The Fantasy Hall of Fame

Side Film 2






One of the things I like about this hall is so many of these stories have been told before. So I decided to re-watch the Disney Classic. It's crazy to watch this film 30 years later and after two remakes. Beauty and the Beast (1991) tells the familiar story of a Beauty (Belle) who manages to trade herself to the Beast so that her father can go free. I don't know if this is the best animated Disney film ever made but it's pretty damn close. I don't think the animators wasted a shot or scene in this film. The music is timeless but it's also where the majority of the exposition is dumped.


The films other strength is that and this is the weird part...Belle is likable here. The other two Belles were both fairly obnoxious this Belle is more...I guess you could call her adorkable. She's a Disney princess but she doesn't feel or act like a princess and that's something that has been missing from all the recent live action ones. It's sad that a human can't create an actual ingenue anymore, it's a loss of innocence that I feel has come with the times.


I also love the character arc of Gaston, he isn't a traditional villain but the way his ego corrupts him during the course of the story is so well executed. This film's moral is about pride and entitlement, the filmmakers do a great job of showing us the thin line between Gaston and The Beast as they both have the same wounds but one goes to far with revenge while the other wallows in self pity neither are ideal however they both work up until the thrilling climax.

@Siddon Are you planning to watch Cocteau's version from 1946 as well?

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Kwaidan (1968)


It's very easy to see the film as an anthology of Japanese folklore spirits and the different ways they manifest themselves. Most of said that it's really hard to judge the film as a whole because when you tell a group of stories some are going to be better than others. But what I noticed what is likely the weakest story "In a Cup of Tea" is the center moral of the story. What Ghost stories so good is the not the rules or the execution but the existence of those stories the mythologies can and do go everywhere and if you follow that notion and watch the film in reverse you get more of an understanding of Kobayashi.



"The Black Hair", and "The Woman in the Snow" are the two basic ghost stories. It's a story of black and white both are morality tales in which the leads prosper or fail based on their own character. Either story has enough plot and depth to be flushed out into it's own film but Kobayashi want's to tell a different type of story so he almost undercuts both tales. They are spooky and well constructed but they don't have the excesses of scares that they could have and they don't dwell on character work.


But we move onto to "Hoichi The Earless" which is the story of a blind student and biwa hoshi player who is taken into the underworld by a ghostly Samurai. Hoichi is almost a complete deconstruction of the genre those moral choices that we get in the earlier versions are basically thrown out the window. Hoichi is given news that he will be cursed if he finishes his song with the ghosts...but really you get into a quagmire with this prophecy. The entire chapter is filled with all of these little ironies...it starts with the real battle of Dan-no-ura where Hoichi can only image the story as he is a blind man he can only tell the story through music. Later we're given the ghosts of the clans and they are represented in several different styles of ghosts...almost for each different character. It's at this point you really get into what Kobayshi is trying to say with this film how he's telling not only great ghost stories but the nature of ghost story-telling.


On a technical level...it's less is more but also everything is practical and gorgeous.











The effects enhance the story and even though it's 60 years ago for me it has more of an impact. Now I also watched this film in pieces but mostly because I wanted to take time to think about and digest what I see.

My DVD. I guess I don't own Two Towers though, but still have Return of the King.

Kwaidan (1964)

Even though I do like short stories in written form, anthology movies have never been my thing. Kwaidan is way above average for such, but the issues of the format are still there; the lack of continuity, the mid-film resets, the need for the narrator to explain the premise for each story, and the way a weaker sequence reflects negatively on the whole.


On the positive side, Kwaidan has a unified style that improves its cohesion. The painted skies, theatrical sets, traditional music, and, in general, an otherwordly feel all work to its advantage. As it's an anthology, let's talk about each tale separately.

The Black Hair is a quite traditional and universal story of ambition versus love. Nothing is outstanding in it, but I like the general concept. The ending is a little weird, and I would have preferred another kind of resolution. The hair effect itself is sadly outdated, and I'm not sure if it was even needed. Overall, a decent story.

I like the premise of The Woman of the Snow. I have a thing for beautiful female monsters that fall in love with mortal men. The beginning of the story is good (that forest sequence is the best-looking part of the film), but it does start to drag a bit after Minokichi takes Yuki to his house. The ending is predictable, but how else could it end. It's better than the first story, but still only OK.

The start of Hoichi the Earless is the best sequence of the movie. That ancient battle with Hoichi's song as narration is a thing of beauty. The quality is bound to dip from that, but there's nothing seriously wrong with this traditional ghost story. The ghosts' court in the graveyard is a beautiful set, too. I guess my only real complaint is the two comedic side-characters. This one is good, and easily the best story of the four.

In a Cup of Tea is an unfortunate mishap. I don't have a clue why it's even in the film. It's too different from the others, and in its unfinished state, it doesn't tell a proper story. It feels like a quick scribble with only one purpose; to show the (admittedly good) final view of the writer in the water jar. A weak story that stains the whole movie with a negative aftertaste.

I think I liked this a little more the first time I saw this. It's mainly because of The Woman of the Snow, which I remember liking a lot more back then. It was an OK movie and without the last tale, I'd still be tempted to give it a good rating.

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I would love to see you post your thoughts on any of the films you do check out and Thank You for the early heads up. It really is appreciated.

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while it did come in at 11 out of 12 in the Second 1940's Hall of Fame you can read the reviews and consider the possibility.
I enjoyed it.

nicely done!
I actually watched over a week ago and it still stays with me and feel the same about Belle and the Beast.
In fact, pretty much everything you said.

I didn't mention in my review about how fabulous Belle's gowns were, kudos to the couture. Oh, I liked her eyebrows too

Unless you count the disqualified Gentleman Jim as 12th, it technically came last though.

technicalities, smechnicalities

I just watched DragonHeart. In many cases, 20+ years have changed my opinion on a film but this was crap 24 years ago and remains the same today. Full sh*tting on review in a few days.

And you never enjoy my recommendations or nominations.

: P

I've enjoyed your recommendations for the ones I've watched. Off the top of my head you recommended to me Wicker Man and a movie about medieval medicine ( I can't remember what it was called but I did review it and really liked it) I liked your nom Beastmaster too.

The Physician?

And now La Belle et La Bete too...

I was teasing you... I have enjoyed some of your recommendations as well.

You will enjoy my history one :P

Oh some dense Yup, The Physician that was it. While I was watching La Belle et La Bete it reminded me of The Physician in the way the camera moved and the way the lighting was, and in the mood of the film. Two good ones!

Did you ever see Jean Cocteau's version from 1946? Wanna talk about cinematography and camera moment... all of Cocteau's films are amazing in that aspect.

I did when Cosmic nominated it in the 40s HoF II. Here's my review of it
https://www.movieforums.com/communit...50#post1718150