Sahil Patel - Beauty and the Beast

While the inclusion of the Avenant character is an intriguing element in the film that does not occur in de Beaumont's written version of Beauty and the Beast, I think the different depictions of the castle/mansion is the most interesting difference. In the written story by de Beaumont, the castle is depicted in a much more positive light. It is described as a beautiful castle with gardens and flowers on the outside and ornate rooms inside. The castle is basically portrayed as a seemingly deserted palatial residence. However, in the movie there is a stark difference. The castle is extremely dark and seems to be very dangerous. There is almost no light. There are chandeliers that are held up by moving hands. Heads moving around and looking at the father. The entire place is very dark, ominous, and creepy - a stark opposite from the depiction in the book. It basically looks like the perfect setting for a horror movie or death scene. Furthermore, the music played during the scene where the father finds the castle only further helps the dark presence of the building. I think all of the differences in the film version of the story when compared to the written version serves to further establish the Beast character in a negative light. In de Beaumont's version, he is ugly, but he is kind and generous and the castle is opulent. However, Cocteau utilizes the film medium to further depict the original negative connotations inherent in the Beast character. No one would want to live there. So the sacrifice that Belle makes is much more vivid, much more tangible.