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princess

Movies With a Message: Comparing Beauty and the Beast and La Belle et la Bete

by Simon Dillon March 17, 2017

Beauty and the Beast (1991) and La Belle et la Bete (1946)
UK Certificate: U/PG
US Certificate: G/Not rated
Intended audience: All ages

Comparison and Contrast

With Disney’s new live action take on Beauty and the Beast now open in cinemas, here is a look at the two definitive versions of the classic fairy tale so far committed to celluloid, each radically different from the other. Firstly, Disney’s classic 1991 animated version, and the 1946 Jean Cocteau directed monochrome masterpiece.

The former, directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, is very well known and even got nominated for Best Picture in 1991 (to my mind it should have won). Rendered in beautiful hand-drawn 2D (which briefly showcases a then revolutionary CGI sequence), the film set a new benchmark in animation and remains the high point in the late 80s/early 90s Disney animation renaissance which also included the likes of The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin.

Brenda Chapman’s screenplay also expanded the story to include wonderful new characters, including the hilariously boorish Gaston, Belle’s would-be suitor. Belle herself is a more spirited, independent, bookish heroine, and there are the regulation comedy supporting characters in the form of the palace staff, now in the form of cups, teapots, candlesticks and so on as a result of the witch’s curse placed on the Prince; transformed into a Beast for his cruelty and arrogance. The central romance (amusingly referred to as “Stockholm Syndrome” by various online wags) is quite touching, especially in the way the Beast falls for who Belle really is (as demonstrated in his gift of a library) as opposed to who Gaston would like her to be.

Alan Menken’s music score is outstanding, and the songs are hugely memorable too, with highlights including “Be Our Guest” and the hilarious Gaston song (“no-one’s necks as incredibly thick as Gaston…”). All in all, it is one of the very best of Disney’s animated fairy tales.

By contrast, Jean Cocteau’s 1946 live action black and white take is surreal, sinister but also very beautiful. Also renowned for such masterpieces as Orpheus, Cocteau’s back catalogue may be catnip to cineastes like me, but his La Belle et la Bete deserves a much wider audience.

The central roles are well played by Josette Day and Jean Marais as Belle and the Beast respectively. The latter spends the majority of the film in superb prosthetics, and the lavish, surreal, massively influential production design still impresses today. Cocteau’s direction throughout is nothing less than extraordinary, especially in the dazzling transformation/flight sequences. The special effects were well ahead of their time, and although the slower pace and stylised, trippy atmosphere might not be for everyone, it is impossible to deny how visually distinctive and poignant the film remains, even today.

Both versions of the story accentuate different elements of the fairy tale. The 1991 animation allegorically speaks of spiritual curses, and of how God “opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”. Sacrifice, death and resurrection are also key themes, and again it is easy to see why this resonates on a spiritual level. The 1946 version is subtler, but no less remarkable in portraying these themes. This version also adds a darker layer of poetic allegory. It can be read as being about the occupation and liberation of France, as though the nation were cursed as a result of Vichy government collaboration, and then liberated by heroic resistance.

Although I have yet to see the new version, I have to confess my hopes for it are not high. It appears to be the working definition of superfluous; a pointless because-we-can CGI/live action remake of the 1991 version that exists purely for commercial reasons. Of course, I could be wrong. Once I see the film, I could end up eating my words, but frankly, I doubt it. Besides, I doubt even more than it will ultimately occupy the same cinematic space as the two radically different classics I have highlighted in this piece.

This article was written by Simon Dillon, author of several books, passionate film reviewer and Head of Network Planning at GOD TV. See more of his movie reviews at Simon Dillon Books.

March 17, 2017 0 comment

Faith

I’m a Warrior for Jesus When I’m Down on My Knees: Prayer is a Weapon!

by Adeline Asante-Antwi February 21, 2017

written by Adeline Asante-Antwi

Prayer is a Weapon!

Did you know that God has given us more than one weapon? Every Christian has three secret weapons (Prayer, giving, fasting) Matthew 6.

Let the Word be the foundation on which all your prayer is built.

Prayer is a weapon of royalty. Prayer is our true weapon; prayer must, however, be based on the Word. 1 John 5:14 -15; ‘Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” The Word is the will of the Father given to us. Let the Word be the foundation on which all your prayer is built.

Time to do Battle

We must also have a specific prayer time, dedicated to meditating on the Word and praying about every aspect of your life both in your understanding and in the language of the spirit.
Let Proverbs 3:6 be your guide, – in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Let this be a time when you let God know every issue, confusion, decision; every detail of your life burdening you. We have to be trusting and understanding as you submit your ways (decisions) to God that He will direct your path. This time of communion must be the most convenient time, during which there must be no distractions. As a mother, dawn is the best time for me, as I am guaranteed zero or minimal distractions.

Make Prayer a Habit

A friend of mine once mentioned that doing something for 21 days guarantees that it becomes a habit! In my usual stance of faith, I took it as a message from Daddy God and asked for help from the Holy Spirit. I don’t believe in coincidences; I believe He is constantly speaking to us (that is why you are reading this article)
I started waking up at 2 am to spend time with the Lord. I marked the 21 days on my calendar. Surely after the 21 days, it became a habit, I would wake up automatically at 2 am with the help of the Holy Spirit. Spend time in prayer, it is all we have, that is our weapon, use it!

Conduct Yourself Properly

Can you imagine a Royalty fighting and shouting in the streets? You would ask yourself why she is behaving like a commoner. Has she forgotten who she is?

And yet on many occasions, we behave like that. We answer that rude colleague at work with an equally rude answer. We exchange insults with our co-tenant to show her that, she cannot get away with her insults.
“Don’t come for me; if you don’t want trouble”- these are the words we spoke as paupers, but unfortunately many still repeat these words after becoming royalty.

For our spouses, we manipulate them and ensure that he pays for every hurt, by embarking on long-standing silence wars, denying romance, talking negatively about him to family and friends or an outright shouting match.

The reason we do all this is because we have made it our duty to fight each battle, which is what an orphan/ pauper does. An orphan does this because they have no one to fight for them.
You are a Royalty, daughter/son of the King of Kings, who contends for you. Don’t waste your energy worrying, fighting back, or manipulating people. Report it all to your Father, the King.

The King Cares About His Children

Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.

The Lord is asking His princes and princesses to give all their burdens to Him, what a Good, Good Father.

Philippians 4:6-7, invites us to not be anxious about anything, but when anxiety sets in, when we feel anxiety taking over us, we must bring ALL our requests to God. God knows the world we are in, and the issues and problems we will face! Don’t be hard on yourself when you start feeling anxious, it is not a sin to feel anxiety, however, don’t give it influence, and give the Word of God influence instead.

Hold on to your faith, we hold on to the faith that He cares and He wants us to bring ALL these issues to Him. When we turn all to Him, His promise is that peace, His peace will guard our heart. So even though the issues may be fact, His reality of peace and deliverance is a greater reality.

Believe that your vindication will shine like the noonday sun (Psalm 37:6).

Spiritual Warfare

Your weapons are not your wit, intelligence, beauty, charm or looks.

The weapons of our warfare are not physical and yet many of us, go back to the controlling ways of the old dead person when we devise ways of solving issues yourself, ways of teaching someone a lesson, avenging yourself or putting people in their place.Whatever issue you are warring against your weapons are not your wit, intelligence, beauty, charm or looks.

Get on your knees and do warfare, take refuge under the shadow of the Almighty. Let Him fight for you, let the Mighty One of Jacob fight for you.

Total submission, total dependence, and humility allow God to move in your life.

February 21, 2017 0 comment

Faith

Community Post: Are You Ready for Royalty? God wants to Crown You

by Adeline Asante-Antwi February 17, 2017

written by Adeline Asante-Antwi

Are You Ready for Royalty?

From Pauper to Princess

The wife of Prince William of England, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is a beautiful and famous princess.

She is highly regarded as royalty, the wife of the next King of England.
Before she married the prince, she was not royalty, certainly not by blood. But immediately she married the Prince, she became royalty, equal to any royal in England and abroad.

Now imagine, a high-powered delegation from the Royal Family of Great Britain visits your church, the Princess included. They walk in with all the pomp and grandeur of royalty and offered seats specially reserved and set apart from the congregation.

You then go outside to buy a drink from a vendor outside, and to your surprise, you meet the Princess there, angrily exchanging words with the vendor.

What will be your reaction? What will be your first thought? I can bet, you will be wondering why a princess would behave like that!?

Natural and Spiritual Standards of Royalty

Even in the natural, we have standards for Royalty! If we understand as Christian sisters, that we are royalty, Princesses of God, we will also have standards!

Anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as the Son of the Living God and Lord of their lives becomes Royalty. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (John 1:12).

As we are baptized and led by the Holy Spirit, we become Sons of God (Romans 8:14). Male or female according to His word we are all ‘SONS’ because of the blood of Jesus.

The Born Again Royals

We have to come to the realization, that we are NOW children of the King of Kings, we are His princesses, and we must move from thinking as paupers, commoners without any ties to royalty.

When we were of the world, we were cut off from our Father in Heaven, Creator of the Heavens and Earth.
Now we become born again, the blood of Jesus, makes atonement for us, and allows us to become the children of God, therefore we must cling unto Romans 12: 2 – And do not conform to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

February 17, 2017 2 comments