Beyond Black Beauty

[Mara]

New 11 episode series coming to Prime video. It’s a modern day spin on the classic, sort of, with the central character a young Black woman wanting to compete in the Olympics.

I like that the girl’s family owns a horse farm and that the character herself comes from what are more realistic horsey circumstances (wealthy family, educated in Europe, etc.) than Hollywood likes to portray. Yeah, there’s the promised cliche of rogue horse that only the protagonist can communicate with, but even with that I think I might have to subscribe to Prime Video short term.

‘Beyond Black Beauty’ brings together an 1877 classic novel and a Black...

[Training_Cupid]

Thanks for the heads up, I’m looking forward to watching this

[Old_Mac_Donald]

There should be a ban on any further “Black Beauty” knock offs, remakes, retellings, reimaginings, or reinvention.

This sounds like a great original story, why couldn’t they stick to being original instead of trying to ride on the coattails of a great but totally overdone story?

[SillyHorse]

In this case, it could be more of a play on words and Black Beauty doesn’t refer to a horse.

[moonlitoaksranch]

I loved Concrete Cowboy. I thought it was very well told story and I was impressed that some of the actors were horse people playing themselves.

I’ll give this show a try. I like watching horse shows and movies. I was disappointed in the last one I tried on Netfilx. Wildfire? I think that was it.

[Mara]

It’s got to be better than the one with Don Johnson as the bitter ex-trainer with a drinking problem (gee, never seen that character in any horse movie before /s) coaching a kid to win a hunter derby on a stock horse.

I forgot we do have Prime (for football for SO), so I will definitely set a reminder to watch.

[FjordBCRF]

Excited to check this out! I got a book on the Compton Cowboys last year and I had no idea about the culture until then.

[Larksmom]

I was just thinking about the Black Stallion the other day. Thinking, everyone non horsey people want to think of a ‘black stallion’. I think that was a major driver for the non equestrians that made that such a successful movie. I agree, they should just do this as an original movie, gosh, why is that so hard? Obviously they are playing on the novel, but I guess thee is such fear of an original story, they would rather do this. I do not have Prime, but my niece does. This will be added to our Thursday movie list!

[jvanrens]

Black Beauty wasn’t even a difficult horse. He was a kind, gentle type was he not? Sounds like the producers were mixing BB and The Black Stallion and playing on the name because of the protagonist being black.

If it’s on Prime Canada, I might check it out, just because sometimes I like cornball.

[Mara]

I think they’re really just playing on the name, not trying to retell the Anna Sewell classic.

I am going to make an effort to keep my horsey judgment in my back pocket, which might be a pointless effort given that I am currently looking at the photo and thinking the horse needs to at least have its mane pulled/thinned/shortened if they’re showing. Really, all of the little girls watching won’t get upset if there’s no long flowing mane.

I can forgive the rider’s hair since it’s implied that her focus is showjumping and not hunters.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

@Mara

I think they’re really just playing on the name, not trying to retell the Anna Sewell classic.

“Beyond Black Beauty” creator and showrunner Pilar Golden said the task of adapting “this really beautiful” story for the 21st century was daunting.

And, of course, there is the horse, Beauty, whom no one understands like Jolie.

If they’d just dropped the “Black Beauty” reference, it would have been a lovely unique story. But no… gotta have a fresh twist on the poor old classic, and call the horse Beauty of course.

They could have called the series “Dark Horses”, dropped the Beauty name of the horse and ta da! Original!

Actually, I would have loved a series based on Concrete Cowboys. The book is fantastic, and was written by the same author who wrote Grand Theft Horse, the graphic novel of the stolen racehorse Urgent Envoy discussed on here.

[Larksmom]

well, yesterday being movie night, we watched a movie, then Emily in Paris, then we started the first episode of BBB. It looked promising, but just when they got to splashing into the water jump, her roomate come home, and the dogs began to riot. Then there was conversation, and she stopped the video. She has to get up in the morning and go to work, so we left it. It looks promising, and we will continue. I agree I wish they hadn’t tried to tie it to Black Beauty, but it is interesting enough to keep going. Since I don’t have prime, it will depend on going to her house and watch with her.

[moonlitoaksranch]

Do you guys remember Free Rein on Netflix? That was a cute show. It was weird that the horse was a Mustang on an island in England, but whatever. Fun for pre teens.

[jvanrens]

Yup. But it wasn’t a mustang, but a very valuable horse according to the woman who actually ended up owning him. I think a TB if memory serves.

The brunette part time trouble maker on Free Rein is on Coronation Street now. Still a part time trouble maker.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

It was a very valuable Kiger mustang.

Bit of a stretch, amiright.

[jvanrens]

OMG! I’ve watched this series more than I care to admit, it’s great to put on for background noise on a quiet Sunday, but never caught that!

Huge stretch!

[Hidden_Oak]

Watched2 episodes. Overall, well done so far.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

Natalie Keller Reinhart’s Eventing series has been greenlit for TV through Amazon. Yahoo!!

[ParadoxFarm]

@moonlitoaksranch

Do you guys remember Free Rein on Netflix? That was a cute show. It was weird that the horse was a Mustang on an island in England, but whatever. Fun for pre teens.

I watched it.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Wait - splashing in the water jump?

Is she doing jumpers? I believe you’re supposed to jump over the water jump, not splash in it – as an eventer, of course we ride through it