Tilda Swinton Calls This 80-Year-Old Fantasy Tale With 96% on RT "Pure Magic"
Even 80 years after its premiere, this black-and-white French film continues to set the standard for fantasy, inspiring directors and viewers worldwide.
We all have our favorite fairy tales from childhood. For many, the definitive version of Beauty and the Beast is the 1991 Disney animated movie.
Tilda Swinton Has Nothing but Praise for Jean Cocteau's 'Beauty and the Beast'
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However, for Tilda Swinton, the true masterpiece is a different work, surreal and dreamlike, released 80 years ago yet still perfectly timeless.
In an interview with the BFI, the actress, known for her taste in art house films, confessed her love for Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast:
“Cocteau's resplendent fairy tale. Images you will never forget. The chandelier arms, the transcendent beauty of Jean Marais, the pearl of a drop of dew on a rose. Pure magic.”
Jean Cocteau's cinema is a separate universe where surrealism meets reality and myth becomes tangible – and Beauty and the Beast is the pinnacle of this style.
Filmed shortly after World War II, when France was beginning to recover from the Nazi occupation, the movie became an ode to the beauty that can exist even in the darkest of times.
Even 80 Years Later, This Version of 'Beauty and the Beast' Remains the Most Impressive & Artistic Adaptation
Before Cocteau, the fairy tale had only been adapted into a silent film. He created the first full-length version of the story, which was an instant masterpiece.
The black-and-white movie's expressionistic lighting and play of shadows and flickering candles create an atmosphere reminiscent of a dream from which one wouldn't want to wake.
Every frame is meticulously crafted: chandeliers with living human hands, smoke billowing through the castle corridors, and the Beast's tender gaze. Jean Marais, Cocteau's muse and collaborator, played both the Beast and the gallant admirer of Belle.
His transformation at the end remains one of the most touching moments in cinema history. Walt Disney was so impressed by the film that he abandoned his own plans for an adaptation because he didn't believe he could surpass Cocteau's genius.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Beauty and the Beast'?
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Beauty and the Beast has 96% from critics and 90% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.9/10.
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On Letterboxd, Beauty and the Beast scored 4.1/5.0.
Where to Watch 'Beauty and the Beast'?
Beauty and the Beast is available to stream on Criterion Channel.
