To think the Beast is actually an abusive prick?

[twattymctwatterson]

Somehow managed to never see the cartoon version of Beauty and the Best. Watching it with my daughter now. So the Beast kidnapped Bele's dad, coerced her into staying with him, shouts, smashes furniture and is basically a prick. If Belle was posting in Relationships I'd be telling her to LTB

[TheDeafeningClatterofDuplo]

Benedikte - the fascinating thing about the stepmothers in Grimm, is that apparently in the original tales the brothers collected they were actually mothers. The Grimms thought that was a bit much and made them stepmothers in the published versions (for plausibility, or perhaps just worries about sending the wrong message to children).

[gluteustothemaximus]

I love Disney films.

I use them to teach about narcissism (as poster pointed out about Hans in Frozen who appears charming but is actually an evil bastard).

Same in tangled with the narcissistic 'mother'. What a bitch she is.

It's easy to spot the obvious nasties in life, but not always so easy to tell the 'nice' narcissistic/manipulative ones.

[WobblyLegs5]

Belle sacrificing herself for her father isn't a feminist act. Women are socialised to be self sacrificing, to put mens needs above their own. Belle's sacrifice is very typical of what a woman 'should do'. The same is seen when she should be running away yet puts her safety and best interests to the side to take care of the beast. She puts the expectation of female caring, nurturing above her actual needs- safety, freedom.

Ew explaination is weak. No one expects a child's film to portray the details of Stockholm syndrom. That doesn't mean it doesn't make it likely this would be the case, her freedom gone, the beast is domineering and agressive from the start, threatens to starve her if she won't do as told, yells, bangs the door. Ew explaination that Belle 'gave as good as she got' is disturbing, victim blaming messages underlying. It's belles responsibility to humanise the beaSt, her love must change him- no victims love changes there abuser.

So so many children's stories are disturbing on so many levels, that doesn't mean we can't critic the newer versions that still manipulate these messages based on old stories horror. (Alice millers critic of red riding hood is particularly scary, easy to read on her website).

I love once upon a time also, except when it gets to Belle & the dark one, which seems too similar, that Belle would fall in love with her captor, that she would believe her love can bring out the light in him. The interpretation of the rest of the tales are amazing, but this one fails (as does Robert carlIsles acting, lack depth in this series). Shame cause I love the actress, & love that the three main leads are females & don't conform. (A beatnick like neal Cassady as a lost boy kicks ass too)

[Arborea]

I was wondering when someone would mention Angela Carter! en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bloody_Chamber

Got to say my least favourite fairy tale is probably Snow White whose virtue mainly consists of tidying up after men people, not to mention the obligatory wicked stepmother obsessing on looks.

[Sallysadlyseescertainty]

gluteus: spot on!