Today as I was browsing the Roku channel for something to put on 'in the background' I discovered a Beauty and the Beast min-series I had never heard of before.
This version does not have the magical aspects of the Prince being transformed into a beast creature, nor the household objects personified as his faithful servants nor enchanted rose couting down the time. The Prince has become a Beast metaphorically because after losing his wife, his grief and bitterness make him cruel and indifferent to others.
I enjoyed this retelling, mostly because it it presents itself as a mash-up of the classic tale and other stories which I love.
The Phantom of the Opera: Although the Prince is a Beast mostly due to his behavior, he has scars on his face which he covers with a partial mask.
The Secret Garden: Bella finds an abandoned greenhouse, which has been locked up for years because the Prince is haunted by his memories of his dead wife, and she brings the greenhouse back to life
For anyone who might want the 'classic' Beauty and the Beast story, there is still plenty of that in this rendition:
-Her name is Bella (very close to Belle)
-Her father is poor, and she offers herself in servitude to the Prince to help him
-Reading, learning and libraries are still featured as Bella's passion. In fact, rather than presenting her with a beautiful library, the Prince leads her to a forgotten room with piles of musty books, and tells her that he wishes her to organize and catalog them all
-The Dress
Worth watching if you love Beauty and the Beast.