I mean looking at it objectively, you've got a person who was nasty when he was human, got cursed into becoming a monstrosity, and his home is filled with living, talking objects. I've a feeling Disney also decided talking coffins and gravestones would've been too terrifying and so decided to just make it the furniture. Add on to that the whole trying to manipulate a woman he kidnapped into falling in love with him, and oh yeah, I do not see how they're going to sell the whole Gaston being the evil one shtick. I mean just looking at it objectively, everything about the beast sounds horrifying, even his house. How long could you stay in a house where your cups and chairs whisper to you? Where the clock can scream at you?