Sleeping Beauty introduced by John Canemaker

Introduced by filmmaker and animation historian John Canemaker in person

Dirs. Clyde Geronimi, Eric Larson, Wolfgang Reitherman, Les Clark. 1959. 70mm. At the time of its release, Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty was the most expensive animated film ever made, a passion project for the studio that ventured into new frontiers for the form and was originally formatted for Super Technirama 70mm exhibition. With art direction inspired by medieval and Renaissance painting and tapestries and music adapted from Tchaikovsky, this visually spectacular fairy tale, in which the deliriously evil and remarkably designed villain Maleficent makes things very difficult for betrothed royal lovers Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip, remains one of the most evocative, exquisitely detailed of all hand-drawn animated movies.

John Canemaker is an Academy Award–, Emmy Award–, and Peabody Award–winning animation filmmaker, historian, and NYU professor. He has authored twelve books on film animation history—with subjects including Winsor McCay, Felix the Cat, Tex Avery, and numerous Disney artists. His essays/reviews on animation have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Print Magazine, and Esopus. He is professor emeritus of Animation Studies at New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where he headed the animation program from 1988–2022. Learn more at animatedeye.johncanemaker.com.

Tickets: $20 / $15 for MoMI members*. Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.

*While World of Animation screenings are usually free for MoMI members (Senior/Student level and above), please note that this special 70mm presentation is available to members at a discounted price.

See other showtimes for Sleeping Beauty in 70mm.