This last weekend saw a remake of Disney's Beauty and the Beast in a form that was remarkably close to the animated version that so many fans love so dearly. However, not everything in the new movie was taken directly from the previous version. The new movie saw a number of brand new things added to the story in the way of backstory and subplots. These additions filled in a lot of details but also led to some great moments that never took place in the animated version. As much as we will always love the original film, there are some great things that you'll only ever see if you watch the new live-action remake. Take a look at our picks in regards to the best original moments, below.
Belle's Laundry Device
One of things that the new Beauty and the Beast did was change Belle as a character from simply being "odd" to being outright reviled by her town. We watch Belle come up with a way to greatly reduce the labor of doing the laundry, so that she can spend more time reading and teaching another young girl to read. Both things put her on the outs with the rest of the town, leading them to destroy her homemade washing machine. It gives Belle that much more of a reason to look for her happiness elsewhere, because she truly won't find it in her little town.
LeFou's Bribery During "Gaston"
The "Gaston" song may be the single best part of Beauty and the Beast. It's the biggest musical number in the film, that doesn't require CGI. However, making that song happen took some serious work on the part of Josh Gad's LeFou. Specifically, it required his bribing the rest of the bar patrons to go along with the whole thing. Throughout the song, LeFou tosses coins to numerous people. He's paying them off to go along with the song, which LeFou knows will do the job of cheering up his friend. It's a great moment that shows LeFou to be a much smarter character than we've traditionally believed.
Learning Belle's Mother's Backstory
It's not uncommon for the heroines in Disney films to have at least one dead parent. Most of the time, the reason has nothing to do with the movie, and thus it's never really dealt with. In this version of Beauty and the Beast, we actually learn what happened to Belle's mother, and how that event led to Belle and her father moving to the small and "safe" village. With this new knowledge, Belle is finally able to let go of the part of her past that she never fully understood. It also means we get a beautiful verse of a new song from Emma Watson.
The Beast Gets A Solo With "Evermore"
When the Beast lets Belle leave the castle in the animated version of Beauty and the Beast, he releases his pain and misery with a loud roar. This is a musical, however, and the way that emotion is related in a musical is with a song. "Evermore" is the new addition that lets us feel the Beast's pain, and allows the character the solo song he never got in the original movie. It's a powerful song of love and loss. Of all the new songs in the film, "Evermore" is the one that truly adds to the film by showing us what the Beast is feeling.
Gaston Incites A Riot For A Different Reason
The Mob Song was part of the animated film, but it wasn't presented quite like this back then. In the original film, you get the impression that Gaston wants to kill the Beast because his head would look good mounted on the wall. In this version, his reasons are much viler. The former soldier wants to start a fight because it's the only place he feels at home, and he plays the townspeople like a fiddle to get what he wants. "Call it war/Call it threat/You can bet they all will follow/ For in times like this they'll do just as I say." These are the new lines that Gaston sings. What follows is the telling response from Le Fou. "There's a Beast running wild there's no question/But I fear the wrong monster's released." Chilling.
The Great Growing A Beard Joke
This one is a bit of a cheat, because, in an early version of the animated film's script, this line did exist. However, it wasn't until the live-action version that we heard it. As Belle and the Prince dance together, for the first time in his human form, Belle asks him how he would feel about growing a beard. It would appear that Belle grew quite fond of the hairier version of the character. It's a fun line that, in its own way, harkens back to the animated movie. Many have agreed over the years that the transformed prince isn't particularly impressive when it comes to his animation, making the Beast much more attractive.
