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Belle (Disney song)

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"Belle"
Song

"Belle" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for Walt Disney Pictures' 30th animated feature film Beauty and the Beast (1991). Originally recorded by actress Paige O'Hara featuring vocals by actor Richard White,[1] "Belle" was stylistically influenced by both French and classical music, and incorporates the musical genres of Broadway and musical theatre. In Beauty and the Beast, "Belle" appears during the beginning of the film as a large-scale operetta-style musical number performed by its heroine Belle, a book-loving young woman who has grown weary of the provincial life that she is being forced to live, and Gaston, the film's narcissistic villain whose goal is to marry her.

"Belle" has been very well received by the majority of entertainment critics. Some reviewers, such as Filmtracks.com and The Globe and Mail, have hailed the song as one of the best opening numbers in musical film history. "Belle" has been compared to songs from the musical films West Side Story (1961) and The Sound of Music (1965), as well as the Broadway musicals Fiddler on the Roof and She Loves Me. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 64th Academy Awards in 1992 but ultimately lost to the title song from Beauty and the Beast. O'Hara performed "Belle" live at the awards ceremony. The song also appeared as a musical number in the Broadway musical based on the film, originally performed by actress Susan Egan in 1994.

Background

In an attempt to duplicate the success of the studio's recent animated release The Little Mermaid (1989),[2] Walt Disney Feature Animation decided to adapt the French fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" into an animated feature film.[3] Although it was originally conceived as an animated non-musical film that featured "no songs in it whatsoever"[4] under the direction of Richard Purdum, Disney CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, unsatisfied with the dark and somber direction in which it was headed,[5] ordered that the film be adapted into an animated "Broadway-style musical with a strong heroine" instead, similar in concept to The Little Mermaid.[6] Disney then hired lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken to write the film's songs and assist in "transform[ing] Beauty and the Beast into a musical". The songwriting team had just recently collaborated on writing the music for The Little Mermaid.[7]

Writing and content

According to Menken, the "plot-furthering songs"[8] in Beauty and the Beast formed quite naturally as a result of the film being written to "almost ... exist as a stage musical"[9] and "presented in the style of a traditional Broadway musical."[10] According to actress Paige O'Hara, who both recorded "Belle" and provided the voice of its title character, Ashman and Menken "wanted to leave the pop music sound of [The Little] Mermaid behind and go for something more [in the style of] Jerome Kern/Rodgers & Hammerstein."[11] The film's songs and musical numbers, which were written to both "propel the plot" and offer "character development",[12] were heavily influenced by French, classical and traditional Broadway music.[13] Menken described "Belle" and the other songs in Beauty and the Beast to The New York Times as "tangents from 18th-century France".[14]

"[T]hrough the ... song "Belle" ... we learn that [Belle is] smart as well as beautiful, and longs to do something spectacular with her life rather than simply marry some local simpleton. The local simpleton, the brawny, square-jawed Gaston ... decides to marry her anyway and enlists the help of his pipsqueak sidekick Le Fou."
— Film critic Jeffrey M. Anderson of Combustible Celluloid summarizing the scene in which the song appears.[15]

Written in a style that is very "distant from contemporary pop", Ashman and Menken were initially skeptical about "Belle", fearful of the song's potential to "end their careers at Disney" if it was not well received by the filmmakers.[14] Described by producer Don Hahn as a "Gilbert & Sullivan operetta style"-inspired song, "Belle" was written with the purpose of "introduc[ing] a ton of information in a very short time" and both songwriters doubted that the filmmakers would appreciate their very theatrical approach to animated storytelling.[16] Much to their surprise, "Belle" was actually very well-liked and "adored by the [production] team"[17] and became one of the few songs to not be changed during the production process.[16]

While writing "Belle", Menken was inspired by the story-telling style that is often utilized in traditional operettas, intending to write a song that would successfully "portray [Belle] in a world that is so protected and safe."[18] As Beauty and the Beast's opening number,[19][20] "Belle" plays a significant role in the film by introducing both the film's heroine, Belle,[19] after whom the song is named, and Gaston, the film's villain. While Belle, a book-loving and intelligent nonconformist who has grown frustrated with her predictable village life, longs for an adventure similar to the ones she reads about in her books,[21] Gaston is a narcissistic hunter who seeks her hand in marriage. In roughly five minutes, the song explains both Belle and Gaston's roles in Beauty and the Beast to the audience. The song also voices the opinions of the townsfolk and "sets up the overall theme and foreshadows what makes the town so oppressive to [Belle]";[22] while the villagers award Belle high praise for her doubtless Beauty, they see her as odd because of her love of books and ridicule her for her non-conformity. However, they appraise Gaston for his looks and masculinity.[23]

Composition

"Belle" is an "idyllic, orchestra-driven" musical number,[24] written in the style of an operetta.[25][26][27] Described by Filmtracks.comas a "snare-tapping song",[28] "Belle" is, according to sheet music published by Walt Disney Music Publishing at Musicnotes.com, a Broadway-inspired and musical theatre-style song, written at a moderate "pastorally" tempo of 80 beats per minute in the key of D major. Combined, O'Hara and White's vocal range on the song spans roughly two octaves, from the low note of A3 to the high note G5. Additionally, actors Alec Murphy, Mary Kay Bergman and Kath Soucie's vocals are featured on the track.[29] The song has a length of five minutes and nine seconds.[30][31]

Reception

Critical reviews

"Wandering through her village while reading a book, Belle becomes the focus of a spectacular opening number that captures the essence of this film's appeal. Bit by bit, the population trickles out to greet Belle and gossip about her, while she herself bemoans the small-mindedness of the place. This rousing number reaches such a flurry of musical counterpoint that it recalls sources as unlikely as West Side Story, while the direction builds energetically from quiet beginnings to a formidable finale."
— The New York Times film critic Janet Maslin's detailed analysis of the song and its corresponding scene.[32]

Since the release of Beauty and the Beast in November 1991, "Belle" has garnered universal acclaim from both film and music critics. Filmtracks.com labeled the song "among the most satisfying and clever cast pieces in history", as well as very well-deserving of an Academy Award nomination. Additionally, Filmtracks praised the song's reprise, drawing similarities between it and "The Sound of Music" from The Sound of Music (1965) because of their similar instrumentation.[28] Sputnikmusic.com's Irving Tan described the song as "idyllic".[24]

Jennie Punter of The Globe and Mail hailed "Belle" as "one of the most delightful openings of any movie musical".[8] The New York Times' Janet Maslin was very enthusiastic about the song, praising the way in which it advances the film's plot while labeling "Belle" "a spectacular opening number that captures the essence of this film's appeal." Additionally, Maslin drew similarities between "Belle" and some of the songs featured in the musical film West Side Story (1961).[32] Beliefnet called the song a "joyous introductory".[33] Pete Vonder Haar of the Houston Press liked both the song and its reprise, admitting that it is ultimately inevitable to experience an "unexpected swell of emotion" when Belle sings one of her most iconic lines of dialogue about wanting "adventure in the great wide somewhere."[34] While describing the song as a "teeming ... opener", TV Guide compared "Belle" to the opening numbers of the musicals Fiddler on the Roof and She Loves Me.[12]

Awards and accolades

Along with "Be Our Guest" and "Beauty and the Beast", "Belle" was one of the three Beauty and the Beast songs that received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 64th Academy Awards in 1992.[35][36] "Belle" ultimately lost to the film's title and theme song.[37] According to producer Don Hahn, Disney was actually hoping that the award would go to "Beauty and the Beast" and promoted the song heavily, spending significantly less money and attention on "Belle".[38] Oh No They Didn't ranked "Belle" at number twenty in its article "The Top 25 Disney Songs of All Time".[39] Similarly, Ultimate Disney ranked the song 20th on its list of "Top 100 Disney Song", praising its role in the film as a musical number and describing O'Hara's vocal performance as "dazzling".[40]

Live performances and Broadway

O'Hara first performed "Belle" live at the 64th Academy Awards in 1992,[41] where the song was nominated for the Best Original Song award.[42] Despite the fact that the telecast's producers wanted well-known "pop stars" to perform the song at the ceremony, Disney executives Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg were adamant that "Belle" be performed by the original artist by whom it was recorded.[43] The producers also gave O'Hara the option to lip-synch the song. However, she opted to perform it live instead. O'Hara was also forced to wear a rendition of Belle's blue and white costume from the film, of which she was harshly critical because she felt that it was "much too frilly", and Belle is supposed to dress "much simpler." She likened the costume to something that the fairy tale character Little Bo Peep would wear. O'Hara admitted that she was very nervous before her performance. However, actress Angela Lansbury, who provided the voice of the character Mrs. Potts in the film and was to perform "Beauty and the Beast" at the ceremony, comforted her by telling her, "Paige, if I sang like you I wouldn’t be nervous."[44]

References

  1. ^ "Procurar: Artistas A-Z / letra P / Paige O'Hara / Classic Disney, Volume 5: 60 Years of Musical Magic / Belle (feat. Richard White and The Disney Chorus) (Beauty and the Beast)". Rádio UOL. Rádio UOL. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  2. ^ Gibron, Bill (October 5, 2010). "How 'Beauty and the Beast' Changed Oscar's Best Picture Race Forever". PopMatters. PopMatters Media, Inc. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  3. ^ Taylor, Drew (January 12, 2012). "Review: 'Beauty and the Beast 3D' Is The Same Great Movie, With Some Added 3D Charm". IndieWire. SnagFilms Co. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  4. ^ Brew, Simon (November 4, 2010). "Looking back at Disney's Beauty And The Beast". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing Limited. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  5. ^ Clarke, James (March 9, 2010). "Beauty and the Beast (1991)". Animated Films. United Kingdom: Virgin Books. ISBN 978-0753512586. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  6. ^ Susman, Gary (November 15, 2011). "25 Things You Didn't Know About 'Beauty and the Beast'". Moviefone. Aol Inc. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  7. ^ Ames, Katrine (November 17, 1991). "Just The Way Walt Made 'Em". The Daily Beast. The Newsweek/Daily Beast Company LLC. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  8. ^ a b Punter, Jennie (January 13, 2012). "Beauty and the Beast 3D: Disney classic gets added pop". The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail Inc. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  9. ^ Murray, Rebecca. "Exclusive Interview with Alan Menken on 'Tangled'". About.com. About.com. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  10. ^ Arnold, William (December 31, 2001). "Disney brings a 'Beauty' of a film to Imax splendor". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  11. ^ Moore, Roger (January 13, 2012). "Voice of Belle had a ball in 'Beauty and the Beast'". Star Tribune. StarTribune. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  12. ^ a b "Beauty And The Beast: Review". TV Guide. CBS Interactive Inc. 2001. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  13. ^ "Interview with Beauty and the Beast Composer Alan Menken". Static Multimedia. Static Multimedia. October 4, 2010. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  14. ^ a b Holden, Stephen (March 15, 1992). "FILM; For Alan Menken, A Partnership Ends But the Song Plays On". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  15. ^ Anderson, Jeffrey M. (September 29, 1991). "Beauty and the Beast (1991)". Combustible Celluloid. Jeffrey M. Anderson. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  16. ^ a b Brew, Simon (November 3, 2010). "Don Hahn interview: Beauty And The Beast, Howard Ashman, The Lion King, South Park and Frankenweenie". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing Limited. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  17. ^ Cochrane, Emma. "Beauty And The Beast – Disney at its finest". Empire. Bauer Consumer Media. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  18. ^ Greenberger, Robert (October 2, 2010). "Alan Menken Revisits 'beauty & The Beast'". Comic Mix. Comic Mix. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  19. ^ a b Corliss, Richard (January 12, 2012). "Beauty and the Beast in 3-D: Still an Enchantment". Time. Time Inc. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  20. ^ Cling, Carol (April 21, 2013). "More than 20 years after 'Beauty and the Beast,' Paige O'Hara still remembered as voice of Disney princess". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Stephens Media LLC. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  21. ^ Ashman Gillespie, Sarah. "Beauty and the Beast". Part of His World - Celebrating the Work of Howard Ashman. Shoptalk Ltd. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  22. ^ Goldberg, Matt (2012). "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D Review". Collider. Collider.com. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  23. ^ Wise, Kirk (director); Trousdale, Gary (director) (November 22, 1991). Beauty and the Beast (Motion picture). United States: Buena Vista Pictures.
  24. ^ a b Tan, Irving (April 10, 2011). "Disney Soundtracks – Beauty and the Beast". Sputnikmusic. IndieClick Music Network. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  25. ^ Leins, Jeff (February 11, 2012). "Rediscovering the Beauty in Disney's 'the Beast'". News in Film. NewsinFilm.com. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  26. ^ Greydanus, Steven D. "Beauty and the Beast (1991)". Decent Films Guide. Steven D. Greydanus. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  27. ^ Johnson, Malcom (November 22, 1991). "Disney's `Beast' Is A Work Of Extraordinary Beauty, Brilliance". Hartford Courant. Hartford Courant. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  28. ^ a b "Beauty and the Beast (Alan Menken)". Filmtracks. Christian Clemmensen (Filmtracks Publications). Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  29. ^ "Belle – From Beauty and the Beast - Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Alfred Publishing. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  30. ^ Hobart, Tavia. "Disney / Alan Menken Beauty and the Beast". AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  31. ^ "Beauty and the Beast (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) – Alan Menken". iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  32. ^ a b Maslin, Janet (November 13, 1991). "Beauty and the Beast (1991)". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  33. ^ "Beauty and the Beast". Beliefnet. Beliefnet, Inc. January 13, 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  34. ^ Vonder Haar, Pete (January 13, 2012). "Reviews For The Easily Distracted: Beauty And The Beast 3D". Houston Press. Houston Press, LP,. Retrieved 21 September 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  35. ^ "The 64th Academy Awards (1992) Nominees and Winners". The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  36. ^ Deats, Sara Munson; Lenker, Lagretta Talent (January 1, 1999). Aging and Identity: A Humanities Perspective. Westport, Connecticut, United States: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 211. ISBN 978-0275964795. Retrieved 23 September 2013. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  37. ^ Gallagher, Pat (February 21, 2013). "20 Of The Best Oscar Songs of All Time -- From The Vault". The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  38. ^ Young, John (February 22, 2012). "Oscars 1992: Producer Don Hahn on how 'Beauty and the Beast' changed animation". Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly Inc. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  39. ^ "The Top 25 Disney Songs of All Time". Oh No They Didn't!. DemandMedia Humor. April 18, 2009. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  40. ^ "TOP 100 DISNEY SONGS". Ultimate Disney. DVDizzy.com. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  41. ^ Greenbeeger, Robert (October 3, 2010). "Paige O'hara, The Voice of Belle, on Being Part of 'beauty and The Beast'". Comic Mix. Comic Mix. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  42. ^ "Paige O'Hara Biography". Monsters and Critics. Monsters and Critics.com. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  43. ^ "An Interview with Paige O'Hara, the voice of Belle". Dad of Divas. October 2, 2010. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  44. ^ Sands, Jez (October 25, 2010). "Beauty And The Beast: Paige O'Hara Interview". On the Box. OntheBox.com. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
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