Sleeping Beauty

Last Updated on: October 19th, 2024

Posted By: Craig Smith

Sleeping Beauty (1959 Animated Movie)

Sleeping Beauty is a classic animated film released by Walt Disney Productions in 1959. It is based on the fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty” by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm.

The film tells the story of Princess Aurora, who is cursed at birth by the evil fairy Maleficent. The curse states that Aurora will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a deep sleep, only to be awakened by true love’s kiss. In an effort to protect her, the good fairy Merryweather alters the curse so that Aurora will only sleep until she is awakened by true love’s kiss.

The film follows Aurora’s journey as she grows up in the woods, under the care of three good fairies named Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, who have disguised her as a peasant girl named Briar Rose. As Aurora approaches her 16th birthday, the fairies reveal her true identity, leading to an encounter with Maleficent and the fulfillment of the curse.

Sleeping Beauty is known for its stunning animation, elaborate artistry, and memorable musical score composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The film showcases the distinctive visual style of Disney’s animation during the late 1950s and early 1960s.

While the film wasn’t a box office success upon its initial release, Sleeping Beauty has since become a beloved classic and is recognized as one of Disney’s iconic princess films. It has been appreciated for its timeless storytelling, beautiful visuals, and memorable characters, including Aurora, Prince Phillip, and the formidable Maleficent.


Fun Facts

  • The movie is based on the fairy tale The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods by Charles Perrault.
  • This was the last fairy tale Disney would adapt into an animated movie until 1989’s The Little Mermaid.
  • Prince Phillip is the first Disney prince with a name.
  • The movie appeared in theaters with the Disney short Grand Canyon, which won an Oscar.
  • The movie has been re-released to theaters 4 times since its initial run.
  • Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland actually opened 4 years before the movie came out.
Sleeping Beauty movie disney


Additional Details

  • Movie Studio:
  • Year Released:
  • Type of Movie: Animated
  • Box Office: $51.6 million
  • Awards: Nominated Academy Award; Nominated Grammy Award
  • IMDB Link

Cast

Crew

  • Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Eric Larson, Wolfgang Retherman and Les Clark
  • Producer: Walt Disney
  • Writer: Erdman Penner
  • Music: George Bruns

Movie Trailer:


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About the Author

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Craig Smith
I am founder and editor of DisneyNews.us. My passion for all things Disney goes pretty far back to my first trip to Walt Disney World in the mid-80's. I have since returned to the magical place more than 20 times. I started this site when I came to the realization that I spent a significant portion of my day reading articles about Disney and watching Disney content with my 8-year old, so it made sense that I would start sharing some of what I read and see and building a little community around it. Other interests include 80's nostalgia, vintage toys, video games, LEGO, Star Wars and tech gadgets. Other site isDMR.