Why I Agree With The Changes in BEASTLY!!!

I agree that sometimes things need to be changed when translating a book to film. I agree with it when the changes are done for a valid reason. If the changes improve the story or add value to the story, then I'm fine with it. Sometimes a director can make the story even better than the book. That's not the case with Beastly. There is no reason why Lindy's physical appearance needed to be changed and they needed to cast an actress who looks absolutely nothing like the character. If looks weren't important, then the author wouldn't have went through the trouble of describing her. To me, if you want to convince someone you are the character... you need to look the part and act the part. That's like me showing up to a Halloween party dressed as Wonder Woman, but trying to convince people I'm Catwoman because I'm acting like her. "I'm Catwoman! Hear me purr!" (insert crowd laughter) "I'm acting like Catwoman! Why can't you see I'm Catwoman?" Because I LOOK like Wonder Woman. See, it doesn't work that way. Lindy is a main character and should be easily identified by people who read the book. I didn't even know Vanessa was playing that part until I read it on IMDB. Do you know why? Because she looks nothing like her. Why would I even guess she's playing Lindy? To me, how a character looks is just as important as how they act. One is not more important than the other. I can act like someone, but it doesn't mean I'd be believable if I don't transform myself into them. If looks aren't important, then anyone could play any character as long as they acted like them. And you know that's just not true. What if I acted like you? Would your friends and family think I was convincing if I didn't make myself look like you? Probably not.

The same argument applies to The Beast. There is no reason they couldn't make him hairy and hideous. If they can remake The Wolfman for audiences today---a society who has high standards when it comes to special effects and makeup---they could've transformed Alex Pettyfer into a beast. They did it with the 80's TV series Beauty & the Beast when Ron Perlman portrayed the beast. His makeup was very believable. The beast in Beastly isn't even a beast anymore. He's a bald guy with scars, tatts, and piercings. And a lot of people think he still looks hot. That is totally contradictory of his character. He's not supposed to look attractive. He's supposed to scare the heck out of people if they saw him. Most people today wouldn't be afraid of him. I don't understand why the director didn't think it was necessary to make him too ugly when he's supposed to be. For the people who think he's still attractive, how are they supposed to "feel" for him? He doesn't look ugly to them, so they probably can't see why he's really that upset. Now... if he looked like Chewbacca, no one would say he's hot. Why is it acceptable for him to look bald and scarred when he's not getting the reaction from the audience like he should? Like I said, people should NOT be saying he looks attractive. He should be ugly as sin!

I think you need to remember that some fans of the book wanted Daniel Barnz to stay true to the characters, not just the story. The characters make the story and they need to be represented accurately. Daniel didn't do that with anyone except maybe Kyle and his father. Maybe Will too. NPH is ok and not too far off from the character. He changed Kendra's looks for no reason. She was supposed to be fat in the beginning of the book. And Mary-Kate Olsen doesn't look very goth. One of my friends is a former goth (she was one in high school). She saw MKO in the Beastly trailer and said she actually looks like a poser. The director changed Magda's name and ethnicity for no reason, and totally butchered Linda's looks. Now she's dark-haired, with dark eyes, tan skin, perfect teeth, flawless makeup, and attractive. There is nothing about Vanessa that embodies Linda physically, except maybe she's thin and looks like a teenager. How is that doing Linda justice? What's worse is that Vanessa's face is on the cover of the movie tie-in book. So people reading the book for the first time will actually read Lindy's description... then flip the book over and see a girl who looks the total opposite. I wonder how many readers will have a 'WTF?' expression on their face.

Okay first and for most.... This is a movie we're talking about!!! And second not every one going to see this movie is a fan of the book, some haven't even heard of it!!! The examples you've given me in this arguement are no ofense rediculous and don't come close to my point!!! To me Kyle is still hideous, there's no way I'd be that near him if he seemed as horrible as he looked, and he needed to look semi-acceptable for the audience!!! No one wants to sit there for the whole 2hrs staring at a guy that makes them wanna throw up, let alone a guy in a rediculous monkey suit!!! Yes the beast was believable in that B&B tv series but again the makers of the film wanted to do their own vision of the beast!!! If everyone copied one idea things would get boring!!! And yes physical appearance of a character isn't always important as I've mentioned previously about The Vampire Diaries!!!! Elena in the books is supposed to be blonde with blue eyes, in the show she's brunette with brown eyes, to me she still embodies the character because of how she plays her and I've been a fan of the books before the show surfaced!!! People are reading the books now while watching the show and they aren't going WTF when the cover displays a brunette Elena on the book cover!!!! And like I said changes from books to film are nescessary, especially for the main audience which isn't just book fans. No matter what creators of these shows and movies have to sell to general public, and I'm telling you no one would take the film seriously if Alex looked liked the walt Disney version of the beast!!! They changed his beast makeup to make the film darker and edgier!!! Now if you're a fan who believes in the book being the way it was written, that's fine no one is making you see the movie. As a huge fan of the book I accept the movie for what it is and I can't wait to see it!!!

I agree with Lisa. It is an adaptation of the novel, not a 100% accurate recreation. Changes were made for the better. Think about it this way; Wolfman was recently remade from like American Werewolf in London (or something like that). Now in both those movies the werewolves were hairy monsters. And Twilight? Hairy monsters. Wouldn't it be kind of boring to just have this beast be a hairy monster? He's still the same character, it's just a more abstract interpretation of ugly. It's not the conventional, mainstream beast. The director added a bit of originality and edge to the story, and that's not a bad thing at all.
As for Lindy, the actress that fits plays the character best and has the most chemistry with the actors already cast (in this case Pettyfer) doesn't always fit the physical description of the character. Like the changes in the beast, this one is not detrimental in any way. It's another interpretation. What would life be without modification and change?
Also, Alex Flinn (the author of "Beastly") agrees with all of these changes. If she's open to it, why shouldn't you be?

ForsakenMoon19, you accept the film. I don't. That's why I replied to your article telling people like me to get a life because we're "haters." I'm sorry you feel that way about people who don't like what you like. But uh, they're called OPINIONS and everyone is entitled to them. No one is trying to RUIN it for you. We're just telling you we DON'T like the film. Just like you're telling me you feel optimistic about it. If you can praise this film, then I have a right to criticize it.

I pretty much disagree with everything you've both said. Just because the author likes the changes, doesn't mean I have to. Her opinion doesn't affect mine.

You say the beast is supposed to be semi-acceptable? For who? Superficial teenage girls? Do you know one of the messages in the story? It's not about how attractive someone is; that shouldn't matter when looking at a person. So no, he's not supposed to be physically "acceptable". That's the whole point of his beastly transformation. He's not supposed to be kinda ugly and kinda cute at the same time. This is NOT a Disney cartoon.

And who's talking about a monkey suit? They don't need to copy a look from another horror character or make him a werewolf. He's not, but at least make him look like he's supposed to. Some FORM of a beast or animal-like creature. He's a BEAST and this is 'BEASTLY'. Why WOULDN'T anyone take him seriously? Why should anyone take him seriously when he looks like a bald guy with piercings, tatts, and scars? He looks like a scarred punk rock kid.

I'm not for unnecessary changes, and just because this is a film isn't an excuse. The points I mentioned could've been easily translated to film. This is a book adaptation, not an original film.

As far as the movie tie-in book cover, I think it's pretty dumb to put a person's face on a cover that doesn't remotely look like the person you're reading about on the INSIDE of the book. That makes absolutely no sense. It's called "false visual representation". So yeah, I think some people who read Beastly AFTER they see the movie are going to be confused why Vanessa was cast as Linda.

How can you embody a book character just by acting like them? What happened to transforming yourself physically into the character? You're not supposed to look like yourself if you're playing someone else. I think you should look like the person you're portraying. I don't think changing Linda's looks was necessary. The same applies to Elena in Vampire Diaries. How is changing the characters' looks making the story BETTER? It's just making it different. But different doesn't always = better.

I'm a big fan of the Beastly book too and I read it before any photos or videos were released. I wanted to see the film do the book justice. From what I've seen, I don't think it is, so I won't be seeing it in the theater. I'm not supporting this film with my money. I've already formed an opinion from the featurette and trailer which have revealed almost the whole movie except the ending and climax. The film version has totally turned me off. As much as I LOOOOVVVVEEEE Alex Pettyfer, he's not enough for me to support this. I do wish him the best though and I'm happy he's playing Kyle because he fits the character perfectly.

Well if you aren't gonna support the film, why are you even at this spot??? This place isn't just for fans of the book or didn't you notice? I get you have your opinion, everyone has an opinion so what, who cares cause I don't!!! I think the movie looks excellent and as Ms.skyhudge has pointed out, this film is LOOSELY based on the novel by Alex Flinn and there for treated as a creative project for the filmmakers!!! People can't always get what they want in life, in this case your one of thoes people when it comes to BEASTLY!!! I'm a person who accepts changes in certain points!! I like how The Vampire Diaries is portrayed on television and I know I'm gonna like the film version of BEASTLY!!! I don't know why I have keep explaining to you the reasons for why Alex's beast form wouldn't have worked the other way around, I sound like a broken record doing it and to me it's a waste of my time!!! So far everyone in this club is liking what they see from the movie except for you!!! Ya Kyle is beastly in the film no matter what, you don't have to look like an animal to look beastly!!! To me none of the actors in Twilight look like their characters!!! Edward is supposed to have copper hair and it's BROWN and Jake isn't even that much taller than Ed or Bella, does that mean I dismiss the film altogether??!! NO!!! Beacuse I don't care as long as the actors do their part in playing that character well!!! Okay I'm done with this topic, next please!!!!

...You're right, you do have the right to an opinion. Personally, I HATE HATE HATE Avril Lavinge. Every time I see her picture in a magazine I want to burn it. I know people who are completely obsessed with her, and I respect that. So, in order to be a POLITE, HUMANE person, I don't go on her spot and express my opinion. That would just be rude and mean. What would be the point of me doing that?
You have every right to dislike this movie, but please be polite, and don't ruin it for us. We're not looking for a fight, we're just excited for this movie. So have your opinion, but please just keep it to yourself.

skyhudge, I'm not going to keep my opinion to myself. You're not keeping yours to yourself. So because my opinion is negative, I shouldn't speak my mind here? I'm not a fan of this spot anymore. I was BEFORE I got turned off from seeing the trailer and featurette and I REMOVED myself as a fan.

ForsakenMoon19, you DON'T understand that people have different opinions because you called them "haters". Instead of accepting the fact that some people don't like this film version, you tell them to "get a life". If anyone needs to be polite... it's you. And like I said, no one is trying to ruin this for you. Stop being so dramatic. You don't care what I say anyway, so how could I ruin anything? You've stated you like this film version and your reasons why, and I said I don't and I've given my reasons why. It's called a difference of opinion, that's all. You're getting all upset because I challenged some of the things you said in your article. Well, that's too bad. Don't post something like that in a public forum and expect people NOT to disagree with what you say.

I know I'm not keeping my opinion to myself. It's because this is a fan page for Beastly, and I support and am a fan of Beastly. You are not a fan of it. so why are you here? Obviously because you have no life and have nothing better to do except for shoot down other people. I'm wholeheartedly sorry if you have some self-esteem problems, but being a downer on other people won't help you. I wish you the best.

You took the words right out of my mouth sky!! Just because u have opinions Eggie doesn't mean u can go around bashing other ppl and their interests!! No one here wants to listen to negativity, or anywhere!! I'm sorry if u feel ofended but like I said before this spot supports the movie and book to beastly, if u've got nothing but negative things to say to ppl here than maybe it's for the best that u've stopped fanpoping here!!! And like sky said, I wish you the best of luck;D

i TOTALLY agree with you about the beasts appearence in the movie vs the book, ive never read the book, but ive heard about how people dont like that the beast isnt hairy in the film, but like you said no one would take the movie seriously if alex was all hairy, a hairy beast works in an animated film (like beauty and the beast) but can you really root for a hairy beast and a pretty girl in a live-action movie? most likely no, it would just be awkward and really random, no one would be able to take the movie as seriously, can you really imagine a real-life girl falling in love with someone more animal than human? like I said, it works in animation but not as much in live-action, so i BEYOND agree with you on that

i also agree with you about vanessa at first i was hesitant, cuz lets be honest not a lot of people want to see a movie with vanessa in it,but im really warming up to the idea of her and i think she'll do splendidly, great article!

ok i hope eggie30,skyhuge and forsakenmoon19 have settled their differences :)
I for one don't know who this Vanessa is and she looks like she could pull this role off..but i agree that she shouldn't have gotten this role.
she looks kind of pretty (not beautiful or something) and the character isn't, so in this case looks should matter.. in twilight for example they picked the perfect Bella: plain and average looking!
i agree with beast's appearance and how hairy doesn't work in film.
For example the movie Beauty and the Beast from 2009: the beast was hairy,repulsive and everything, but I've spent most of the movie laughing at him or the actors in general cause it was stupid.. the couple wasn't convincing and the beast also.
OK they could have added a few more scars and disfigurements but fine what can we do..
Alex (or anyone else for that matter) as hairy beast is a big no no..
but appearances aside,i don't think we'll see much of real acting here..
as much as i like Alex he's not that good of an actor (and I've seen all of his movies).. he was the best in tom brown's schooldays.. it's true what they say that children are the best actors :)and when they grow up they are average and not impressive..

I am a huge Beastly fan!!! I mean huge. I'm goign on my seventeenth read and I have yet to cry at the good parts and not read it in one sitting (wow that was s*&ty grammar)

Anyway, my take on it is, as long as the story is portrayed then why does it matter what the characters look like. For goodness sake do people remember what the book was about??? Not judging on looks. So I think people seriously need to cool down, relax and shut up about Vanessa Hudgens.

---read the rest in my article!!!

this is such a wrong depiction. i think he is a good character(that is Kyle) but he needs to be hairy. if he isn't hairy it takes away a lot of parts. like when he is in the room with Sloane right after he transforms and she turns on the light BECAUSE she feels the hair. and it constantly is talking about how hairy he is. he even says that he looks like chubaca(from star wars)
SO ANNOYED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so if you're so against it, then don't see it. It's as simple as that.

I totally argee!