Editor Reviews:

Amazon.com:
Disney's 1959 animated effort was the studio's most ambitious to date, a widescreen spectacle boasting a gorgeous waltz-filled score adapting Tchaikovsky. In the 14th century, the malevolent Maleficent (not dissimilar to the wicked Queen in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) taunts a king that his infant Aurora will fatally prick her finger on a spinning wheel before sundown on her 16th birthday. This, of course, would deny her a happily-ever-after with her true love. Things almost but not quite turn out that way, thanks to the assistance of some bubbly, bumbling fairies named Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. It's not really all that much about the title character--how interesting can someone in the middle of a long nap be, anyway? Instead, those fairies carry the day, as well as, of course, good Prince Phillip, whose battle with the malevolent Maleficent in the guise of a dragon has been co-opted by any number of animated films since. See it in its original glory here. And Malificent's castle, filled with warthogs and demonic imps in a macabre dance celebrating their evil ways, manages a certain creepy grandeur. --David Kronke

Rating : - Impressive
OK, I always thought Sleeping Beauty was one of Disney's least exciting offerings from their classic animation films. Although I saw in the theaters when I was very young, I mostly know it from the VHS version. But my wife said it was her favorite so when it came out on Blu Ray, I picked it up.

Just a few points on why it is so impressive. First, the BR version displays the full original aspect ratio, you get to see the film in full Cinemascope. Second, the transfer to BR looks flawless, you'll see details in the animation you didn't know where there. I kept staring at it in awe. Finally, the sound quality was full and clean.

So put that all together and it actually makes the semi-flat characters come alive and the kinda lame plot seem exciting. Overall, BR gave me a new appreciation for Sleeping Beauty, and I can't wait for future Disney BR releases. (Beauty and the Beast next, please?)

Oh, and how awesome is it that they threw in the DVD version too?