Waking Sleeping Beauty

[Disney Duster]

ESCAPAY'S BACK...for now, YAY!

Wonderful review. Now, much more than ever, I really, really want to see this, and I can thank you for that.

I didn't read the whole thing, and I wish I hadn't spoiled myself reading about that hospital part with Howard...I wish you said spoilers about that one part (I know we know what happened to him but we didn't know we would see all that!!!!!). But I tried to read just what you did and how you felt and all the stuff after and before the movie.

Aw, you didn't have the courage at first...but then you did talk to Don Hahn!

Okay, I'm not trying to start anything here, but I do want to talk about the Beauty and the Beast colors for one sec. I can understand that maybe it was the right choice to not bring them up because maybe it's a sore issue Hahn wouldn't like, but I think it was also the perfect opportunity to find out and get a concrete answer on if the colors were changed on purpose, or at all, to his knowledge anyway, and he would know, right?

You looked super cute and happy in your pictures. This sounds and looks like it was a fantastic event and something truly fantastic for you!

Oh, and so that early version of Beauty and the Beast, which I am most, most interested in, the Purdum husband and wife team, was a period drama, with no music? Also, I have something about that version of the prologue seeing the young prince...

I think I'm gonna love this movie when I see it, all the lives and emotions of the people working on the film...I hope Sleeping Beauty herself was mentioned and seen somewhere in the film, as well as the Walt classics they were trying to make in the traidtions of.

[ajmrowland]

EDIT: and is there any point in the movie that actually criticizes the "Dark Age" films?

[Super Aurora]

I live in NJ like Escapy, so I might go NYC either Sat or Sun for either 2:30pm or 5:00pm

I really love to go see this.

[Sotiris]

Waking Sleeping Beauty awakens
http://animatedviews.com/2010/waking-sl ... y-awakens/

Review: 'Waking Sleeping Beauty'
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/ne ... 9581.story

It was Roy Disney, however, who helped make it possible for Michael Eisner and Frank G. Wells to take over the company, and they brought in Jeffrey Katzenberg and Schneider. "No more kindly old men in cardigans," one witness remembers. "It was hands on, elbows on, sharp elbows on."

Although this hard-edged style led not surprisingly to a clash of cultures, gradually, things began to turn around. A key moment was when David Geffen recommended to Katzenberg that he hire a pair of musical theater guys, Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, the team behind "Little Shop of Horrors."

Given Ashman's acerbic, edgy qualities, that seemed an unlikely hire, but it proved to be a brilliant move on "The Little Mermaid." "Waking Sleeping Beauty" details how Ashman suggested that Sebastian the Crab sing the iconic "Under the Sea" in a Jamaican patois and relates how Katzenberg had to be dissuaded from cutting the much-loved "Part of Your World."

[Disney's Divinity]

For the strangest reason, I thought this thread was about a little kid with a "sleeping beauty" syndrome, and never visited it.

Anyway, I might've been tempted to ignore this documentary because it does sound a bit like those self-congratulatory extras on Platinum DVDs, but, thanks to Escapay's review, I know I'll be getting this in the fall. I'm glad they focus a lot on Ashman--sometimes I do wonder if the films following TLK would've been any better if he'd lived.

[yamiiguy]

I would love to see this in theatres, I've e-mailed Disney UK to see when it's released and where it's showing. I've got a picturehouse near me if the big cinema chains don't show it.

[totallyminnie86]

Wow it sounds like its a great film! I'm thrilled to hear it will be coming to DVD, because now either way everyone can see it! I'm really curious and excited, and summer isn't too far away. I was glad to read that most of the footage is raw, real stuff from the past.. and even more fascinated at the idea of them honestly talking about cauldron for once. The fact that not only do we get to see pencil animation, but for them to just say 'yes, this film exists for better or worse' it wonderful. It sounds like an emotional, authentic look at the reality of the studio at that time, and that would be refreshing and wonderful to see.

[UmbrellaFish]

For the strangest reason, I thought this thread was about a little kid with a "sleeping beauty" syndrome, and never visited it.

Anyway, I might've been tempted to ignore this documentary because it does sound a bit like those self-congratulatory extras on Platinum DVDs, but, thanks to Escapay's review, I know I'll be getting this in the fall. I'm glad they focus a lot on Ashman--sometimes I do wonder if the films following TLK would've been any better if he'd lived.

That's hilarious!

But I agree, Escapay, that was a spectacular review. I was excited before, but now I'll have to see. Very glad it's getting a DVD release, and I'm also glad to hear about the Jodi Benson and Howard Ashman footage in the film. There are snippets, actually, on the TLM PE, and everytime I see it, I'm bowled over by Ashman's direction, and have always hoped to see more of it. Now I'll have a chance to!

[Goliath]

I'm glad they focus a lot on Ashman--sometimes I do wonder if the films following TLK would've been any better if he'd lived.

I think the films that came after TLK were excellent, and some of them were better than TLK and even better than BatB and Aladdin. Mulan, Hunchback and even Tarzan were better animated and better told than some of the 'fab four' films.

[yamiiguy]

Got this response from Disney UK

Dear Disney Guest,
Thank you for your e-mail.
We are sorry but there are no plans to distribute 'Waking Sleeping Beauty' outside of the North America at this time. There is a chance that it might have a limited screenings in the UK, but if so, it will be likely later in the year after its run in North America is complete.
We thank you for your interest in this movie and ask that you please keep checking our website, http://home.disney.co.uk/movies , for the latest information about our releases.
Sincerely,
Charles
Disney Online UK

[Sotiris]

Interview: Producer and Disney Animation Wars Veteran Don Hahn
http://www.avclub.com/articles/producer ... hah,39516/

Great, lengthy interview with lots of new info and interesting bits. A must read.

[Sotiris]

Schneider and Hahn Talk Waking Sleeping Beauty
http://www.awn.com/articles/business/sc ... ing-beauty

BD: What did Roy think of movie?

DH: He saw it on DVD because he was quite ill toward the end and liked it a lot. He sent us a very, very nice note. And actually his caregiver later said he had watched it four times just before he passed away, so I think for him it was a nice capper about a big part of his life.

BD: What was Jeffrey's reaction?

DH: Well, he's a different person now. He still is driven but he is much more of a benevolent person, much more gracious -- and he has made more animated movies than Walt Disney. It was never nerve racking working with Jeffrey, so when we went back to talk to him, I was nervous, because I didn't know what would happen, but he was surprisingly gracious and giving and candid. When he said he didn't hear about the new animation building being announced, he said it was hurtful and it portrayed much more under the surface than I thought was ever there. And the fact that he opened up to that and that we put it into the movie was to his credit. And, in a funny way, I think he and Michael and Roy were communicating to each other through these interviews, because they would ask, "What does Roy think of me?" or whatever. And I think the toughest part was showing the movie to Jeffrey. He told us it wasn't the way he would've done it; it wasn't the series of events that he would've focused on; but he found it particularly [moving] in light of his relationship with Howard. He's a very forward-looking guy: I don't think he normally looks back and is reflective. But for him to stop for 85 minutes and reflect was a very emotional experience.

BD: And Michael?

DH: Michael was hesitant at first, he would say, "Good luck with the movie -- I just don't want to be a part of it." But then he would send me a videotape the next day and not to quote him, and then he would send me a memo, so he was testing what we were doing but surprisingly open to the idea that we were doing the movie. With Michael, it was pretty much the way it was to work with him: the comments were not so much about him but about the film creatively and he actually helped with restructuring it a little bit and made the film a little better. He was always circumspect about it, but, in the end, he owned it as much as any of us. He realizes that it's his story and a fair account of what happened back then.

An interesting comment in the section below the interview:

I saw the film and it is very accurate. A few things they left out was Jeffery was referred to as "Sparky" by the animators at Disney. Who Framed Roger Rabbit was first sent to Disney animation but they turned it down because Robert Zemeckis wanted to move the camera and Disney insisted that the camera had to be locked when the toons were on the screen.There was a LA unit for "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" headed up by Dale Baer and his wife Jayne.They did the toontown and cab chase sequences.Don Hahn headed up a special projects unit after Roger Rabbit that did commercials and theme park films. The CAPS system had been tested on past scenes from Disney films using their archives to get the original drawings.

The film ended too soon.

The sequel should include how Disney spent $500 million on a film called "Dinosaur" and it never made it's money back. And yes that number is real when you build a state of the art facility from the ground up to make 1 film. "Dinosaur" was the beginning of the end of Disney Animation.

[DisneyVillains]

I had the pleasure of seeing this last Wednesday in Philadelphia. I wanted to echo what everyone else has been saying in that this is a wonderful film and a must see for anyone who is even a little interested in Disney Animation. The section on Howard Ashman was extremely well done and gives you more of an appreciation of how much of a genius he was and the realization that Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast would not be the films they are without his work.

The Q & A session with Schneider was interesting and included a lot of talk about why he thinks Disney Animation is not where it once was and if he thinks Princess and the Frog is the start of a new Renaissance. He made a good point that when they made the films of the early 90s they were only one of a limited amount of companies that were making animated films. He went on to say that now each year sees ~15 animated films being made and so each one is not as "unique". He made a great comment about how "stupid" it was for the Academy to add 5 films to the best picture nomination and how it takes away from the films, like Beauty and the Beast, from being nominated.

When asked about a future DVD release he noted that they are in talks of releasing it as part of a Documentary box set with the Pixar Story and a few others (can't remember the other one he mentioned). He said it is tentatively being planned for release in the Fall.

[Escapay]

When asked about a future DVD release he noted that they are in talks of releasing it as part of a Documentary box set with the Pixar Story and a few others (can't remember the other one he mentioned). He said it is tentatively being planned for release in the Fall.

Awesome! At the screening I went to, they only mentioned that it'd be out August/September with bonus features, this is the first I've heard of a boxset!

I hope the boxset contains Waking Sleeping Beauty, Walt and El Grupo, The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story, The Pixar Story, and re-releases of Frank and Ollie, The Hand Behind the Mouse, and Walt: The Man Behind the Myth, bringing the grand total to seven documentaries (!). A "Disney Documentaries" Boxset, with supplements as well, would be amazing.

Actually, it'd be more amazing if they were able to also include the 2008 Turner Classic Movies documentary The Age of Believing: The Disney Live-Action Classics, with special features including extended interviews (I wanna see more of the interviews with Ken Annakin, Glynis Johns, and Kim Richards!) and a trailer gallery of all 37 of the films featured .

albert

[drnilescrane]

*cough*cough*hack*cough*THE SWEATBOX*cough*

[buffalobill]

Is it only going to be released on dvd?

[Escapay]

Is it only going to be released on dvd?

If there is a Blu-Ray release, the only clips that would benefit from high definition would be the clips of the animated movies. Most everything else is home movies, backstage studio footage, news clips and interviews, etc., things that were most likely recorded and archived only in standard definition. There were several noticeable differences in quality when I saw the documentary, and the animated clips were the only things that really stood out well, everything else looked like 27-inch CRT TV quality blown up to the big screen. Some looked even worse.

albert

[ajmrowland]

But there would be lossless audio, and all the other docs would benefit Im sure.

Since we're talking a new release, Disney wouldn't back out of a blu-ray version of the set, or at least this movie.

[Escapay]

I never said there wouldn't be a Blu-Ray release, simply that if there is one that the video quality of much of the documentary really wouldn't be that big a difference to DVD, except for the animated movie clips.

albert

[DisneyVillains]

Escapay, thanks for reminding me. One of the other docs he was talking about including was "Walt and El Groupo". As far as Blu Ray goes he didnt mention it one way or another; however, he did respond to a question about how he felt about the classics coming to blu. He said he was excited about it and was all for the movies being presented in the best way possible.