Once Upon a Revisited Dream

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Last night, people watched the Grammy Awards Show to witness the awkwardness of Taylor Swift, the reuniting of Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney, and the many marriages of happy homosexuals. However, while this night of Hollywood merriment commenced, CBS revealed another trailer to the long awaited Maleficent movie premiering in theaters on May 30^th, 2014. As the teaser revealed the villain, the main score of the original Sleeping Beauty movie played.

However, this isn’t the Once Upon a Dream song you grew up with.

Rather, it is a remake much like other classic Disney songs. But this redoing of Once Upon a Dream is completely and utterly brilliant. This version of the song is a nod to what we heard as children and possibly played the death out of. While it still keeps the whimsicalness that we remember, there is a darker tone added to the tune. This eeriness is included to remind everyone of the story of the villainess that is to be told. Yet this shadowy feel also evolves the classic tune into a more mature melody that resonates with Disney’s target audience for Maleficent.

Maleficent is a Disney movie and Disney movies are often directed towards children. Maleficent is not only targeted at kids, but at adult who grew up watching the original film. When they listen to this tune, not only do they reflect on themselves as children watching Sleeping Beauty, but how the story of a sleeping damsel has evolved with the times.

When Sleeping Beauty was made, everything was set to a simplistic plot for children to understand: Aurora good. Maleficent bad.  It was constructed this way for its child audience so they could comprehend it. But now, children have grown up and so has this story. This story now features Aurora, still on the good side, but she isn’t the main character as much. We now have someone who we always figured was evil, taking the spotlight, and changing the story. Maleficent alters the classic tale because we never received her side of the story. No one wanted to know about the wicked villain who placed a curse on the innocent Aurora. We just generally assumed she was evil. Now in the modern times, everyone wants to know about the reckless monster, and the cause of their actions.

Maleficent’s motives are shrouded in mystery, just like her character which is what also makes the redone Once Upon a Dream song wonderful. The song is sung with a beautiful unknown that captures our hearts and lures us in because it’s something we’re all familiar with. It’s manipulated so not only we are reminded of a childhood tune turned hauntingly enchanting, but it will give a whole new generation a new ideal of Once Upon a Dream.

What do you think of the redone Once Upon a Dream tune? Are you excited for the upcoming Maleficent movie? Feel free to leave your comments below and as always, feedback and followers are welcomed.