Writers: Charles Perrault (Story), Erdman Penner (Adaptation)
Voices by: Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Barbara Luddy, Barbara Jo Allen
Sleeping Beauty is the first film on my Movie Blogathon list. I didn't think it possible, but I liked this movie better than I did as a child. Mainly because of how kick-ass the villain Maleficent (Eleanor Audley) is. Even today that woman's voice gives me chills! Anyway... I really loved this movie. The songs, the animation, the story, the characters, everything gets to me. It stirs so many feelings, so many memories, I think nostalgia is one of the best things about this movie. Looking at this from an outsiders point of view, I'd still call it a near-perfect film. The animation may not live up to today's standards, but I still prefer it to most Disney movies post 1970.
The story is as follows - A kingdom is celebrating the birth of Princess Aurora. Three fairies bestow upon her the gifts of beauty and song. Then: BAM! Maleficent crashes the party like a wicked bitch. She's offended at not receiving an invite, so she curses Aurora: on her sixteenth birthday she will touch a... um.. what do you call these things... a sewing spinning wheel? Oh well that'll do. Yes, she will touch a sewing spinning wheel and die. DAH DAH DUM! So to counteract this heinous curse, the third fairy bestows upon her a weaker counter-spell: IF she indeed touches this sewing wheel, it will make her sleep until her true loves first kiss. To protect Aurora, the three fairies stop using magic and raise the girl in a cottage somewhere in the woods. BUT DID THEIR PLAN WORK??? You'll have to wait and see!
Just Maleficent being a cold hearted bitch. |
You know what else I love about this movie? I know you I walked with you once upoooon a dreeeam! I know every word to that darn song! It's so darn catchy! Even though there aren't as many brilliant songs in this movie as there usually are in Disney movies, Once Upon a Dream is up there with the very best. I still laugh and grin like an idiot when she's dancing with the woodland animals.
Shake that thang Aurora! You go gurl! |
If there's one drawback to the film, it would be this... I wasn't a huge fan of the banter between the two kings. I'm nitpicking I know, but I have to be tough when it comes to Disney movies. I want my marathon to be meticulous and unbiased, so there you have it. This movie loses half a star because the banter between the kings just wasn't necessary. It didn't really have an impact on the film, so it wasn't bad, but it wasn't needed. Hmm... what else can I nitpick? Well, Princess Aurora didn't have much of a personality. I mean, she's only 16 and she sleeps for half the movie so that's to be expected. As beautiful and awesome as she is, she isn't as memorable as Cinderella or Bell from Beauty and the Beast.
This Dragon nearly made me wet myself when I was five. |
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