When everything just clicks, magic happens and that is exactly what transpired at Walt Disney Studios Feature Animation department from 1984-1994. Waking Sleeping Beauty captures the mood of the workers at the animation department and how certain individuals like Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg changed the business while trying to control their egos. Due to interviews, personal home movies, and director Don Hahn and producer Peter Schneider who were actually there during this time, makes this documentary so candid and revealing.
Disney animation was on the downfall after the failure of The Black Cauldron. Roy E. Disney, nephew of Walt Disney, brought in Eisner and Eisner brought in Katzenberg to run the animation department. The artists were at the bottom of the food chain at the time. They were actually kicked off of Walt Disney Studio lot and re-located. Some of these young artists included names like John Lasseter (director of Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and Cars), and Tim Burton.
These young artists were having to battle the old-timers for control, and when they were finally given the opportunity, they shined. During these ten years, some of Disney’s greatest animated films were made. Films like Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King. After such a tumultuous struggle, Walt Disney Studios Feature Animation department and it’s artists changed animation forever. They finally received the recognition and respect they deserved.
Waking Sleeping Beauty gets you up-close and personal with how crazy things got at Disney. Just imagine if some of those titles I mentioned before were never made. Some came close to never happening. But the work that all of these artists put in day-in and day-out is just unbelievable. But animation is their passion. It is their life.
This documentary is fascinating and revealing. And seeing how far Disney animation has gone and what they have accomplished is amazing. In the film, they mention Disney hooking up with this small computer company called Pixar. We all know how that turned out. What could or would have been if these people were not at Disney during those 10 years. We probably do not want to think about that. Instead, let’s be thankful they were and look at what they have created for our enjoyment.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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