Sleeping Beauty (Platinum Edition)
November 2008 Reviewed by: Josh Barber Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Sleeping Beauty continued the tradition of Disney animated happily-ever-after "princess" fairytales, which had started with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and continued with Cinderella (1950). Ever inventive and insistent on incorporating the latest technical innovations, Walt Disney wanted this movie to tell its familiar story simply but in a manner different from its predecessors. Its look, derived from Medieval tapestries, was totally different from anything the studio had done up to that point, and it was the first animated film to be shot in 70mm as well as the first to have a six-channel stereo-surround soundtrack. No expense was spared in making it a technical marvel that would dazzle the eye and ear.

Disney released its 1959 classic on DVD in 2003 in a two-disc special edition. But now, in honor of the film's 50th anniversary, they've released a Platinum Edition. Should you buy this new version? Does it represent an upgrade?

The previous release of Sleeping Beauty was presented in a respectable 2.35:1 ratio and had a decent transfer, but this release bumps everything up a bit. The colors are brighter and crisper, and the image is now framed at 2.55:1. The extra clarity and width make for an impressive image, and allow us to see more of the scenery. Yes, it usually amounts to seeing a few more inches of background, but you'll also notice how often the animators took advantage of their wide canvas to sneak in more information at the edges. There is evidence of edge enhancement in some scenes, but it's rare.

The audio track on the old disc sounded slightly scratchy, but this new edition wipes that stain away. Everything is clear and rich, providing a wonderful mix. But if you'd prefer to experience the film the way it was in theaters, there's also the "Restored Original Soundtrack." It's noticeably shallower and tinny, but that would have matched the technology of the time.

Some of the extras from the 2003 disc have been retained, but others didn't make it. For instance, the scholarly commentary track is gone, replaced by a more relaxed one with John Lasseter, Leonard Maltin, and current Disney lead animator Andreas Déja. They discuss the film and even introduce historical audio clips, making for a quite entertaining and informative listen.

Also on disc one, we get The Peter Tchaikovsky Story, a live-action biopic about the composer whose music formed the basis for Sleeping Beauty's score. This is a historical piece in its own right, as this was the first television to be broadcast in widescreen with simulcast stereophonic sound -- all of that way back in 1959! The entire presentation runs nearly 50 minutes, and there's a text introduction at the beginning explaining why some of the show is in color and some in black and white. There are two versions, one with Walt Disney’s introduction and one with a different beginning.

Grand Canyon presents the 29-minute award-winning nature film using Ferde Grofé’s famous music that was originally screened before Sleeping Beauty, and the disc is rounded out with a "Once Upon a Dream" music video performed by Emily Osment, and the option to play all the songs from the movie with onscreen lyrics.

Disc two is split into two sections: Cottage and Castle. Cottage leads to two games, while Castle takes us to the bulk of the special features, beginning with the 43-minute "Picture Perfect: Making of Sleeping Beauty," which takes the place of a 15-minute feature on the old disc. Tons of interviews and timely photos take us from the earliest concept meetings all the way through the production process.

"Eyvind Earle: The Man and His Art" is a seven-minute history of the man responsible for the incredible background paintings in the film. "Sequence 8" is the dance in the woods, and this featurette is all about just how hard it was to get the animation right, and how the budget exploded. Sketches and storyboards make up the "Alternate Opening" and "Deleted Songs," and there's a digital "Castle Walkthrough."

Recycled from the previous release, we get "Storyboard Sequences," "Live-Action References," "Sleeping Beauty Art Galleries," "Publicity" and "Four Artists Paint One Tree," a look at just how collaborative a project like this has to be.

This Platinum Edition Sleeping Beauty DVD offers a wonderful restoration of the film and its soundtrack, as well as an impressive assortment of bonus features. It's thrilling to see this distinctive, classic animation the way it was intended, and while it may not be the DVD you use to show off your system to your friends, it's a great bit of cinematic history.

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