You know the story: Girl meets monster, monster is secretly a prince, they sing, they dance, and everyone lives happily ever after. Yada yada yada! But the making of Disney's Beauty and the Beast in 1991 was way more dramatic than anything on screen. It was actually a pretty chaotic ride with last-minute rescues, a literal bomb threat...for some reason, and a lot of very stressed animators.
So, grab a teacup (or a candelabra, we don't judge) and get ready for the real, hilarious, and totally bonkers story of how this animated masterpiece was made.
Let's start at the beginning...
Believe it or not, before it was a show-stopping musical, Beauty and the Beast was a non-musical with a storyline so bleak, it made studio executives go, "Yikes." After ten weeks of storyboarding, they decided the whole thing was too "depressing" and scrapped it. The film's entire future was on the line, and what saved it? The triumph of another movie you might have heard of: The Little Mermaid. Its success proved that the world wanted singing, dancing, animated princesses, not… whatever that first draft was.
The Reluctant Hero with a Golden Touch
In comes the lyrical hero of The Little Mermaid lyricist Howard Ashman, a certified creative genius. He was honestly just trying to rest and focus on his health (having HIV/AIDS does that to ya, I've heard), but Disney's Jeffrey Katzenberg practically begged him to "reinvigorate and save" the failing Beauty and the Beast project. Ashman, despite his declining health, reluctantly agreed. The studio was so dedicated to his vision that they set up a remote production unit near his home in New York so he could continue working. Ashman, completed all his lyrical work but sadly, months later...he died. The film's dedication to him is not just a tribute; it's a testament to the man who gave a "Beast his soul."
The Ballroom Scene's Got a Dirty Little Secret
The iconic ballroom sequence is a technical marvel. The sweeping, romantic dance takes place in a fully computer-generated 3D ballroom. It was groundbreaking and risky for a company still using hand-drawn cels.
The filmmakers were so worried it might fail that they had a Plan B...a very specific and very sad Plan B. They called it the "Ice Capades version," and it would have featured Belle and the Beast dancing in a spotlight on a pitch black background. Thank the gods the CGI worked out, or we would have had Belle and the Beast twirling around in the dark...and not in the fun way!
The Beast is a Frankenstein's Monster of Animals
Have you ever wondered what animal the Beast is? The answer is... yes! He's a mashup of different creatures. He's got the head of a buffalo, the mane of a lion, the eyebrows of a gorilla, the tusks of a wild boar, the legs and tail of a wolf, and the body and arms of a bear. It’s like a Megazord..only hairier.
Not Even A Bomb Threat Could Stop Angela Lansbury
The title song, "Beauty and the Beast," is one of the most beloved movie ballads of all time. Heck, I sing it from time to time and I don't have a girlfriend. It was recorded in one legendary take by the amazing Angela Lansbury, who voiced Mrs. Potts. What makes it legendary? On the day of her recording session in New York, a bomb threat was called into her flight. I'm being super cereal right now...this caused a delay in her flight. HOWEVER! Despite this terrifying ordeal, she arrived at the studio, gave a single, perfect, tear-jerking performance, and that's the take you hear in the final film.
Angela literally said "I don't care about a damn bomb! This movie needs me and I will not allow anything to stop me". I wish she was my grandma...a literal bomb threat wouldn't stop her from making it to events and holidays...
Belle’s Secret Code
If you watch the movie closely, you'll notice Belle is the only person in her entire village wearing blue. It wasn't a fashion statement; it was an intentional choice by the filmmakers to show that she was different from everyone else. This little detail was apparently so important that her voice actress, Paige O'Hara, wore blue to her audition and to both premieres of the movie as her "lucky color." I wonder if this is what inspired Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65...hmm..
The Beast Gets the Jackie Chan Treatment
For the Chinese-language version of the film, and I'm not kidding here... Jackie Chan himself voiced The Beast. Not only did he voice all the speaking parts, he also sang all the Beast’s songs. Now that's a crossover event we need to see more of.
So, the next time you watch Beauty and the Beast, remember that behind every perfect animated frame, there's a story of creative struggle, technical gambles, and even a little bit of theatrical drama. A tale as old as time, indeed.
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