Beauty and the Beast the Enchanted Christmas: Musical Hell Review #65

Spend your holidays with a beloved Disney classic--getting dragged through the dirt by this crappy direct-to-video midquel.
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[@Nicole148809]

Wait. Wait. Does that mean that Forte's human form is decaying in the castle basement now?

[@happychaosofthenorth]

Yes, but they don't like to talk about it...

[@Nightman221k]

It's kinda sad to think about seeing as Forte's had a shittier existence than the Beast. I mean considering his age and the time this story takes place, he probably had to deal with anti-gay stuff from the mob-like peasant people and his crush doesn't appreciate how devoted he is to him (he was hardcore crushing on the Beast). And from what we see when he's a human he's not really bad, just foppish-looking with too much makeup. Could you really blame him for losing his sanity?

[@ryantherebel]

And if that is the case, is his human corpse disemboweled or in one piece?

[@DGilVids]

Nicole Francis He is not dead, he's just going home.

[@etonji8263]

Nightman221k I would feel sorry for Forte if this movie is BETTER written Forte would have been a great tragic villain.

[@alysonblackwood3099]

"No, Emma Watson refusing to wear a corset isn't taking a stand against the patriarchy, read a book on historical costuming" THANK YOU!!! As someone who does historical costuming, I appreciate that. I mean yeah, they aren't great and I'm glad they went out of fashion, but they aren't bad when you tighten them correctly and give posture and chest support. They didn't exist solely to oppress women, heck, male corsets were a thing in the Victorian era.

[@MusicalHell]

I'm friends with several costuming/cosplay people who can wax eloquent about The Corset and Why it Didn't Solely Exist to Squish Women's Organs.

[@amandalynn4979]

This! I've done an Eliza Schuyler cosplay at Broadwaycon this year and had a corset on for the 1700s look. It was tight at first, but (And this is just my view!) It wasn't so bad once you tightened it and had proper posture. That, or my high tolerance for pain.

[@annieandelsieofarendelle3294]

@@MusicalHell It acted more as back and breast support, however, the rumor that they squashed women's organs was actually a vicious rumor created by men opposed to the feminist movement since many corsets were created by female entrepreneurs and the make women seem vain and irrational so they wouldn't be able to vote.

[@robbiewalker2831]

@@MusicalHell I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes the remake. There are some good ones, and admittedly some bad ones. I know people won't like Maleficent, probably due to definition reasons, but regardless of that, I find it interesting how the movie and it's sequel went into the direction of exploring fairy folklore. I also like how the Aladdin, Jungle Book, Lion King, and B&B remakes tackled changes that would've made sense. An adaptation is suppose to change something to the story that would fit into the mindset of the modern audience, without ruining the general idea of the story. We can appreciate what was done now, as long as don't forget what was done back then. I love the Illumination Grinch movie, but I love it as much as the Chuck Jones Grinch, because both adaptations kept the idea of the Whos being very neighborly and the Grinch being a hermit; both adaptations created after the original book by Dr. Seuss. Anyways, the point is, we shouldn't take adaptations for granted, and we should stop making ones that don't make sense. Speaking of things that don't make sense, I agree that Forte should've gone with the Violin playing Coat-rack.

[@robbiewalker2831]

@@MusicalHell 12:19 - 12:42: Played by a gratuitous unsubtle Jeff Bennett. I can tell it's him from his cartoonish screams of pain.

[@bookishnewt8468]

...I just realized whoever wrote this script missed a golden opportunity. Like you said they just cut Maurice from this midquel, despite his importance to the main movie's plot. This Christmas Belle is away from her father. This movie could have been about Beast and the servants putting together a small Christmas party to make Belle feel more welcomed at the palace. This could have expanded on the Beast's past.

[@ClaudetteVioletta]

Yes right? She never feels any sadness for spending christmas without her father. MISSED OPORTUNITY.

[@QueenCloveroftheice]

I was drinking milk when that "Don't whine, glasses" line was said, and I swear to you-know-who that I almost did a spit-take.

[@FRALICESAW15]

anyone feel like Lumiare cheated on the feather duster?

[@bunnyboyking5215]

Korekiyo Seiko I almost posted a reply that gave the shippers ammo. Thankfully I came to my senses and scrapped that.

[@MrWill9002]

well that was implied on the ad for this flick

[@aromaladyellie]

Korekiyo Seiko maybe I shouldn't tell you the feather duster has three names meaning she's probably three different maids. XD Fifi is the one in the movie, Babette is in the musical, and she's called Marie in the comics. And that's just the ones based on the one in the movie, the. You have Angelique. Then there's Plumette. Lumiere had many girls. Many, many girls. But only ones with French accents.

[@miasinbela9609]

I guess you can say he’s a....🎶Womanizer Womanizer Womanizer Womanizer🎶

[@PhoenixRising87]

Plot twist: The three of them are in a polyamorous relationship.

[@davidspencer3762]

You know, I just thought of something. When all the servants turned back into humans, did Forte's corpse turn back too? Now that's a haunting image. A rotting corpse with its guts torn out just sitting in one of the Beast's towers. Merry Christmas!

[@ClaudetteVioletta]

You are the best human being in the world.

[@crimsondynamo615]

He’s just exploded into gore and viscera because he been smashed to pieces. No one goes down to the basement anymore because it’s that horrifying.

[@nathanforester5993]

That sounds like the Haunted Mansion to me, specifically the 'ghost host' when he tells you that 'there is always my way'.

[@billybarnett9518]

I can't help but feel this movie could have been at least decent. If you had it be about the beast wanting to bring back Christmas for Belle and keep Belle's original personality, not to mention their relationship in the majority of the first film. You could even keep Forte, because every time Belle would get mad at the beast, Forte could be there to say I told you so. He and Fife could sabotage whatever nice things the beast has planed for Belle.

[@oliveranderson928]

This IS an obvious idea to fix this story, so I'll totally believe you if you say came up with this on your own. Out of curiosity, though, I have to ask, have you seen CodedLockFilms's review of this film? His idea was just so eerily similar. Of course, great minds think alike, and I think anyone who appreciates the original film could come up with a similar idea. It's the best route to take with the ideas in this movie.

[@juliagoodwin3461]

That sounds like a much better story... why couldn’t we have gotten that movie?!?

[@alysonblackwood3099]

That would be SO MUCH BETTER. I hate that both this and Belle's Magical World reset the Beast's character to when he first met Belle (and reminds me way too much of a former abuser of mine). A midquel about him trying but Belle still having reservations would've been really interesting.

[@elphaba4674]

@@oliveranderson928 dang dude lol

[@kieranstark7213]

A lot of people think The Enchanted Christmas IS decent (heck, even PhantomStrider went from hating it to liking it), but without rose-coloured glasses on, let’s just say that while Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Beauty and the Beast is highly phenomenal, the sequels and remake on the other hand, are nowhere near the standards of quality.

[@verdethestarwarrior1088]

DAMMIT I HAD ONLY JUST MANAGED TO FORGET RAPPING BE OUR GUEST! DAMN YOU DISNEY CHANNEL AND YOUR ATTEMPTS TO BE "HIP AND WITH IT!" On a more serious note, I remember watching this movie a LOT when I was a kid. I think I was just fascinated with the villain, as I still am today. He's a gigantic organ (which automatically earns him points for his association with music) voiced by Tim Curry (automatic plus) that gave off genuine menace. Also he was really fun to look at.

[@kieranstark7213]

*sigh* I remember that sin Disney Channel committed from PhantomStrider's list of most hated live-action Disney movies.

[@A.Mayflower127]

*reads first word* JANET

[@Ratigan2]

Forte is an underrated disney villain

[@MrKlausbaudelaire]

of all this movie's issues and... well, "redeemable factors" like the villain having a great voice and design (and frankly I find Forte better-developted than Gaston) my biggest pet peeve was Forte's demise. I mean... Forte being "bolted to the wall" is NOT how organs work! An organ of that size is not just held by a flimsy chain, he is supposed to be a network of tubes rooted to the very walls like a tree, at most, Forte would *be* that ENTIRE room himself, so he couldn't topple like that. If I could rewrite one moment of that movie, would be just Beast breaking his keyboard and locking forte's room, leaving him gasping and wheezing, deprived of his only way of playing his music, kinda like rendering a singer mute by impairing his vocal chords. Unable to leave that room, he would have quite a torturing punishment ahead. And when everybody was human again, Beast would've just kicked him out. It's a geeky nitpick, but as an amateur musician myself, I feel entitled to check if anything music-related is followed when relevant xD

[@bunnyboyking5215]

Ergotth That actually sounds like a pretty good idea for a rewrite.

[@jamesmoyner7499]

Ergotth Ergotth All of the songs except “Cut Above the Rest” are really good. For example there are quite a few adult themes in “Don’t Fall in Love” and Forté is doing his best to convince Beast all the bad things that could happen if he fell in love. In the song “Stories” it is about Belle finding a way to connect to Beast and that is emphasized in the first line “When I get to know him we’ll find more things to say”. Then later on with the best line “We will slay the dragons that follow him around. And he’ll smile yes he’ll smile as his dreams leave the ground”. That is talking about how Belle is going to help him face his demons and lack for a better phase “slay them”. Then he will smile as he knows she is with him to show his dreams of hope are possible as they lift off the ground and become real. It’s channels like this that make me mad for them not actually looking into the deeper meaning of film and song themes.

[@FrogsForBreakfast]

Oooo that's a creepy ending. Imagine the choking wheezes as the door is slammed and chained shut. I love it! Forte was a disturbing looking character, he deserves a suitably disturbing ending.

[@SuperSwordman1]

Don't feel bad. It's kind of an annoying nitpick here too. I mean, I still like the idea of him bringing the whole room down on himself and thus being the final blow against him, but they could have done more with it. I mean, couldn't they have at least shown his pipes snapping? Like a limb tearing off.

[@greatgatsby0174]

Ergotth fucking hell, and I thought I was sick in the head.

[@DragonKirby]

90% of the money were used to animate TIM CURRY'S LIPS

[@ilikecurry2345]

90% of this film's budget was used to animate TIM *CURRY'S **_LIPS!!!!_*

[@bromodragone8405]

Or just getting him in this film.

[@ArbiterofTruth]

So many takes on jellopocolpse.

[@RYMAN1321]

@@ilikecurry2345 And his CGI still looks creepily good, even for 1997.

[@Ratigan2]

@@RYMAN1321 I know, the creepy CGI kinda plays in his favour making his character more defined

[@annieandelsieofarendelle3294]

Honestly, a Beauty and the Beast sequel sounds pretty interesting. How would the Prince react to day-to-day life? Would they be able to see their families again? How does the Prince do at being the newly-reformed prince? How would the public react to their relationship now that they know he's the prince.

[@annieandelsieofarendelle3294]

Yeah.

[@singer2be256]

I so wish they went with it.

[@violetpencil9614]

One problem everyone hates the human version of the best design. As a kid I hated that part of the movie because he looked ugly

[@Dreigonix]

My headcanon is that Adam can change back into the Beast at will. It helps him take down Heartless and Nobodies.

[@brandyloutherback9288]

How would Belle react to suddenly being in the public eye?

[@stewieismyhomeboy]

Imagine Belle trying to take a bath, and the faucet has a face.

[@KL-ki8db]

Or worse, the chamber pot and or toilet.

[@jmann6130]

@@KL-ki8dbfun fact a deleted scene in the remake features a servant who had the very inhumane fate of being turned into a toilet! a couple decades from when toilets would have been invented!

[@jalix9574]

20:27 It's so nice that Belle and the Beast can have macthing couple's ponytails with bows on them.

[@lightbeamrider5565]

If these shadows have offended Think but this and all is mended That Mrs. Potts just dreamed it all While napping in the great hall

[@colleen4ever]

Deep. :)

[@bunnyboyking5215]

lightbeamrider LOLZ!

[@amandalynn4979]

Midsummer Night's Dream reference?

[@rainbowstreak9615]

You fell asleep on your butt and dreamed the whole thing!

[@thareelhelloagain]

*While napping in the grand, great hall Gotta have 10 syllables in each line if you want it to be iambic pentameter :) nice reference tho.

[@figs-oliomedley]

They can't fall in love if they're *DEAD* That caught me so off guard that was hilarious

[@joyunicycle]

You've probably heard this, Belle's Magical World is ten times worse than this movie. At least this had Tim Curry and some nice animation. Belle's Magical World made me forget that I liked any of the main characters to begin with. Yeah, that bad!

[@etonji8263]

joyunicycle Bell's magical world is UNCANON TOO!!!

[@gracekim25]

joyunicycle wait theres another one

[@joyunicycle]

Gracekim1 sorry to say, but yes Belle's magical world exists

[@crimsondynamo615]

Might as well rename that movie Bitch and the Bastard since everyone is an asshole in this movie

[@brendis16851]

@@crimsondynamo615 or we should rename it as "Belle's derp face"

[@wallacephillips9880]

21:14. Don't forget The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2. Why is it that these French stories about "tragic guy in love with the beautiful girl" get so many bad sequels?

[@AnAverageGoblin]

because Disney doesn't understand the concept of "not everyone gets a girl or guy in the end"

[@jacobbelow4136]

Wallace Phillips Because these stories don't lend themselves to sequel material-as a Diva already affirmed in her 'Love Never Dies' review. Sadly, these execs keep trying to milk franchises for what they're worth anyway. (But in Hunchback 2's case, it's more baffling since the first movie was not Disney's most lucrative, and was by far their more controversial. The concept of a sequel to that was pretty much doomed from the start, especially after the overall response to the result of 'Pocahontas 2'.)

[@trupype3028]

Wallace Phillips it's never ugly girl gets the handsome guy

[@helenanilsson5666]

Movie rules: no ugly girls are allowed among the mains, unless it's for comic relief purposes. You have to be Hollywood Homely at the absolute least.

[@DrGregoryHouseIT]

I have a solution for Belle's odd behavior; she's been driven mad by the paranoia. Think about it; she's in a castle where she KNOWS objects are actually sentient, that would drive anyone batty. And happy whatever-you-celebrate season, Diva.

[@33melonpaws77]

16:23 I hate how he put Belle in the dungeon when her blood was ice cold. WTF. So wrong. That's something an evil Beast would do.

[@kieranstark7213]

And just when you thought Beast was the worst in the 2017 remake and Belle’s Magical World (which is as bad as either the sequel, remake or both (mainly the sequel because I guess you can say the sequels at least have the animation style of the original despite being watered-down, especially in BMW).)…

[@timonfanmedia3268]

This is one of many reasons why I'm surprised that Diva didn't question Beast's nasty portrayal in this movie when she talked about Belle's so-called "character derailment".

[@tgiacin435]

It has Tim Curry, that is all.

[@SuperSwordman1]

@Inacio's Second Channel even if he can't save it, he's still enjoyable to watch

[@LucyLioness100]

That man can work with even the worst material as pointed out by our presenter. He’s the only part I remember from this due to his coolness.

[@xxkewldudexx]

You discussed the "Fife being a flute and wanting a solo" bit without a single cheap shot at his VA. I applaud your restraint.

[@constantlycolourful]

“They can’t fall in love if their DEAD!!” 🤣🤣 that killed me

[@elizabetheowynbelle]

A splendid tear-down, as always. :) 1. So Fife is a sentient piccolo... wait, what about that violin the coat rack was playing? Or the piano (I THINK there was a piano)? Gaaaah! So confused! 2. In a completely different story with completely different characters, Forte could have been a very effective, even chilling antagonist. Think about it: he thrives on the hero's misery and co-dependency in an almost parasitic fashion. Hell, you hear about people like that in real life. Instead, Forte's just an arbitrary presence who functions only to remind us of how superior the screenplay to the original "Beauty and the Beast" was. 3. 6:08-6:10... y'know, Forte's line is almost funny. Almost. 4. If we're taking "Enchanted Christmas" as canon, then here's my take: our poor Belle, the one we know and love, has been kidnapped, bound and gagged and is hidden somewhere in the castle and a wimpy, horrid changeling is masquerading as her in "EC". The enchantress takes pity, frees Belle, eliminates her doppleganger, and the story progresses as we know it. What? The writers at Disney can pull half-baked ideas out of their butts but I can't?

[@Nightman221k]

Honestly, the only things I really think are good about this movie are Belle's red and golden yellow gown is very beautiful, and the songs are actually not that bad. The story is tripe but I could listen to Paige O'Hara as Belle singing anything and find myself happy because she has such a lovely voice. (Just don't make me watch that DTV of Belle's Magical World) I actually did like the song where she makes the book and the "As Long As There's Christmas" (while very generic, it is a pretty song) and Tim Curry's villain song is still a great song. I actually like Forte too, but it could be that I love when Disney makes campy villains guys who manage to be frightening and threatening.

[@kieranstark7213]

One thing about this movie that I find to be underrated (even though I have the same good things to say about this piece of Musical Sequel Hell except for Disney butchering Belle’s voice though nowhere near the extent of Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame II, notably when he sang Ordinary Miracle) would have to be the end credits song (depending on whether one likes pop songs from the 1990s or not).

[@leadingblind1629]

BTW I had a TRULY bad day. Your review - even though you roasted my favorite Christmas special - has turned it around. Thank you so much.

[@Ayden_B]

Tim Curry can make anything he’s in 1% better. So this thing is 1% good, 99% horseshit

[@MusicalHell]

Those numbers check out.

[@Ayden_B]

Musical Hell yep

[@elizabethashley42]

•Chickens8 • Amazing, those are the exact same stats that Food Fight got.

[@Ayden_B]

elizabethashley42 EGAD MAN YOU’RE RIGHT

[@stephaniewozny3852]

Poor Tim must have back issues, carrying all these terrible movies.

[@LuckyPunkProd]

I saw this movie only once when I was a kid. I was 7 at the time, and even back then, I thought it was garbage. I will say, I gotta commend Tim Curry for having fun with his role. He's great in pretty much anything, regardless if the film or show is shit.

[@brandyloutherback9288]

6:46, Screw you snow! I'm gonna throw a temper tantrum even a four year old would say is too over the top!

[@clearcat7296]

"Tim Curry, we all like Tim Curry right?" Yes, Period. There is no second answer.

[@OsmSkylandersCheats]

It would have been neat if Forte's human form was also immobile, partially being why Forte is now bolted to the wall. There might be some deeper stuff you could do with that but I just think it would have been interesting

[@nathanforester5993]

Not saying that he should have been an overweight character or maybe a disabled character, but it would have made sense.

[@DeepEye1994]

7:02 Any Phelan Porteous follower present? The moment I saw the Beast walking away I immediately imagined that goofy trombone music playing lol

[@trupype3028]

DeepEye1994 Phelan is the funniest guy on KZbin

[@dftbawolf]

Now I will forever see it lol

[@singer2be256]

Or... Belle fell in the water and got all wet. She's completely useless now! DEEEEEEEE!

[@crimsondynamo615]

Honestly surprised he isn’t covering this movie

[@singer2be256]

@@crimsondynamo615 Yeah, I really wish he would

[@Meggsie]

Why would they want to remember a Christmas where the Beast killed one of the staff? Like even if he was evil and crazy, he was part of the family and a big part of the Beast's life apparently

[@jmann6130]

I always found the opening set up so stupid and pointless like why would anyone not know that an evil pipe organ with an unrequited obsession with the master tried to kill Belle!

[@atomicwrongs]

A good sequel to Beauty and the Beast would have a villain turn Belle into a monster, and have the moral be "Just because some people will take advantage of your kindness, it doesn't mean you should stop being kind", and it'll also address issues like appearance and superficiality and gender and unconditional love and...

[@douglasfreer]

I think on the character derailment can be excused under the whole "Mrs. Potts is telling a story" so it can be assumed she's idealizing the story and not how everything actually happened. A Cut Above the Rest has to be my least favorite song in this film.

[@taliajung1553]

I like that idea a lot-- it really opens up the possibility of reworking this film such that it actually becomes good

[@Ferretic]

Here's my question: why the heck is Forte against breaking the curse? If I were him and I'd spent a decade immobilized in a single room, I'd be desperate to get my humanity back ...

[@Ratigan2]

Your comment compliments another comment I just read suggesting that it would've been more interesting if Forte was also immobilised in human form, so it wouldn't make a difference for him if he was turned back.

[@kristinahuchison2511]

It explains in the movie he believed his musical talents went heavily unnoticed or just criticized, there’s a scene when he’s a human and Beast calls a composition he wrote for him terrible. As a gigantic CGI pipe organ, he apparently has much more influence and praise from his master because his gloomy music apparently is the perfect way of helping him relax and unwind. Yeah the motive is a bit clunky and dumb, but it’s interesting to see the perspective of someone who prefers his enchanted form over desperately wanting to be a human again. That’s actually a small problem I have with the original is that the main reason why the main castle staff are so kind and hospitable to Belle is mainly to get her to warm up to the idea of falling in love with their master to break the spell. There’s literally a part where Cogsworth is shocked Beast lets Belle go and Ms. Potts and Lumiere get so sad about the spell not being broken instead of really missing Belle or being worried about her and why she can’t stay. It kinda doesn’t help a lot of fans think the Beast is much more handsome and attractive as the beast instead of his human form, kinda missing the point

[@ryanb6503]

"I'm bolted to the wall!" Tim Curry is too good at his job.

[@Ratigan2]

He's the only reason I rewatch this catastrophe Also, "They can't fall in love... if they're DEAD"

[@Nightman221k]

Oh also, Diva, I agree with you about how a lot of the objects in this movie look too cartoony... but I'd take that over the creepy designs of the objects in the live action one. (and I didn't mind the live action remake, but the objects look wrong in that)

[@MusicalHell]

Honestly, I don't think there was any way the live action movie was going to do the enchanted objects as without being a little creepy. I think the writers realized it too, which is why Belle and Maurice's initial reactions aren't so much "Oh, how marvelous and strange!" as "AAAAAAAAAAAAGGH WHAT THE FUCK GET IT AWAY FROM ME."

[@andrewollmann304]

Musical Hell Ewan MacGregor’s Lumiere and McKellan’s Cogsworth deserve a special mention here.

[@MrXemnas1992]

Even as a kid, I felt annoyed by how "Cut Above the Rest" just grinded the film to a halt and mood-whiplashed everything. You know some executive demanded a song quota and the writers just shrugged. Forte is the only thing worthwhile this film gave and clearly Disney knew that when they basically retooled him into a good guy, named him Cadenza, changed him from an organ to a harpsichord, and put him in the live-action remake.

[@utterfool2164]

Okay so when you said Iago I first thought of the Shakespearean Iago. Then I saw the Aladdin clip of Parrot Iago and was totally confused. And then you made the joke and I was like "I'm too tired for this." But yeah I thought of Othello's Iago because 1) This is a channel that talks a lot about theatre 2) I know my Shakespeare. Especially the villains. (In fact, I just finished playing Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet).

[@happychaosofthenorth]

Me too. I was like, "Othello!" and then I was like, "Wait, what? ....Oh, I was right!"

[@Kahran042]

That makes three, then.

[@MusicalHell]

Yay for the lit geeks!

[@DerekPower]

I got the joke as it was being told =]

[@PhoenixRising87]

My BA is in English Lit, and I honest to God don't recall reading Othello even once...(I do appreciate the comparison of Belle to Elizabeth Bennet rather than the victim of Stockholm Syndrome smug people just repeating each other's criticisms frame her as, though. :D).

[@c.w.r.794]

Bernadette Peters was in it, the end.

[@dorothyallspice1862]

Theatre Geek And so was Pee-wee Herman...

[@thomashuffman3237]

T G And Tim Curry!

[@jacobbelow4136]

I have to admit I did not expect this movie to rank up to 10 sins, though I won't say they weren't earned. If it makes you feel any better though, my theory is that it was all something Mrs. Potts fantasized after someone spiked her tea. Just a small thing regarding Chip not knowing about Christmas: what if Mrs. Potts was raising him to celebrate different holiday, like Hanuka? On second thought, I think she'd probably have gotten fed up enough with the Yiddish axe.

[@Ratigan2]

Interesting... could Yiddish axe be the father and the search for the perfect christmas tree was really just a father and son bonding moment? Also on the Mrs. Potts fantasizing part, I have a theory she made up the last scene where they celebrate christmas because how would they fixed the castle on the same day as the celebration? The scene even has a blurry vignette around it giving the "this is not real" effect

[@Dreigonix]

HOOOOOLY CRAP FORTE IS BADASS THOUGH. Seriously, that guy looks _terrifying,_ especially with that face that I swear looks like one of Dr. Facilier’s demon masks. All he needs is to make better use of his magic powers so he can actually do stuff and he’d be a Dark Souls boss who could play his own theme song too! But other than that, if LND is the Sonic 2006 of musicals, this is the Other M of musicals- a midquel that did not need to be told and that turns an awesome heroine into a doormat with its anti-feminist garbage, and is a waste of a terrifying villain (Forte and Nightmare/Phantoon, respectively).

[@C.V317]

You know, the whole uncanny valley thing with the servants being basically every stick of furniture raises really unsettling questions. Was her bed a former chambermaid?

[@gracekim25]

Eeeee😅

[@happychaosofthenorth]

I love your channel and I was so happy to see a new Musical Hell! Fortunately I never saw this one, I hate what they did to Belle's character so I'm glad I missed it as a kid. If you want to discover a new(ish) musical, I highly recommend that you listen to Hadestown, (you can listen to the Live Original Cast Recording AND the original concept album on itunes and I recommend both since there are songs that are on one and not the other and vice versa) it's an awesome musical about Orpheus and Euridice and will hopefully be on Broadway soon. I would love to know your thoughts on it as it is my latest musical obsession. :-)

[@cinnamon9390]

Nooo I really liked The Enchanted Christmas :3 Yes, the animation is inferior... but the VILLAIN! Forte was fucking terrifying, and you're right to point out the tech was cutting edge for the time. HOW CAN YOU SAY HE ISN'T INTIMIDATING?? He conjures musical ghost demon babies! He is massive and gothic and always in the shadows... his music carries and he has a powerful influence over Beast/the prince. Also, the events of this movie take place MIDWAY through the first one, the thing with the wolves in the first movie is the same as the thing with the ice in this movie. She gets taken-in by Forte because so far everyone in the castle except Beast has been super nice to her, and she's surrounded (for the first time) by beings she feels she can trust

[@gageperuti5519]

Ok, I loved this movie as a kid (not as much as the original, relax) and up to now, I had trouble understanding what everyone's problem was. Thank you, Diva, for helping me see the truth. Also, Maurice does appear in the movie. Briefly. In the beginning. When Mrs. Potts starts the story. Without a single line. Yyyyeeeaaahhh.

[@MusicalHell]

True, he does have a blink-and-you-miss it appearance in the opening, but (as you point out) he never speaks and there's never any indication that he's connected with Belle in any way. If you came into this movie without seeing the first one you could easily be forgiven for assuming he's the Yiddish axe, or something.

[@trinitymplayers]

The reason why was because Rex Everhart, the actor who voiced Maurice, died just before recording for this sorry sequel started.

[@trinitymplayers]

I wonder why Maurice was nowhere in sight at the end. Because of his voice actor's demise, or because he simply walked out in disgust at hearing how his son-in-law treated his daughter in this story.

[@gageperuti5519]

@@trinitymplayers No, he died in 2000, three years after this film came out.

[@trinitymplayers]

@@gageperuti5519orry it was just something I read. In that case, it was a shame then Maurice never got to say anything. For one thing, I would have liked to have seen how his relationship with human Mrs. Potts was developing.

[@NintendoHighSchool]

Enjoyed your Descendants review. Hoping you can review the sequel too. Haven't seen it but let's be honest it probably deserves it.

[@KidSnivy69]

Why wouldn't Diva review it?

[@NintendoHighSchool]

I'm just hoping she'll be doing the review soon. I know its probably happening

[@kieranstark7213]

But KidSnivy96, Diva DID review both predecessors of Descendants 3 (yeah, another Descendants film will turn out a thing... Yay... 😡).

[@_anxietea_8720]

So, when Forte dies, there’s just a dead rotting corpse in the castle when they all turn back? *_dark_*

[@hiddenuser8755]

He murdered the organ by ripping out its organs!

[@harrietamidala1691]

And to think I used to watch this more frequently than the original (by a smidge, but still). Well, you're right about the axe being Jewish--he even shouts out "Happy Hanukkah" at one point (when Belle finds the tree--that's one thing I strongly remember because I'm Jewish).

[@jhopessprite4642]

6:56 is what I do when I get angry over some family incident that happened: shouting, angrily thrashing at the dirt while shouting angrily, and storming off with a loud roar as I angrily stomp back into my grandmother's house in the morning after my exercise with my grandfather.

[@willisthrilled]

You realize now that having done this, there’s no way you CAN’T do Belle’s Magical World now, right?!

[@netanyamusic]

Belle's creepy crosseyed eyes though

[@munromister777]

As far as I know, that one isn't a musical, so it's not eligible for this channel.

[@gracekim25]

Ritz um what’s the difference?

[@willisthrilled]

Gracekim1 watch and find out

[@tomjackson1370]

Netanya is her last name Dangerfield?

[@janelle1701]

I'm so glad I've never watched this atrocity. And I will never subject myself to it. But this is nonetheless entertaining. Well done, Diva!

[@KaeMcSpadden]

You are gonna review Rock a Doodle soon? cool, just make sure to say RIP for Glenn Campbell, the voice of Chanticleer.

[@yomilemondragon1721]

I actually really like the idea of the main villain losing agency because he literally can't move- that could have been the formula for a genuinely imposing villain, due to said villain succeeding despite the odds being stacked against them. Fortes one and only weapon is manipulation, which he's (or could've been) SO good at that he has the trust of the people he's trying to manipulate, who could easily just...stop coming to him at any time and he's be fucked then, but keep coming back because he's just THAT far into their heads. Unfortunately in this movie that "skill" hinges entirely on the fact that everyone in this film shares the one brain cell they didn't leave behind in the first movie.

[@soarrefly]

THANK YOU for calling out Emma for shunning corsetry. They weren't even a symbol of oppression.

[@elsie8757]

I can forgive Chip asking to be told the story of an event he was present for. I asked the same thing of my mom a bunch of times as a kid

[@EYTPS]

I remember Tim Curry as a scary ass clown in IT..... it haunted my life forever

[@ilikecurry2345]

Pennywise.

[@thethingthatwouldnotgoaway5881]

EYTPS DOYOUHAVEYOURFRIENDPRINCEALBERTINACAN

[@fc43]

The Thing That Would Not Go Away WAHA WAHA WAHA

[@MrWill9002]

WA-HA! WA-HA! WA-HA!

[@rosestar3474]

Love, love, love your work! You should review the Devil's Carnival or Bonnie and Clyde the musical next!

[@jdcman8945]

Ironically, I was one of the many children who grew up with this movie during the late 90s. The best thing about this movie hands down is the villain Forte voiced by Tim Curry. He may not be a hidden twist villain like Gaston from the 1991 Beauty and the Beast, but he certainly an enjoyably creepy bad guy. Despite being a bit underdeveloped, many people who grew up with this movie were terrified of Forte, simply because of his scary CGI design, more so than Gaston's hidden menace. Both characters are two different types of villains, but even though Gaston is probably a more effective villain, I still prefer Forte in terms of overall menace in my opinion.

[@Enigmatic_Lurker]

I actually had this on VHS when I was a kid, and the character Forte really stuck with me. To this day as a now 22 year old, the line "I'm _bolted_ to the WALL!" is still so strongly embedded in my mind, I reference it from time to time -- only to find, seemingly no one else has ever seen this movie.... And I just sit there looking like a crazy person as crickets can be heard from outer space..

[@ruthiehenshallfan99]

Ah, Christmas... A time for joy, love, and a time for this movie getting released again on DVD. Also, Wonderful Christmastime is on the radio... Sigh

[@joshuaokoro-sokoh2993]

6:00 Yeah at least Ursula had her eels and they were pretty good at what they did.

[@asalways1504]

I love me some Tim Curry as much as the next person, but even he couldn't make this train wreck tolerable. I'll just stick to Home Alone 2 if I wanna spice up my holiday with a little Curry.

[@etonji8263]

As Always Agreed

[@shaynabarnhard2274]

Hell, I'll take "Barbie in the Nutcracker"(even though it's not a musical) over "Enchanted Christmas"!

[@kevinrwhooley9439]

2:34 I like how she refers to the fairy as 'the fair folk' as that's what the Irish used to refer to fairies (or the Tuatha de danann as their also called) as.

[@CartoonFan1994]

I find Angelique kind of cute, even if she’s a total snob. She and Forte deserve to be in a better Christmas movie.

[@battybuddy]

Question: do you think when the curse was lifted, Forte's mangled bloody remains were lying where he fell?

[@Kahran042]

No, because he died in the form of an organ, not a human.

[@battybuddy]

@@Kahran042 doesnt mean his magically altered remains didnt turn back.

[@johncleveland3924]

Does no one want to mention the fact that the furniture and decorations are supposedly sentient and Beast destroys them?

[@lunamoonstone2350]

i know beauty and the beast enchanted christmas was as amazing as the original. but it is one of my guilty pleasures, yes belle seeing through gaston is one thing but this just shows how well forte can manipulate people, I am not all saying this movie is perfect yet it is better than belle's magical world.

[@dunes8817]

There's an interesting point on IMDB on how the timeline doesn't make sense and creates a big plot hole with the first one.

[@tudor5059]

Dunes8 No really. The whole story took place in winter!

[@Emilytea]

This movie was absolutely my childhood- I didn't even own the original Beauty and the Beast, but this one was a staple. It's always fun to hear how universally hated it was. Lol. Forte was pure nightmare fuel for 4 year old me, gotta say.

[@xanthe4547]

"the can't fall in love if they're DEAD" was comedic gold tho tbh

[@orionsarrow1025]

YO Forte’s design used to freak me the heck out! If he wasn’t bolted to the room, he’d be a sliding, sentient, wall with a face.

[@docranchoth6731]

Even considering that the castle staff got a raw deal in being caught up in the Beast's curse...what did the guy who was turned into the Boiler do to deserve being both imprisoned immobile in a cellar, with a skull filled with pressurized, boiling water, AND having his guts being stuffed full of burning fuel? And THEN periodically being scraped clean of "waste" by twitchy cast iron fireplace tools? Man...and I thought The Greedy from "Raggedy Ann and Andy" had a horrific existence for a cartoon character.

[@liamrondeau4675]

Mom, can we watch Beauty and the Beast? No, we have Beauty and the Beast at home Beauty and the Beast at home:

[@Slithery]

I mean Maurice is there they could have had him ask for the story rather than Chip

[@digifreak90]

16:00 I'm sorry, did the creators just forget the fact that most trees, including pine (a commonly used tree for christmas) float in water. (I sat most because there are apparently a few varieties of trees whose wood is to dense to float)

[@cityman2312]

I disagree... Tim Curry does save this dud holiday special a little.

[@tylermoviepro]

As do I. Frankly I just skip the scenes that don't have him in it. This movie is bad but Tim Curry at least makes it watchable.

[@cityman2312]

@@tylermoviepro It's a one star movie and Tim Curry is the only reason it even gets that one star.

[@RYMAN1321]

It’s a guilty pleasure for me. I’d prefer this over the abomination that is the Star Wars Holiday Special anyday. This at least has Tim Curry in it killing it as the villain as he always does. It’s a decent time waster for me as well.

[@thesharpestofthorns___9132]

Just..don't torture yourself by reviewing the Hunchback of Notre Dame 2...

[@howsentimental]

I'm Negan No, do it. That shit needs roasting.

[@bunnyboyking5215]

Timetofloat Yeah I want to see her roast it on Valentine's Day. The only three people I know that have torn that film a new one are: The Nostalgia Chick, The Nostalgia Critic himself, & MrEnter.

[@bunnyboyking5215]

ultraofrahfan1 I believe you mean "In March"

[@thesharpestofthorns___9132]

Ah god.

[@Flowerbarrel]

“Kill the Beast” is my favorite Christmas carol!

[@EYTPS]

Wait, where in Musical Sequel Hell is Grease 2, Shock Treatment, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II, Tentacalino, Happily After Ever, and the Swan Princess movies? Those are musical sequels you've already punished, too

[@trixxsaurus2386]

Today in school we were talking about movies, and my teacher asked, "How do you feel about Beauty and The Beast?" And my friend yelled, "IT'S MOUNTED TO THE *W A L L*

[@janeyrevanescence12]

You know something? I wonder if the whole reason Beauty and the Beast gets the Stockholm Syndrome flak because people saw this movie before the classic and assumed the relationship in this one is the same as in the classic movie. Then again, that's just a theory.

[@Usagi393]

janeyrevanescence12 For me, no. I saw the original first and thought "Wow, this is a really unhealthy relationship to promote. Nice animation though."

[@blondbraid7986]

While the Disney version did it's best to improve the source material, you just can't get away from the fact that the entire story was made up in order to get young girls to accept the idea of an arranged marriage to an older man, which was common among the nobility hundreds of years ago, but has no place in a modern society. Another big issue is that in every version of the story, it's always the beast that forces the heroine to stay in the castle. They aren't an odd couple that get accidentally stuck together because they both need each other, the beauty only stays in the castle because the beast held her father hostage.

[@Igorcastrochucre]

Stockholm Syndrom is basically something people say to feel smart, because during the late 2000's sites that 'ruin your childhood' became a thing. Meanwhile Quasimodo from Hunchback of Notre Dame and Rapunzel from Tangled are better examples, as they're told to never disobey and never question and are psycologically tortured by their capturers for doing so.

[@blondbraid7986]

Igorowan While Quasimodo and Rapunzel do display more clear signs of Stockholm syndrome, both Frollo and Gothel are shown to be villains and by the end the hero stands up against them and breaks free of their bonds. People will always claim Beauty and the Beast features Stockholm syndrom, because even if Belle does speak up against him in the Disney version, you can't ignore the fact that: A. The beast forces Belle to stay in the castle with him, and she's isolated from her friends and family. B. In the end, Belle falls in love with the beast and marries him despite he initially imprisoned her.

[@janeyrevanescence12]

Gertrud Bondesson 1) Belle is the one who made the deal with the Beast in the first place and the only thing keeping her there is her promise...which she's not afraid to break when he scares her in the West Wing and only gives him another chance after he saves her life and is only nice to him when he stops being a jerk to her. Stockholm Syndrome is similar to abuse in that fear keeps the victim in place and rewards come when the victim stops resisting. 2) It's implied by the delivery of her line "Thank you for understanding how much he needs me" (a callback to the line in her big I Want song "And for once it might be grand to have someone understand I want so much more than they've got planned") that she started falling in love with him after he releases her with no strings attached to go help Maurice. She probably wouldn't have gone back to the castle for some time had Gaston not decided to kill the Beast and even then it's because she realizes that she put the Beast in danger in the first place. In Stockholm Syndrome, she wouldn't have left the Beast in the first place or even blamed her father for not getting her out.

[@Igorcastrochucre]

It's not like it can't work, the priorities are just... off. The cast job is to cheer Belle up during her stay, so Christmas not being a time for them to find joy is a good premise. Belle isn't really doing this for the Beast, she's doing it for them, for their right to feel hopeful after all they did for her. Beast being an obstacle means Belle has to reach an agreement to him, not by begging or apologizing, but make him reflect his relationship to his servants that have remained loyal to him ever since that fateful day. So their relationship stays the same as it began, but she is confident he can change (eventually, and not by her forcing it) and he begins to see her eye to eye.

[@TheQuashingoftheTub]

The boiler scene makes me think of Spirited Away, and you do _not_ want me comparing Disney to Ghibli.

[@kaitlinowens2714]

For the whole “they can’t fall in if they’re dead thing,” could be a mix of a friendship version of “if I can’t have you, no one can,”, wanting to get rid of Belle and Forta going crazy with anger.

[@MDWolfe-ks5fu]

Oh, Iago from Shakespeare’s Othello. Right?

[@strawberrysoulforever8336]

Honest Iago.

[@EYTPS]

19:40-19:45 "I really don't want to think about the possibility of BeastxForte shipping being a thing." Then let me make you think about this: JennerxBrisby shipping is a thing........ yes really

[@Igorcastrochucre]

Pfft, I've seen a Tumblr shipping Disney's Pocahontas and Naruto's Sasuke. No really.

[@EYTPS]

Igoorowan Anything goes on the internet, my freind

[@etonji8263]

Igorowan They're is major x seras SHIPPING....VOMITS

[@DGilVids]

Eton Ji This...needs context...

[@etonji8263]

Katie Lewis No sh***

[@markdishmon3322]

one problem i had with the entrance of the enchantress during the live action movie was she came into the beast's estate without being invited in and it changes the whole opinion of how the beast turned her away

[@etps4444]

I vaguely remember watching this movie when I was small, and I remember Forte scaring the absolute crap out of me. :') Now that I'm older, though, I kinda almost want to watch it again just to see Tim Curry's performance in all its glory. Like you said, he definitely goes out in all that he does. :) EDIT: Also, call me a Nintendo nerd, but am I the only the one who gets _major_ Amadeus Wolfgeist vibes from Forte?? 😂

[@icelily270]

I'm sorry, but I find the Yiddish Ax hilarious. I can't help it, even now I laugh (just that one clip had me cracking up)

[@Kahran042]

I think it's because Yiddish accents are innately funny.

[@icelily270]

Ya, but I think it's also gotta be coupled by what they say. I mean I think I find him so funny because there's a slight truth. I mean I can sorta see my dad in this Ax. "No that's fine, I don't want I should put you out" hahaha that line just gets me every time.

[@finland4ever55]

I kinda have a crush on him

[@SuperSwordman1]

You answered your own question. Tim Curry voiced organ. Tim Curry's voice can make you do just about anything.

[@TheBatIsSpooky6436]

Man, if you hated this just wait till you see Belle’s Magical world

[@theladyfausta]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING THE REMAKE OF BEAUTY AND THE BEAST TO JUST EXIST ON IT'S OWN AS A GOOD FILM!!! Flawed? Sure. But also a beautiful film with a fantastic score and engaging characters? Heck yes! Listen to the soundtrack you plebeians! You are missing out big time!!

[@KidSnivy69]

It is alright

[@thema1998]

KidSnivy96 I thought it was good. Just good, not great.

[@theladyfausta]

That’s fine... I guess... you philistines. 🧐

[@janeyrevanescence12]

I'll give it the good score and it looks nice.

[@Nicole148809]

I admit this one time I was wrong about the live action adaptation, but what started me on my path to not hating it is thinking of it as an adaptation of a stage play because I have a lot lower standards for stage to film adaptations. Also a huge factor is that I am a sucker for "Evermore".

[@thejman5683]

Fun fact: Chip was voiced by Haley Joel Osmand AKA Sora from Kingdom Hearts

[@tristanpetty7173]

And the Beauty and the Beast characters show up in Kingdom Hearts!

[@kamilee4123]

The other day in English class we were talking about symbolism and our teacher had us analyze the meaning of the Beast's rose in the OG movie. We came up with a bunch of different interpretations. Just wanted to share that with y'all.

[@ilikecurry2345]

_Just enough budget to animate TIM CURRY'S LIPS!!_

[@ingridsuperfreak]

It would have been a good chance to do a good (or at least decent) midquel. Many people complained about the short development of their relationship in the first movie, so I would add some more moments between them .It had to be a Christmas theme?, OK, maybe could be Belle missing to have a Christmas with her father and Beast trying to impress her, at first with something superficial that she refuses but then understanding her passion for books and giving her something she values more, maybe trying to give her a book that reminds her of her childhood, or a tale her mother used to read...and it would be a much better story involving Christmas and the main characters without changing or compromising Belle or Beast's development.

[@jacobbelow4136]

You know, about that mentioning of the original concept of this movie having a brother Gaston come back to get revenge, I once came across a journal making an attempt to improve the ABYSMAL Hunchback of Notre Dame 2! It included the inception of the villain of it potentially being Frollo's brother from the book, Jehan. Good thing his inclusion was better spent on the stage adaptation! But as much as I still have my qualms about THAT movie, I've found my ways of forgiving Disney for that. So I think we all need to eventually make piece with something that tarnishes something we love-eventually. In the meantime, Olaf's Frozen Adventure was still better than this-and I will stand firmly by that! Besides there are worse straight-to-video cheapquels than any that Disney have crapped out, believe it or not. Like Charlotte's Web 2! (Yes, that really exists) But at least that animated classic got a decent (if unnecessary) live-action remake. So at least SOMEBODY did it justice.

[@bunnyboyking5215]

Jacob Below What about Ferngully 2?

[@katelucas4220]

Hi, I love your reviews! Would you ever make a video on the Rocky Horror Picture Show??

[@katelucas4220]

That's actually not what I meant; Rocky Horror has one of my favorite soundtracks of all time! So I was thinking more along the lines of Know The Score.