BEASTLY

US, 2011, 96 minutes. Colour.
Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Hudgens, Mary- Kate Olsen, Peter Krause, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Neil Patrick Harris.
Directed by Daniel Barnz.

In theory, this should have been a surefire success for the popular market. It is a teenage interpretation of the age-old Beauty and the Beast fable. It stars Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four) as the beast, High School Musical’s Vanessa Hudgens as the beauty and Mary- Kate Olsen as a kind of witch character out of Charmed.

But, it is not a success. Far from it. (This reviewer was prepared to give it full focus during a flight but could not give it the 100% attention it did not deserve.)

The running time is brief. Kyle (Pettyfer) quickly emerges as a smug, mean-minded and dominating presence at school, campaigning for the presidency of a group, tough on his friends, spiteful with his tongue and imagining that he is envied by all. He insults a rival, Kendra (Olsen), who puts a spell on him, transforming his inner ugliness to his outer appearance which means that he has to withdraw and live alone, being educated by a blind tutor (Neil Patrick Harris) and a housekeeper to whom he has been particularly nasty (Lisa Gay Hamilton). They both seem remarkably tolerant. His often-absent father supports him.

He rescues Linda (Hudgens) from thugs and takes her to his house for safe keeping. And so, Beauty and the Beast.

It is not all that interesting to watch since it is aimed directly at a teen audience (who like their entertainment in the Twilight zone) and even they have tended to give blogging thumbs down. Which means that there is space for doing a similar story, only better.

1. The audience for the film? Teenage? The treatment of the characters, the plot, the fable? Contemporary?

2. The American city setting, the high school, homes, apartments, the streets? The musical score?

3. The title, Kyle as the beast? Lindy as the beauty? His inner ugliness becoming his outer ugliness?

4. The variation on the themes of Beauty and the Beast? Themes of beauty, love, kindness, selflessness?

5. The introduction to Kyle, his campaign, the votes, his ego, inner ugliness and meanness, his hurting people, the discussion of the environmental issues, his ambitions? Clashing with Kendra? Insulting Linda? His style, self-absorption? Putting down others? His victory and his reactions?

6. Kendra, her personality, appearance, the campaign, magic? The vote, the confrontation? At the dance? Kyle taunting her? Her curse?

7. Kyle and his transformation, going home, his insulting Zola, Rose, turning ugly, and needing her help?

8. Zola, the story of her children, her staying in the house – and her looking after Kyle, the happy ending and her children?

9. Will, the tutor, his blindness, his sardonic remarks, conversations with Kyle, the classes, Kyle and the greenhouse and the flourishing of the plants? Will and his help, his sight and his true self? Helping Kyle – and the happy ending with the recovery of his sight?

10. Kyle’s father, the relationship, Kyle’s memories, the house, his father getting the tutor, the bond with his father, recovering it?

11. Linda, in herself, treasurer at the school, her desire to get the money to go to Machu Picchu, her father, the attack on him, on her, Kyle in the streets, rescuing her, offering a safe house? Kyle and his learning from her? Kindness to her, the meals? Her response, the greenhouse? Talking more and more, the love? Kyle and his father in hospital, recognising him?

12. Kendra and her visits, trying to teach Kyle a lesson, his difficulty in learning, her promise for transforming him if he fulfilled the selfless demands?

13. Kyle’s transformation, the inner and outer self, Linda recognising him, love, learning his lessons? A future?