Sleeping Beauty was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2019. The Library of Congress selected the 1959 Disney feature as culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
The National Film Registry is not a ranking of the most popular movies. It preserves a broad range of American films that represent the nation’s filmmaking history and cultural memory. Each year, the Librarian of Congress announces a new group of selections, with preservation carried out by the Library and archival partners.
Sleeping Beauty joined other Disney landmarks in the registry, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Cinderella. Its selection recognizes more than its fairy-tale story: the film is notable for Eyvind Earle’s stylized visual design, George Bruns’s Tchaikovsky-inspired score, and its ambitious widescreen presentation.