One of Disney’s most popular fairytale renditions was none other on their take on the 1697 classic story of Sleeping Beauty. Though its a much older movie, Sleeping Beauty is honestly one of the better classic Disney fairytales that has adventure, humor, romance, and a beautiful art style. True it’s not a perfect movie as there are some bland character stereotypes that were definitely of the time of its release, but there were a bunch of wonderful things that make this movie so enjoyable and engaging to watch.
At a coronation for a king and queen's daughter Aurora, Maleficent (Eleanor Audley) puts a curse on the baby princess that on her 16th birthday she’ll prick her finger on a spindle of a spinning wheel and die. To avoid the inevitable the king and queen enlist the help of three fairies Flora Fauna and Maryweather (Verna Felton, Barbara Jo Allen, Barbara Luddy) to hide Aurora and raise her as their own in the woods to keep her out of sight. Years pass and Aurora (Mary Costa) becomes a young woman who suddenly finds a handsome prince named Phillip (Bill Shirley) and falls in love much to the fairies’ dismay. However, Maleficent has a few more tricks up her sleeve to rid her of Aurora’s good graces.
The story has all the makings of a great classic fairytale and thankfully this movie understands what it wants to go for. The film offers a simple yet effective story that is made better by its supporting characters and some of its funny humor. The film knows to keep its focus balanced between our two romantic leads and the side characters surrounding them. It's also very surprising how mostly timeless this movie is. I would say this movie holds up much better than Snow White which is saying something. The film is mostly very charming and uplifting but the film is not afraid to show its dark side especially when it comes to the film’s brilliant third act. The only problems I have with the film are down to some of the side characters like the king getting too much screen time but I am mostly surprised at how even though the story may not be complex or thought-provoking, it still manages to be ultra-charming in a lot of ways.
I think it’s more ironic that the side characters are more engaging than the main characters but all the characters do respective jobs in their roles even if some are better than others. Aurora and Prince Phillip are honestly pretty bland and their personalities are not very engaging compared to the recent Disney fairytales. What they lack in interesting quirks they do make up for in their performances which are good at best. The fairies though are a much different story as Flora Fauna and Maryweather provide much charm and humor to their roles making them more interesting than even the main characters. The best character though is the evil Maleficent. Despite her making few appearances in the story the time she is on screen does not go unnoticed. One minute she could be casting a spell and another minute she could turn into a fire-breathing dragon. I wouldn’t put these characters on the same ranks of characters from Beauty and the Beast or Tangled, but they are enjoyable even if some are better executed than others.
The animation is slightly different from the likes of Snow White and Cinderella as it would be the first time that a Disney film would be shot in a widescreen release. The creators say that the movie’s art style was inspired by Medieval Art imagery and Art Deco design and the influences really do show. The backgrounds look flat and geometric in a good way and the character designs feel very lively in their designs and their costuming. The art does look colorful and it looks great on an HD tv like it did on the movie theater screens in 1959. Sometimes the designs can even look very interesting with some of the standouts being Aurora dancing with her animal friends and Prince Phillip vs the Maleficent dragon. This animation may be decades old but it still enchants with its designs and colors.
The music was done by Jack Lawernce and Sammy Fain who do such a great job of conveying the feeling of listening to something old but comforting at the same time. There is a 50’s choir vibe to the whole thing and its so lovely to listen to. The songs like once upon a dream are sung so earnestly and are too adorable to resist. This music makes you feel you're watching a classic fairytale in all the best ways possible.
Sleeping Beauty is another achievement for the Walt Disney company that may not be complex or thought-provoking yet still makes up for all of that with an engaging adventure with lovable side characters and a great villain. This is a must-watch if you love classic Disney fairytales. It’s sure to get you in a magical mood and may inspire you in unexpected ways.
(Final Grade: B+)