Sleeping Beauty (1959 film)
Sleeping Beauty is a 1959 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Buena Vista Distribution. Based on Charles Perrault's 1697 fairy tale, the production was supervised by Clyde Geronimi, and was directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, Eric Larson, and Les Clark. Featuring the voices of Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Barbara Luddy, Barbara Jo Allen, Taylor Holmes, and Bill Thompson, the film follows Princess Aurora, who was cursed by the evil fairy Maleficent to die from a prick from the spindle of a spinning wheel. She is saved by three good fairies, who alter the curse so that the princess falls into a deep sleep and is awakened by true love's kiss.
Theatrical release poster
A promotional image of the characters from the film. From left to right: the forest animals, the Goons, Maleficent, Diablo, Prince Phillip, Princess Aurora, Flora, Queen Leah, Fauna, Merryweather, King Stefan, King Hubert, Samson, and the lackey.
The Unicorn Tapestries are credited for providing a starting point in the film's artistic direction.
In designing Maleficent, Marc Davis experimented with flamelike shapes and triangular color patterns.
Clito "Clyde" Geronimi, known as Gerry, was an American animation director. He is best known for his work at Walt Disney Productions.
Poster for a cartoon that Geronimi animated in 1927