Beauty and the Beast is one of the first hotly anticipated films of the year. One of the reasons for that is the close connection that so many fans have with the music. The first clip from the new movie now shows us the film's opening and we couldn't be more in love. If this is an indication of what the rest of the movie has to offer, we're in for something truly special. Check out Emma Watson singing "Belle" and try not to get excited.
If the hair on the back of your neck isn't standing on end right now, it's entirely possible that you have no soul. Watching Emma Watson sing her way through her poor provincial town is everything that we hoped it would be. Everything looks and sounds like the animated movie has come to life before our eyes. If there was any feeling that the live-action version would somehow fail to feel like the animated movie, we can pretty much put those fears to rest.
The song, "Belle," is the opening number in the animated version of Beauty and the Beast. It follows our lead character as she experiences another day in her little village, a place where nothing ever changes. We also begin to see how she doesn't really fit in. She likes to read, something that is referred to as "boring" here. Even the school children think she's weird. It's clear nobody would catch them skipping across the pond.
While this clip isn't a carbon copy of the animated movie, the additional characters singing the song aren't the exact same townspeople from the original, the general feeling is certainly here. The sound of Emma Watson's voice fits and feels at home in the music. The biggest risk that Beauty and the Beast may be taking is simply associating new voices with these classic songs. So many of these songs are so popular that hearing any other voice singing them could hit a sour note with audiences. While Emma Watson certainly isn't Paige O'Hara, the original voice of Belle, the amount of fine tuning needed to make the song work for her is minimal.
Is this exactly what you wanted to hear coming from the new Beauty and the Beast or is there something that doesn't sound right. Let us know what you think in the comments below.
