It was 1982. Cable television was a lawless frontier. While most networks were busy trying to figure out how to sell soap or sitcoms, Shelley Duvall—the wide-eyed star of The Shining—was busy convincing some of the biggest names in Hollywood to dress up like peasants and fairies for a premium cable experiment. The result was Faerie Tale Theatre, and honestly, the Sleeping Beauty Faerie Tale Theatre episode is probably the most surreal, visually distinct hour of television from that entire era.
If you grew up in the eighties or nineties, you probably remember the intro: that whimsical, slightly eerie synth music and the shot of Shelley Duvall standing in a library, looking like she just stepped out of a storybook. It wasn't just "kids' TV." It was high art on a shoestring budget.
The Weird, Wonderful World of Shelley Duvall’s Vision
Most people forget how stacked these casts were. For the Sleeping Beauty Faerie Tale Theatre production, Duvall managed to snag Christopher Reeve. Yes, Superman himself. This wasn't a paycheck gig for him; it was a chance to play a prince in a version of the story that felt more like a stage play than a cartoon.
Reeve played Prince Charming (or Prince Henrietta, depending on which version of the script’s humor you’re leaning into), and he brought this weirdly sincere, almost goofy energy to it. Opposite him was Bernadette Peters. If you’re a Broadway nerd, you know Peters is basically royalty. Her portrayal of Princess Aurora was less "passive victim" and more "charming, slightly confused ingenue."
The chemistry worked because it didn't feel manufactured.
The show’s whole vibe was built on something called "Video Paintbox." It was this early digital effects system that allowed them to overlay live actors onto backgrounds that looked like literal paintings. In Sleeping Beauty, they leaned heavily into the work of Gustave Doré. You can see it in the way the forests look—gnarled, etched, and deeply shadows. It gave the whole thing a claustrophobic, magical quality that CGI just can't replicate today.
Beverly D’Angelo and the Art of Being Evil
We have to talk about the villain.
Beverly D'Angelo played Henbane, the disgruntled fairy who didn't get an invite to the christening. Most of us know her as the mom from National Lampoon's Vacation, but here? She was terrifying. Not in a "jump scare" way, but in a "this woman is genuinely unhinged" way.
The makeup department went all out. Green skin. Sharp features. A voice that sounded like gravel in a blender. What made this version of the story stand out was that Henbane wasn't just "evil because the plot says so." She was petty. She was hurt. She was essentially that one person we all know who makes a scene when they aren't invited to a party. It made the stakes feel strangely human despite the magic wands and curses.
The narrative followed the classic Perrault and Grimm bones, but it added these layers of dry, sophisticated humor. You’ve got the king and queen (played by George Dzundza and Anne Jackson) who are basically just stressed-out parents trying to manage a PR disaster. It’s funny. It’s cynical. It’s perfect.
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Why the Production Design Still Holds Up (Sorta)
Look, if you watch it today on a 4K OLED screen, you’re going to see the seams. You’ll see where the green screen bleeds around Christopher Reeve’s hair. You’ll notice the sets are made of plywood and spray paint.
But that’s the point.
The Sleeping Beauty Faerie Tale Theatre episode wasn't trying to be a blockbuster movie. It was filmed at ABC Television Center in Hollywood, and it embraced its "theatre" roots. The art direction was handled by individuals who cared about art history. For this specific episode, the inspiration was the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Long hair, flowing gowns, and a specific type of romantic melancholy.
It felt like a storybook come to life, not because it looked real, but because it looked like an illustration.
Modern Disney remakes often fail because they try to make everything "gritty" or "realistic." Why does a fairy tale need to be realistic? Duvall understood that the power of these stories lies in their abstraction. When the prince is hacking through the briers to get to the castle, the briers look like cardboard cutouts. And yet, because the performances are so earnest, you’re actually worried he won't make it.
The Legacy of the 100-Year Nap
There’s a specific scene in this version that sticks with everyone: the spinning wheel.
In the 1959 Disney version, it’s all glowing green magic and hypnotism. In the Faerie Tale Theatre version, it’s much more quiet. It’s almost seductive. The way Henbane lures Aurora into the tower feels like a psychological trap. When the needle pricks her finger, the silence is what hits you.
Then everyone falls asleep.
The practical effects used to show the castle being overtaken by vines were simple—just a bunch of stagehands probably throwing plastic ivy over furniture—but the editing made it feel transformative. The show didn't have the budget for a dragon fight, so it relied on atmosphere. It relied on the dread of a kingdom frozen in time.
Honestly, the show was a gamble.
Showtime was a new platform. Nobody knew if people would tune in to see movie stars doing "kinda weird" versions of children's stories. But they did. It became a staple of libraries and classrooms for decades. If you were a "theatre kid" in the 90s, this was your North Star.
What People Get Wrong About This Episode
Some critics at the time dismissed it as "camp." They thought the costumes were too loud and the acting was too theatrical. They missed the forest for the trees.
The "campiness" was a deliberate choice.
Duvall wanted to create something that parents could enjoy with their kids. The dialogue is littered with little nods to adult frustrations. The king’s obsession with his daughter’s safety isn't just a plot point; it’s a commentary on overprotective parenting.
Also, can we talk about the music? The score for the Sleeping Beauty Faerie Tale Theatre episode wasn't some generic orchestral swell. It was moody. It was atmospheric. It used synthesizers in a way that felt cutting-edge at the time, giving the medieval setting a weirdly futuristic pulse. It’s that juxtaposition that makes the show stay in your brain decades later.
Cultural Impact and the "Duvall Effect"
Shelley Duvall passed away recently, and it sparked a massive wave of nostalgia for this series. People realized that she wasn't just an actress; she was a curator. She brought together directors like Tim Burton and Francis Ford Coppola for other episodes, but the Sleeping Beauty installment remains a fan favorite because it’s the most "fairy tale" of the bunch.
It didn't try to subvert the ending. It didn't try to make Aurora a warrior princess who didn't need a man. It just told the story with immense style and a bit of a wink to the camera. It respected the source material enough to let it be weird.
How to Revisit the Magic Today
If you’re looking to scratch that nostalgic itch or introduce a new generation to something that isn't a polished CGI mess, you have a few options.
- Check the used bins: The original DVD sets (the ones that look like little storybooks) are still floating around on eBay and in local thrift stores. They’re the best way to see the original grain and color.
- Digital Archives: While it's not always on the major streamers like Netflix or Hulu, you can often find it on specialized platforms like Peacock or even YouTube via various archival accounts.
- Look for the "Making Of" footage: There are behind-the-scenes clips of Christopher Reeve and Bernadette Peters on set that show just how much fun they were having. It’s a great reminder that great art doesn't always require a billion-dollar budget.
The best way to appreciate this specific piece of television history is to watch it with the lights down, maybe with a bit of the cynicism of adulthood turned off. It’s a reminder that television used to be allowed to be "experimental" without needing to justify its existence to a board of shareholders.
Actionable Next Steps
If you want to dive deeper into the world of 80s fantasy or this specific series, start here:
- Watch the episode back-to-back with the 1959 Disney version. You will be shocked at how much more dialogue and character development exists in the Duvall version.
- Research the "Video Paintbox" technology. It’s a fascinating rabbit hole of early 80s tech that paved the way for modern green screen.
- Explore the rest of the series. Once you finish Sleeping Beauty, track down The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers (starring Peter MacNicol) or The Nightingale (starring Mick Jagger). They share that same DNA of "how did they get these people to do this?"
Ultimately, the Sleeping Beauty Faerie Tale Theatre episode stands as a testament to what happens when you give an artist a camera and a Rolodex full of famous friends. It’s messy, it’s beautiful, and it’s a little bit haunting. Just like a real fairy tale should be.