Beauty and the Beast

Monday, October 18, 2021

Richard Haines presents BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Jean Cocteau, 1946):

Jean Cocteau, a French poet, novelist, filmmaker, and director of the 1946 rendition of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, uses magical realism and queer nuance to illustrate the many forms in which beauty manifests itself. A major figure in the Surrealist and Dada art movements, Cocteau’s dreamy special effects create a mise-en-scene that is so lush with Freudian symbolism and homoeroticism, like the wall of muscular arms holding candelabras, that the set feels like another character in the poetic and haunting love story between Belle and The Beast. Jean Marais, Cocteau’s muse and lover, plays the monstrous beast as well as three other roles in this film, while Josette Day, as Belle, plays a convincingly horrified and orgasmic damsel. Richard Haines, our guest presenter, will talk about how this film not only shaped his life but also his love of art, design, fashion and all things queer.

Screening as part of the Fall 2021 season of Queer|Art|Film.

• Country France
• Language In French with English subtitles
• Year 1946
• Running Time 96 minutes
• Director Jean Cocteau
• Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.