Disney produced this lavish animated fairy tale, the most expensive cartoon ever made up to its release with a budget of $6 million. When the young princess Aurora is cursed at birth by the evil fairy Maleficent, the baby is kidnapped by a trio of good fairies who raise the girl themselves, hoping to avoid the spell's fulfillment. Nevertheless, at the age of 16, the beautiful Aurora falls into a deep sleep that can only be awakened by a kiss from her betrothed, Prince Phillip. Knowing that Phillip intends to save Aurora, Maleficent takes him prisoner. When the good fairies launch a rescue attempt, Maleficent transforms herself into a spectacular fire-breathing dragon, forcing Phillip to defeat her in mortal combat. Sleeping Beauty (1959) was Oscar nominated for its musical score, which featured adaptations of Tchaikovsky compositions. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Review by All Movie Guide
All Movie Guide
liked it.
The lavish, expensive Sleeping Beauty was something of a throwback for the Walt Disney Company, which had been churning out popular, if slight, live-action films throughout the 1950s. The musical's painstakingly rich animation and the timeless fairy-tale material place it in the same league as other, earlier beloved Disney titles such as
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937),
Pinocchio (1940), or
Cinderella (1950). The animation is the most notable aspect of the film: it combines the lush colors of a 1930s Disney film with a distorted, almost expressionistic look. The overall effect is interesting and impressive, if somewhat mannered. The original widescreen format and George Bruns' elegant, Oscar-nominated score -- based on Tchaikovsky's original
Sleeping Beauty Ballet -- also contribute to the film's sensuousness. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide