"Sleeping Beauty"

Title: "Sleeping Beauty"
Director: Clyde Geronimi, Les Clark, Eric Larson, and Wolfgang Reitherman
Producer: Walt Disney (I've never been more pleased to post a producer's name.)
Editing: Roy M. Brewer Jr. and Donald Halliday
Composer: George Bruns, Tom Adair, Winston Hibler, Ted Sears, Erdman Penner, Sammy Fain, and Jack Lawrence.
(Portions of the film's score were adapted from Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky's ballet.)
Starring:
- Mary Costa as the voice of Princess Aurora/Briar Rose
- Bill Shirley as the voice of Princess Phillip
- Eleanor Audley as the voice of Maleficent

Plot and Critical Review: Set in the 14th century of a fairy-tale world, the newborn Princess Aurora is named after the Roman goddess of the dawn because she fills the lives of her mother and father, King Stefan and Queen Leah, with sunshine. While still an infant, she is betrothed to the also-young Prince Phillip, son of King Hubert. At her christening, the good fairies Flora (dressed in red/pink), Fauna (in green), and Merryweather (in blue) arrive to bless her. Flora gives her the gift of beauty while Fauna gives her the gift of song. But before Merryweather could give her blessing, Maleficent appears on the scene, expressing disappointment in not being invited to Aurora's christening ceremony and curses the princess to die when she touches a spinning wheel's spindle before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday. Fortunately, Merryweather's blessing weakens the curse so that instead of death, Aurora, would fall into a deep sleep until she is awakened by true love's kiss. Though King Stefan decreed all spinning wheels in the kingdom burned, the three good fairies know Maleficent couldn't be stopped that easily and sneak Aurora away with them to a woodland cottage until her sixteen birthday lapses, passing themselves off as her aunts and swearing off magic to conceal themselves.

Years later, Aurora, renamed Briar Rose, had grown into a gorgeous young woman with the blessings that Flora and Fauna bestowed to her. She does not care about her looks despite being very beautiful but she awaits love, as she is a very romantic girl. By that time, Maleficent is vexed at her minions' incompetence and sends her raven Diablo to look for Aurora. On the day of her sixteenth birthday, the fairies attempt to make Rose a gown and a cake. When their attempts end in disaster they decide to use their wands, resulting with an argument by Flora and Merryweather over the color of the gown that catches Diablo's attention. Meanwhile, Aurora gathers berries while singing to her animal friends; this attracts the attention of Prince Phillip, now a handsome young man, as he is out riding his horse in the woods. When they meet, they instantly fall in love. Realizing that she has to return home, Aurora flees from Phillip without ever learning his name. Despite promising to meet him again, the fairies reveal the truth of her birth to her and take her to her parents and her betrothed's family.

Unfortunately, Maleficent uses her magic to lure Aurora away from her boudoir up a vacant room of the palace, where a spinning wheel awaits her. Fascinated by the wheel with Maleficent's will enforcing it, Aurora touches the spindle, pricking her finger and completing the curse. The good fairies place Aurora on a bed with a red rose in her hand, and place all in the kingdom in a deep sleep until the spell is broken as King Hubert tries to tell Stefan of his son being in love with a peasant-girl. At that time, Prince Phillip arrives at the cottage, but is captured, bound and gagged by Maleficent's minions and taken to her castle, "The Forbidden Mountain", to prevent him from kissing Aurora until he is an old man. However, the fairies sneak into Maleficent's stronghold and free the prince. Armed with the magical Sword of Truth and The Shield of Virtue, Phillip braves all obstacles to reach Stefan's castle prior to battling Maleficent when the sorceress turns herself into a gigantic Dark Fire-Breathing Dragon. The sword, blessed by the fairies' magic, is plunged into the dragon's heart, causing the evil sorceress to fall to her death from a cliff. Phillip climbs to Aurora's chamber, and removes the curse with a kiss. As the film ends, the prince and princess both happily learn that their betrothed and their beloved are one and the same. They arrive at the ballroom, where Aurora is happily re-united with her parents, and she an Prince Phillip dance a waltz. However, they are unaware of the fact that Merryweather and Flora are still in disagreement of the color of her dress and that the color changes from blue to pink. The last color to appear is pink.

Of all the films Disney produced which re-tell traditional/folk stories, "Sleeping Beauty" is widely regarded as the most popular and well-known next to "Aladdin" and "Beauty and the Beast." For whatever reason "Sleeping Beauty" was the last fairy tale-based film Disney would produce until 1989's "The Little Mermaid." Many attribute this hiatus as a result of Walt's death in 1966 and Walt's profound love of the fairy tale. This was also one of the first films in which Disney artists drew the performances of the on-screen characters based on live-action performances. Long before the groundbreaking technologies which brought us characters such as Jar-Jar Binks ("Star Wars") and Gollum/Smeagol ("Lord Of The Rings") Disney artists were at the forefront of cinematic artistic technique.

My Rating: 8/10

The "Reel Revelation": "Set Free To Live"

Can you think of a time when you heard a particular phrase, watched or participated in a particular event, or was spoken to in a way that set you free to do something, to live in a new way, to have a new life altogether? A few examples may help. Many of the great blues musicians share the common story of hearing the legends of blues for the first time. Artists like Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and Eric Johnson all recount the first time they heard the distorted sound of Muddy Waters' or B.B. King's music ring in their ears. Although they are altogether different men and musicians they all share the same sentiment as a result of their first encounter with the blues, "I was never the same again." Likewise there are the stories which come from people who first encountered the joys of photography, or painting, or the challenge of a particular sport and from that day were "never the same again." Something happened in their lives when they came into contact with that particular event or activity. What are the things that have happened in your life which have "set you free" to live in a new way, to live for a new purpose?

In fairy tales characters often go through an event which has a profound impact on their lives and consequently changes them forever, or at least changes the plot of that particular fairy tale. While Briar Rose's encounter with Prince Phillip in the forest changed her life, it was Phillip's kiss (the kiss of true love required to break the spell of sleeping death) that set her free to live anew, to live a different life. We, like Aurora, have stories of similar experiences, don't we? If you've not had an experience like the one i've described do not be disheartened, it will come. It is as sure for your life as it was for Aurora's. Remember Merryweather's "gift" at the celebration of Aurora's birth? It was a sort of semi-prophecy that Aurora would be set free from sleeping death as a result of true love's kiss. While we're not guaranteed a similar experience (although the first kiss of true love is an earth shattering experience, isn't it?) God does make us a promise, and his promise sets us free each day to live according to his principles and promises.

At the beginning of this reflection I listed a few experiences that might lead a person to a sort of occupational self-reformation. That's great! God promises more. Coming to know Jesus will transform our lives in a way that no earthly experience can match. Ask people who have recently received Christ into their lives! I'm certain you'll hear them say something along the lines of "I feel like a whole new person, like my life has started all over again!" Coming into contact with God's forgiving grace will lead us to feel this way, indeed! God releases us from the "sleeping death" we endure on a daily basis as a result of living in a fallen and sinful world. God also speaks words of admonition and direction into our lives which call us to live for new and righteous purposes. Think of how the great evangelists felt when they first read the words of The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). How their hearts must have burned with the desire to share the Word of God, to spread the news about Jesus' love for all people. While we encounter life-changing events every day there are few things that set us free to live for God like reading the Bible, worshipping with other Christians, receiving God's presence through the Sacraments, and sharing the love of God with others. You'll know when it happens. Suddenly everything you knew before that point in time will not be quite as important to you and your focus will be set on something new and wonderfully exciting...something challenging as well, perhaps. You'll know that moment because you'll probably feel very much like Aurora did when she opened her eyes, looked up at Prince Phillip, and suddenly realized her life would never be the same. God be with you in those moments, in the moments when God sets you free to live for him.

See you Monday - E.T.

P.S - I've watched this several times over the past couple days and have enjoyed it so very much. I hope you'll like it too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgUnYzXU-Fo I think I like it so much because I remember saying the same thing to my Mom, "I want another glass of water and a story, Mommy!" Enjoy.