Monday, October 6, 2014

Blu-ray Review - Sleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition



Sleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition
Director: Clyde Geronimi, Les Clark, Eric Larson, Wolfgang Reitherman
Voice Cast: Mary Costa, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Barbara Luddy Barbara Jo Allen, Bill Shirley, Taylor Holmes, Bill Thompson
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 7, 2015
Retail: $36.99
ASIN: B00KB3PZ60
Running Time: 75 minutes
Rating: G
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Being released from the Disney vault this week is the 1959 animated classic Sleeping Beauty, directed by Clyde Geronimi, Les Clark, Eric Larson and Wolfgang Reitherman. The Diamond Edition features the film on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD. Bonus features include 3 Deleted Scenes, The Art of Evil: Generation Of Disney Villains, @DisneyAnimation: Artist in Motion - Extended Edition, Once Upon A Parade - Join Sarah Hyland from ABC's Modern Family as she tell us the tale of Walt Disney World's New Festival Of Fantasy Parade, Beauty Oke - Sing-Along, Picture Perfect: The Making Of Sleeping Beauty and Eyvind Earie: A Man And His Art.

Based on the fairy tales La Belle au bois dormant by Charles Perrault, The Sleeping Beauty by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Little Briar Rose by The Brothers Grimm, tells the story of King Stefan and Queen Leah's daughter, Princess Aurora. On the day of her christening she is visited by the evil fairy Maleficent, who casts a curse of the young princess. The curse states that on her sixteenth birthday she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die. Horrified by the curse, the King and Queen have no other choice but let the good fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather raise and protect Princess Aurora, who renamed Briar Rose.

On her sixteenth-birthday, Aurora goes out to collect berries where she meets Prince Phillip. Later that day, the three good fairies tell her about her heritage, which leads a raven to inform Aurora's location to Maleficent, who will do anything to make sure the curse is carried through.

At the time, Sleeping Beauty was Disney's biggest budget animated film, costing nearly $6 million, but the film only earned around $5.3 million at the theaters. The film received mixed to negative reviews during its original release, though over time the film was been re-released to theaters, finally becoming a box-office success.


Honestly, this is first time that I have ever seen Sleeping Beauty, though I have seen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. I can't explain why I have never seen the movie, but for some reason I was never interested in it until I received an opportunity to review the Diamond Edition. To my surprise, Sleeping Beauty is darker than what I expected it to be, mostly thanks to the evil Maleficent and several scary scenes, especially the ending with the dragon. The film looks pretty good on Blu-ray with an aspect ratio 2:55:1, unlike some older animation films that still have a full screen ratio. There are plenty of fun extras on the Blu-ray as well. Overall, I enjoyed watching  the Sleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition and it would be a great Blu-ray to add to your Disney film collection.


*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.



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