Author: Charles Solomon
Series: Disney Editions Deluxe (Film)
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Disney Editions
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars
One of my sister and I’s favorite Disney films growing up was “Sleeping Beauty”. We used to watch it over and over. So we were both really excited for the new Disney film “Maleficent”. Right after seeing the new film, I immediately went online to see if there was an art of book released for the film. What I found was this book. I have to admit, I am a little disappointed personally. I would have thought that Disney would have released a nice hardcover solo art of/making of book for “Maleficent”. This does still contain a great wealth of information covering all aspects of the story of “Sleeping Beauty”. This book still is worth checking out if you love “Sleeping Beauty” but in no way should it be considered an acceptable replacement for an art of book for “Maleficent”.
Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” remains one of the most beloved of all fairy tales. The story itself was originally published by Charles Perrault in 1697. For more than 300 years, this story has been adapted by many different artists and authors. The best part of this book (if you can look past the lacking cover art) is that is is jam-packed with great illustration that folow the history of that fascination of this story of “Sleeping Beauty” from literature, fine art, poetry, music, and film. Author Charles Solomon is an internationally respected critic and historian of animation. He has written numerous amazing books for Disney including “The Toy Story Films: An Animated Journey”; “Tale As Old As Time: The Art and Making of Beauty and the Beast” and many more. He is a guy that knows Disney and he is definitely the write before for this job. I was am just hung up on the fact that Maleficent didn’t get more focus.
Briar Rose/Aurora was and still is one of the most beautiful and beautifully animated of the Disney princesses. The film also featured one of Disney’s best villains still to date, Maleficent. Perrault’s created such an amazing character here that she has still leaves fear in the heart of its viewers/readers. As well as covering the literature and animated film of the story of “Sleeping Beauty”, this book also touches (I use that lightly, since “Maleficent” could have fill a book on its own) on the new film “Maleficent” with interviews with Angelina Jolie, Imelda Staunton, Linda Woolverton, Sean Bailey, Joe Roth, Don Hahn, and director Robert Stromberg (Oscar-winning art director of Avatar and Alice in Wonderland). There is some behind-the-scenes details and photography; costumes, props, and makeup included as well.
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