Beauty and the Beast continued...

Some days ago I mentioned watching a short animated film of "Beauty and the Beast" (1989) with Mia Farrow narrating. I sent for the book version, illustrations by Mordicai Gerstein (the same man who supplied the images for the film). I quite like the book and here are some snaps of some of the art work (fuzziness due to a dirty lens!):

Beauty gazing at the Beast's symbolic birdcage:

A stand alone image from the book's front matter of the Beast brow-beating Beauty. I especially like the conception of the Beast--ram's horns, boar's face, monkey's body (and tail), ostrich's feet:

Details of Beast's palace--octopus chandeliers!

Fantastical beasts are everywhere in the decor, by the way. And here's the most marvelous of all: a horned sperm whale with wings and human legs.

Ian loves the story, too, which delights me no end. One of these days he'll see the Cocteau film and, here's hoping, a whole new world will open up to him. But if not, that's cool too.

CD