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starring: Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Barbara Luddy directed by: Clyde Geronimi Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 5017182047629 Format: PAL Label: American Broadcasting Company (ABC) Manufacturer: American Broadcasting Company (ABC) Number Of Discs: 1 Publisher: American Broadcasting Company (ABC) Running Time: 75 minutes Sales Rank: 114914 Studio: American Broadcasting Company (ABC) Theatrical Release Date: January 29, 1959 Related Items:
Editorial Review: Amazon.com: Disney's 1959 animated effort was the studio's most ambitious to date, a widescreen spectacle boasting a gorgeous waltz-filled score adapting Tchaikovsky. In the 14th century, the malevolent Maleficent (not dissimilar to the wicked Queen in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs taunts a king that his infant Aurora will fatally prick her finger on a spinning wheel before sundown on her 16th birthday. This, of course, would deny her a happily-ever-after with her true love. Things almost but not quite turn out that way, thanks to the assistance of some bubbly, bumbling fairies named Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. It's not really all that much about the title character--how interesting can someone in the middle of a long nap be, anyway? Instead, those fairies carry the day, as well as, of course, good Prince Phillip, whose battle with the malevolent Maleficent in the guise of a dragon has been co-opted by any number of animated films since. See it in its original glory here. And Malificent's castle, filled with warthogs and demonic imps in a macabre dance celebrating their evil ways, manages a certain creepy grandeur. --David Kronke On the DVD Sleeping Beauty was the last and most lavish of Walt Disney's animated fairy tales. He told the artists not to hurry and to give him 'a moving illustration': The film required almost four and one-half years and one million finished drawings. Instead of the 19th century storybook illustrations that had influenced the look of Snow White and Pinocchio, the artists adapted the flattened perspective and jewel-like colors of 15th century French illuminated manuscripts. The results remain unmatched for sheer visual opulence. However, Sleeping Beauty suffers from a weak story: the vision of an ageless princess slumbering in a vine-shrouded tower was replaced with elements of Snow White and a boy-meets-girl musical. The evil Maleficent and the three Good Fairies (Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather) dominate the film, rather than Princess Aurora and Prince Philip. Sleeping Beauty was originally released in 70mm, and the Blu-ray edition restores the film to its original splendor. (Many earlier releases trimmed the wide-screen images and/or muted the glowing palatte.) The Bonus DVD looks good on a flat screen monitor, but it pales in comparison to the richness of the Blu-ray. In addition to the commentaries and a making-of documentary, the set includes myriad extras that vary widely in quality. Nostalgia buffs will enjoy the recreation of the old Sleeping Beauty's Castle attraction in Disneyland, and the TV program 'Four Artists Paint One Tree' provides a welcome showcase for key talents from the film. But the CG animation of the dragon and the voice imitations of the Good Fairies fail to capture the magic of the originals in the 'Dragon Encounter'; the 'Maleficent's Challenge Game'--a hi-tech Twenty Questions--sounds only vaguely like the redoubtable sorceress. (Rated G: violence) --Charles Solomon Stills from Sleeping Beauty (Click for larger image)
Average Rating:
 Rating:  - The best in Blu-RayThis is yet another reference Blu-ray title from Disney! I've come to expect nothing less than the best from them and they keep delivering. I have owned Sleeping Beauty, in VHS, Laserdisc, DVD Platinum and now Blu-ray format. It has never come close to looking or sounding as good as it does now. Disney Blu-rays are an automatic purchase for me! Rating:  - Great, but not perfectI ordered this Blu-Ray disc as a Christmas gift for my girlfriend. The disc arrived in time and was perfectly playable. It was, however, missing the cardboard sleeve that comes with the original product. Not a big deal, since the content of the disc is what is important. But it should not have been advertised as "Like new". Again, the disc and seller were great, just the minor details of missing original packaging had an affect on the final score. Rating:  - Perhaps the greatest of Walt's films, fatally marred by Blu-ray technical problemsWoe is me! I've been looking forward to this most recent release of Sleeping Beauty for a long time - my VHS tape was wearing out, and when my young son discovered the film, it was getting significantly higher playing time. It is, in my opinion, the best of the classic Disneys (herein defined as those that Walt personally supervised). Thus, it was was with great relish that I made this my first-ever Blu-ray purchase. The film itself is as good as ever, obviously. The ... Read More Rating: - Very PleasedI ordered for my grandaughter for Christmas. They offered free shipping and I was surprised how quickly it still arrived. My grandaughter just loves the movie. The price was below the store price. WOW. Every Christmas gift should be so easy and make the recipient so happy. Rating:  - Defective DVDThis was a gift for our granddaughter and the DVD is defective. We will soon be going through the return process. |
