Ep.57 Sleeping Beauty

Hello, friends! Welcome to Friends of Disney, where we’re a group of Disney enthusiasts who love to discuss all things Disney. Today, we’re excited to delve into the critically acclaimed animated film, Sleeping Beauty, which was released in 1959.

The movie follows the story of Princess Aurora, the daughter of King Stephan and Queen Leah. On her birth, they’re unexpectedly visited by the malevolent fairy Maleficent, who curses Aurora to die on her 16th birthday if she pricks her finger on a spinning wheel. However, the three good fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, offer hope to the queen and king by taking Aurora to be raised in the woods, promising not to return until her 16th birthday, thereby preventing the curse from taking effect.

Despite its enduring popularity among Disney fans today, Sleeping Beauty faced some challenges upon its initial release. The movie underperformed at the box office, earning only $5.3 million against a budget of $6 million, resulting in significant financial losses for the studio. These losses led to substantial layoffs in the Disney animation department and paved the way for a shift towards live-action Disney movies. It wasn’t until 1989 that the next Disney princess movie, The Little Mermaid, was released.