Rough Animation for ‘Beast Transformation
Glen Keane(Beast), James Baxter/Mark Henn(Belle), David Pruiksman(Chip/Mrs. Pots), Will Finn(Cogsworth), and Nik Raineri(Lumière)
That is an insane amount of skill right there.
This was seriously one of my favorite moments of this whole film. When Snow White makes that pie there is just something about the dough that is so dough-like and delicious looking. I remember watching this movie as a kid and REALLY wanting to eat that pie.
(Source: lovelyprincesses)
Tarzan-Glen Keane
Saw Tarzan for the first time recently…I had never had any desire to see it when I was a kid because I felt too devoted to George of the Jungle, so I thought I’d finally give it a chance. It was cute! It came out in ‘99 so it can still be grouped with the old Disney good’uns, although it isn’t the best, of course. They attempted to incorporate a fair amount of computer animation into the ocean, the jungle foliage, and shots with fast-paced constantly-changing angles like when he’s swinging through the vines and sliding down branches. I think the only times when it didn’t stick out were those crazy movement shots. Other times, the movement was just too smooth to really fit with the hand-drawn animation of the characters. I thought the character animation was great though, and the story was more endearing than I’d expected it to be.
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.
Supervising animator Glen Keane, who was charged with designing and drawing the Beast, spent a lot of time at the zoo figuring out how to best bring the character to life. Ultimately, the Beast became a hodgepodge of physical characteristics from many animals, including the mane of a lion, the horns and head of a buffalo, the eyebrows of a gorilla, the tusks of a wild boar, the upper body of a bear, and the legs and tail of a wolf. Oh, my! There’s also one physical attribute you don’t see: the posterior of a mandrill. According to Keane, ”Beast actually has a rainbow bum, but nobody knows that but Belle.”
To further add to the Beast’s savage ways, Robby Benson’s voice was enhanced by the growls of actual lions and panthers. Yet in order for Belle to fall for the Beast, his human side had to be readily apparent. Because of this, animators made sure to keep the Beast’s eyes deep blue and full of soul.
