Waking Sleeping Beauty

By: Madison May

Waking Sleeping Beauty was a wonderful documentary that I thoroughly enjoyed. It showed a real look at how Disney creates what it does but it also gave us a look at animation itself. This presentation of information was really something special. I will admit I find it a bit hard to find any kind of fault with Disney, as I grew up with these movies. However, I can admit the man was not without faults. That being said, I think the film presented an accurate look at how Disney functions as a team.

It was truly amazing to see all of the time and work that goes into making the films we've come to love so much. Each frame painstakingly drawn and pieced together to make the fluid movements on screen is a testament to the talent of each artist. I can only imagine the frustration of illustrating a sequence for ages only to find out it is being cut from the final film. Personally, that would discourage me to the point of quitting. I think it's incredibly admirable of the animators to just scrap the work and start again. Having such a love for Disney, it was hard to really focus on the negative aspects of the film. The confrontations between animators and the people in charge really broke my heart. I grew up believing Disney was a land of magic, both in the parks and in the company. Once I was older I knew this was far from the case, but part of me still held on to the idea and refuses to go away even now. I believe the film had an overall positive message to send, but definitely pursued a more balanced representation of Disney than I would have expected.

Though the documentary tried to challenge my views of Disney, the child in me refuses to see any negatives. I thought the film was incredibly well made and very informative. It gave an inside look at a company that tries so hard to make everything end "happily ever after" without making it pure promotion for Disney. It truly made me feel even closer to the movies I have loved.