THE ANIMATION OF SLEEPING BEAUTY
The style for the entire 1959 film came from the distinctive art of Eyvind Earle, who used elements of pre-renaissance design, with strong vertical lines and gothic elegance. Maleficent was originally conceived as an old crone, similar to the disguise of the Wicked Queen in Snow White, but based on Eleanor Audley’s powerful voice performance, the character was retooled into one of poise and calm malevolence. Maleficent’s animator Marc Davis researched artwork of the fourteenth century and was inspired by a picture of a religious woman dressed in a distinctly devilish manner, with flowing clothes resembling flames. With this image in his head, he based Maleficent’s costume around the idea of flames. Her black and purple robes flow like the flickering fires of hell, and Davis even crowned her with the ‘horns of the devil’. Her high collar is even in the shape of a bat, in case you hadn’t already realised that she is the villain of the piece.
THE LIVE ACTION MALEFICENT
The film has been in development since 2009, and Angelina Jolie has always been named as the actor that would take up Maleficent’s horns. All the actors in the film were chosen based on their uncanny resemblances to their character counterparts in the original animated film. Jolie personally worked closely with the costume and make-up designers to ensure that her Maleficent would still have the grace and menace of the character’s animated beginnings. Disney executives objected, as they hoped to take advantage of Jolie’s looks in marketing the film, but they lost the battle and Maleficent remained as devilish as ever.
The film’s costume designer, Anna B. Sheppard, looked to the same inspirations as Davis – medieval art. She made some changes to the ‘floaty’ flames so notable in the 1959 film, using dark and sculptural fabrics with volume, such as artificial furs, leather, and feathered accessories, to create a dark and sinister silhouette.
The special makeup effects required to turn Jolie into Maleficent were created by seven-time Academy Award winner Rick Baker. Working with Jolie, he designed a set of silicone appliances that would change Jolie’s appearance subtly into the Mistress of All Evil. He created a nose, ears, and cheeks that were silicone and gel-filled. The appliances are very small, but just tip Jolie’s appearance from the natural to the unnatural.
Green skin is nowhere to be seen in the live action Maleficent. It was decided that it would make her look too much like a creature, so they went back to the ethereal pallor of the original film. With the perfect balance of grace and power, Jolie’s Maleficent looks to be just as memorable, and iconic, as the original.
