Another Pressing Question

[bloodyrosemccoy]

The other day my sister, toast_zombie, and a few other friends and I were hanging out watching movies when the conversation turned, like most conversations do after a while, to the topic of the name of the Beast in Disney’s version of Beauty and the Beast.

We all had our own ideas. I pointed out that Disney did give him an official name—but only obscurely.* Frankly, though, my own reaction to learning the official name was to realize that I had always, for reasons unknown to even me, assumed that his name was—well, in the interest of Science, I’m not actually going to reveal it yet.

Why, you ask? Well! After our debate, I decided to see what all of you thought. So! I ask you all to answer it for me—which name would you give the Beast?

[Poll #1449965]

The multiple-choice question is a list of names my friends and I have offered for him, as well as the name Disney themselves gave him. You’re also welcome to suggest your own!

And if you want to know whose was whose, you can always click the cut—but y’all will vote first so as not to taint the experiment, right? Right.

My sister calls him Andy. alietf, back in the day, suggested Harold (ETA: She apparently got this from zimwifepgk There is no evidence to suggest that zimwifepgk got it from Agnes, however). I suggested Henry as a joke, but to tell you the truth when I heard he had an official name my response was, “Wait, his name isn’t Rene?”

His official name is Adam. Very French, that.

No matter what, though, I go with “Beast” most of the time. That’s the guy I’m for, anyway.


*Fun Fact: The writers only realized they’d never given him a name near the end of production, and pretty much said, “Well, fuck it.”

Comments

[luinmir.livejournal.com]

Seems like I've always known his name was Adam. It's my brother's name, so it stuck. Now I can't think of him with any other name.

[draconic-rogue.livejournal.com]

You say you suggested Henry as a joke but that's the name I would think of first. I actually kind of thought Eric but remembered that was from TLM.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

*grin* Well, there is another famous Beast named Henry, you see ... one rather near and dear to my heart.

It could still work, but it would be uncanny! But then, I guess that's what the X-Men have been recently.

[igntethestars.livejournal.com]

Henry McCoy . . I'd take you home. Even if you are blue and furry.

But then again, I know another blue, fuzzy person who is even more dear to me :)) And he speaks German! Makes things better!

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

God, I have to admit, the X-Men movies were pretty daft, but they were beautifully cast. "But in ze Munich Circus ..."

Well, at least we don't have to fight over one fluffy blue crush. Although my fan fantasies never go well ... I can't do OoC, so all the fantasies wind up just being me bugging the shit out of the object of my interest. (No, really! It's so consistent that my buddy Lychee drew comics!

[igntethestars.livejournal.com]

Alan Cumming was the best thing they could have done for Kurt. Seriously, that man's acting was Kurt's personality to a T (minus the humor - but when he did have his moments, they were there *_*)

You can have one blue fuzzy, and I'll have the other? :D

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

I think he had a pretty good quiet humor, yes.

Indeed, we can each enjoy our own fuzzies!

[marsdejahthoris.livejournal.com]

... I keep forgetting "Hank" is short for Henry. He's "Hank" in my head. (Dr. Pym of the many names rarely breaks my radar.)

[zimwifepgk.livejournal.com]

Actually alietf got 'Harold' from me way back in the day. XD I wrote a parody of BatB and in the author notes before one of the chapters noted that Beast was never given a name and said that from now on I was calling him Harold. So I guess you can guess which name I voted for!

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Aha! I did not know that!

Although I vaguely remember hearing SOMETHING about a parody ...

By the way, where IS alietf these days? Does she still exist?

[zimwifepgk.livejournal.com]

I'd link to said parody (for proofs!), but it's kind of embarrassing and dumb so you'll have to take my word for it. =D;

She exists, but she has a new LJ name. It's redfirelight. We haven't talked since the beginning of this year, actually, but I'm guessing she wouldn't mind you knowing where she is since you're buds and all. XD;

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

I understand completely about the parody.

I shall hitherto assault her at her new address! Thanks!

[tay421.livejournal.com]

I keep not even imagining him with a name-- I'm so used to knowing him as The Beast, even if that makes no sense for his human counterpart (who I'd rather call Generic Prince No. 5437637648437 and a half, but voted Adam nonetheless). I should remember "Prince Adam" easily enough... but it makes me think of He-Man.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Well, like I told my sister, he's "Beast" until he's human. I never consciously thought about it, actually, until someone told me what his "official" name was.

Not that it matters. Prince Adam Rene Henry Andy Harold III Jr. can take a hike. I demand my fluffy buffalo-headed wolf-tailed Beast.

[tay421.livejournal.com]

I agree entirely. He looks like he could be cuddly. :B I would have rather keep him in beast form-- you get USED to him that way, and then he changes into some generic pretty boy...! That's no fun at all.

[chairman-wow.livejournal.com]

I put down Henry in the poll, but the story's meant to be set in France, right? It should be Henri, at least. René works, too, but that makes me think of 'Allo 'Allo! :P

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Well, yes--I debated whether or not to do Henri, Henry, or Henry/Henri. I'm starting to wish I'd gone with Henri ...

Oh, well. It's not like Disney worked very hard on it, anyway.

[redheaded-itch.livejournal.com]

I can see Henry, because there is a French equivalent and has traditionally been a royal name. Rene is also good, but not terribly princely. Rene is, to me, more of an artisan's name.

But Adam?? Not very French.

[viizou.livejournal.com]

I didn't need to know that, but I'm glad I do now. :-)

[packbat.livejournal.com]

I never actually saw the movie.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Indeed? If there's one Disney movie I'd recommend to everyone, that one would be it. Unfortunately, it's in the goddamn Vault right now, so finding a copy is unnecessarily complicated.

[confusedpuppy.livejournal.com]

I was cheeky and put my other as "Henri." I'm kind of glad I wasn't the only one who thought that way.

[stormteller.livejournal.com]

I always knew his name was Adam. I could've sworn they mentioned it in the film somewhere.

[redbird57.livejournal.com]

I can't believe I never noticed they didn't give him a name.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Don't worry--it took the writers quite a while to realize it, too!

[broken-moons.livejournal.com]

Haha, score! I never even saw B&tB, and I got his name right. I was also considering Henry.

My still-must-see list for Disney is abominably long. :(