So as those of you who know me already know, I'm an avid Disney fan. And by avid I mean it borders on medical obsession. Disney has had a long and troubled history, however, and it was with great enthusiasm that I accepted my roommate's invitation to watch a documentary on the Disney Renaissance. I jumped for joy and kept putting it off until I was able to truly enjoy it. And enjoy it I did. Waking Sleeping Beauty takes viewers on a journey through the dimly-lit and linoleum-lined studios that brought forth such beauties such as Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. To a Disney afficionado like myself, that's an opportunity that is tantamount to Beatles fans being given a peek into a completely remastered pressing of Let It Be.
The film utilizes behind-camera interviews with huge personalities such as, Michael Eisner, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Roy Disney. It combines a collection of home-videos of animators doing what they do best--goofing off--and behind-the-scenes looks at the making of most of the repertoire of Disney Renaissance Films. It's an intimate view of an aspect of Disney history that most would rather forget. The film strikes a fair balance describing the fall of an animation giant, namely the ill-fated The Black Cauldron that did so poorly it did worse than none other than The Care Bears Movie and an over the top pat on the back for a job well done with a chillingly good list of films to come.
Disney needed to turn around and return to the heritage of Disney (proper) films. The question that gets raised in the film through a parenthetical story of a meeting is, "What would Walt Do?" And it certainly did make that turnaround. Headlines read, "Films, like they used to make 'em." An obvious nod to the beautiful tradition of hand-drawn animated features that put Disney on the map. A string of films would follow starting with The Little Mermaid which arguably is the true beginning of the Renaissance. Following Mermaid were the likes of, The Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and at its apex, The Lion King.
Waking Sleeping Beauty falls short on some regards when telling its tale of the clash of egos. It beautifully recounts the personal stories behind those who shed blood, sweat, and tears to create for consumers an end product that would jerk tears from children and adults alike. One particularly moving segment of the film was when they brought in Howard Ashman. Put simply, Howard created the means by which films like Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast certainly took off with memorable songs and dialogue. As standalone parts of a much larger project, the film certainly captures the gripping human emotions of empathy and sympathy but in the grander arc of the film, fails to address the real issue surrounding the premise of the film.
Towards the end it attempts to bring to light the main issues surrounding the increasingly volatile relationship between Eisner, Katzenberg and Disney. While thematically it certainly does a good job of opening and ending the film with the same reel of "Thank You" clips of the big-shots at the premiere of The Lion King, it feels dysfunctional, disjointed, and leaves me wanting to know more. While not altogether a bad feeling, it detracts from the full scope of the film. It didn't set out to be a simple historical anecdote of the rise of Walt Disney Feature Animation to a new era of gripping tales. It did, however, certainly cement the reasons why I am an avid fan. It reminds me that I'm human--funny that I should need reminding, but adults, I think, are able to enjoy the lessons brought forth as seen through a different lens. I watch the Renaissance repertoire now differently than I had when I was a tyke. The human endeavor isn't limited to age, but it certainly brings to light aspects that I took for granted.
Kudos to Disney for financing and distributing the film that, although isn't damaging, certainly sheds some light onto the dark side of the castle. The film certainly fulfills its promise of recounting the tale of waking Sleeping Beauty because the Disney Renaissance was just that--beauty waiting to be woken.
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