Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs

Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs is rated G:

Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has left a giant impression on film history. This first full-length, color animation ever to grace the silver screen, has captured the heart and imagination of generation after generation of movie watchers -- even though critics warned Walt that making an 84 minute “cartoon” was pure folly.

In his adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairytale, the princess Snow White (voice of Adriana Caselotti) is forced to work as a servant in her own castle, because her wicked stepmother (voice of Lucille La Verne) does not want to lose her place as the Queen (or as “the fairest in the land”). When warned of the vain usurper’s desire to kill her, the pale-skinned girl runs away to the forest and takes refuge in the home of seven dwarfs. Unfortunately, the Queen’s magic mirror (voice of Moroni Olsen) reveals her hiding place, and the murderous monarch brews up a plan to be rid of Snow White forever.

Although the animators thought it might be too shocking for the audience to see the naïve royal take a bitter bite of the poisonous apple that casts her into endless sleep, parents should be reminded that some young viewers may still be frightened by a few of the portrayals in this perilous plot.

Yet when a movie manages to last through the toils of time like Snow White has, it is interesting to ask, “What has made it work so well, for so long?”

Besides the amazing technical achievements, perhaps it is because the film is imbued with a gentleness that flows from the hand painted cels through to the simple musical numbers. Snow White also offers a glimpse of the beauty of human kindness. Despite the oppression she has endured, the young woman expresses her caring by the acts of service she performs for her tiny hosts. The dwarfs, who melt under her warm affection, return her goodness with a desire to protect her.

The patterns established here work so well that they can be seen in the many Disney movies that followed. Look for a similar wicked witch in Sleeping Beauty and an evil stepmother in Cinderella. The fair maiden and handsome-though-characterless prince are also stereotypical in several of Walt’s animated tales.

While today’s consumers may point out that the needy protagonist presented here hardly represents an independent woman, or that the humorous depictions of the little men might be viewed as politically incorrect, it is hard to criticize the intentions of this good-overcomes-evil story. More than half of a century has passed since its conception and still the production’s abundance of charm and artistic uniqueness make it one of “the fairest in all the land.”

Studio: 1937 Walt Dinsey Pictures. Visit the official movie site.

Snow White offers an interesting time-capsule-like portrait of the ideal 1930’s woman. How does she compare to some of Disney’s later female characters, such as Ariel in The Little Mermaid, or Jasmine in Aladdin. (Note in particular costumes and body sizes.)

Click here to learn more about the historical significance of Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

You will find more evil stepmothers in the movies Ever After, and Enchanted.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Edition

Release Date: 6 October 2009 (Blu-ray and DVD Combo Pack)

Release Date: 24 November 2009 (Standard Definition DVD)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is being released in two different formats (Blu-ray and DVD) at two different times. (The Blu-ray and DVD Combo Pack is releasing first, perhaps as an incentive to any fence sitters considering switching to the new format.) Both versions will be on sale for a limited time only.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Edition Blu-ray and DVD Combo Pack (releasing October 6, 2009) provides a copy of Walt Disney’s first full-length animation masterpiece in both presentations. Bonus materials include:

Disc 1:

- Full-length feature film on DVD disc with restored picture and soundtrack

- Audio commentary by John Canemaker.

- Music Video Some Day My Prince Will Come, by Tiffany Thornton.

- Sneak Peak at Disney’s The Princess and the Frog.

Disc 2:

- Full-length feature film on Blu-ray Disc with audio tracks in DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (English).

- DisneyView turns Snow White’s original aspect ratio into widescreen.

- Music Video

- Sneak Peak at Disney’s The Princess and the Frog

Other bonus materials include:

Backstage Disney Featurettes:

- Hyperion Studios (take a digital tour of the original Walt Disney studio where Snow White was conceived).

- Snow White Returns (newly discovered storyboards).

- The One that Started It All (learn more about how the production impacted film history).

- About Toby Bluth and his artistic work to create the widescreen version of the movie.

- Disney Through the Decades.

Interactive Features: Let the Magic Mirror act as your host for navigating the Blu-ray disc, and become one of the seven dwarfs in Scene Stealer.

-Heigh-Ho Karaoke sing-along.

Games: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Jewel Jumble, Dopey’s Wild Mine Ride and What Do You See?

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Edition Standard Definition DVD (releasing November 24, 2009) offers the full-length feature film on DVD disc with restored picture and soundtrack. The audio track is available in Dolby Digital 5.1 (English, French and Spanish). Bonus materials include:

- Audio commentary by John Canemaker.

- Snow White Returns (newly discovered storyboards).

- The One that Started It All (learn more about how the production impacted film history).

- Music Video Some Day My Prince Will Come, by Tiffany Thornton.

- Disney Through the Decades.

-Heigh-Ho Karaoke sing-along.

- Dopey’s Wild Mine Ride game

- Learn How To Take Your Favorite Movies On The Go.

- Sneak Peak at Disney’s The Princess and the Frog