Sleeping Beauty

Disney's Animated Sleeping Beauty is a 2D live-action animated feature that came out 1959. This is the 16th full length animated feature of Walt Disney and the last one to be based upon a fairy tale. Though, fairy tales were given attention and had a come back with the 1989's Little Mermaid.

This is set in the 14th Century and the story focuses on the baby Princess Aurora. As a newborn, she has been cursed by the evil Maleficent, as she was not invited the christening. There were good fairies were there to bestow various gifts of beauty, and of song. Merryweather has altered the curse of death to falling asleep, thus, the 'Sleeping Beauty'.

Fast forward, Maleficent used her magic to lure her up and pricked her hand on the spinning wheel, thus, putting her under the spell. Only a true a love's kiss can save her, which in the end saved her. This is a happy ever after fairy tale from start to the end, which is a little different to the Brother's Grimm's version.

Disney's Sleeping Beauty Film was the first animated feature using the Technirama widescreen process. It was presented in Super Technirama 70 and 6-channel stereophonic sound. Despite the title being 'Sleeping Beauty', Princess Aurora appeared less than 18 minutes of footage, excluding the time when she was an infant at the start of the film.

Disney's Animated Sleeping Beauty has been directed by Clyde Geronimi (supervising), Les Clark, Eric Larson, and Wolfgang Reitherman. This has been written by Erdman Penner (adaptation), Joe Rinaldi, Winston Hibler, Bill Peet, Ted Sears, Ralph Wright, and Milt Banta. The original fairy tale has been written by Charles Perrault.

The voice casts include Mary Costa, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Barbara Luddy, Barbara Jo Allen, Bill Shirley, Taylor Holmes, and Bill Thompson. This has been distributed by Buena Vista Distribution. The release date was January 29, 1959 and the running time is 75 minutes. This has been done in English and the estimated budget was $6,000,000 USD.

Sleeping Beauty release history comprises of January 29, 1959 for the original release, and May 18, 1966 for New Orleans premiere. The other succeeding are June 10, 1970, September 28, 1979, March 7, 1986, Spring 1993, and September 16, 1997. The Special Edition DVD came out last September 9, 2003 and the Platinum Edition DVD and Platinum Edition Blu-ray last October 7, 2008.