Sinister Beauty And The Beast Easter Egg Everybody Missed Actually Solves its Biggest Mystery
Long before Marvel and Pixar made it common practice to sneak Easter eggs into their films, Disney was doing it for a dedicated fan base that didn't have the luxury of high definition cinema or the ability to pause and dissect their home video releases.
Though sharing discoveries was nearly impossible without an Internet community, Disney continued to hide delightful secrets for their audience to uncover.
It was in 1991's Beauty and the Beast, when Disney went all out, transforming the movie into a treasure trove of hidden secrets, cameos, and nods to longtime fans.
It wasn't just about showcasing the groundbreaking capabilities of CGI or attempting the seemingly impossible task of animating a beloved story.
It was a masterclass in entertainment, including countless things that viewers wouldn't realize were there until years later.
Today, thanks to the magic of modern technology, particularly when it comes to Blu-ray discs, the original animators' brilliance can be fully appreciated.
Fans can now comb through the scenes with freeze-frame, capture and play functions to catch all the hidden moments they might have missed previously.
This level of access has even made it possible to finally answer one question that's been weighing on our minds for almost 30 years: did Gaston actually die?
If you recall, in the movie, the villainous Gaston falls off the Beast's castle, but we never see him hit the ground. So, was he alive or dead?
Many believed that the film being for children was the reason why Disney would never show a villain dying. However, there was a clue hidden in plain sight that you probably missed.
In a particularly intense scene, the one where Gaston is out to kill the Beast, you can see tiny skulls in Gaston's eyes.
It's a blink-and-you-miss-it detail that many would not have even noticed on their first or even fifth viewing, yet it is a subtle nod to Gaston's demise that answers the question once and for all.
This Easter egg was just one of the many hidden gems in Beauty and the Beast. It's no wonder that the film holds a special place in so many people's hearts.
It's a masterpiece that was well ahead of its time, even if we didn't know it back then.