'Beauty And The Beat': Todrick Hall Brings Disney To The Ghetto (VIDEO)

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Do you ever watch the opening of the Disney animated classic "Beauty and the Beast" and wish that instead of yelling "bonjour!" in the streets of Paris, the townspeople shouted "what's good?" to Belle as she strolled through the ghetto?

In this astoundingly well-executed parody from onetime "American Idol" contestant Todrick Hall and an assemblage of YouTube celebrities -- and even a glimpse of Antoine Dodson (or at least a lookalike) -- "Belle" goes through her morning walk through the 'hood, gets her hair did, and gets holla'd at by Jerome (not Gaston).

Best of all, everyone looks like they're having fun. Try not to watch this one over and over. [SOURCE]

“Beauty and the Beat” by Todrick Hall
Director: Todrick Hall

A parody and satire of the song “Belle” from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, this incredible piece of work is a prime example of filmmaking and self-branding in the 21st Century.

The video has received mostly positive feedback, along with some criticism. Some have commented that it portrays the African American community in a very negative way, while others defend the it, explaining that it is a parody. Needless to say, there are plenty of implications that come along with a social issue such as race-class and stereotypes, no matter how well-made the product is.

When I first saw the video, I immediately reached out to writer-director Todrick Hall. He responded right away, and I had the pleasure of speaking with him about the process of creating the video.---

Music To My Eyez: How did you develop the idea for “Beauty and the Beat”?
Todrick Hall: I have always been fascinated with fairy tales. I’m a child at heart. [Disney] has no black princes, so I wanted to do a spoof, a bit of an Enchanted concept. I wanted to make sure [the characters] saw [Belle] walking around in this world as if it was a fairy tale.

MTME: Some of these actors are YouTube sensations. How did you reach out to them?
TH: I was flattered that they even took the time to do it. I’m new to the YouTube world. I reached out on Twitter, and they were enthusiastic about the project. Originally we had someone dressed up as Antoine Dodson [“Hide your kids, hide your wife,” but I thought I would try to reach out to him. I contacted him two days before we released the film, and he took the time to film himself speaking in rhythm, sent me the file, and we inserted it. The best part was that these people all volunteered their time. None of them were paid for this.

MTME: Obviously the video touches some nerves. How were you able to handle that?
TH: I knew going into it that some people would be upset. I grew up in a neighborhood like that, with Section 8 housing. Stereotypes are there for a reason, and we took a whimsical approach. We went so over the top that it worked for us. If you put enough energy into it, the people who have so much negative going on are outweighed a bit. If you watch the video, you’ll notice that Belle lives among these people and doesn’t blink an eye. She doesn’t look down on them. She does not notice a difference between herself and them.

The more people talk about the video and [race], the more popular the issue gets. This raises a discussion. Our grandparents lived in a time when conversations and situations like this were jarring. If we’re going to make this world a better place, we need to make light of it. People are well-spoken and passionate about how they feel. I sat with people for hours to discuss it. Even though it’s on the edge, it’s a parody.

MTME: Do you have any upcoming projects like this one?
TH: I’m coming up with a few, and trying to find good ways to make fun of other races. I want to do a “A Whole New World”….Titanic is in the works. I’m thinking about expanding the franchise.

MTME: How does your upbringing tie into your work?
TH: I have a company that does children’s musicals. Performing is my first love. I absolutely love working with children. I always have to find the balance in my work because of this. Would their parents want to work with me again because of [the video]? I want to be a role model for kids. Also, My mom is super-religious, so anything I do, I have to think in the back of my mind “Is she going to be ok with this?”

MTME: Anything else you’d like to add?
TH: Just that people pass and share the video. Post it on your friends’ facebook walls, share it on Twitter. Simply doing this is equal to supporting the film and its causes. Spread the word!

---Hall’s innovative approach to the classic fairy tale is a re-shaping how we talk about race and class in this country. We are at a point now where we cannot be so politically correct that we do not talk about it at all. “Fear of a name is worse than the fear of the thing itself,” or however that saying goes.

At first glance, one sees all the stereotypes of a lower class inner-city community. When one watches the video a few more times, there are more aspects to be noticed, many of which Hall pointed out in his interview. Though the story takes place in a low-class neighborhood, the video is extremely clean. The convention in much of cinema and television today is that these areas are to be portrayed as drug- and crime-infested. A great amount swearing and cursing is also usually portrayed. Notice, however, that Hall’s world is of people living their every-day lives, without a single curse word at that.

The most interesting aspect of the video is that Belle actually ends up with Jerome (Gaston). In the Disney film, she rejects him completely, whereas in this, she gladly takes his arm after a little wooing and charm. It plays heavily against the conventions that his image is (unfortuantely) usually associated with.

The greatest beauty of the film is the way in which it was made. Many complain that there is no work for anyone in today’s economy. While it is more difficult than in years past, we now have the opportunity of FREE services like YouTube, Google, Twitter, and Facebook to make entrepeneurial projects such as this one. If one cannot attain a job, perhaps take Hall’s route. Make a job for yourself. [SOURCE]