Waking Sleeping Beauty is a documentary released in 2009. It is directed and narrated by Don Hahn and explores what was happening within Disney's animation division between the years of 1984 and 1994. In this time, Disney Animation had lost its touch of magic, and its movies were failing to deliver in the way that their classics had. Among the most important people mentioned in the film is Roy Disney, who resigned from head of the company. He hired Michael Eisner and Frank Wells to take his place, and they hired Jeffrey Katzenberg to take over the crumbling animation division. Throughout the film, the audience learns how the animation division came back from its thirty year slump, and why what happened was so miraculous.
There is not much outside information required to view this film. The only question raised may be why the title is what it is. This is because the slump that Disney Animation hit came after the release of Sleeping Beauty in 1959. This film is titled Waking Sleeping Beauty because it follows Disney's efforts to awaken the golden age that was put to sleep when Sleeping Beauty released.
In terms of the film's content, there is not much of a plot because this is a documentary. The film is structured chronologically, and begins in 1984 with the production of The Black Cauldron. The animation team had spent many years and a lot of money attempting to push the envelope with this film. Unfortunately, they pushed the envelope too far and made a movie that was too dark for young audiences. In 1985 with the release of the film, Disney hit a new low.
The bulk of the film follows what happened in the years to come. Katzenberg began to crack down on the artists and tell them that no matter how much they wanted to make art, it was more important that they make money. Without money, there would be no next film. In 1986, production began on The Little Mermaid. The film would be the first fairy-tale since Sleeping Beauty, and they wanted to make it a musical. This is the point when Howard Ashman and Alan Menken became involved in Disney animation. They would go on to create some of the most beloved Disney songs of all time, and their first project was The Little Mermaid. In 1989 the film finally got released into theaters, and it was the first time in thirty years that a Disney animated feature was met with critical and financial success.
The Little Mermaid kick started what is today known as The Disney Renaissance, and ushered in a decade of remarkably successful animated films. This list would include Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, and Tarzan.
Waking Sleeping Beauty is the ultimate underdog story and it shows its viewers that even at your lowest point, it is possible to recover. In under 10 years, Disney Animation want from losing millions of dollars on a film to producing the first animated film nominated for the Best Feature Academy Award.
Overall, if a person is interested in the history of film, specifically animated film, the this is the film for them. It is incredibly informative, surprising entertaining, and manages to create high stakes despite the outcomes already being known. I cannot recommend this film enough.
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