Since the early days of Walt Disney animated features, Walt had re-released features back into theaters, producing more revenue for the studio. This is not what I would call greed or milking to public for all they’re worth. This is simply business savvy. Anyways, Walt hated that he needed money, he only wanted to make better things. He saw money only as something he could use to transform into his projects.

Today, the classics are re-released every seven years or so on a better format. I generally wait until the 2-disc special editions come out before even considering purchasing a classic, but as I wait, the formats are improving. October 7, 2008, Sleeping Beauty will be released on Blu-Ray.

It makes me smile to know that Disney goes to great lengths to restore the classics to their pristine original beauty that time is always trying to wear away. If anything, the re-released cleaned-up versions may be better than the originals. The bonus material is certainly to be treasured. To have a behind-the-scenes look at the features only makes it that much more special to me.

Even though the plot is very basic, and there were few lines, this movie does have a lot to offer. The art is outstanding. The music is rich and deep to match the artwork. This is an awesome pick for Blu-ray. It was the first animated classic to be produced in widescreen to show off the beautiful background art (which had to be redone on both sides to fit the new format)

I personally love the story as simple as it was. If you watch it for the plot alone, you may be disappointed. The story really is mostly about the fairies, as Aurora didn’t even speak until halfway through the film. That makes her more of a side character. The prince has even less showtime. Just enjoy it for the aesthetics. The rich compositions and stylized art make this movie one of the most memorable of the Disney Cannon. It would have to be somewhat memorable. Disney has based Sleeping Beauty’s castle for three of the five theme parks around the world: Disneyland California, Disneyland Paris, and Disneyland Hong Kong.

An updated list of the classics can be found here at www.ultimatedisney.com

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