Is Sleeping Beauty a Sleeping Beauty?

Blue or Pink?

Now before I begin with this movie, I do not hate Sleeping Beauty. I know I have bashed it in the past for having weak characters, but in fact, I really like this movie. This film is majestic in it's art, music, and style. It's my favorite Classic Disney film even though it does little to challenge social norms or advance any characters for that matter. It certainly isn't a must see like Cinderella or Snow White,but it is certainly worth seeing.

The story of this film is very simple. It revolves around a daughter who is cursed at birth by Maleficent because she wasn't invited to the child's birthday party. This leads three fairies named Fauna, Flora, and Merryweather to try to save the princess from death. The story is probably the simplest story that Disney has ever wrote. There aren't many plot twists or characters for that matter, but it doesn't really need them. The beauty in this film lies in its art and music.

This film has one song, Once Upon a Dream. However, it is the best written and best sounding Classic Disney song in my honest opinion. Its animation flows perfectly with the music, and it is beautiful to watch, and that's really why this film works, beauty. The art in this film is breathtakingly beautiful. Every single frame has exquisite detail and craftsmanship. Each character moves with grace and elegance. Sleeping Beauty is the only animated film I watch just for the animation alone. It is that good.

 

I also have to admit, I love the character of Aurora. She isn't a great princess. She doesn't advance the social outlook on her gender. She doesn't even do anything in the film she in besides wait for her prince, but I still like her. First of all, she is one of the best drawn Disney princesses. I mean come on that hair! The only Disney hair more perfect than that is Ariel's which seems to defy gravity. She also wants to meet her prince but is scared to do so because she is a shut-in. Now, I know that she has no character development whatsoever but neither does Philip. He was only written into the script because Disney needed an out! He does nothing. Somehow, he manages to do less than Aurora. Actually, the only characters who do anything in the film are the Kings who get drunk (I know weird right) and the fairies who steal the movie. If you are looking for good characters the fairies are what you want. Fauna, Flora, Merryweather, and Maleficent are all amazing. The animation on these four astounds me. It is unbelievable, and while I'm on the subject, Maleficent is an awesome villain. She tries everything in her power to kill this girl just because she got snubbed at a birthday party. That is one of the evilest motivations of any Disney villain ever created. 

Sleeping Beauty is definitely a flawed film. That goes without saying. It is short, has barely any characters (or any that you would call characters), it is Conservative, and it can be boring at times, but I still like it. I guess you can call it a guilty pleasure of mine. It has a certain charm to it. A certain je ne sais quoi. It sums up the Classic era of Disney perfectly: beautiful but conservative. If you enjoy Disney, then I recommend it. However if you want a film with good songs, beauty, and actual characters, then I recommend Frozen.