Film&Fashion Fridays : Jean Cocteau's La Belle et la Bête

OK, I know this is gonna sound like a no-brainer but seriously guys - after re-watching Cocteau's take on Beauty and the Beast in cinema this Tuesday I just HAD TO write about it(knowing it's been done to death)! I know it's almost as popular as the Disney version (at least in somewhat artsy-intellectual cycles; I ran into an old teacher from Paris 8 dragging his 6 year old to see it) and you've probably all seen it by now, but it's just that good.

Or simply all those things I normally hate but in this movie you can't help by be smitten with : it's anti feminist, reinforces false female stereotypes, the male star was actually's Cocteau's lover AND it has magic. Magic!

But seriously now - this film IS magic! And the best kind of early cinema magic. I mean it is from 1946 and it does feel silly, over the top and completely fake but it's a fucking fairy tale after all! And it really makes you go with it and actually believe it.

I don't know about you, but I guess I still believe in fairy tales (yes, I am ashamed of how that sounded).

So even if you've seen in a dozen times already, I think it won't hurt seeing it again. After all, it is kinduv like the Wizard of Oz for the French.

Oh and I mean the gowns! THE GOWNS!

And if you're in Paris you might still get a chance to see it at the Filmotheque; plus they're also doing an exhibition on Cocteau at the Cinematheque.