SLEEPING BEAUTY is an animation masterpiece for Walt Disney Studios, back in the good old days when the animation was fantastic. SLEEPING BEAUTY does have some bland characters (the Prince), but the detailed animation and the humor save it in addition to some good action (and evil Malificent). Not having two many songs also help this animated tale. Malificent is a lovely evil witch (it looks like she needs someone to talk to more than the raven). I can see why ENCHANTED (a film I reviewed on DVD back in March) made so much fun of SLEEPING BEAUTY (watch the two films back-to-back. I dare you).

The movie went over-budget and the film was rarely shown in it's original 2.5:1 format because most theaters showed it in the 2.35:1 format and then it was pan and scanned for TV and VHS. So the DVD is the first chance for the first showing of the 2.55:1 aspect raito as originally intended. The picture is restored and cleaned up.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
The music videos, the games, and the deleted songs on the set didn't hold my interest (maybe it is something more for the kids except Disney animated fans might check out the deleted songs). The audio commentary by movie critic Leonard Maltin and various people involved in the making of SLEEPING BEAUTY contains some details, but the 45 minute PICTURE PERFECT: THE MAKING OF SLEEPING BEAUTY covers the same territory. I wish more of the live action reference footage existed beyond the pictures (which have their own gallery) and two minutes of surviving footage. The making of this picture is fascinating ans so is the brief featurette on the life and career of the film's artistic mastermind (EYVIND EARLE: THE MAN AND HIS ART). Thankfully, the deleted alernate opening never made it past storyboard stage (it would have slowed the opening). The storybaord sequences for two scenes run pretty close to how the sceenes look in the film. SEQUENCE 8 goes into the long (and over-budget) process that went into creating the Forest Scene. The eight galleries show different aspects of the film (including the Live Action reference photos).

FOUR ARTISTS PAINT A TREE is another thing that didn't hold my interest and teh Princes Fun Facts is a trivia track (I didn't get a chance to check out). It is nice to have the original theatrical teaser and trailer in a ddition to the re-release trailer.

FINAL ANALYSIS: SLEEPING BEAUTY is one of the better Disney animated films from the past and some extras are wonderful while others are geared just for the kids.

this DVD review is (c)10-7-2008 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com  

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ENCHANTED