After four solid or better films, Walt Disney and his master craftsmen go out of the 50s with a bang. The combination of a classic fairy tale, gorgeous animation and a tremendous classical score, is it any wonder that Sleeping Beauty is perched high among the best of the studio’s work? Not only is this film one of my personal favorites from the Disney Vault, but it has all the credibility to back up the millions of fans who adore this picture.A kingdom rejoices at the birth of a daughter for their King Stefan and Queen Leah. Everybody turns out to bestow a blessing upon the dear child- a neighboring king, dignitaries and magical fairies. The joy comes to an abrupt halt when an evil sorceress named Maleficent crashes the party. She places a curse upon the child, dooming her to die on her sixteenth birthday. After Maleficent disappears in supposed triumph, a good fairy does her best to counter the witch’s curse. In an extra effort to protect the child, three fairies take the girl away to raise her in the woods until her ill-fated birthday has passed.
On Princess Aurora’s sixteenth birthday, the fairies’ plan begins to unravel. The truth of her royal standing is hard for the beautiful girl to take, especially after falling in love with a handsome man in the forest earlier that day. To make matters worse, Maleficent has discovered the fairies’ hiding place and swoops in on them to execute her murderous plans. It’s up to the fairies and the handsome man from the forest (a prince, no less!) to save Aurora and restore happiness to the kingdom.
Can Disney do fairy tales or what? These classic tales of beautiful damsels in distress under the oppressive hand of witches and evil step-mothers allow Disney to pull out all the animation stops to create worlds as vivid and beautiful as the ones that exist within our minds. This time around, the Disney team takes an unexpected turn with their work. Many of the backgrounds replicate the look and feel of Middle Ages artworks. Trees and flags are tall and slender, there is a strong emphasis on vertical lines, and the detail is rich and all of it remains in focus.
The richness of many of the backgrounds makes it hard for the foreground to compete, leading the characters to have a flatter look than in previous films. This has been an ongoing trend for Disney productions throughout the 50s. The drive to cut costs hasn’t sacrificed too much quality yet though.
Disney’s obsession with this project comes out best with the music. Instead of risking comparisons to Cinderella by flooding the film with catchy tunes, Sleeping Beauty is built around a pre-existing score. Piotr Tchaikovsky’s gorgeous ballet composition sets the pace and tone of the film. I don’t if know the music used in this film was used at similar moments in the ballet but it matches the action and mood perfectly.
It is clear to see where Disney takes creative liberties with story elements and character personalities. Purists may complain but half the fun of watching the Disney version of a classic fairy tale is to see what little twists are put in. Sleeping Beauty makes bold steps forward while also remembering the classic films that came before it. Just like Snow White and Cinderella, Princess Aurora is friends with all the animals she meets. There is also a clever reference to Fantasia when the fairies are cleaning their cottage.
While the flat animation may not bother most (heck, many won’t even really notice it), it does hold Sleeping Beauty back a hair for me. With the art direction and the music, this film could have topped Cinderella. Instead, they are merely equals for vastly different reasons. Solid story plus Disney’s ingenuity equals a spectacular treat every time. This film marks the end of an era for Disney. Their second classical era closes out with a triumph that makes you yearn for the ‘good old days’ with every film released since.
RATING: 4 out of 5
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