A cool thing from yesterday: I discovered on the On Demand menu on Comcast a 1988 animated short of "The Beauty and the Beast" that was originally featured on a TV series called "Long Ago and Far Away." The colored line drawings were done by Mordicai Gerstein and animated (rather creatively) by Jan Svojak (aka Svochak). Mia Farrow did the voice-over narration and the character voices (a good Beauty; a less than convincing Beast). From what I can tell, the version held very close to that popularized by Villeneuve and Beaumont--but I don't remember when (if ever) I read such a version! I'm more familar with Jean Cocteau's 1946 film "La Belle et La Bete," which is on my short list of films that I will drop everything I am doing to watch.
In fact, so enchanted was I by the film that I researched Mordicai Gerstein a bit and found a list of his illustrated books. I've ordered up a copy of "Beauty and the Beast" for Ian (and myself, I confess). His children's book "The Wild Boy" looks interesting as well, as it treats some of the same themes via the story of a much celebrated 19th century feral child, Victor, of Aveyron, France. (See film by Truffaut, "The Wild Child.") Trivia Q: What famous actress shouted "Give me back my beast!" at the close of Cocteau's film?
Here are some links to Mordicai Gerstein. Enjoy:
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