Beauty and the Beast

[KryptoKnight]

This whole Davis Bloom thing reminds (vaguely and not respectully) me of Beauty and the Beast although it has a long way to go to emulate it. I wonder how long it will be before we also get Little Mermaid :rolleyes:

[Shadowlord367]

In the teaser with the scene with Davis and Chloe in the basement, they were kissing passionately and pressed up against a film poster that was subtitled "a love story," and I was wondering if anyone knew the name of the film, and any details on it.

Chlavis is a love story, a twisted one at that, but hopefully that film has ties to where the relationship might be headed.

I found that scene chillingly romantic.

[VagrantDream]

Chlavis is a love story, a twisted one at that, but hopefully that film has ties to where the relationship might be headed.

I found that scene chillingly romantic. Me too.

The entire thing broke my heart. IMO, Chloe does have very strong feelings for Davis but she fears giving into those feelings because holding on/getting too close to Davis might lead to Clark's death, or him figuratively 'killing' the image of Clark she has built up in her mind.

the kissing scene broke my heart even more when parallelled to what was happening in real time during the ep, Davis's love for Chloe being his entire world and Chloe helping him but trying to deny that her actions occurred because of her feelings (with the Clark phone booth scene).

also, I have searched for the poster/movie, and I couldn't find it. maybe it was made for the episode? looked like it was put up to parallel a scene from wuthering heights.

[Violet-Shadow]

I don't find Chlavis to even remotely resemble a love story. It's more a story of lust and obsession.

I looked "Casa Bronte: A Love Story" on google and came up with zero results of a film or book by that title. There were results, however, for this forum, lol.

I think the representation is of the "love" story in Wuthering Heights, which was written by Emilly Bronte. However, the main "love" story in that novel was not something wonderful nor did it have a happy ending. It was creepy...like Chlavis.

Wuthering Heights is a spectacular novel but it shows different kinds of relationship's. The super creepy one, which is very close to Chalvis, and the more genuine one of two secondary characters in the novel.

Of course, this is all IMO, and I know that people will interpret Chlavis and the romances in Wuthering Heights different than I do.

[jpfort1957]

More like a nightmare!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Denegation 15]

I feel bad for Chloe. She has gone through a love roller coaster.

But I think it might have some love in there. I also think that Chloe is going to end up getting hurt. I mean, I know Davis started out caring for her, but now I think that he just cares about her because she keeps him from turning into Doomsday.

[Shadowlord367]

Ah, so that poster is fictional. Oh well, it was a nice touch that gave it a very cinematic feel.

[xrayvision]

I've never been more ashamed of watching this show than when my mother woke up from sleeping on the couch and saw that scene and told me it's something chicks would watch. Just another reminder of how much I hate what they have done to this once great show. It truly is a love story now. I felt alienated as a guy having to watch that scene when the original purpose of the show was nothing like this and appealed to all sorts of viewers.

[topping82]

This whole Davis Bloom thing reminds (vaguely and not respectully) me of Beauty and the Beast although it has a long way to go to emulate it. I wonder how long it will be before we also get Little Mermaid :rolleyes:

It resembles the fairy tale for sure. There are actually a lot of references to the story. But the real fairy tale is MUCH darker than the Disney version. As is The Little Mermaid.

That said, the Beauty and the Beast story line with Chloe and Davis is very intriguing and very well written and also VERY respectful. Also, Beauty and the Beast is more than just a fairy tale. It is also an archetype. They're not trying to copy the story, as there are MANY different versions of the story. They are doing their own thing showing the literary influence.

I could make a humongous list of all the similarities to the Beauty and the Beast type "story" or "archetype" on Smallville.

Beauty and the Beast is much more than a Disney cartoon. It's an epic tale that's been told and retold in many different ways. But really it comes down to a story about redemption. I think they've been paying a lovely tribute to Beauty and the Beast. Not literally just the fairy tale, but the themes as well.

I loved the gorgeous tribute in Bride to Jean Cocteau's famous film La Belle et La Bete (Beauty and the Beast). The shot of DD carrying Chloe into the fortress was meant to pay homage to the scene in the film when the Beast carries Beauty into the castle. Shot by shot they mirrored each other. It was on purpose.

Again, they're not trying to copy the fairy tale or the Disney interpretation of the story. They're doing a dark retelling of the story, one that much better fits the original dark themes of the tale. The Villeneuve's version, and not the watered down version by Beaumont (the more famous version) written a few years later. Though the writers do use elements of both.

The Villeneuve version of course was influenced by many stories beforehand, like from Perrault. Most likely Beaumont wrote a shorter version of the tale, watering down parts of the story that would have been seen as inappropriate reading material.

In Villeneuve's version:

"The Beast is a truly fierce figure, not a gentle soul disguised by fur — a creature lost to the human world that had once been his by birthright. The emphasis of this tale is on the transformation of the Beast, who must find his way back to the human sphere. He is a genuine monster, eventually reclaimed by civilité, magic, and love — and it is only then that Beauty can truly love him."

This is more like Davis than Beaumont's version where:

"The emphasis shifts from the Beast's need for transformation to the need of the heroine to change — she must learn to see beyond appearance and recognize the good man in the Beast. With this shift, we see the story altered from one of critique and rebellion to one of moral edification, aimed at younger and younger readers, as fairy tales slowly moved from adult salons to children's nurseries. By the 19th century, the Beast's monstrous shape is only a kind of costume that he wears — he poses no genuine danger or sexual threat to Beauty in these children's stories."

While it is true that Chloe can see the good in Davis, there is also a genuine danger of sexual attraction between the "Beast" and Chloe. They are clearly attracted to each other.

Well anyway, I could go on, but the point is, is that there are many different versions of the tale, and Chloe and Davis are influenced by many of them. Though it seems clear that it is much darker than the Beaumont version (which is still in itself darker than Disney) and especially darker than the Disney tale.

Chloe and Davis also go beyond these written tales by focusing on the Beauty and the Beast archetype, a story that has been around since at least the 2nd century.

No doubt the references have been on purpose and that they very much see Chloe and Davis as a Beauty and the Beast tale.

I recommend reading this really great article (which I was quoting from) by Terri Windling: http://www.endicott-studio.com/rdrm/forbewty.html

Also, if Smallville borrowed some ideas from The Little Mermaid (the real fairy tale, not the Disney version, by Hans Christian Anderson) I would be very happy. They used some of the themes of it on Moonlight (Another show heavily influenced by Beauty and the Beast). And it worked really well. The episode where they showed the influence of that fairy tale was brilliant.

I've already seen an article popping up about Beauty and the Beast stories, and the writer included Chloe and Davis. I'm sure we will be seeing more of them in the future.

Here's a quote from that article (does this or does it not sound almost exactly like Chloe and Davis?):

The male is usually a monster physically, capable of great rage and destruction. (Davis/Doomsday) The female is kind, smart, and emotional. She brings out the best in him. She sees the good; (Chloe) he smashes anything that threatens her into itty-bitty pieces. (Stiletto and Beast anyone?)

The ideal is often so high that sexual relations are not mentioned (Not by the creators, at least). If physical relations do occur — if it's even possible — expect doom, unless some magic (like the power of True Loves Kiss) occurs to turn the male into a less objectionable form. (I think it's fair to say that Davis is our version of a less objectionable form. :))

Well anyway, I love all the Beauty and the Beast influence on Smallville right now.

----- Added 4 Minutes later -----

I've never been more ashamed of watching this show than when my mother woke up from sleeping on the couch and saw that scene and told me it's something chicks would watch. Just another reminder of how much I hate what they have done to this once great show. It truly is a love story now. I felt alienated as a guy having to watch that scene when the original purpose of the show was nothing like this and appealed to all sorts of viewers.

I think this helps the show appeal to a new audience, who wasn't interested before, or who weren't familiar with the show.

Of course there's going to be love stories on the show. It keeps people wanting to watch. Not everyone wants to watch for just Clark and mythos.

People watch for different reasons, and I think that's awesome. I think it's good to have a mix, where there's something for everyone.

I love that your Mom called it a chick show!!!! It is true that this type of story appeals to women. I know a lot of girls/women who have started watching SV just for Chloe and Davis' story.

And we all know how well Twilight did, another Beauty and the Beast type story! I personally am thrilled with this direction as I personally don't care about the mythos all that much. I care about good writing and good characters I can connect with. I certainly connect with Chloe and Davis.

[Violet-Shadow]

It's Beauty and the Beast in reverse, IMO. Beast's transformation, with Beauty's soothing hand helping him along, leads to him discovering that inner goodness.

Davis, on the other hand, is losing any goodness he may have had. His transformation is leading him to his more beastly nature. His "inner beast" if you will.

Beauty gets a happy ending with Beast but I don't think that Chloe will get a happy ending with her monster.

[topping82]

Me too.

The entire thing broke my heart. IMO, Chloe does have very strong feelings for Davis but she fears giving into those feelings because holding on/getting too close to Davis might lead to Clark's death, or him figuratively 'killing' the image of Clark she has built up in her mind.

the kissing scene broke my heart even more when parallelled to what was happening in real time during the ep, Davis's love for Chloe being his entire world and Chloe helping him but trying to deny that her actions occurred because of her feelings (with the Clark phone booth scene).

also, I have searched for the poster/movie, and I couldn't find it. maybe it was made for the episode? looked like it was put up to parallel a scene from wuthering heights.

The poster was definitely made up for the show. This is definitely not a real movie. All the movie posters were supposed to represent their reality. We have the Love story poster (which basically means House of Bronte: Emily and Charlotte Bronte anyone?)

Then we have Road Trip. Where do Chloe and Davis go at the end? A road trip. Then have another poster about time ticking away.

I loved the dream as well.

The rose is certainly making reference to Beauty and the Beast, as most BatB type stories have some kind of a rose. SV used them in abundance!

----- Added 7 Minutes later -----

It's Beauty and the Beast in reverse, IMO. Beast's transformation, with Beauty's soothing hand helping him along, leads to him discovering that inner goodness.

Davis, on the other hand, is losing any goodness he may have had. His transformation is leading him to his more beastly nature. His "inner beast" if you will.

Beauty gets a happy ending with Beast but I don't think that Chloe will get a happy ending with her monster.

Beauty and the Beast is not ONE story. It is an archetype and can have many different endings. Though we do not know Davis' ending. Perhaps Chloe will be his "only cure."

There is a fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast (there's a few actually), but it is also an archetype that goes back at least as far as the 2nd century (being written down anyway). Someone just decided to name a fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. There is an archetype also called by that name. When one says Beauty and the Beast it is not always in reference to the watered down version of the fairy tale.

When I say it's a Beauty and the Beast story, I do not mean that it is the fairy tale. Jane Eyre is also a Beauty and the Beast story. But it's not the fairy tale.

Phantom of the Opera is also a Beauty and the Beast story. DOES the beast get the girl in the end? NO. Does he transform? NO.

Sometimes these stories end with the self-sacrifice of the beast. Edward gives up Kim in Edward Scissorhands, Phantom gives up Christine in Phantom of the Opera, etc...

It's not about the ending, it's about the themes. That said, Davis is good, as Chloe can see.

I bolded the part that sounds exactly like Turbulence. Chloe actually turned the beast back into human form with her healing hand of love.

Will Chloe and Davis get a happy ending? Who knows. But again, it's not the fairy tale and we don't know the end of this story. It's their own story that's using elements of both the archetype and the fairy tale (which is also a part of the archetype).

----- Added 9 Minutes later -----

I feel bad for Chloe. She has gone through a love roller coaster.

But I think it might have some love in there. I also think that Chloe is going to end up getting hurt. I mean, I know Davis started out caring for her, but now I think that he just cares about her because she keeps him from turning into Doomsday.

No, I think Davis really loves Chloe. This is just some extra fringe benefits.

[topping82]

I don't find Chlavis to even remotely resemble a love story. It's more a story of lust and obsession.

I looked "Casa Bronte: A Love Story" on google and came up with zero results of a film or book by that title. There were results, however, for this forum, lol.

I think the representation is of the "love" story in Wuthering Heights, which was written by Emilly Bronte. However, the main "love" story in that novel was not something wonderful nor did it have a happy ending. It was creepy...like Chlavis.

Wuthering Heights is a spectacular novel but it shows different kinds of relationship's. The super creepy one, which is very close to Chalvis, and the more genuine one of two secondary characters in the novel.

Of course, this is all IMO, and I know that people will interpret Chlavis and the romances in Wuthering Heights different than I do.

Thanks comparing Chlavis to one of the best love stories of all time. I don't find Cathy and Heathcliff to be creepy myself. I find them to be fascinating.

That said, Chloe and Davis are much closer to Jane Eyre (a Beauty/Beast story) written by Charlotte Bronte. Emily's sister. C BRONTE, like the poster. Though the poster really means House of Bronte, so I think we're getting a mix of both sisters' stories. Though I suppose they could be influenced by Anne Bronte as well.

I think that Davis is not villainous like Heathcliff and Chloe is no Cathy. Cathy is a selfish creature. And it all goes to hell by the way because Cathy married the wrong man. Oh, wait, isn't that what Davis says to Chloe? He doesn't want her to marry the wrong man.

Jimmy can easily be compared to Edgar, that's for sure. And everything does go to hell as soon as Chloe marries him. I think Bride was trying to show us Chloe was conflicted about marrying Jimmy. It was the wrong choice. She could have saved Davis before he had no other way to stop from turning into the monster by killing. They could have learned earlier on that Chloe can stop the beast from transforming.

But in a way, Davis and Heathcliff can definitely be compared as they both don't really have a past. And they both appear around the same age. One's a gypsy, one's an alien.

But then it's also like Jane Eyre, because Jane sees the beauty in Rochester, when he can't see the beauty in himself. He's a "beast." It's more about redemption.

That said, Rochester, Heathcliff and Davis are all Byronic heroes. They are true to the women they love in their heart, and other things just don't matter as much. Although, Davis and Heathcliff also fit into the orphan archetype. And Davis even resembles Oliver Twist at times.

Well anyway, I honestly believe they were trying to tell us that Chloe and Davis are a love story and that they are influenced by the House of Bronte, or the Bronte sisters. Not just Emily and not just Charlotte.

[Violet-Shadow]

Beauty and the Beast is not ONE story. It is an archetype and can have many different endings. Though we do not know Davis' ending. Perhaps Chloe will be his "only cure."

There is a fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast (there's a few actually), but it is also an archetype that goes back at least as far as the 2nd century (being written down anyway). Someone just decided to name a fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. There is an archetype also called by that name. When one says Beauty and the Beast it is not always in reference to the watered down version of the fairy tale.

When I say it's a Beauty and the Beast story, I do not mean that it is the fairy tale. Jane Eyre is also a Beauty and the Beast story. But it's not the fairy tale.

Phantom of the Opera is also a Beauty and the Beast story. DOES the beast get the girl in the end? NO. Does he transform? NO.

Sometimes these stories end with the self-sacrifice of the beast. Edward gives up Kim in Edward Scissorhands, Phantom gives up Christine in Phantom of the Opera, etc...

It's not about the ending, it's about the themes. That said, Davis is good, as Chloe can see.

I bolded the part that sounds exactly like Turbulence. Chloe actually turned the beast back into human form with her healing hand of love.

Will Chloe and Davis get a happy ending? Who knows. But again, it's not the fairy tale and we don't know the end of this story. It's their own story that's using elements of both the archetype and the fairy tale (which is also a part of the archetype).



I understand your point about Beauty and the Beast being an archetype (though I think that ES is very different from some of your examples of BatB because ES always has a good heart and Kim never kept him from his "beastly" nature. YMMV).

As for Davis being good, while that is up to interpretation. I don't think Davis is good - I see him as the camouflage for the beast. He's murdered people as Davis and as Doomsday thus far. Chloe just keeps him in disguise, IMO. So in Turbulence, in my eyes, Chloe just stopped Davis from becoming the outwardly horrific beast but he never changed inwardly.

You're right, we don't know what type of ending Chlavis will have - I just can't imagine it will be anything but tragic. They are Heathcliff and Cathy. Two people who never understood love and ruined the lives of those around them. IMO. Of course.

[topping82]

Where are these posters? :)

You can see them in the basement, particularly in the fantasy sequence. When Chloe walks down the stairs you can see the Road Trip poster. You can see the Casa Bronte poster through out the whole scene, as it's front and center most of the time. The image of the kiss on the poster is supposed to mirror the actual kiss between Chloe and Davis.

You can also see the Casa Bronte poster at the end of Eternal.

[Violet-Shadow]

Thanks comparing Chlavis to one of the best love stories of all time. I don't find Cathy and Heathcliff to be creepy myself. I find them to be fascinating.

We have different opinions on Chlavis and on Wuthering Heights, which may be why won't ever come to common ground about Chlavis.

That said, Chloe and Davis are much closer to Jane Eyre (a Beauty/Beast story) written by Charlotte Bronte. Emily's sister. C BRONTE, like the poster. Though the poster really means House of Bronte, so I think we're getting a mix of both sisters' stories. Though I suppose they could be influenced by Anne Bronte as well.


I see the parallels to Wuthering Heights and maybe even slightly to Jane Eyre but there is NO way that Chlavis is any way similar to Agnes Grey. Agnes Grey is more of a subtle romance without the tragic aspect.

I think that Davis is not villainous like Heathcliff and Chloe is no Cathy. Cathy is a selfish creature. And it all goes to hell by the way because Cathy married the wrong man. Oh, wait, isn't that what Davis says to Chloe? He doesn't want her to marry the wrong man.


I do think that Davis is villainous. He's killed plenty of people as Davis. I don't however think that Chloe is selfish like Cathy.

As for your other points I think: that Chloe running away with Davis is the mistake, not marrying Jimmy; that I don't see Chlavis as a love stoy, and if it is, it is as destructive as Heathcliff and Cathy's.

Obviously, you really like Chlavis and I REALLY do not, so we will probably never agree. That's okay though. :)

[topping82]

I understand your point about Beauty and the Beast being an archetype (though I think that ES is very different from some of your examples of BatB because ES always has a good heart and Kim never kept him from his "beastly" nature. YMMV).

As for Davis being good, while that is up to interpretation. I don't think Davis is good - I see him as the camouflage for the beast. He's murdered people as Davis and as Doomsday thus far. Chloe just keeps him in disguise, IMO. So in Turbulence, in my eyes, Chloe just stopped Davis from becoming the outwardly horrific beast but he never changed inwardly.

You're right, we don't know what type of ending Chlavis will have - I just can't imagine it will be anything but tragic. They are Heathcliff and Cathy. Two people who never understood love and ruined the lives of those around them. IMO. Of course.

I respect your opinion. But I just don't agree. And Edward Scissorhands is just one version. There are many.

Look at Moonlight and Twilight. Both Mick and Edward have killed, and they don't transform. They stay monsters, or vampires if you will. The archetype doesn't have to have a set ending.

Many of the "beasts" in these stories are certainly dark, sometimes even murderous.

And I have to disagree about Davis. Even Sam Witwer has said repeatedly that Davis is a good guy, and that's who he really is. Davis can't control what's happening to him. He's been programmed by Zod, Brainiac and Faora to kill. He has no free will, as Brainiac himself said to him.

Davis had two horrible choices placed before him: 1) Kill bad guys and stop the beast from coming out killing many more innocents OR 2) Let the Beast take control.

He did what he thought was best. Now he has a new option. If he ever learns to completely control the beast for a while, I can see Davis going a little bit Angel-esque trying to seek redemption for his misdeeds. Things he did when he had no real control. But again, I agree with the actor who says that we will never see an evil Davis.

Even Davis in this episode was not evil. He was half beast, and his dialogue even became almost simplistic in style. It's like he became child-like who needed coaxing. It's only when Chloe entered that he reverts to his "true" self. When she wasn't around, he wasn't his full self. He was a mix, and became little bit more like the beast, a little dumber, than he is usually. He knows he needs Chloe, he knows he loves Chloe, he knows he'll do anything to protect her, etc...But he wasn't speaking fully as himself half the episode. SW completely changes his acting styles depending on how much the Beast has taken over. MO of course. But if this isn't the case, then the writer needs some help with how to write dialogue. I happen to think Davis' dialogue changed in tone and length even to represent the beast "taking over."

Davis also has a good heart, which is why Chloe is helping him. Davis is not a bad guy. He's a guy who's worked his whole life to be good but has a crappy destiny.

Again, a tragic ending is very possible. Chlavis is also heavily influenced by Romeo and Juliet. I don't however think that Chloe and Davis are Cathy and Heathcliff as they are all very different from each other. Chloe more than anyone on this show understands what love is, but that's just me. I also think Davis understands it, because he himself never felt it before. Now that he's found it, I think he's holding onto it. The same could be said for Chloe.

I think it will everyone else trying to ruin their lives, and not the other way around. The two houses of Verona: Injustice vs Justice.

----- Added 4 Minutes later -----

We have different opinions on Chlavis and on Wuthering Heights, which may be why won't ever come to common ground about Chlavis.


Yes we do! :) And probably not.

I see the parallels to Wuthering Heights and maybe even slightly to Jane Eyre but there is NO way that Chlavis is any way similar to Agnes Grey. Agnes Grey is more of a subtle romance without the tragic aspect.

I personally think it's closer to Jane Eyre, but you know, to each their own. I don't think it's similar to Agnes Grey either. I was just joking about Anne Bronte because of the Bronte poster meaning the House of Bronte. I personally think the writers are referring to Charlotte and Emily, because most people quite frankly forget about Anne.

I do think that Davis is villainous. He's killed plenty of people as Davis. I don't however think that Chloe is selfish like Cathy.

I think Davis is a "villain," to an extent, but not evil. He's mostly a victim in my opinion. He was programmed to be someone he didn't choose to be. He killed people as "half" beast. But as Sam Witwer has said, he felt he had no other choice at the time.

As for your other points I think: that Chloe running away with Davis is the mistake, not marrying Jimmy; that I don't see Chlavis as a love stoy, and if it is, it is as destructive as Heathcliff and Cathy's.

I agree with Todd Slavkin who says that Chloe is doing the right thing with Davis. It's from the SV magazine, so I don't have a link.


Obviously, you really like Chlavis and I REALLY do not, so we will probably never agree. That's okay though. :)

Yep, I do. We'll have to agree to disagree. :)

[Violet-Shadow]

Topping82 posted:

I personally think it's closer to Jane Eyre, but you know, to each their own. I don't think it's similar to Agnes Grey either. I was just joking about Anne Bronte because of the Bronte poster meaning the House of Bronte. I personally think the writers are referring to Charlotte and Emily, because most people quite frankly forget about Anne.

I could never forget about Anne! Agnes Grey is my favorite Bronte novel. I'm glad that we agree on this one point - Casa Bronte does not refer to this Bronte sister. :D

I agree with Todd Slavkin who says that Chloe is doing the right thing with Davis. It's from the SV magazine, so I don't have a link.

I know what you are referring to. Even though I know that's tptb's position concerning Chloe, I don't agree with it.


Yep, I do. We'll have to agree to disagree. :)

Looks that way. :)