Review of Sleeping Beauty (1959) by Wesley D — 04 May 2011

My favorite and also in my opinion, the perfect Disney film. The design is amazing, the plot timeless and the music perfect. The medieval book design of the film allows for a timeless elegance. There is nothing cartoony in the look of the characters or the backgrounds but it's rather like seeing an illustrated manuscript come to life.

The characters, while lacking in plot depth, make up in their breadth of their archetypes. The evil witch isn't just a witch, she's a freaking dragon. The faries are charming and the main characters aren't depressingly simplistic but beautifully simplistic.

Lastly there is the music. My favorite score for any Disney piece and how could it not be it's based off of a freaking Tchaikovsky ballet. Apparently Disney had the option of working with a Broadway pop style and then decided to go with the already existing material of the Ballet and I can't be happier that such a risky and intelligent decision was made.

This also adds to the much weighted on issue of, why doesn't she (the princess aurora) ever talk? She's not a broadway star, she's a ballet performer. Her part is in movement as it would be in the Tchaikovsky piece.

A word to the wise, watch this movie in either French or Italian. Trust me on that, even if you don't know what anyone's saying. Long story short, this is a movie whose beauty transcends medium.

The right pieces were put together and a classic was formed.