NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: IFC Blu-ray (June 2025): IFC has transferred Julia Leigh's Sleeping Beauty to Blu-ray. In 2012, we reviewed the Seville DVD HERE. We have compared captures below. The IFC 1080P presentation honors the film’s austere and deliberate aesthetic, capturing the well thought-out cinematography of Geoffrey Simpson (Shine.). The high-definition transfer preserves the film’s color palette (warmer flesh tones) showcasing the sterile opulence of the mansion and the gritty realism of Lucy’s everyday environments. The higher resolution improves over the SD transfer with more detail, depth, and texture. It is a clean and flawless HD presentation.

NOTE: We have added 36 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE.

On their Blu-ray, IFC uses a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround track (24-bit) in the original English language. The soundtrack of Sleeping Beauty is a subtle yet effective complement to the film’s minimalist sound design, delivering a clean and immersive experience that respects the film’s reliance on silence and diegetic sounds. Dialogue (though sparse) is crisp and centered with Emily Browning’s soft-spoken delivery and the formal exchanges with Clara rendered with clarity. The surround channels are used sparingly, primarily for ambient effects, like the hum of fluorescent lights in the medical facility or the distant echoes of footsteps in the mansion, creating a sense of space without overwhelming the film’s quiet intensity. Low-frequency effects are minimal--reserved for moments, like the faint rumble of traffic or the understated score by Ben Frost (In Her Skin,) which uses dissonant strings and drones to unsettling effect. The soundtrack avoids bombast, preserving the film’s hypnotic restraint. IFC offers optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The IFC Blu-ray offers a new commentary by film historian Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (The Giallo Canvas: Art, Excess and Horror Cinema,) who provides a rigorous and insightful analysis of the film’s feminist undertones, visual style, and cultural significance. Her commentary delves into Julia Leigh’s directorial choices, the film’s literary influences (such as Yasunari Kawabata’s The House of the Sleeping Beauties,) and its polarizing reception at Cannes, making it a valuable resource for scholars and fans alike. Additionally, the release includes a booklet featuring new writing by film critic Esther Rosenfield, which offers a fresh critical perspective on the film’s exploration of commodification and agency.

Sleeping Beauty is a provocative Australian art-house drama written and directed by Julia Leigh, marking her feature film debut. The film stars Emily Browning as Lucy, a university student navigating financial hardship and emotional detachment. To support herself, Lucy takes on various odd jobs before being drawn into an enigmatic and ethically ambiguous role. She is paid to be drugged into unconsciousness, allowing wealthy older men to interact with her sleeping body in a controlled, ritualistic setting. The heart of Sleeping Beauty is a complex examination of consent and personal agency. The film engages with voyeurism--both within the narrative and in its address to the audience. Lucy’s own voyeuristic tendencies further complicate this theme. In a pivotal scene, she secretly records a sleeping session to see what happens while she is unconscious, reflecting her curiosity about her own objectification. This act of reclaiming the gaze suggests a desire to understand her role, yet it also underscores her detachment as she watches the footage with clinical curiosity rather than emotional investment. Sleeping Beauty is a challenging and polarizing film that defies easy categorization. Through its minimalist aesthetic, ambiguous narrative, and provocative themes, it invites viewers to confront uncomfortable questions about consent, exploitation, and the nature of human connection. Julia Leigh’s directorial debut is both a meditation on the female experience and a broader critique of a transactional world, rendered with stark beauty and unrelenting ambiguity. While its emotional distance and lack of resolution may alienate some, these qualities are precisely what make it a compelling work of art--one that lingers in the mind, demanding reflection long after the credits roll. The IFC Blu-ray of Sleeping Beauty provides an excellent, improved presentation. The extras (though limited to the scholarly audio commentary by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and a booklet by Esther Rosenfield) provide valuable critical insights that deepen appreciation of the film’s themes and context. Sleeping Beauty is well-suited for those who value its cerebral and unsettling exploration of femininity, power, and commodification. I certainly recommend this Blu-ray.

Gary Tooze