Sleeping Beauty – Disney's Sleeping Beauty
Some classics need a running start: when "Sleeping Beauty" hit theaters in 1959, it was one of the most elaborate animated productions of its time – years in the making, drawn in wide panoramic format, with backdrops reminiscent of medieval tapestries, and a film score built on themes from Tchaikovsky's ballet. Only over the decades did it grow into the classic it's considered today: Princess Aurora, the three good fairies with their endless argument over dress color – and Maleficent, perhaps the most elegant villain Disney has ever drawn. At Elbenwald you'll find officially licensed collectibles for it in a compact selection, rounded out by the fitting Disney universe around it.
What makes Sleeping Beauty so special?
The style – and the villain. No other Disney classic looks like this one: the angular, almost graphic backgrounds deliberately broke with the softer look of earlier films and turned every single frame into a tapestry. But the story is carried by Maleficent, who curses a kingdom out of wounded pride, transforms into a fire-breathing dragon for the finale, and effortlessly steals every scene along the way. Aurora's famous waltz, "Once Upon a Dream," based on Tchaikovsky, is also one of the most-quoted Disney melodies. For collectors, that means few motifs, but iconic ones – spinning wheel, horns, the pink-and-blue dress. The fairies, incidentally, still argue about that last one to this day, and every display case eventually has to settle that question for itself.
Frequently asked questions
What Sleeping Beauty products does Elbenwald offer?
A compact, officially licensed selection of collectibles built around the Disney classic, such as Funko figures featuring Aurora. What's currently available is shown in the category – the wider Disney range offers more selection.
When was Disney's Sleeping Beauty released?
In 1959, after years of production. The film is based on the classic fairy tale, its score on Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty ballet – and it's now considered one of the most stylistically defining Disney classics.
Who is the villain in Sleeping Beauty?
Maleficent: the dark fairy curses Aurora out of wounded pride and transforms into a dragon in the finale. She's regarded as one of the most defining Disney villains and received her own live-action film, "Maleficent," with Angelina Jolie in 2014.
Range overview
Sleeping Beauty fandom starts small here: Funko figures stage Aurora complete with backdrop, while the rest of the shelf cast awaits at figures. If you're looking for a gift – say, for someone who ends dress-color debates with "Make it blue!" – browse the gift ideas; the rest of the royal court comes from Disney Princess.
What else goes well with it?
The adversary has her own brand world at Maleficent, and her fellow villains and rivals gather at Disney Villains. Fairy-tale neighbors come from Cinderella and Snow White – the latter also knows a thing or two about unplanned naps –, and the Disney brand world keeps the big overview.
