≡Sleeping Beauty and Its Production
The classic Sleeping Beauty (1959) is one of the most ambitious animated films ever produced by Disney. With a high level of detail, the film took almost a decade to complete. Production began in 1951, but only hit theaters in 1959, becoming the studio's most expensive animated film to date.
In addition to its long development period, the film marked the end of an era: it was the last Disney princess animated film to be drawn entirely by hand until the release of The Little Mermaid (1989), three decades later. Its visual style also stood out among the studio's classics. Inspired by medieval and gothic paintings, artist Eyvind Earle created a unique design, with detailed settings and angular lines, setting it apart from other productions.
Even after decades, Sleeping Beauty remains a milestone in animation, with its refined aesthetic and timeless story that has enchanted generations.
King Hubert, the Monarch
In the classic Sleeping Beauty (1959), King Hubert stands out as one of the most likeable and optimistic characters in the story. Father of Prince Philip, he has always wanted to unite his kingdom with King Stefan through the marriage of his children, Philip and Aurora. Since the heirs' childhood, Hubert has nurtured the hope of a peaceful and prosperous future for both kingdoms.
Unlike the serious and concerned King Stefan, Hubert is friendly, outgoing and loves to celebrate. In one of his most memorable scenes, he shares a banquet with Stefan, where he expresses his impatience for the wedding to happen soon. However, his enthusiasm is momentarily shaken when he discovers that Philip is in love with an "unknown peasant girl", without knowing that it is Aurora herself.
Despite the challenges imposed by Maleficent's curse, Hubert's wish comes true when Philip defeats the villain and awakens Aurora with a kiss of true love. In the end, the king sees his dream come true and his kingdoms united in a happy ending worthy of a fairy tale.
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King Stefan and Queen Leah
In the classic Sleeping Beauty (1959), King Stefan and Queen Leah star in one of the saddest stories in fairy tale history. Parents of Princess Aurora, they are overcome with joy when celebrating the birth of their daughter, but their happiness is short-lived. During the royal christening, the feared Maleficent appears unexpectedly and casts a terrible curse on the newborn, condemning her to fall into a deep sleep when she turns 16.
Desperate to save their daughter, the king and queen entrust Aurora to the care of the fairy godmothers, who take her to live in hiding in the forest. For years, Stefan and Leah rule the kingdom without hearing from the princess, consumed by longing and the fear of never seeing her again. When the curse is finally fulfilled, the castle is plunged into sadness, and the royal couple falls asleep along with the rest of the kingdom.
Although they appear little in the plot, Stefan and Leah's pain and concern are essential to convey the emotion and gravity of the curse, making them fundamental figures in the unfolding of this timeless Disney classic.
The Fairy Godmothers Who Protected Aurora
In the classic Sleeping Beauty (1959), the fairy godmothers Flora, Fauna and Merryweather play an essential role in the story, ensuring the protection of Princess Aurora against Maleficent's terrible curse. To save the young girl, they raise her in secret in the forest, far from the castle, under the name Briar Rose.
Each fairy has a distinct personality: Flora, dressed in red, is the leader and the most determined; Fauna, in green, is sweet and affectionate; and Merryweather, in blue, is cheerful but a little absent-minded. Together, they do everything they can to keep Aurora safe, but ultimately fail when the prophecy is fulfilled and the princess falls into an enchanted sleep.
Determined to stop Maleficent, the fairies help Prince Philip, freeing him from captivity and granting him magical weapons - a shield of virtue and an enchanted sword. With these gifts, Philip defeats the villain, restoring peace to the kingdom.
Maleficent the Sorceress
Considered one of Disney's most iconic villains, Maleficent has earned her place as one of the most feared antagonists in animation. In Sleeping Beauty (1959), the powerful sorceress casts a terrible curse on Princess Aurora when she is snubbed at the royal christening. With coldness and vengeance, she decrees that the young girl will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel when she turns 16 and will fall into a deep sleep.
Determined to prevent any chance of salvation, Maleficent captures Prince Philip, but he escapes with the help of the fairy godmothers. In a desperate act, the villain assumes her most terrifying form: a gigantic black dragon that wages an epic battle against the hero. However, Philip, armed with an enchanted sword, defeats Maleficent, ending her reign of terror.
With her dark presence, striking appearance and menacing voice, Maleficent has become one of Disney's most memorable characters, inspiring adaptations and ensuring her legacy in the world of fairy tales.
Aurora, the Sleeping Beauty
In a distant kingdom, Princess Aurora, daughter of King Stefan and Queen Leah, was marked by a dark destiny since birth. The young girl was cursed by the fearsome Maleficent, who decreed that, upon turning 16, she would prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a deep sleep. To avoid tragedy, the three good fairies – Flora, Fauna and Merryweather – took Aurora to a simple life in the forest, where she grew up under the name Briar Rose, without knowing her true identity.
Aurora, known for her sweetness and enchanting voice, lived without worries until the day she met Prince Philip, without imagining that he would be a key player in her destiny. However, Maleficent's curse came true, and the princess fell asleep, waiting for true love's kiss to awaken her.
A Bela Adormecida versão Disney
In a timeless Disney classic, Sleeping Beauty tells the story of Aurora, a princess cursed since birth by the sorceress Maleficent. When she is baptized, Aurora is marked by a prophecy that predicts that, on her 16th birthday, she will injure herself with the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into an eternal sleep. To protect the young girl, Aurora's parents, the King and Queen, hide her with the good fairies Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, who keep her hidden and away from the curse.
However, fate is immutable, and Aurora, upon finding the spindle, ends up pricking herself and falling into a deep sleep. In an attempt to save the princess, Prince Philip, with the help of the fairies, faces Maleficent, who transforms into a menacing dragon. The battle culminates in the prince's victory, who awakens Aurora with true love's kiss, breaking the curse.
With beautiful scenes and memorable songs, such as "Once Upon a Dream", Sleeping Beauty has been a landmark of Disney animation since its release in 1959. The story resonates with themes of true love, courage and the fight against the forces of evil, enchanting generations of viewers.
Sleeping Beauty, According to the Brothers Grimm
In a distant kingdom, a king and queen, after many years of wishing for a son, receive a prophecy that the queen will have a daughter, and so it happens. The king organizes a grand feast to celebrate the birth of the princess and invites twelve fairies to bless her. However, by mistake, the thirteenth fairy, who was not invited, casts a curse: the princess will prick her finger on a spindle at the age of 15 and die. The twelfth fairy softens the curse, saying that she will fall into a deep sleep for 100 years.
Despite her efforts to prevent fate, the princess, upon turning 15, finds a spindle and injures herself, falling asleep instantly. The entire castle, including the king and queen, also falls asleep. A dense hedge of thorns grows around the castle, making it invisible. Many years later, a prince, upon hearing the legend of Sleeping Beauty, decides to try to cross the thorns. When he reaches the princess and kisses her, she wakes up, along with everyone in the castle.
The princess and the prince are married, and the kingdom awakens from its long sleep. They live happily ever after.
The first versions of the story
The famous story of Sleeping Beauty has a very different version than the one most people know, and its origin dates back to 1634, with the tale "Sun, Moon and Talia", written by Giambattista Basile. In the original narrative, Princess Talia falls into a deep sleep after injuring herself with a splinter of linen, being considered dead and abandoned in her castle. However, a king enters the room, finds her alive and, believing her to be dead, abuses her. He leaves her, unaware that he has left her pregnant with twins.
Months later, the babies are born while Talia remains asleep. When the children try to breastfeed, one of them sucks the poison that had caused the mother to fall asleep, causing her to wake up. The king, upon returning to the castle, finds Talia and her children, unaware of the betrayal he has committed. The queen, furious at the betrayal, plans to kill her children and, after a confrontation, ends up falling into a bonfire.
In 1697, Charles Perrault published a softer version, The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood, which inspired the name "Aurora" for the princess. In this version, the princess falls asleep for a century, being awakened by true love's kiss. However, the story still contains elements of betrayal and revenge, with the prince's mother trying to kill the couple's children. The happy ending is when the queen ends up dying.
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