Sleeping Beauty
Directed by Clyde Geronimi
Written by Erdman Penner, Joe Rinaldi, Winston Hibler et al from the story by Charles Perrault
1959/USA
Walt Disney Productions
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Merryweather: Sweet princess, if through this wicked witch’s trick, a spindle should your finger prick… a ray of hope there still may be in this, the gift I give to thee. Not in death, but just in sleep, the fateful prophecy you’ll keep. And from this slumber you shall wake, when true love’s kiss, the spell shall break.
Chorus: [singing] For true love conquers all![/box]
This might have been the first Disney cartoon I saw on its initial run in the theater. Mostly I remember Maleficent and the scary, scary dragon.
A king and queen’s wish for a child has finally been granted with the birth of the baby they name Aurora. The parents host a huge feast in celebration of the blessed event. At the same time, they announce the betrothal of their baby daughter to Prince Phillip the son of the neighboring royalty.
One person not included on the guest list was Malificent, the personification of all evil. After two kindly fairy godmothers give Aurora beauty and the gift of song, Malificent makes her own offering. It is a curse that provides that on the day Aurora turns 16, she will prick her finger with a spindle and die. A third kindly fairy commutes the sentence to a deep sleep, to be broken by true love’s kiss.
To protect their child, the king and queen destroy every spinning wheel in the kingdom. Aurora is sent off to be raised as a peasant by her godmothers, who call her Briar Rose. Unfortunately, neither fate nor Malificent is put off for long.
This is a faithful adaptation of the fairy tale. It is a bit lacking in the catchy tune and humor departments. The artwork uses a lot of jewel colors reminiscent of Medieval art from the period in which the story is sent.
Sleeping Beauty was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture (the adaptation of music from Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Ballet).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdw16GHJ4zI
Trailer
