Here’s the bottom line: The 3D rarely enhances your favorite old Disney gems, and at times is even clunky to the point of being distracting. The Movie People (whoever makes money from movies; I don’t know) are just trying to rake in the big-bucks through as little work and creativity possible (as if it isn’t enough that most movies aimed at children or families these days are sequels of sequels of sequels of poorly made films *cough*Dreamworks*cough*). Seeing Disney movies on the big screen again is really powerful and wonderful, but it comes at a cost.
By watching the original movies at home, you can avoid the audiences that attend these revamped screenings, which consist of the overall loud and grating combination of overly nostalgic girls and crying toddlers. The toddlers I don’t mind so much. But the teenage to young-adult aged women! The overly nostalgic girls have probably watched these movies much too frequently and aren’t afraid to let everyone know by singing along off-key in a most annoying range somewhere between whisper-singing and regular singing (because they want their friends to notice and join in but also want to seem quiet and respectful). It’s like those little old ladies who constantly emote in response to the movie with teeny little mms and ohs and aws and mouth noises, except worse. Toddlers can cry at the scary parts, and kick the back of my seat for an hour and a half; go ahead. They’re cute and don’t know any better, and I’m all for them enjoying Disney magic. But the others should know by now how to differentiate between a movie theater and their living room.
Okay, rant over.
Anyway, even though the 3D alterations did not add any magic, I must say that as they are, Disney gems like “Beauty and the Beast” have not lost any of that incredible magic they held in the first place, which is why despite my rant-inspiring audience experience, I had a great time. (It’s also why the audience bothered me so much; I didn’t want them to spoil a movie I hold so dear!) I hadn’t seen “Beauty and the Beast” in years, and as soon as that eerie music started up and the stained-glass prologue began, I had chills, and felt as enchanted as I imagine I did when I was little and it was all brand new. I’d forgotten how dark and scary and beautiful “Beauty and the Beast” is. So much incredible storytelling, emotion, and visual intricacy is packed in those ninety minutes! I was on the edge of my seat. It was also so exciting to relive little movie moments I’d long forgotten about, but were still completely familiar; even tiny things like that man in the first number who shouts, “Maurice! The baguettes! Hurry up!” The rhythm of that phrase has been ingrained in me since my childhood. It was the combination of old familiarity and fresh magic that made experiencing “Beauty and the Beast” again so wonderful.
