Review of Sleeping Beauty (1959) by Anders K — 12 Jul 2014

3.5/4.0.

Revisiting "Sleeping Beauty" over half a century post its release, it is safe to say that the movie hasn't lost its charm but it slightly pales in comparison to some of the early Disney classics like "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" and "Pinocchio". It is sugar coated and will appeal more to kids than adults (especially given its typical princess-saved-by-a-knight-in-shining-armor premise and with bits like the three fairies - Flora, Fauna and Merriweather - planning Aurora aka Briar Rose's 16th birthday before her knowing that she is a princess) and it doesn't take enough time to develop? its events that take place over 16 years. But still it made feel like a kid again and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The highlight of the movie is that it boasts one of the most memorable albeit underdeveloped cartoon villains - the evil witch Maleficent (voiced by Eleanor Audley) who curses Aurora to prick her finger on a spindle of a spinning wheel and enter into death-like-sleep before the sunset of her sixteenth birthday. ?And of course there is the famous castle that became Disney's trademark and the film's climax where Maleficent turns into a dragon. One of the interesting things here is that the title character gets very little screen time with over half the movie with her not being in it. The movie's central and only track "Once Upon a Dream" remains one of the Disney classics. Based on La Belle au bois dormant" by Charles Perrault and "Little Briar Rose" by The Brothers Grimm. Nominated for 1 Oscar: Original Score.