It happened in 1987. Before the yellow ballroom dress and the singing teapots of Disney’s 1991 juggernaut, there was a very different kind of magic happening on television and in film circles. If you grew up in the late eighties, you probably remember the gritty, candle-lit, and surprisingly poetic world of the 1987 Beauty and the Beast movie and its subsequent television series. It wasn't about a cartoon curse. It was about New York City.
Ron Perlman. Linda Hamilton. Those names alone carry a certain weight now, but back then, they were the heart of a phenomenon that basically rewrote how we look at urban fantasy.
The 1987 Beauty and the Beast movie vs. the Series: Clearing the Confusion
Honestly, a lot of people get the "movie" part mixed up. When people search for the 1987 Beauty and the Beast movie, they’re usually looking for one of two things. First, there was the 1987 feature film starring Rebecca De Mornay and John Savage. That one was part of the Cannon Movie Tales series. It was a more traditional, fairytale-accurate version filmed in Israel. It’s charming, sure, but it isn’t the one that changed the cultural zeitgeist.
The real heavy hitter that debuted in 1987 was the CBS television pilot, which functioned as a standalone movie in many markets. Created by Ron Koslow, this version moved the "Beast" to the tunnels beneath Manhattan.
Vincent wasn't a buffalo-man. He was something more leonine, more soulful. He lived "Below" with a secret society of outcasts. Catherine was a corporate lawyer "Above." It shouldn't have worked. A lawyer and a lion-man solving crimes? It sounds like a bad SNL skit from that era. Yet, it was incredible. George R.R. Martin—yeah, the Game of Thrones guy—was a writer and producer on it. You can actually see the seeds of his "high stakes, high emotion" style in the scripts.
Why the Makeup Still Holds Up
Makeup artist Rick Baker is a legend for a reason. He’s the guy behind An American Werewolf in London. For the 1987 Beauty and the Beast movie and series, he had to create a face that was definitely a beast but could still express profound sadness.
Perlman had to spend four hours in the chair every single day. The prosthetics were revolutionary because they didn’t hide his eyes. In any version of this story, the eyes are everything. If you can't see the soul, the romance dies. Baker used a foam latex that moved with Perlman's facial muscles. It wasn't a mask; it was a second skin.
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Compare that to the CGI beasts we see now. There’s a weight to the 1987 version. You can see the individual hairs. You can see the way the light from a flickering candle hits the bridge of his nose. It feels tactile. Real. It’s a huge reason why fans still prefer this version over the multi-million dollar digital effects of the 2017 remake.
The New York "Below" Mythology
The world-building was insane.
The "World Below" wasn't just a sewer. It was a massive network of interconnected chambers, libraries, and living spaces. It represented a rejection of the greed and violence of 1980s Wall Street New York. While Catherine dealt with the harsh, cold reality of the city above, Vincent lived in a place where people actually cared for one another.
They used "The Great Pipe" to communicate. They tapped on it to send messages across the city. It was a low-tech social network before the internet was even a thing for the general public.
The George R.R. Martin Influence
You can't talk about the 1987 Beauty and the Beast movie and series without mentioning Martin. He wrote some of the most gut-wrenching episodes. He pushed for the show to be darker. He didn't want it to just be a romance; he wanted it to be a tragedy.
This is where the show diverged from the fairytale. In the original story, the Beast turns into a handsome prince. In the 1987 version, Vincent stays a beast. There is no magical transformation. The "beauty" is in the acceptance of the monster. That’s a much more mature theme than what Disney offered a few years later. It’s about loving someone who is fundamentally different and realizing that the world might never accept that love.
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The Tragic Shift of Season 3
If you want to start a fight in a 1987 Beauty and the Beast fan forum, just mention Season 3.
Linda Hamilton decided to leave the show to pursue other things (like becoming an absolute icon in Terminator 2). The writers made a choice that still haunts the fans: they killed Catherine.
It was brutal.
Vincent had to track down their child. The show turned into a dark, vengeful procedural. Most fans pretend it didn't happen. Honestly, it’s a lesson in how not to handle a lead actor’s departure. The chemistry between Hamilton and Perlman was the entire show. Without her, it was just a man in a lion mask brooding in a basement.
Where to Find the 1987 Classics
Tracking down these versions can be a bit of a hunt, but it's worth it for the nostalgia hit.
- The Cannon Movie (De Mornay): This is often available on budget DVD sets or streaming platforms like Tubi or Amazon Prime (depending on your region). It’s bright, musical, and very 80s-fantasy.
- The CBS Series (Perlman/Hamilton): This is the one you want. It’s been remastered on DVD, and you can often find it on specialized streaming services like Paramount+.
- The Soundtrack: The music by Lee Holdridge is haunting. It features Perlman reading classic poetry over sweeping orchestral arrangements. It’s peak 80s melodrama, and it’s glorious.
Why We Still Care
We live in a world of "perfection." Instagram filters, AI-generated faces, and hyper-polished movies. The 1987 Beauty and the Beast movie and series offered something messy.
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It was about longing. It was about being an outsider.
Vincent didn't want to be a prince. He wanted to be understood. Catherine didn't want a trophy husband. She wanted a connection that wasn't based on her status or her looks. That's a universal human desire that doesn't age.
If you're going to dive back into this world, start with the pilot. Watch it not as a superhero show, but as a long-form poem about the city. Notice the shadows. Listen to the way Perlman uses his voice—it’s like velvet and gravel mixed together.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans and Newcomers
If you’re looking to experience this specific era of fantasy, here’s how to do it right:
- Watch the 1987 Pilot First: Don't skip straight to the middle. The setup of Catherine’s attack and her rescue by Vincent is one of the best-directed sequences in 80s television.
- Look for the Rick Baker "Behind the Scenes" Footage: It's often included in the DVD extras. Seeing how they applied the Vincent makeup will give you a whole new appreciation for the acting Perlman did under all that foam.
- Check Out the Literature: The show leaned heavily on classic poetry. If an episode mentions a sonnet or a specific book, go read it. The writers were trying to elevate the medium, and it shows.
- Skip Season 3 Initially: If you want the "pure" experience of the romance, stick to the first two seasons. Only watch the third if you’re prepared for a very different, much darker tone that lacks the original heart of the series.
The 1987 Beauty and the Beast movie and its legacy prove that you don't need a happy ending to create something timeless. You just need a story that isn't afraid to be a little bit ugly and a lot bit beautiful at the same time.