Contains moments of grandeur. Lush colors. A magical air. One of the most menacing villains in the Disney canon.
Sleeping Beauty
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Disney classic is delightful but sometimes scary.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 4–5
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Sleeping Beauty was written by Carrie R. Wheadon
Parents need to know that, for most kids, the scariest part of this Disney classic will be the prince's fight with the dragon. He fights it with a sword and almost falls from a cliff. Other scary moments involve the witch Maleficent and her ogre-like goons. Maleficent kidnaps the prince, and the goons beat him up (mostly shown in shadow). She also shoots lightning bolts with her staff and at one point dissolves into a green mist. There's one notable drinking scene where the two kings toast to their children's impending nuptials, and the attending minstrel sneaks enough wine to get drunk, falling down under the table and hiccuping.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about scary villains. Is Maleficent scarier than say, Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmatians? How about the witch from Snow White? Also, for kids who like the movies Shrek and Enchanted, what did those movies imitate from this one?
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More on Sleeping Beauty
What’s the Story?
The King and Queen happily celebrate the birth of their daughter, Princess Aurora. The young Prince, who is betrothed to the baby, and three good fairies join the celebration. But wicked fairy Maleficent isn't included, so she angrily casts a spell on the baby Princess -- when she turns 16, she'll prick her finger and die. The good fairies can't remove the spell, but they change it from death to a deep sleep from which Aurora can be awakened only by love's first kiss. For her protection, Aurora is sent to live with the good fairies in a woodsy cottage until her sixteenth birthday is over. The fairies can't use magic because it would lead Maleficent to the princess. Aurora (called Briar Rose) grows up, meets the Prince, and they fall in love. But Aurora can't escape the spell -- she pricks her finger and falls into a deep sleep. Maleficent captures the prince, but the fairies help him escape. In a last ditch effort, Maleficent turns herself into a terrifying dragon and sets out to stop the Prince for good.
Is It Any Good?
This is a classic Disney animated feature, and many parents, and kids, will find the hand-drawn animation refreshing compared to today's mostly computer-animated fare. Children may also enjoy the little squabbles of the three good fairies, which may remind them of arguments with their siblings. Be aware that there are some intense, scary scenes involving Maleficent and the fire-breathing dragon. The film give parents a chance to expose young ones to classical music -- the score is based on Tchaikovsky's "Sleeping Beauty" ballet.
As in Snow White, a sleeping princess can only be awakened by a kiss from the prince. Psychiatrist Bruno Bettelheim and others have written extensively about the meaning of these stories, and the ways in which they symbolize the transition to adulthood and sexual awakening. Bettelheim's theory was that such fairy tales begin to prepare children for developments they are not ready to assimilate consciously.
Movie Details
Studio: Disney, Director: Clyde Geronimi
Run time: 75 minutes
Theatrical release: 01/29/1959, DVD release: 10/06/2008
MPAA Rating: G
Run time: 75 minutes
Theatrical release: 01/29/1959, DVD release: 10/06/2008
MPAA Rating: G
Our Members Say
See all 22 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title iffy for age 4 and give it
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I rate this title iffy for age 4 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
good for little kids.
this movie is good for little kids but not big ones.
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I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
- My highlights are:
good movie.
I loved this movie when i was 4 but I wached it again when i was 9 and i found out there was a bad word in it it`s still a verry good movie.
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I rate this title off for age 4 and give it- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Wow, I never thought the dragon was scary and neither has my 4 year old daughter, who has watched since she was interested enough in sitting through entire movies. She loves the movie. Just like she loves many of other Disney movies.
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I rate this title off for age 4 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Don't watch it unless you're 10 or older...
Very nice animated feature, (and to person who is 42 yrs old), I love this film. I DON'T think it's appropriate for children under age 10, because Maleficent is just too scary. I was scared to death of her when I was young, and still remember it. I saw it at 7 years old, and it was WAY to scary. And yes, I think a lot of Disney movies are too scary for four-year olds. The music, the dramatic quality to it is just too intense.
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
SLEEPING BEAUTY
"I know you, I've walked with you once upon a dream..." I actually sang during this Disney classic.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
"Snow White.."-ish fairy tale delight!
As in SNOW WHITE.. SLEEPING BEAUTY can only be awoken by true loves kiss. Now that story over and over again might be tiresome to some, but this is another classic flick.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
I Laughed and Cried
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Scary fro the young!
20 minutes of the prince fighting with the dragon! Very scarey for young children. I think this shouldn't have been a G movie. I know it's a classic but it's been shrelved at our house!
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Catchy songs but can be scary
The dragon can be quite scary, so I would not recommend this for very young children. Also, during the celebration the King's musician/fool gets quite drunk, and some kids may just think it's funny, but mine actually questioned me about *why* he was acting so funny. I have no problem with moderate alcohol consumption, but I was a little surprised at the scene and the subsequent questions from my child.
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
Not for the very youngest
My daughter loves all the princesses, but in this one she always asks to skip the parts with the "mean queen." Besides the dragon fight, the scene in Maleficent's castle is a little scary (the warthogs or whatever they are chasing the prince), and the beginning where Maleficent curses the baby is hard to explain to a little one.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
love story
This is a Charming Movie when they Kiss. My daughter love this movie she is 8 years. its a really good movie for kids to see.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
I love this movie!
This is my favorite movie and Aurora is wonderful! But, the dragon can be scary.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Warning: Includes bad language
This movie includes some pretty bad language, just like Pinocchio, and it's really dark, but it's okay.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Stereotypical Disney princess story...yawn...
Why can't Disney portray women as strong or independent for once? Just like Snow White, Cinderella, and every other damzel-in-distress princess story before it, Sleeping Beauty shows women as people who need a man to come in and save the day. The plot line wasn't that interesting either. If you really want a good Disney movie, try Mulan.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Nice story - a classic - but some scary scenes
This was my favorite movie growing up and I still love it. I read the story to my girls (ages 4 and 2.5) many times before we watched the movie and I explained some of the scarier parts (Maleficent and the dragon) before we watched. They love this film and have seen it about a dozen times now. With all the preparation I did, the dragon scene didn't scare them at all, but I can see how it may scare some children, so be ready and watch with them. The overall message (love conquers all) is really sweet and the animation is just gorgeous. It is like a tapestry set in motion.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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| 50% | of parents say it's too violent |
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