Maleficent: Who Awakens Aurora?

Maleficent is a fictional character who first appeared in Disney's 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty. She is the self-proclaimed Mistress of All Evil and is based on the evil fairy godmother in Charles Perrault's fairy tale of the same name. Maleficent is the primary antagonist of the film, and her role as the villain has made her one of Disney's most popular characters. In the film, she is an evil fairy who curses Princess Aurora after not being invited to her christening. The curse is that Aurora will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and fall into an eternal sleep before her sixteenth birthday. The only thing that can awaken her is true love's kiss. In the 2014 live-action remake, Maleficent, the character is portrayed by Angelina Jolie, and the film explores her backstory and motivations, adding emotional complexity to the villainous role.

Princess Aurora is cursed by Maleficent to fall into an eternal sleep

Princess Aurora, also known as Sleeping Beauty, is cursed by Maleficent to fall into an eternal slumber. Maleficent is a powerful and evil fairy, self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil", and the primary antagonist of Disney's 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty. She is furious about not being invited to Princess Aurora's christening and takes revenge by cursing the infant princess. Maleficent decrees that before sunset on her sixteenth birthday, Aurora will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die. However, one of the good fairies, Merryweather, alters the curse so that instead of dying, Aurora will fall into a deep sleep that can only be broken by true love's kiss.

Maleficent's character design is striking, combining elements of a femme fatale and a vampire bat, with a horned headdress and a bat-like robe. Her elegant and stylish appearance sets her apart from the typical depiction of witches and hags in fairy tales. Marc Davis, the animator, may have been influenced by the powerful voice performance of Eleanor Audley, who also voiced Lady Tremaine, Cinderella's evil stepmother. Maleficent's popularity has endured, and she is considered one of Disney's greatest villains of all time.

In the 2014 live-action remake, Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie, the character is given a different, more nuanced backstory. While she is still the villain, the film explores her motivations and presents her as a tragic figure, defending the Moors, a realm of supernatural beings, from neighbouring humans. This version of Maleficent adds emotional complexity to the character, making her more sympathetic and explaining her bitterness towards humans.

The spinning wheel plays a pivotal role in the curse. It is the instrument that activates the spell when Aurora pricks her finger, leading her into a deep, ageless sleep. This sleep can only be broken by true love's kiss, which takes on a different form in the live-action film. In the original animated version, Prince Phillip, Aurora's true love, wakes her with a kiss. However, in the 2014 film, it is Maleficent's love for Aurora as her goddaughter that breaks the curse, transcending the spell.

Overall, the story of Princess Aurora and her curse by Maleficent has been a popular and enduring part of Disney's legacy, with the character of Maleficent becoming an iconic villain and a breakout star. The tale has been retold and reimagined in various formats, including animated and live-action films, manga, and video games, captivating audiences for generations.

Maleficent is defeated by Prince Phillip, who wakes Aurora with a kiss

Maleficent is the primary antagonist in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" and its live-action adaptation, "Maleficent." She is a powerful sorceress and the self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil," who curses Princess Aurora at her christening, predicting that she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die before her sixteenth birthday.

In the original animated film, Maleficent is defeated by Prince Phillip, who races to Aurora's chamber to wake her with True Love's Kiss. However, in the 2014 live-action film "Maleficent," the story takes a different turn. In this version, Maleficent is portrayed as a more complex and sympathetic character, with an origin story that explains her bitterness towards humans.

As the movie progresses, Maleficent captures Prince Phillip, Aurora's true love, and imprisons him. Believing that she has triumphed, Maleficent rests, only to be awakened by the discovery that Phillip has escaped with the help of the fairies. She confronts him and transforms into a huge, dark dragon, embodying her formidable power and ominous presence.

The climactic battle between Dragon Maleficent and Prince Phillip takes place in the Forbidden Mountains. The fairies cast an enhancing enchantment on Phillip's Sword of Truth, which he uses to strike a mortal blow to Maleficent, causing her to fall off a crumbling cliff to her death. With Maleficent defeated, Phillip rushes to Aurora's side and awakens her with a kiss of true love, breaking the spell and restoring peace to the kingdom.

Thus, in both the animated and live-action versions of "Sleeping Beauty," Maleficent meets her demise at the hands of Prince Phillip. However, the 2014 "Maleficent" film offers a nuanced portrayal of the iconic villain, adding depth to her character and providing a different perspective on the classic tale.

Maleficent's past is explored in the 2014 live-action film, showing her as a tragic character

Maleficent is a 2014 live-action film that explores the character's past, presenting her as a tragic figure. The movie is a retelling of the story of Sleeping Beauty from the perspective of the villain, Maleficent, played by Angelina Jolie. In the original 1959 animated film, Maleficent is a purely evil fairy who curses Princess Aurora at her christening, predicting that she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die before her sixteenth birthday.

The 2014 film, however, offers a nuanced backstory for Maleficent, showing her as a good-hearted but wounded fairy who defends the Moors, a realm of supernatural beings, from neighbouring humans. Maleficent rises to become the fiercest protector of her idyllic forest kingdom when an invading army threatens it. However, a terrible betrayal hardens her heart and transforms her into a creature bent on revenge. She engages in an epic battle with the invading king's successor and curses his newborn daughter, Aurora, only to realise later that the child holds the key to peace in the kingdom.

Maleficent's past is further explored in the film through her relationship with King Stefan, Aurora's father. They were once childhood friends, and their bond evolved into a romantic relationship. However, Stefan's power-hungry nature led to Maleficent's victimisation, and his relentless pursuit to destroy her intensified her hatred. This backstory adds depth to Maleficent's character, making her both menacing and sympathetic.

The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Jolie's performance, visual effects, and costumes but criticised the script and direction. Despite this, the film was a commercial success, grossing over $757 million worldwide and becoming the third-highest-opening weekend for a solo female star at the time. Maleficent's portrayal in the 2014 film as a tragic character with a nuanced backstory adds a fresh perspective to the well-known story of Sleeping Beauty.

Maleficent is the primary antagonist in Sleeping Beauty but is given an origin story in the 2014 film

Maleficent is the primary antagonist in Disney's 1959 animated film "Sleeping Beauty". She is a powerful and oppressive villainess, responsible for cursing Princess Aurora at her christening, predicting that she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die before sunset on her 16th birthday. Maleficent's character introduces a major conflict in the narrative and is an embodiment of campy villainy, with her skulking around a crumbling castle in the Forbidden Mountains and her penchant for cursing infants due to snubs.

The 2014 live-action film "Maleficent", starring Angelina Jolie, presents a different take on the character. In this version, Maleficent is a good-hearted but tragic fairy who defends the Moors, a realm of supernatural beings, from neighbouring humans. The film explores Maleficent's backstory, portraying her as a victim of King Stefan's treachery and power-hungry nature, which transforms her into a villain. This nuanced character development adds depth to the iconic villain, showcasing her as a maternal figure and providing insight into her motivations.

Maleficent's enduring popularity, even outpacing the original movie, led to the creation of the 2014 live-action film. The idea for the film was conceived during Don Hahn's meeting with Disney's animation department in 2003 and was initially pitched as an animated project. However, it later transitioned into a live-action feature, with Robert Stromberg directing and Angelina Jolie starring as Maleficent. The film's visuals aimed for simplicity, avoiding surrealism, and the score was composed by James Newton Howard.

Maleficent's design in the 2014 film is striking, departing from the standard depiction of witches and hags. Marc Davis, the animator, opted for an elegant, sinister, green-skinned beauty, described as a "vain femme fatale" resembling a giant vampire bat. This design, combined with Eleanor Audley's powerful voice performance, elevated Maleficent to become one of Disney's most popular and recognisable villains. The character's name, derived from the Latin "maleficentia", meaning "doing evil or harm", further emphasised her villainous nature.

Overall, the 2014 film "Maleficent" provides an origin story for the titular antagonist of "Sleeping Beauty", exploring her motivations and presenting a more nuanced portrayal while retaining the iconic elements that made the character so enduring.

Maleficent is a powerful sorceress with a dragon form, enhancing her manipulative nature

Maleficent is a powerful sorceress and one of Disney's most popular characters. She is the main antagonist in the 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty, where she is depicted as an evil fairy and the self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil". Maleficent's popularity has endured and even outpaced the original movie, with her character being referenced and appearing in numerous subsequent films, shows, and video games.

Maleficent's ability to transform into a dragon is a clear demonstration of her formidable power and ominous presence. Her attire, including a horned headdress and bat-like robe, hints at her dragon form. As a dragon, she is colossal and terrifying, instilling fear in Prince Phillip and the fairies. Her shapeshifting ability is a testament to her magical prowess and manipulative nature. In the film's climax, Maleficent transforms into a dragon to battle and destroy Prince Phillip, who is attempting to reach King Stefan's castle to wake Princess Aurora with true love's kiss.

Maleficent's dragon form is not limited to the Sleeping Beauty film, as she also appears as a dragon in various other media. In the video game Kingdom Hearts, she is defeated in her dragon form but flees before being finished off. She also appears as a dragon in the Kingdom Hearts series, where she confronts Aqua and Phillip, and in the nighttime spectacular Fantasmic!, where she is summoned by the Queen to destroy Mickey Mouse. Additionally, an animatronic version of Maleficent's dragon form can be found at Disneyland Paris.

Maleficent's popularity and enduring appeal can be attributed to her design, voice performance, and nuanced character development. Her striking combination of a femme fatale and a vampire bat, along with her powerful voice performance, sets her apart from other Disney villains. The live-action remake of Maleficent also presents a different, tragic backstory, adding depth to the character. Maleficent's manipulative nature, magical prowess, and iconic dragon form have solidified her place as one of Disney's greatest villains.

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