MovieChat Forums > Beauty and the Beast (1991) Discussion > Isn't it funny how inside the enchanted ...

Isn't it funny how inside the enchanted castle...

posted 7 years ago by TheMan18 (13188)
6 replies | jump to latest

... some of the aspects and enchanted objects including (well at first certainly) The Beast himself seem to scare and frighten (not to mention, the fact that due to the spell the forest has been infested with deadly wolves as well) whereas others seem to charm, amuse and entertain, and not just how Belle and Maurice find them (the candle, the clock, the teapots etc), was all of this intentionally done that way to further the theme of how beauty is found within rather than on the outside appearances, even if some of those other aspects are indeed unique but also charming?

Another thing is, I know its fictional fantasy and an animated Disney cartoon to boot so occasional lack of perfect logic and suspension of disbelief a given, but isn't it interesting how Belle especially, not to mention her later warming up and falling for The Beast himself, gets used to all those enchanted objects and aspects and doesn't even question how all of that is possible save for maybe one line of dialogue etc. Falling for the Beast aside, how did she PSYCHOLOGICALLY get used to being inside that enchanted castle and sleeping without being inappropriately disturbed in any way, even if indeed apart from the Beast at least at the start, none of those aspects posed much of a threat to her at all? I don't know how "I" would spend a time in that type of castle and sleep as if all those aspects are normal humans.

On a side note, when those villagers were attacking the castle, how come Gaston wasn't bothered and too surprised to see the furniture and silverware fight and attack them all like that and just went straight towards the Beast, and by coincidence, what if any of those OTHER aspects went after HIM as well and possibly stayed in the same room as the Beast given how they were all aware that originally, they were mainly coming for the Beast HIMSELF?

And also do you think when she saw that mysterious portrait and that weird magical rose she may have SENSED that, to an extent at least, it was some kind of curse and magic spell put on a castle etc?

What do you think, thanks.

[–] Stratego (31082) 7 years ago

The Beast is scary because of his nasty personality. The point of the curse is that he has to overcome his hideous looks by improving his personality. The servants were never really punished for the same reason (perhaps only for enabling him). Of course, it would be too easy and uninteresting to have them stay human, so the writers decided to turn them into household objects inspired by the invisible servants in the original story.

Belle was really adventurous, so she was more intrigued than disturbed. She already had met a monster, so she wasn't as surprised. I do think it would've been better if the Beast and the servants weren't allowed to mention the curse.

Again, Gaston was already aware of the existence of a monster, so living furniture wouldn't bother him. He was also just focused on killing the Beast.

Yes, I think Belle suspected what was going on. Doesn't she tell something like that to Lumière in the kitchen?

[–] Otter (24464) 7 years ago

I think the forest had become infested with vicious wolves because the gamekeepers had been turned into ink blotters.

But the magically transformed servants weren't believable on a realistic level, if your boss screwed up and got you turned into a paperweight, would you cheerfully keep on doing your job and obeying orders? No, you'd blame your boss and you'd do your best to make him suffer for what he'd done! You'd think the servants would gang up and drive the idiot beast out of the castle, and run the place as an enchanted castle that everyone else thought was haunted? Maybe they didnd't have the heart because he was so young.

[–] TheMan18 (13188) 7 years ago

Even if Gaston WAS indeed just there for the Beast, wouldn't he at least be a little surprised and put off by all the furniture and other enchanted objects coming to life and fighting off the invaders and what if at least ONE of them would've gone after him or stayed outside the Beast's room, given that all of them to an extent WERE aware that the invaders WERE coming for the Beast, at least by how loudly they all shouted "Kill the Beast" etc?

I mean, maybe the Beast was just some animal or who knows, maybe in Gaston's mind that's possible and plausible but haunted furniture?

Its not as if they had to deal with that kind of stuff in their lives at all, right?

[–] Otter (24464) 7 years ago

Maybe Gaston is too dumb to think about more than one thing at a time? As long as he was focused on hunting the beast, nothing else much mattered?

I've known animals like that, they seem to have three or four single-function brain cells and only one could engage at a time. I suspect that's what's going on inside Gaston's thick skull.

[–] TheMan18 (13188) 7 years ago

Yeah, maybe.

[–] TheMan18 (13188) 7 years ago

Back to the one point of the subject -

How come SOME objects and aspects of the cursed/haunted/enchanted castle terrify and frighten and others charm and amuse?

Was there meant to be a point with all of this - that even somehow also relates to the central aspect of the story of a young woman falling in love with a Beastly creature? (Even if, spoilers alert, he does indeed turn into a human in the end, and all other aspects of the spell also disappear too.)