Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty

Movie spotlight

Sleeping Beauty

1971
Movie
67 min
German

On the occasion of their daughter's birth, the king and queen give a lavish feast. Among the guests are twelve fairies who endow the infant in the cradle with all good qualities. As the king loathes diligence, he does not invite the thirteenth fairy - the fairy of diligence. A captain lets her slip into the castle and she casts a spell on Sleeping Beauty, wishing death upon her. The twelfth fairy transforms and mitigates the spell. On the day she turns fifteen, the princess is to sink into a hundred-year sleep after pricking her finger on a spindle.

Insights

IMDb6.0/10
Director: Haskell WexlerGenres: Drama, Mystery

Plot Summary

A political activist named Sarah is implicated in a bombing and goes on the run. She seeks refuge with former associates and grapples with her past, her present involvement in radical politics, and the potential consequences of her actions. The film explores themes of activism, betrayal, and the search for identity within a turbulent era.

Critical Reception

Haskell Wexler's 'Sleeping Beauty' is a complex and challenging film that received mixed reviews upon its release. While some critics lauded its experimental style and ambitious exploration of political themes, others found its narrative convoluted and its message ambiguous. The film has since gained a cult following for its unflinching portrayal of activism during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its ambitious and experimental visual style.

  • Critiqued for a difficult-to-follow narrative and unclear political stance.

  • Recognized as a raw and unflinching depiction of radical politics during its time.

Google audience: Audience reception for 'Sleeping Beauty' is not widely documented. Those who have engaged with the film often describe it as a thought-provoking but demanding watch, appreciating its artistic merits and historical context more than its immediate accessibility.

Fun Fact

Director Haskell Wexler, primarily known for his cinematography work on films like 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' and 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,' also served as the cinematographer for 'Sleeping Beauty', contributing to its distinctive visual style.

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