While Beauty and the Beast and Reefer Madness contain compelling stories and musical numbers, the mediums of live theater and film each have unique strengths. Certain narrative elements suit the stage, while others thrive on the screen. Comparing the creative possibilities of theater versus cinema can help determine how best to adapt a tale to engage audiences. For Beauty and the Beast, the fantastical components and core relationships feel enhanced emotionally on the stage. Meanwhile, Reefer Madness makes pragmatic use of documentary film techniques and quick scene changes. So, how narratives utilize critical elements of their medium is crucial when envisioning the ideal format for a story.
Beauty and the Beast
The fantastical elements like the Beast’s transformations allow for dramatic reveals through costume and makeup on stage. The key fantastic component of the film is the Beast himself and his transformations between his beastly and human forms (Beauty and the Beast 1:20-51). This fantastical premise lends itself perfectly to the imagination and spectacle of live theater. The Beast’s first reveal when he emerges from the shadows in the castle would allow for an initial jump scare as the elaborate beast makeup appears before a live audience. The elaborate prosthetics and costume design artistry could be shown to full advantage. Then, the critical scene at the end, when the Beast transforms back into the Prince, would be riveting live on stage. As the Beast sheds his furry and horned exterior, the prosthetics could slowly disappear, revealing the handsome Prince underneath.
The gasps and reactions from the enraptured live crowd as this makeup transformation happens in real time would be incredibly powerful and moving. The lighting could also dramatically change from ominous shadows to bright, mystical light as humanity is restored to the Beast. This fantastical transformation scene is where the imagination of theatrical storytelling could outshine film (Boiko). The emotions felt as the Beast’s animalistic nature is shed would be palpable in a live theater, making this story incredibly impactful.
The small core cast of characters makes it easy to focus on key relationships. Unlike sprawling ensemble stories designed for film, Beauty and the Beast has a tightly focused cast perfect for the stage. With only a handful of central characters, the core relationship between Belle and the Beast can take center stage. This allows their emotional love story to captivate audiences fully. We can track their adversarial start, gradual friendship, and eventual romance without too many distractions. The side characters like Gaston and LeFou add humor and villainy without overcomplicating the story.
In the stage musical version, no new major characters are even introduced. This keeps the spotlight squarely on Belle and her Beast. Their transformative love story is crafted like a play, with meaningful dialogue and intimate character moments. With just a few key players, live theater can bring immediate focus to the psychological complexity in the main romance (Boiko). Unlike a film with quick cuts between scenes, the stage allows us to sit with Belle and the Beast as their relationship evolves. The pared-down cast makes this character evolution feel all the more vivid before our eyes.
The musical numbers and choreography could shine with live singing and dancing on stage. While the film featured lovely musical numbers, these songs could come alive on the stage in vibrant live performances. The big showstopping ensemble numbers like “Be Our Guest” would burst with dynamic energy as a whole cast of singers, dancers, costumes, and set pieces share the stage. Lumière leading a whimsical dinner celebration with dancing silverware is the perfect theater spectacle. Conversely, romantic duets like “Something There” would feel wonderfully intimate with the two lead actors singing together live, conveying genuine emotion through their voices and eyes.
The Broadway version expanded the score with additional songs and choreography that work beautifully on stage. The title song, “Beauty and the Beast,” could feature an elegant live dance between Belle and the Beast, bringing them closer together. Meanwhile, Gaston’s brash showmanship on numbers like “Gaston” allows for amusing theatrical moments. Visually capturing the contrast between brute and lover through song and dance is where the stage can add unique vibrancy. The lyrical ebb and flow of emotions is perfect for the rise and fall of live theater storytelling.
Reefer Madness
It has a large ensemble cast that is harder to follow in live theater. Reefer Madness has a sprawling cast of characters representing various segments of society. There are teachers, principals, parents, multiple groups of teenagers, drug dealers, police, government agents, and more. This massive ensemble can be challenging for audiences to track in a live stage production compared to a film (Kim et al. 614). In the stage musical version, cast members had to play multiple roles to consolidate the characters. But in the movie, editing between storylines makes each character and subplot clearer to follow.
The film can utilize close-ups, text captions, and other cinematic techniques to distinguish the many individuals. On stage, audiences may struggle to separate the educators from the authorities or keep track of which teens are coupled up. It becomes an overwhelming barrage of names and faces. However, in the edited film version, the camera can linger on important characters while cutting around to jog our memory (Kim et al. 614). This makes the nuances and connections between the ensemble more digestible through the medium of film.
The documentary-style narrative lends itself well to educating audiences through film. The movie version of Reefer Madness is presented as an educational documentary warning of the dangers of marijuana (Reefer Madness 3: 42-56). This pseudo-documentary framing device is designed specifically for the screen, using techniques like a stern narrator, stock footage montages, and text screens. This makes the film feel like an authentic artifact from a more naive time rather than a staged recreation. Cutting away to giant text blocks or historical footage to spell out the intended message works seamlessly in an edited film. But those documentary elements would disrupt the theatricality of a live stage show. While the musical adaption retained some educational narration, much of the direct exposition was understandably stripped away. The cracked educational film conceit is diffused without the cinematic style. So, the straight-laced lecture format is inherently designed for the screen over the live stage.
The multiple locations and scene transitions are more manageable to portray in film than on stage. Reefer Madness features many rapidly changing settings and locales, from nightclubs to apartments, classrooms, offices, courts, and more. This variety of backgrounds and scene transitions makes logical sense in a filmed story. But it would be challenging to recreate naturally on a live theatrical stage. The film can utilize editing, dissolves, establishing shots, and other cinematic techniques to smoothly transition between these rooms and spaces.
But elaborate, lengthy set changes would be required between short scenes in the theater. The rhythm would feel very start-and-stop. Or the sets would need to be minimalist, inhibiting the sense of place. The live stage version could not render the many locales and quick scene changes as seamlessly as the edited film. So, the peripatetic narrative better serves the screen, where fleeting moments in different rooms can be stitched together through efficient cinematic language (Kim et al. 615). The dancing between scenes inherently suits film over the spatial constraints of theater.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Beauty and the Beast highlights imagination and character relationships in ways that lend themselves perfectly to live theater. The stage’s visual spectacle and emotional intimacy bring this romantic fairy tale to life. On the other hand, Reefer Madness takes full cinematic advantage of its edgy documentary framing, expansive cast, and brisk pacing between scenes. While both offer creative directions for their source material, Beauty and the Beast feels destined for theater, whereas Reefer Madness is tailor-made for the screen. Considering how each element of a narrative interacts with its medium provides insight into ideal formats to share impactful stories with engaged audiences.
Works Cited
Beauty and the Beast. Directed by Bill Condon, 2017.
Boiko, Tetiana, et al. “Digital Tools in Contemporary Theatre Practice.” ACM Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage 16.2 (2023). https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3582265
Kim, Ahyun, Silvana Trimi, and Sang-Gun Lee. “Exploring the key success factors of films: a survival analysis approach.” Service Business 15 (2021): 613-638. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8628493/pdf/11628_2021_Article_460.pdf
Reefer Madness. Directed by Louis Gasnier, 1936.
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