As In Colour! makes its blogging debut, what better way to start than with the studio that introduced me to the wonderful world of film? (Disney for the two of you who are still scratching your heads) Coincidentally, Sleeping Beauty's release on Blu-Ray marks the Disney Platinum Line's maiden voyage into the realm of High Definition. Does the first ever Blu-Ray release of Walt Disney's films do him justice? In Colour! takes the classic out for a spin. The full in-depth review after the jump.
Based on the popular fairytale by Charles Perault, Sleeping Beauty hit theatres in 1959 and, despite being met with mixed reviews, was a certified box office smash on its original theatrical release, more than making back its whopping, for the time, $6 million budget. The tale of Sleeping Beauty has been recounted many times, and you'd be hard pressed finding someone who hasn't heard it before, which (it’s very hard to deny) is probably due to Disney’s retelling.
The Film
The film's storyline may be one of the more boring in the Walt Disney canon. The story’s progression tends to drag a little (which is a tad bit alarming, seeing as how its runtime is a mere 75 minutes). While Sleeping Beauty may sit on one of the lower rungs on Walt Disney's ladder, it is nowhere near the likes of more recent animated films (I'm looking at you, Home on the Range...). Sleeping Beauty is, all things considered, a very good film. Please, please tell me you haven't forgotten Eleanor Audley’s spine-tingling performance as Maleficent (she also played Cinderella's step mother, this lady had villain down to a T!) who, in my opinion, is second only to Cruella in the ranking of Disney Villains. I count Sleeping Beauty among my top favourite Disney films for more reasons than the story itself. Disney films are known for their hilarious sidekick characters and Sleeping Beauty is no exception. The fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather may be the “sidekicks” of Sleeping Beauty but their roles in this film are anything but supporting, they end up saving the day... Twice. Sleeping Beauty also sees the debut of a substantial leading man. Prince Philip is the first Disney prince to have a real role, and Disney even threw in quite a few lines too, (which is more than I can say for Prince Charming in Cinderella and the Prince in Snow White... Did you remember them before I pointed them out? Yeah me neither.) And Prince Philip in turn, comes off as likeable and memorable.
Visual
What Sleeping Beauty lacks in story, it makes up for with art and animation. Let’s get straight to the point, Sleeping Beauty is gorgeous. Walt Disney’s goal was to create an animated feature that was pretty much a moving painting. Disney’s animators went to great lengths to create the effect Disney was looking for, and the final product harkens back to ancient Middle-Eastern and European Medieval art.
The colour palettes and drawing style were heavily influenced by art from the medieval period (a major influence being the well known Hunt of the Unicorn tapestry.) The Disney artists noticed that there was rarely any sense of depth in the art they studied from both the Medieval (namely, French 15th Century art, which corresponds with the timeframe Sleeping Beauty is set in) and Middle Eastern periods, foreground and background were kept in focus, the perspectives were flattened and as a result Sleeping Beauty has very few depth differentiating shots. Notice in almost every scene, the lush painted backgrounds (courtesy of the legendary artist Eyvind Earle) are kept in clear, sharp focus. It’s a little ironic seeing as how Walt Disney himself pioneered the multi-plane camera, a technique used in mimicking the effects of depth, which Disney used extensively throughout his many films and continues to be a common technique used by animators.
The background art is flawless. Earle proved why he was made chief background designer and colourist; each backdrop can stand on its own as a work of art. The film is saturated with colours that are capable of invoking the feel of each locale, as well as setting the mood and tone for the scene. Rich and vibrant palettes of emerald, blue, and brown dominate forest scenes, while acid green, purple, and grey accentuate the unnatural/demonic vibe of Maleficent’s castle which contrasts the opulent deep blues, reds and yellows that adorn Aurora’s castle.
Character design is spot on, creatively stylised yet with the right amount of real-life qualities to make them look believable. The characters look very geometric in nature, their faces having sharp edges and lines. The fairies are drawn in a very “cuddly” (for want of a better term) manner, with rounded faces and soft eyes, they evoke the feeling of the warmth and caring the characters are meant to exude. Maleficent, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. An eerie pale green tints her skin, and her black horns and bat-like robes (fantastically complemented by touches of purple) perfectly mirror the evil that runs through her very veins. Aurora may very well be one of the prettiest Disney Princesses, what with her delicate eyes and lips and spun-gold curls. Aurora’s animation flawlessly highlights her grace and daintiness; simple gestures like the wave of a hand or the swish of a skirt are saturated with a sense of elegance. The overall look of each character fits seamlessly with the background art, with the medieval influence obviously present in each character.
Now, on to the question of the day... How does Sleeping Beauty fair on Blu-Ray? Let’s just say if we can assume Disney treats its future releases like they did Sleeping Beauty Disney fans have a LOT to look forward to. The transfer is practically flawless (save for a few soft spots but I feel like that’s more the source material’s fault than the transfer’s). In fact taking a closer look at screenshots I took reveals the layering used in creating each scene, (check out examples in the DVD vs. Blu-Ray comparison I did for Sleeping Beauty) the transfer is so pristine that the shadows cast by the layer slides are clearly visible. If there is one animation film worth owning on Blu-Ray it’s Sleeping Beauty. An interview from one of the bonus featurettes explains it perfectly: You can take a still from any part of the film and it can stand on its own as a work of art, just take a look at one of the screenshots I’ve taken! The Blu-Ray transfer replicates the clarity of each detail, and spotlessly reproduces the jewel-tone colours that make this film such a joy to watch.
Disney really knows the way to a fan’s heart. The bonus content featured on this 2-disc set is outstanding. There’s a blend of interactive features and in-depth featurettes spread across both discs, but the real treasure here lies in the latter. Film-buff-wannabe’s and Disney aficionados (guilty on both charges... and proud of it!) will be glad to know that these behind-the-scenes featurettes are far from the fluffy, trailer-like featurettes many studios are passing of as bonus content nowadays. These featurettes dig deep into Disney history, bringing back artists who worked on Sleeping Beauty and Mary Costa, who was the voice of Aurora. They recount what it was like working with Walt Disney, and looking back at what was Disney’s most ambitious film at the time. The featurettes include looks into the art design, production, and sound. Another interesting featurette focuses on the Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland and the walkthrough attraction that used to (well, as of late 2008 it’s back!) reside inside the castle. This featurette perfectly complements the virtual walkthrough tour of the attraction that is included on disc 2. The walkthrough reconstructs the original attraction, allowing you to experience it as it was back in the 1950s, before it was pulled in the mid ‘70s. If you, like me, are a special-features-nut then this set will not disappoint. Of course there is the odd filler extra (many of them cater to the younger audience with activities like reading aloud etc.) but overall Disney more than exceeded my expectations in the bonus content area. One more point... Most of the special features are in.... Drum roll please... Full HD! Save for a few trailers and old footage, a lot of the special features are presented in 1080p! Many Blu-Ray releases leave the special features in 480p (standard definition) as they are usually just carry-over features from a DVD release. Well played Disney... Well played.
I love DVD/Blu-Ray menus, they’re one of my favourite aspects of both formats. I just feel like there’s so much creative potential and I always feel satisfied when the menus reach my expectations. This release of Sleeping Beauty pretty much changed my whole view on menus... I’d hate to sound immature but... They’re so COOL! When you pop in the disc you are brought to a menu set to a backdrop of Aurora’s kingdom and castle. Sounds pretty normal right? Well the weather conditions change with each viewing. It can be sunny and bright one day, rainy and dreary another. I opened up the disc on my laptop and discovered a whopping 8 individual menu videos: A summer/spring scene, snowy winter scene, a rainy scene, and a fall scene. (There were 8 videos because each scene comes in day and night... Isn’t that nifty?? I thought so too.) I’m amazed at the amount of detail Disney put into making this release “special”. I’m not sure if the conditions change according to time of day... Like if the scenes are in daytime while it’s daytime in the real world etc... But wouldn’t it be cool if it were? Check out a collage of a few of the different menu videos below.
Closing Remarks
If you’re still on the fence about picking up Sleeping Beauty on Blu-Ray (or if you’re wondering whether the Blu-Ray release is worth the extra cash) I completely recommend it. A must have for any Disney/Animation/Film fan, Sleeping Beauty is one of those films that really benefit from the High Definition Blu-Ray offers, and it’s one of those films that are actually worth it. Head on over to your favourite video store, I’m pretty sure you won’t regret it.
Check out our DVD vs. Blu-Ray comparison for Sleeping Beauty right here. Note: Each picture is the precise resolution of each format. I haven’t resized or retouched any of them. Make sure to choose original to see them in full!
Sleeping Beauty Platinum Edition on Blu Ray Features:
• 2-disc Platinum Blu-ray Edition includes bonus Sleeping Beauty DVD
• Never before seen alternate opening
• All-new game: Briar Rose's Waltz
• All-new music video
• All-new making of Sleeping Beauty featurette
• Deleted songs
• Movie chat - send video messages to friends during the movie
• Movie store: shop for add-ons and downloads
• ''Maleficent's Challenge Game
• Cine explore
• Movie challenge: live trivia game
• Live menus featuring a ''real time'' castle environment
Tech Specs:
• Presentation: Widescreen
• Aspect ratio: 2.55:1
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
• Primary language: English
• Subtitled: Spanish/French
• Dubbed: Spanish/French
• Closed captions
• Running time: 75 mins
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