The Film
With Maleficent wrapping up her reign at the box office (and ready to tackle Blu-ray next month), Disney has decided that it's time for a little refresher course on the villain's most devilish doings. After all, that has to be the reason that the studio would double-dip on the Sleeping Beauty Blu-ray, right?
Of course, this is the first time we're seeing the Sleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition, but it's not the first time that this Disney princess has graced us on Blu-ray. The 2008 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition is still lingering in our memory (and possibly your bookshelf).
However, if any Disney princess deserves a second look, it's this one. Yes, despite being oh-so-simple, Sleeping Beauty was actually one of the most difficult features that Disney has ever made. It took almost an entire decade to bring the Charles Perrault/Brothers Grimm tale to the big screen. The end result is a little light on story, but big on visuals and infamous when it comes to the villain.
Yes, don't be fooled by the title; this is really the Maleficent show. She's one of the greatest Disney villains ever, which really says something. In the film's first few moments, she curses Princess Aurora to die on her 16th birthday. When she's a baby. That's pretty darn hardcore, even by villain standards. Thankfully, a trio of fairies tweak Maleficent's spell and then whisk the baby away to a remote cottage, where they bring her up under the name of Briar Rose.
On the surface, Princess Aurora/Briar Rose is a lot like a few of Disney's other early princesses. She's gorgeous, with a singing voice to match and very little ambition in life. Of course, she's only 16, but her entire existence revolves around some dude she just met -- the same one she's actually been betrothed to since birth.
Based on those little details, Sleeping Beauty isn't exactly a great lesson for the wee ones, but it is a wonderful fairytale. You have to remember that Disney didn't have a lot to work with here. The actual story was a whopping four or five paragraphs. Maybe that's why there's no real character development. We never find out why the princess is so loved by many and so hated by Maleficent. I'm not even sure how the king and queen are able to identify their own daughter after 16 years. However, that's pretty much how Walt wanted it. He didn't want deep characters and subplots. Sleeping Beauty is more about the style over the substance, so you're just going to have to chalk it up to Disney magic.
And magic the film has. Even though it's light on story, Sleeping Beauty is as mesmerizing today as it was 55 years ago. Maybe it's all of that fairy dust floating around, but the animation, the music and much more make this one a classic -- one that may be long overdue for a repeat viewing.
The Picture
Disney spent a lot of time restoring this 2.55:1 image just a few years back, so don't expect anything new over that 2008 release. It doesn't really matter though; Sleeping Beauty is a real beauty. Right from the beginning, the colors of the kingdom absolutely pop. The reds and purples are especially awesome, but everything else in this gorgeous rainbow is just as bright and beautiful. Also, this Beauty doesn't seem to be showing any signs of age. This image is crisp and gorgeously detailed throughout.
The Sound
Disney has been kind enough to include the film's original 4.0 mix, as well as a bunch of new foreign language tracks. Of course, the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track delivers the most bang for your buck. It's the same one from the 2008 release, but is a nifty little track. Nothing is too in your face here, but there's thunder and a few other immersive effects, mostly whenever Maleficent appears on-screen. It's worth noting that the score is the biggest star from an audio standpoint. It sounds absolutely wonderful and sprinkles just the right amount of Disney magic throughout the surrounds.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
While every princess deserves her own Diamond Edition, there's not much reason for this one. Sure, it's got a few new extras -- but only a few. The fact that Disney clipped so many of the extras that were included with the version that was just released six years ago is a devilish deed worthy of Maleficent herself. If you have that anniversary edition, there's not much reason to upgrade from an AV standpoint. That said, if you slept through the last release, the Sleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition is a good excuse to get a finally get copy of this classic.
Product Details
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