DVD Review

Waking Sleeping Beauty

Directed by: Don Hahn Cast: Michael Eisner, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Peter Schneider Running Time: 1 hr 25 min Rating: PG Due Out: November 30, 2010

PLOT: A documentary about the rise of Disney’s animation studio, from the depths of the early ’80′s to the heights of the mid-’90s.

WHO'S IT FOR? Anyone who loved the Disney animation of the late ’80/ early ’90s, like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King.  So everyone.

MOVIE:

I reviewed this movie two months ago and my feeling haven't changed, it's still good.  Director Hahn was an animator at Disney during this period and brings up the good and the bad about working at the studio.  He reveals the conflict of personalities without looking for scapegoats. I'm more interested in what the DVD has to offer.  The first special feature actually name checks two differences between the theatrical version of the film and the DVD (two archival pieces of video that are mentioned but aren't shown were found and added).  The deleted scenes focus more on Howard Ashman, whose death seemed to have a strong effect on his co-workers as Disney.

So do you want to buy it?  Depends.  There's no extra that you will have to have.  Still, there's some pretty great archival stuff, including the full takes of the studio tours shown in the doc and the recording of "Part Of Your World" from The Little Mermaid. And of course, the film is worth seeing and even rewatching.  I think it's the best of the three documentaries coming out on this day.  But it's not a must own the way most Disney animated films are.

MOVIE SCORE: 7/10

EXTRAS

Why Wake Sleeping Beauty? Deleted Scenes The Sailor, The Mountain Climber, The Artist and The Poet Studio Tours A Reunion Walt Audio Commentary By Director Don Hahn and Peter Schneider