Opened: January 29, 1959

Directed by: Clyde Geronimi, Eric Larson, Wolfgang Reitherman & Les Clark

Starring: Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Barbara Jo Allen, Barbara Luddy, Taylor Holmes & Bill Thompson

An early Disney animation, Sleeping Beauty is the perfect fairytale that might be a bit more feminist than you remember.

At her christening, Princess Aurora (Mary Costa) has a curse bestowed upon her by the evil Maleficent (Eleanor Audley). She is protected by three fairies (Verna Felton, Barbara Jo Allen & Barbara Luddy), but is struck by the curse the night before her 16^th birthday. Now Prince Phillip (Bill Shirley) must save her.

While this follows the typical Disney fairytale storyline and makes its title heroine a damsel in distress, the movie focuses more on the fairies instead of the princess, without whom Prince Phillip would not be able to take on Maleficent.

The animation is beautiful and feels more substantial than the earlier princess films Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Cinderella.

Final say: What a dream. ★★★★★