understandable, but even then, as an adult, other than pure sentiment, I'd think you'd be 'ready' for the Cocteau, and once seen, that childhood memory has got to get a little tainted, lol.

[@MrGabeanator]

i'm excited

[@thedexterbros]

4:04 now hearing what he recycled for The Illusionist soundtrack (GREAT btw)

[@Yakmage]

anyone else only know about this beforehand due to kyle kallgren?

[@miasinbela9609]

0:16 master hand from smash!!

[@willlyon7129]

Will you do an At the Source episode on the original story of Beauty and the Beast.

[@jordangreen9201]

I am all excited-out when it comes to movies. The Last Airbender movie burned me... bad. Now I wait for full trailers and reviews before I let myself be excited...

[@MDWolfe-ks5fu]

(Raise hands) Hesitantly. Since I found out that they are going to change the ending, or maybe it's just a ruse.

[@NebLleb]

Will you do 'A Tale of Two Soundtracks' on Sonic CD?

[@MrGabeanator]

tomorrow's the big day

[@Jillbles]

The second one. I am trepidatious.

[@benji_theatre2028]

Omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!yas bitch

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

The new live action Disney version still is terrible. As for the 1946 film, it is better but hit and miss. Of all the film adaptations, I actually found the 1978/1979 Czech film adaptation to be the best - however the Philip Glass opera is phenomenal and it is a joy to sing.

[@dunes8817]

Live action can't be any worse than the CW one.

[@LadyTylerBioRodriguez]

That's more of a remake of the Rom Pearlman show, but yeah the CW show is awful.

[@MrGabeanator]

s not

[@DetectiveKemper]

Phillip Glass. Is there no classic film he can't sink his musical claws into? His Dracula score is terrible and intrusive.

[@MrGabeanator]

i'm excited