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If Walt Disney 's “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” had been primarily about Snow White, it might have been forgotten soon after its 1937 premiere, and treasured today only for historical reasons, as the first full-length animated feature in color. Snow White is, truth to tell, a bit of a bore, not a character who acts but one whose mere existence inspires others to act. The mistake of most of Disney's countless imitators over the years has been to confuse the titles of his movies with their subjects. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is not so much about Snow White or Prince Charming as about the Seven Dwarfs and the evil Queen--and the countless creatures of the forest and the skies, from a bluebird that blushes to a turtle who takes forever to climb up a flight of stairs.

Walt Disney's shorter cartoons all centered on one or a few central characters with strongly-defined personalities, starting with Mickey Mouse himself. They lived in simplified landscapes, and occupied stories in which clear objectives were boldly outlined. But when Disney decided in 1934 to make a full-length feature, he instinctively knew that the film would have to grow not only in length but in depth. The story of Snow White as told in his source, the Brothers Grimm, would scarcely occupy his running time, even at a brisk 83 minutes.

Disney's inspiration was not in creating Snow White but in creating her world. At a time when animation was a painstaking frame-by-frame activity and every additional moving detail took an artist days or weeks to draw, Disney imagined a film in which every corner and dimension would contain something that was alive and moving. From the top to the bottom, from the front to the back, he filled the frame (which is why Disney's decision in the 1980s to release a cropped “widescreen” version was so wrong-headed, and quickly retracted).

So complex were his frames, indeed, that Disney and his team of animators found that the cels they used for their short cartoons were not large enough to contain all the details he wanted, and larger cels were needed. The film's earliest audiences may not have known the technical reasons for the film's impact, but in the early scene where Snow White runs through the forest, they were thrilled by the way the branches reached out to snatch at her, and how the sinister eyes in the darkness were revealed to belong to friendly woodland animals. The trees didn't just sit there within the frame.

Disney's other innovation was the “multiplane camera,” which gave the illusion of three dimensions by placing several levels of drawing one behind another and moving them separately--the ones in front faster than the ones behind, so that the background seemed to actually move instead of simply unscrolling. Multiplane cameras were standard in animation until the very recent use of computers, which achieve a similar but more detailed effect--too detailed, purists argue, because too lifelike.

Nothing like the techniques in “Snow White” had been seen before. Animation itself was considered a child's entertainment, six minutes of gags involving mice and ducks, before the newsreel and the main feature. “Snow White” demonstrated how animation could release a movie from its trap of space and time; how gravity, dimension, physical limitations and the rules of movement itself could be transcended by the imaginations of the animators.

Consider another early example, when Snow White is singing “I'm Wishing” while looking down into the well. Disney gives her an audience--a dove that flutters away in momentary fright, and then returns to hear the rest of the song. Then the point of view shifts dramatically, and we are looking straight up at Snow White from beneath the shimmering surface of the water in the well. The drawing is as easy to achieve as any other, but where did the imagination come from, to supply that point of view?

Walt Disney often receives credit for everything done in his name (even sometimes after his death). He was a leader of a large group of dedicated and hard-working collaborators, who are thanked in the first frames of “Snow White,” before the full credits. But he was the visionary who guided them, and it is a little stunning to realize that modern Disney animated features like “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King” and “Aladdin,” as well as the rare hits made outside the Disney shop, like Dreamworks' “ Shrek ” and Pixar's “ Toy Story ,” still use to this day the basic approach that you can see full-blown in “Snow White.”

The most important continuing element is the use of satellite and sidekick characters, minor and major, serious and comic. A frame is not allowed for long to contain only a single character, long speeches are rare, musical and dance numbers are frequent, and the central action is underlined by the bit characters, who mirror it or react to it.

Disney's other insight was to make the characters physically express their personalities. He did that not by giving them funny faces or distinctive clothes (although that was part of it) but studying styles of body language and then exaggerating them. When Snow White first comes across the cottage of the dwarfs, she goes upstairs and sees their beds, each one with a nameplate: Sleepy, Grumpy, Dopey, and so on. When the dwarfs return home from work (“Heigh-ho! Heigh-ho!”) they are frightened and resentful to find a stranger stretched across their little beds, but she quickly wins them over by calling each one by name. She knows them, of course, because they personify their names. But that similarity alone would soon become boring if they didn't also act out every speech and movement with exaggerated body language, and if their very clothing didn't seem to move in sympathy with their personalities.

Richard Schickel's 1968 book The Disney Version points out Disney's inspiration in providing his heroes and supporting characters with different centers of gravity. A heroine like Snow White will stand upright and tall. But all of the comic characters will make movements centered on and emanating from their posteriors. Rump-butting is commonplace in Disney films, and characters often fall on their behinds and spin around. Schickel; attributed this to some kind of Disney anal fixation, but I think Disney did it because it works: It makes the comic characters rounder, lower, softer, bouncier and funnier, and the personalities of all seven Dwarfs are built from the seat up.

The animals are also divided into body styles throughout Disney. “Real” animals (like Pluto) look more like dogs, comic animals (like Goofy) stand upright and are more bottom-loaded. In the same movie a mouse will be a rodent but Mickey will somehow be other than a mouse; the stars transcend their species. In both versions, non-star animals and other supporting characters provide counterpoint and little parallel stories. Snow White doesn't simply climb up the stairs at the dwarves' house--she's accompanied by a tumult of animals. And they don't simply follow her in one-dimensional movement. The chipmunks hurry so fast they seem to climb over each other's backs, but the turtle takes it one laborious step at a time, and provides a punch line when he tumbles back down again.

What you see in “Snow White” is a canvas always shimmering, palpitating, with movement and invention. To this is linked the central story, which like all good fairy tales is terrifying, involving the evil Queen, the sinister Mirror on the Wall, the poisoned apple, entombment in the glass casket, the lightning storm, the rocky ledge, the Queen's fall to her death. What helps children deal with this material is that the birds and animals are as timid as they are, scurrying away and then returning for another curious look. The little creatures of “Snow White” are like a chorus that feels like the kids in the audience do.

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was immediately hailed as a masterpiece. (The Russian director Sergei Eisenstein called it the greatest movie ever made.) It remains the jewel in Disney's crown, and although inflated modern grosses have allowed other titles to pass it in dollar totals, it is likely that more people have seen it than any other animated feature. The word genius is easily used and has been cheapened, but when it is used to describe Walt Disney, reflect that he conceived of this film, in all of its length, revolutionary style and invention, when there was no other like it--and that to one degree or another, every animated feature made since owes it something.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Adriana Caselotti as Snow White (voice)

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‘snow white and the seven dwarfs’: thr’s 1937 review.

On Dec. 21, 1937, Walt Disney premiered his first full-length animated feature at Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles.

By THR Staff

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On Dec. 21, 1937, Walt Disney premiered his first full-length animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, at Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review, titled “‘Snow White’ Delightful Fairy Tale for All Ages,” is below:

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The production marks a milepost of motion picture progress, for it is in conceivable that this will not have many successors. Its appeal is so universal and its period of useful life so unlimited that it is certain to earn back the great cost and add note worthy profits as well.

Grimm’s fairytale of the little princess who was pursued by a vengeful step-mother, jealous of her beauty; who sought refuge in the home of the seven dwarfs; was put into a deathsleep by the witch’s magic and aroused by the loving kiss of Prince Charming, is known to children the world over. It has been retold and amplified here with consummate skill and charm. It is divided into contrasted episodes, each of distinctive character. There are scenes of idyllic beauty, of realistic terror, of quaint humor and broad cartoon comedy succeeding each other so smoothly as to give a sense of great variety, and of no untoward length anywhere.

The drawing and animation go far beyond anything seen before. Snow White is a lovely little figure who moves with the grace of a human person. She talks and sings, as do all but one of the dwarfs, who are broadly caricatured in typical cartoon fashion. All the action is accompanied by birds and little animals and the human happenings are pointed up delightfully by the reactions of the creatures. Of the many innovations one of the most striking is the mist effect used when the witch is being chased to her death by the dwarfs. Stereoscope effects are employed through out and many of them are marvelous.

Of first importance is the music and accompanying sound effects. The score is strikingly original in both melodic and instrumental elements, continuously fresh and arresting, but taking its proper place in the story telling.

Several charming ballads, written by the Disney musical staff, are introduced for much-enhanced effect. Snow White sings “Some Day My Prince Will Come” and “The Wishing Well”, and her prince has a fine love ballad in “One Song.” The dwarfs also are well supplied with vocal numbers of appropriate character.

The little fellows make a grand crew of comics. Each has his individual characteristics and a name to fit. Grumpy, for example, is a woman hater and the last to be won over by the kind princess, while Dopey, the youngest, is the silent one, the butt of the practical jokes and the princess’s abject slave.

In attempting this monumental innovation Walt Disney, has carved for himself a permanent’ niche in the motion picture hall of fame. His years of devoted creative work have come to a splendid fruition and, despite his generous credits to his helpers, the picture stands as a tribute to his own fine courage and to his sensitive genius. — Staff byline, originally published on Dec. 22, 1937

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Snow white and the seven dwarfs.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 34 Reviews
• Kids Say 78 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Animated fairy tale classic is enchanting but also scary.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is Disney's first feature-length animated film. It has a few scenes that might frighten young or sensitive kids -- the ones with the Wicked Queen are especially creepy, as are the parts when Snow White runs through the frighteningly enchanted forest…

Why Age 6+?

A few possibly disturbing scenes, especially any scene including the Wicked Quee

Snow White is a Disney Princess, a brand that reaches far and wide.

Snow White is drugged by a poisoned apple.

As has been noted by various film scholars and sociologists, the usually overloo

The prince kisses Snow White, and the songs are mostly of a romantic nature.

Any Positive Content?

It's better to be kind and empathetic, even if it means putting yourself at risk

Though Snow White is the classic damsel in distress who dreams of being rescued

You should never harm the innocent, even when ordered to.

Women like Snow White and the Wicked Queen are main characters, but they follow

Violence & Scariness

A few possibly disturbing scenes, especially any scene including the Wicked Queen. The queen threatens and orders the huntsman to kill Snow White and return with her heart in a box. The huntsman raises a knife, and Snow White shrieks in terror. As Snow White flees, the enchanted forest becomes increasingly scary. Menacing vultures follow the queen after she transforms into the Old Hag (the transformation process itself is quite creepy). After Snow White faints into her "sleeping death," the dwarfs arm themselves with their mining tools and follow the queen, who eventually falls to her death. A kiss placed on an unconscious person (who can't give consent) is portrayed as romantic.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Drinking, drugs & smoking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

As has been noted by various film scholars and sociologists, the usually overlooked first word of the movie is "Slave!" as the Wicked Queen summons a face in the "Magic Mirror."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

It's better to be kind and empathetic, even if it means putting yourself at risk. Jealousy doesn't pay. If you stay positive, good things will come to you.

Positive Role Models

Though Snow White is the classic damsel in distress who dreams of being rescued by her prince, she's also generous and selfless. She's sweet, loving, nurturing, and trusting, albeit naive and gullible. The Dwarfs are also brave, as they follow the Old Hag after they realize she's hurt Snow White. The Wicked Queen is a clear example of bloodthirsty greed and hubris. Characters demonstrate compassion and courage.

Educational Value

Diverse representations.

Women like Snow White and the Wicked Queen are main characters, but they follow outdated gender roles that slip into colorism and ageism. Women's value is dependent on beauty and being light-skinned ("skin as white as snow"). When the Wicked Queen drinks a potion to become the Old Hag, her older age -- seen through a stooped back, white hair, etc. -- is strongly associated with being "ugly" and evil. A "good woman" like Snow White cooks, cleans, and never complains, while men like the dwarfs go to work, and the prince saves the day. This film is also one of the most prominent portrayals of "dwarfs," which is associated with little people. They're positively portrayed, but they fall into cliches as fantasy characters rather than real people with real lives.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Parents need to know that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is Disney's first feature-length animated film. It has a few scenes that might frighten young or sensitive kids -- the ones with the Wicked Queen are especially creepy, as are the parts when Snow White runs through the frighteningly enchanted forest and later bites the poisoned apple, and when the queen turns into the Old Hag. While the violence is far from bloody, the queen does order the huntsman to kill Snow White and bring back her heart in a box. Outdated gender roles are strongly enforced: Snow White is a passive damsel in distress who needs to be rescued by her true love, the prince. The movie suggests that a woman's strongest value is her beauty, and the film slips into colorism and ageism, praising "skin white as snow" and youth over age/wisdom. But overlooking these period-typical downsides, positive messages can still be found. Traits like humility and empathy are encouraged, and Snow White demonstrates courage, compassion, and integrity. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (34)
• Kids say (78)

Based on 34 parent reviews

Much scarier than I remember

The first feature-length animation by disney is a true classic, what's the story.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, the first feature-length animated film in movie history, tells the story of the original Disney Princess. In a far-off kingdom, a wicked queen (voiced by Lucille LaVerne) is so evil that she forces her lovely step-daughter, Snow White (Adriana Caselotti), to work as a servant. Obsessively vain, the queen is only happy when her Magic Mirror tells her she's "the fairest one of all." On the fateful day that the Magic Mirror informs the queen that Snow White is the fairest, the jealous queen orders a huntsman to kill Snow White and return with her heart. Instead, the huntsman instructs Snow White to flee, and he takes the queen a pig's heart. Eventually forest animals direct Snow White to a small cottage -- the home of the dwarfs, who become her friends and protectors. But the queen's mirror knows that Snow White is still alive, and the queen will stop at nothing to get rid of her perceived rival.

Is It Any Good?

Kids nowadays like their princesses and movie idols with a little edge, of which this movie has none. But while Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs may not have a heroine as brave as Mulan , as intelligent as Belle , or as talented as Ariel , she is -- like Cinderella after her -- the sweetest among the Disney princesses. Considering that the film was made in 1937, it's still a timeless tale, chock-full of the key ingredients to Disney's recipe for success: romance, mystery, mild peril, and music (many decades later, people can still sing along to "Some Day My Prince Will Come") .

Snow White has it all, and it's a testament to the original Walt Disney animators that the traditional, hand-drawn animation can still evoke so much terror (the bulging eyes that creep out of the enchanted forest, or the menacing look of the two vultures), pathos (the sight of Snow White's outstretched hand after eating the apple), and tenderness (the dwarfs mourning Snow White's apparent death). Decades have passed, and this original Wicked Queen is still among the scariest of the Disney villains, and Snow White quite possibly the loveliest of them all.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how characters like Snow White might be different if they were created today. What elements of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs make it a classic fairy tale?

How is the violence in Snow White different than the violence in other Disney movies?

Snow White is a traditional damsel in distress. How have depictions of princesses and heroines changed since 1937?

Why is the queen jealous of Snow White? Why is being beautiful so important to her? Does she learn humility or empathy ?

How does Snow White demonstrate courage , compassion , and integrity in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ? Why are these important character strengths ?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 21, 1937
• On DVD or streaming : February 2, 2016
• Cast : Adriana Caselotti , Harry Stockwell , Lucille La Verne
• Director : David Hand
• Studio : Walt Disney Pictures
• Genre : Family and Kids
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More
• Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Empathy , Humility , Integrity
• Run time : 84 minutes
• MPAA rating : G
• MPAA explanation : Nada que pueda ofender a los padres para ser visto por los niños.
• Last updated : August 9, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Cast & crew.

Kendall O'Connor

Walt Disney

Screenwriter

Richard Creedon

Otto Englander

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

There has never been anything in the theatre quite like Walt Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," seven reels of animated cartoon in Technicolor, unfolding an absorbingly interesting and, at times, thrilling entertainment. So perfect is the illusion, so tender the romance and fantasy, so emotional are certain portions when the acting of the characters strikes a depth comparable to the sincerity of human players, that the film approaches real greatness.

By John C. Flinn Sr.

John C. Flinn Sr.

• ‘Citizen Kane’: Film Review 83 years ago
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There has never been anything in the theatre quite like Walt Disney’s “ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” seven reels of animated cartoon in Technicolor, unfolding an absorbingly interesting and, at times, thrilling entertainment. So perfect is the illusion , so tender the romance and fantasy, so emotional are certain portions when the acting of the characters strikes a depth comparable to the sincerity of human players, that the film approaches real greatness. It is an inspired and inspiring work, the commercial success of which will be notable, particularly the heavy foreign returns because of the mechanical ease with which all languages may be synchronized to the action.

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More than two years and $1 million were required by the Disney staff, under David Hand’s supervision, to complete the film. In a foreword Disney pays a neat compliment to animators, designers and musical composers whose united efforts have produced a work of art. No less than 62 staff names are flashed in the credit titles as being responsible for various divisions of the job. Highest praise must go to Disney himself for collating all the diverse efforts into a conception of single purpose which bears the mark of one creative imagination.

Popular on Variety

The superlative Disney skill, which has shown itself frequently in previous short cartoons such as “Three Little Pigs,” The Tortoise and the Hare,” “The Country Cousin” and the irrepressible Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck is merely indicative of the excellence of “Show White.” The fairy tale is not a feature length short. It is a full hour and 20 minutes of delightful story telling, of a plan and pattern new to the screen.

While one marvels at the skill of its producers, “ Snow White ” permits no mental ramblings in the course of its unreeling. The opening shows the cover of Grimm’s book of tales. The pages turn to the story of the little princess who escaped from the jealousy of the queen step-mother. Thereafter, to the accompaniment of charming music and suitable sound effects, the drawn figures of the story move through their adventures with realism that is heightened by visual poetry.

Soon all the characters assume lifelike personalities. Snow White is the embodiment of girlish sweetness and kindness, exemplified in her love for the birds and the small animals of the woods that are her friends and, as it subsequently develops, her rescuers. The queen is a vampish brunet, of homicidal instincts, who consorts with black magic and underworld forces of evil. And the seven little dwarfs, Doc, Grumpy, Dopey, Sleepy, Happy, Sneezy and Bashful, are the embodiments of their nametags, a merry crew of masculine frailties.

Best is little Dopey, half wit, who never has learned to talk, who is forever the drudge of the others, but whose smile when Snow White speaks a kind word is enough to soften the heart of the bitterest human. Dopey wins the final embrace from the princess when at the end of the story, she is taken away by the prince to everlasting happiness. The world is full of misfits like Dopey. Perhaps Snow White will bring about a happier understanding of their timid souls.

Although the film is replete with moments of hilarious comedy, it is unique because of other equally potent entertainment features. There is, for instance, the sequence in which the dwarfs, returning to their cottage from a day’s hard work in the diamond mines, discover that their little home is spotlessly clean. Someone has intruded in their absence. Dopey is dispatched to the bedroom at the head of the stairs to investigate. There is suspense and anticipation. When the princess awakes and reassures her strange hosts that she is a good cook and housekeeper, a merry dance follows, spontaneous and joyful.

Snow White’s little helpers, the rabbits, squirrels, fawns and tortoise, are amazing creatures. Likewise, the birds, who carry her message.

Visually, the film is one of the finest examples of Technicolor. Disney is said to have perfected certain processes of photography which create illusions of depth in some of the scenes. Whether this is accomplished by the perspectives of draughtsmanship or by the lensing is not material. Pastel shades predominate and there is an absence of garish, brilliant colorings.

Sound plays an important part in the production and the synchronization of words to the moving lips of the characters is worked out perfectly. Probably the finest effect in the picture is the reproduction of echoed notes from the depths of the wishing well. In this department, as in the others, the film reflects meticulous craftsmanship.

Extent of the commercial return on the production investment, which is said to have exceeded $1,000,000, will depend entirely on the astute showmanship of the exploitation engagements. The title indicates that the appeal might be limited to children. However, once the true artistic merits of “Snow White” are universally proclaimed and accepted, adults will crowd the youngsters out of these acts.

Picture should keep the wickets spinning for extended engagements everywhere.

1937: Nomination: Best Score.

1938: Special Award (significant screen innovation)

• Production: Disney/RKO. Director David Hand; Producer Walt Disney; Screenplay Ted Sears, Otto Englander, Earl Hurd, Dorothy Ann Blank, Richard Credon, Dick Rickard, Merrill De Maris, Webb Smith; Music Frank Churchill, Paul Smith, Leigh Harline (arr.); Art Director Charles Philippi, High Hennesy, Terrell Stapp, McLaren Stewart, Harold Miles, Tom Codrick, Gustaf Tenggren, Kenneth Anderson, Kendall O'Connor, Hazel Sewell. World premiere at Carthay Circle theatre, L.A., Dec. 21, '37.
• Crew: (Color) Available on VHS. Original review text from 1937. Running time: 80 MIN.

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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs UHD Review

• October 11, 2023
• UHD Movie Reviews

The Production: 5/5

Walt Disney was no stranger to taking incredible risks when he was running his studio. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was his first major gamble that could have put an early end to everything he had built prior to its release. In the mid-1930s, animated shorts were very popular, and less than 10 years before Snow White ’s release, Disney made history with the first synchronized sound cartoon Steamboat Willy starring the studio’s biggest star, Mickey Mouse. In addition to the Mickey Mouse shorts, Disney also experimented with sound and picture with the Silly Symphonies series, taking more artistic risks and creating the first iteration of the multiplane camera, providing depth by stacking and separating animation cels as they were photographed. This would all lead to the first animated feature Snow White in 1937, often referred to in trade publications prior to its release as “Disney’s Folly.”  It was believed that no one could sit through a feature-length “cartoon” (many thought the same of Pixar’s Toy Story nearly 60 years later). Even the studio’s distributor, RKO, didn’t have much faith in the film, opening the film on one screen in Los Angeles on December 21, 1937, expanding to Radio City Music Hall in New York and a theater in Miami three weeks later, finally placing the film into general release on February 4, 1938 after seeing how successful it was at those three theaters. It would gross $4.2 million during its initial run in the US (those are 1938 dollars) and would become the highest grossing sound film until unseated by Gone With the Wind one year later, and its lifetime gross exceeds $418 million after several theatrical re-releases in its nearly 90 year history.

In 1989, the United States Library of Congress selected Snow White as one of its first 25 films for preservation in their National Film Registry, deeming it “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. It was also the first film to undergo a complete digital restoration in 1993, with each individual frame scanned at 4K and 10-bit color using the Cineon system developed by Kodak to remove dirt and scratches that had accumulated over the years.

For a more critical reaction to the film, please check out Matt Hough’s review of the 2016 Signature Collection Blu-ray set .

3D Rating: NA

In 2009, the studio completed some additional cleanup on the 1993 digital restoration, quite literally scrubbing nearly all evidence of film grain, and that has been the source of every home video release, physical and digital, up until now. Per the studio’s press release, new 4K scans “of the original nitrate negative” were created for this release with further restoration completed under the supervision of animator Eric Goldberg ( Pocahontas , Rhapsody in Blue segment of Fantasia 2000 ) and production designer Michael Giaimo ( Frozen , Pocahontas ). The results here are breathtaking even though there is doubt that the original negative was even capable of 4K resolution. What we do get is the return of natural film grain which is noticeable but never bothersome. Detail is improved over the older scrubbed transfers, and well it should, since quite often removing film grain also removes fine details. The image does still suffer from frequent bouts of softness, but that is typical of early Technicolor films of that era. The 2160p HEVC encode includes HDR10 high dynamic range that has been applied very lightly here, offering more vivid colors and deeper blacks. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has never looked better. As a plus, the included Blu-ray has been sourced from this new scan as well.

As with the 4K release of Cinderella , Disney has “downgraded” the previous Blu-ray release’s DTS-HD MA 7.1 mix to 5.1 and omitted the remastered original mono track yet that mono track is on the remastered Blu-ray in lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 encoded at 320 kbps. The mono track is roughly 190 MB, so with a little tweaking such as dropping the French and German DTS-HD HR 5.1 tracks down to lossy DTS or Dolby 5.1, and possibly some other authoring magic, the original mono track could have been squeezed onto this already full BD66 disc. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 track is very front heavy with minimal stereo separation and light use of surrounds, mostly for music. LFE is nearly non-existent. Dialogue is clear and understandable throughout.

Special Features: 4.5/5

While the UHD disc contains no extras, all of the special features from the 2016 Signature Collection release can be found on the included remastered Blu-ray.

In Walt’s Words: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1080p; 4:22)

Iconography (1080p; 7:16)

@DisneyAnimation: Designing Disney’s First Princess (1080p; 5:16)

The Fairest Facts of Them All: 7 Things You May Not Know About “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1080p; 4:37)

Snow White in Seventy Seconds (1080p; 1:12)

Alternate Sequence: The Prince Meets Snow White (1080p; 3:39)

Disney’s First Feature: The Making of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1080p; 33:15)

Bringing Snow White to Life (1080p; 11:35)

Hyperion Studios Tour (1080p; 30:36)

Decoding the Exposure Sheet (1080p; 11:35)

Snow White Returns (1080p; 8:44)

Story Meetings: The Dwarfs (1080p; 5:51)

Story Meetings: The Huntsman (1080p; 3:55)

Deleted Scene: Soup Eating Sequence (1080p; 4:07)

Deleted Scene: Bed Building Sequence (1080p; 6:28)

Animation Voice Talent (480i; 6:20)

Audio Commentary

Digital Copy : A Movies Anywhere code is included to redeem a 4K digital copy and rewards points on Disney Movie Insiders.

Overall: 4.5/5

While it would have been nice to have the original mono track on the UHD disc, this is definitely the best Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has looked on home video.

SNOW WHITE 1937 US/EC/UD1/BD1/UD [4K UHD]

19% Off $38.99 $27.71

Todd Erwin has been a reviewer at Home Theater Forum since 2008. His love of movies began as a young child, first showing Super 8 movies in his backyard during the summer to friends and neighbors at age 10. He also received his first movie camera that year, a hand-crank Wollensak 8mm with three fixed lenses. In 1980, he graduated to "talkies" with his award-winning short The Ape-Man, followed by the cult favorite The Adventures of Terrific Man two years later. Other films include Myth or Fact: The Talbert Terror and Warren's Revenge (which is currently being restored). In addition to movie reviews, Todd has written many articles for Home Theater Forum centering mostly on streaming as well as an occasional hardware review, is the host of his own video podcast Streaming News & Views on YouTube and is a frequent guest on the Home Theater United podcast.

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• Oct 11, 2023

Robert Crawford

Yeah, I don't understand why the Blu-ray has the 2.0 track, but not the 4K/UHD. A bad job by Disney.  

Robert Crawford said: Yeah, I don't understand why the Blu-ray has the 2.0 track, but not the 4K/UHD. A bad job by Disney. Click to expand...

Todd Erwin said: As I hypothesized in my review, it was likely dropped due to space limitations, but through some clever authoring magic, the studio could have found room for it. I mean, it's a measly 190 megabytes. Click to expand...

After I believe 5 weeks the Music Hall wanted to hold onto the film it was such an enormous success. This was a very long run for the time when new product always needed theaters and the Hall had close to 6,000 seats for every performance. When I worked there an old man who had started as an usher at the Roxy(his photo is in the book on movie palaces by Ben Hall where there is a photo of all the ushers on the Roxy stage.) and then moved to the Hall told me when Top Hat was held there for a third week it was a big deal. Anyway Disney pulled the film to get it into the nabes.  

• Robert Harris

roxy1927 said: After I believe 5 weeks the Music Hall wanted to hold onto the film it was such an enormous success. This was a very long run for the time when new product always needed theaters and the Hall had close to 6,000 seats for every performance. When I worked there an old man who had started as an usher at the Roxy(his photo is in the book on movie palaces by Ben Hall where there is a photo of all the ushers on the Roxy stage.) and then moved to the Hall told me when Top Hat was held there for a third week it was a big deal. Anyway Disney pulled the film to get it into the nabes. Click to expand...

Second Unit

I was impressed with the reds in particular on the 4K. It looked astonishing in general. I know Disney doesn't care about original soundtracks, but I am constantly dismayed by the German soundtrack which is current!y a 90s version. They used it here. The 38 soundtrack was recorded by famous German-Jewish refugees in Holland who tragically nearly all perished in the camps. Disney has this soundtrack in their archives. It would be a great thing if they had applied it as a tribute to those artists...not to mention it was a superior dub that lends an atmospheric authenticity to the Black Forest origins of the story.  

• Oct 12, 2023

Robert Harris said: I believe the number is 5,582. Click to expand...

Supporting Actor

What I noticed most is that the 4k has a dark gray look where the HD is bright and sharp. I wonder why the difference? They are supposed to be the same version only one is 4k. Other than that, what we get is the original look of the brush strokes, the watercolor bleeding into the paper -- actually artistry which is breathtaking. We are treated to what appear to be original hand-drawn and hand-painted artistry where lines are uneven and smeared charcoal lines which the previous version had scrubbed.  

warnerbro said: What I noticed most is that the 4k has a dark gray look where the HD is bright and sharp. I wonder why the difference? They are supposed to be the same version only one is 4k. Other than that, what we get is the original look of the brush strokes, the watercolor bleeding into the paper -- actually artistry which is breathtaking. We are treated to what appear to be original hand-drawn and hand-painted artistry where lines are uneven and smeared charcoal lines which the previous version had scrubbed. Click to expand...

Is it just my imagination, or does the animation sometimes get blurry? In some scenes, it looks like some of the characters are out of focus. Was that an animation limitation at the time?  

Jeff F. said: Is it just my imagination, or does the animation sometimes get blurry? In some scenes, it looks like some of the characters are out of focus. Was that an animation limitation at the time? Click to expand...

Screenwriter

sorry to put this here should have put under review thread  

Robert Crawford said: 4K with Dolby Vision. Click to expand...

Todd Erwin said: Only on the 4K digital, disc is HDR10. Click to expand...

Robert Crawford said: The point being that applied HDR might have something to do with what some people are complaining about. I think both the digital and disc look just fine on my OLEDs. Click to expand...

• Oct 13, 2023

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • US Ultimate Collector's Edition Ultra HD Blu-ray vs. US Diamond Edition Blu-ray

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Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Review

21 Dec 1937

Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs

As one of Disney's longest serving money-spinners - it's been reappearing regularly for a little over half a century - Snow White is probably the company's most deserving cash cow. The story is genuinely well-known (all children's libraries and first year bookshelves boast a couple of copies) and equally popular - it has all the necessary ingredients to impress the under-nines; a wicked witch; a handsome prince; an innocent young girl; and a posse of daft short people (height is important to its prospective audience!)

This animated treatment does it absolute justice too. The spooky bits are suitably scarey - the production dates back to a time before anybody worried about mentally scarring the little mites, thus the "Have a bite, dearie" scene means a lot of excited peeping through fingers - the slapstick humour content is high and it contains none of the period references that crept into later Disney cartoons, thus doesn't appear to have dated. But largely it succeeds because it really is a great deal of fun, and that's largely due to two of the most easily remembered, boisterously sing-a-long numbers in the entire Disney back catalogue : Whistle While You Work and that other one that needs no introduction. Altogether now: "Hiiiiiii Ho! Hiiiiiii Ho!"... (repeat to fade).

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Snow white and the seven dwarfs (1937).

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The Happiest, Dopiest, Grumpiest, Sneeziest movie of the year.

A beautiful girl, Snow White, takes refuge in the forest in the house of seven dwarfs to hide from her stepmother, the wicked Queen. The Queen is jealous because she wants to be known as "the fairest in the land," and Snow White's beauty surpasses her own.

Ferdinand Horvath

Merrill De Maris

Dick Rickard

Otto Englander

Richard Creedon

Dorothy Ann Blank

Top Billed Cast

Adriana Caselotti

Snow White (voice) (uncredited)

Lucille La Verne

Queen / Witch (voice) (uncredited)

Harry Stockwell

Prince (voice) (uncredited)

Doc (voice) (uncredited)

Pinto Colvig

Sleepy / Grumpy / Dopey (hiccups) (voice) (uncredited)

Otis Harlan

Happy (voice) (uncredited)

Scotty Mattraw

Bashful (voice) (uncredited)

Billy Gilbert

Sneezy (voice) (uncredited)

Eddie Collins

Dopey / Chipmunk and Squirrel Sneezes (voice) (uncredited)

Full Cast & Crew

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A review by CinemaSerf

Written by cinemaserf on june 20, 2022.

A vain Queen visits her mirror each day to have it confirmed that she is the fairest in the land. When, one morning, her validator gives her news less to her liking she determines to have her step daughter "Snow White" done away with. Her captain of the guard is dispatched into the forest with his young charge with instructions to see she doesn't return! He can't quite bring himself to murder the girl, so abandons her thinking the forest will do the job for him... Luckily, she stumbles upon the cottage of the seven dwarves - who depart each day to mine for jewels. They return home, discover her... read the rest.

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Original Language English

Budget $1,488,423.00

Revenue $184,925,486.00

• becoming an adult
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (DMC Exclusive) (4K UHD Review)

• Reviewed by: Stephen Bjork
• Review Date: Oct 16, 2023
• Format: 4K Ultra HD

Release Date(s)

• Film/Program Grade: A
• Video Grade: A+
• Audio Grade: B+
• Extras Grade: B+

disneymovieclub.go.com

The character of Mickey Mouse may have helped to establish the Mouse House, but it was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that really laid the foundations for everything else that followed. Since animated feature films have had a ubiquitous presence for nearly a century now, it’s easy to forget just how far out on a limb that Walt Disney was going when he announced the production of Snow White in 1934. Prior to that point, the only previous feature-length animation had been Quirino Cristiani’s lost 1917 film El Apóstol , but that early effort used cardboard cutouts rather than the cel animation that would come to dominate the industry thanks to its greater flexibility and efficiency. Snow White was the first attempt at feature-length animation using this technique, and there was no guarantee that there would be a market for it at all.

Creating animation on this scale was also uncharted territory, so by the time that production finished in 1937, Walt’s estimated $250,000 budget had ballooned to $1.5 million. He had to take out loans and mortgage his house in order to cover all of the expenses, so if Snow White had failed at the box office, the history of animation might have looked quite different than it does today. Yet by the time that the dust had settled, Snow White was a massive hit, pulling in $4.2 million during its initial run, and many times over that when adding in all of the revenue from the multiple theatrical re-releases that would follow. (While adjusting for inflation is a dubious metric, Snow White currently sits at #10 on the all-time domestic box office chart when measured that way.) Disney was also granted a special honorary Oscar at the 11th Academy Awards ceremony in 1939—or rather eight of them, to be precise: one regular-sized statue accompanied by seven smaller ones. Walt’s big gamble paid off big time, and the rest was history.

Of course, Snow White wasn’t merely immensely profitable for Walt Disney Studios. It also helped to lay the template for future Disney animated feature productions, marked by the following elements: stories based on fairy tales or folklore; princesses (literal or otherwise) as protagonists; mixing realistic characters with broad caricatures; anthropomorphized animals; musical numbers; and physical transformations. Some of those elements are far more muted here than they would be in later offerings; for instance, there’s no one quite like Jaq and Gus from Cinderella among Snow White’s animal helpers in this film. The formula was still clear, and Disney would return to it over and over again throughout its history. It’s no accident that when the Disney Renaissance launched in 1989 with The Little Mermaid , it started by returning to all of these comfortable tropes. Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg decided to fix what had been broken by undoing all of the recent fixes for something that had never been broken in the first place.

Mind you, it’s not so much the formula that matters as much as it is the execution. In that regard, Snow White towers above all the rest. Snow White herself remains the ultimate in traditional Disney princesses, and the story that was borrowed from Tale 53 in Grimm’s Fairy Tales is as iconic as can be. Doc, Grumpy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, Happy, and Dopey speak for themselves (even when they can’t), and the Queen is memorably repugnant both before and after her transformation. And the songs from the team of Frank Churchill and Larry Morey? The Little Mermaid may have had catchy numbers like Under the Sea , but Snow White offers not just one but rather four stone-cold classics: I’m Wishing , Whistle While You Work , Heigh-Ho , and Some Day My Prince Will Come . Snow White established the Disney formula not just because it was in the right place at the right time (which it certainly was), but also because it worked that formula so well. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the pale princess is indeed the fairest of them all.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was produced via traditional cel animation and photographed in successive exposure Technicolor on 35 mm film, framed at the Academy Aperture of 1.37:1 for its theatrical release. (Rather than using three separate negatives, every frame was exposed three different times on the same negative with a red, green, and blue color filter applied to each.) Disney has had a troublesome history with bringing their animated classics into the world of High Definition, with many titles having been scrubbed free of any original film grain, and much of the fine detail also vanished during the same process. Their stunning 4K Ultra HD release of Cinderella was a step in the right direction, and I’m happy to report that Snow White continues this welcome trend of genuine respect for the original material. This presentation is sourced from a brand-new restoration utilizing a 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative. The entire process was overseen by Director of Restoration for Walt Disney Studios Kevin Schaeffer, with the final approval of animators Michael Giaimo and Eric Goldberg. High Dynamic Range is offered in HDR10 only on this disc, so if they did create a Dolby Vision grade as well, it will likely be confined to Disney+ (although as of this writing, the 4K version hasn’t yet shown up on the service).

Like Cinderella , the image is immaculately clean, without a trace of damage or any other artifacts aside from those that existed in the original animation—but it’s worth pointing out that those flaws are significant in this case. Snow White was the first and last animated feature film that Disney produced at its Hyperion Studio in Los Angeles, and that facility had climate control issues that resulted in some shrinkage and warping to the cels. It was also the first time that Disney used their relatively new multiplane camera on a production of this scale. As a result, there are focus issues throughout Snow White , as well as some shimmering and wobble between the elements. At times, it almost looks like motion blur was applied, but that’s not the case. It was just deficiencies in the original photography. Thankfully, the fact that Snow White was shot in SE Technicolor means that there aren’t any registration issues between the color separations, but the other flaws are unavoidable and they can’t be fixed without harming the underlying material. Disney has done the right thing here by reproducing all of the various defects accurately.

Photographic flaws or not, in some respects Snow White is an even better candidate for a 4K upgrade than Cinderella was. In both cases, the artwork itself doesn’t necessarily contain 4K worth of fine detail, but the materials that were used do, and that’s the real difference with Snow White . There’s even more texture to the watercolor background paintings here, and they have a lovely tactile quality in 4K. There’s also true detail in all of the brush strokes, as well as in the interaction between pencil and paper. A fine sheen of grain throughout adds to the texture, and while it’s possible that some light grain management was applied, the stock itself was likely as fine-grained as possible to begin with since there’s no need for fast film when shooting animation. There are no compression artifacts, and the bitrate stays between 80mpbs and 100mbps for most of the film.

The color grading on past masters for Snow White haven’t exhibited the same issues that older versions of Cinderella did, but there was still room for improvement, and the new HDR grade provides just that—and then some. Snow White has never been a bright film with vivid colors, but there’s an astonishing range of shades within its palette, and the Wide Color Gamut of HDR renders all of the most minute differences as precisely as possible. The bluebirds, squirrels, deer, and other animals could have all easily been painted with the same brush, but there are subtle differences in coloration to help distinguish them from each other. That’s equally true of the dwarfs. Dopey excepted, most of them wear clothing that mixes and matches similar shades in different combinations, but they’re still not identical colors. For example, watch for the subtle variations in the burgundy between Grumpy and Doc when they’re arguing right after the dwarfs have met Snow White for the first time. With hand-applied inks like these, there are also slight differences from frame to frame even for the same colors, and that effect is reproduced perfectly here instead of being smoothed over like it was on the previous Blu-rays. The production pipeline was greatly streamlined when Disney moved its studio to Burbank following the success of Snow White , but something may have been lost in the process. This is one of the most amazing ink & paint jobs in Disney’s history, and it’s rendered beautifully in 4K. It’s perfect artistry, produced with imperfect animation, all of it replicated perfectly here.

Primary audio is offered in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. The original theatrical mono hasn’t been included, nor has the 7.1 mix from the previous Blu-rays. The 7.1 isn’t much of a loss, since there was minimal surround presence in both 5.1 and 7.1 tracks anyway, but it’s definitely an oversight not to include the original mono. That said, this a restrained 5.1 remix of the original mono music, dialogue, and effects stems, and it retains the essential mono character throughout. Everything is still focused on the front channels in general and the center channel in particular, with the surrounds limited to light ambience and reverberant effects like thunder. There’s been a bit of bass sweetening, so the LFE channel engages during moments like when the Queen first summons the Magic Mirror. The biggest difference is that the remix gives the music more presence, and that’s not a bad thing, although your own mileage may vary. Everything sounds clean, with no noise or significant distortion, although the fidelity is naturally limited by the dated quality of the original recordings. Additional audio options include English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French & German 5.1 DTS-HD HR, Spanish & Italian 5.1 Dolby Digital, and Japanese 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus. Subtitle options include English SDH, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Japanese.

The Disney Movie Club Ultimate Collector’s Edition 4K Ultra HD release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a three-disc set that includes a UHD, a remastered Blu-ray, and a DVD, plus it also offers a Digital Code on a paper insert tucked inside. Like their previous version of Cinderella , it’s an honest-to-God quad format release, offering the film on physical media in 2160p, 1080p, and 480i, plus online as well—there’s something for everyone. There’s also an embossed slipcover that duplicates the 100th anniversary artwork on the insert. ( Note that the 2-Disc wide release version is identical except for the inclusion of the DVD. ) There are no extras on the UHD or the DVD—even Disney’s notorious “Fast Play” on the latter just jumps straight to the movie, without so much as an upfront ad (making it even more pointless than usual). The extras on the Blu-ray duplicate the package from the 2016 Signature Collection release, which was missing a few items from the preceding 2009 Diamond Edition (more on that later):

• Audio Commentary by Roy E. Disney and John Canemaker, with audio recordings by Walt Disney
• In Walt’s Words: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (HD – 4:22)
• Iconography (HD – 7:16)
• @DisneyAnimation: Designing Disney’s First Princess (HD – 5:16)
• The Fairest Facts of All: 7 Things You May Not Know About Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (HD – 4:37)
• Snow White in Seventy Seconds (HD – 1:12)
• Alternate Sequence: The Prince Meets Snow White (HD – 3:39)
• Disney’s First Feature: The Making of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (HD – 33:15)
• Bringing Snow White to Life (HD – 11:35)
• Hyperion Studios Tour (HD – 30:36)
• Decoding the Exposure Sheet (HD – 6:49)
• Snow White Returns (HD – 8:44)
• Story Meetings: The Dwarfs (HD – 5:51)
• Story Meetings: The Huntsmen (HD – 3:35)
• Deleted Scene: Soup Eating Sequence (HD – 4:07)
• Deleted Scene: Bed Building Sequence (HD – 6:28)
• Animation Voice Talent (SD – 6:20)
• Info (HD – :08)

The commentary was originally recorded and compiled for the 2001 Platinum Edition DVD release of Snow White . It offers an introduction from Roy E. Disney, followed by analysis from animator and historian John Canemaker, interspersed with archival interviews with Walt Disney. It’s not really a scene-specific commentary, although it’s still curated to provide information that’s sometimes relevant to what’s occurring onscreen. Walt provides most of the practical and technical information, while Canemaker is more interested in breaking down the style and themes accompanied by some history. It’s actually a fine track, and a good reminder that having someone sit down and ad-lib while watching a film isn’t always the best approach.

After the commentary, the next six extras were new additions for the 2016 Signature Collection Blu-ray. Despite the similar sounding titles, In Walt’s Words: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs isn’t a picture-in-picture track like In Walt’s Words: The Envisioning of Cinderella . Instead, it’s a just a four-minute compilation of audio-only interviews with Walt Disney about the making of Snow White and its legacy. Alternate Sequence: The Prince Meets Snow White shows a discarded scene where Snow White meets the prince for the first time, using storyboard and other artwork with voice recreations from transcripts of the original story meetings.

The rest of the newer extras are all typical Disney Channel fluff. Iconography examines the way that imagery from Snow White has influenced popular culture (and not surprisingly since we’re talking about Disney here, merchandising as well). @DisneyAnimation: Designing Disney’s First Princess focuses on the design of Snow White herself. The Fairest Facts of All: 7 Things You May Not Know About Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs features Sofia Carson from the 2015 Disney Channel movie The Descendants offering some pretty standard IMDb -style bullet points. Snow White in Seventy Seconds has artist Baby Kaely rapping her way through the story of Snow White in, well, seventy seconds. Of all of these, @DisneyAnimation offers the most value, but even that’s pretty limited.

The remaining extras were all legacy content from the 2009 Diamond Edition Blu-ray (many of which were actually holdovers from the previous DVD releases). Disney’s First Feature: The Making of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the centerpiece of the collection, a real making-of documentary that offers a broad look at the production and original release of the film in just 30 minutes. This is definitely the best starting point among all of the extras included in the set. Bringing Snow White to Life is about the men behind Disney’s famous Nine Old Men—the original animators who influenced the nine men who would go on to influence pretty much everything else at Walt Disney Studios. The Hyperion Studios Tour is a condensation of the comprehensive interactive supplement from the Diamond Collection Blu-ray. It’s a look at the Hyperion Studios phase of Disney’s history, hosted by Pixar’s Andrew Stanton. Decoding the Exposure Sheet features Don Hahn breaking down how the exposure sheets provided a blueprint to help the camera crew construct one scene from the film. Hahn also hosts Snow White Returns , a look at some recently-discovered artwork for a discarded sequel to Snow White (probably intended as a short subject rather than a feature).

Story Meetings: The Dwarfs and The Huntsmen are re-enactments from the transcripts of two different story meetings, accompanied by clips from the film and production artwork. Deleted Scene: Soup Eating Sequence and Bed Building Sequence offer unfinished pencil tests for the former and pencil tests/storyboards for the latter. (Completed deleted sequences from animated films are a rarity, since the final cut needs to be locked before committing the money and resources to the actual animation.) Finally, Animation Voice Talent is a tribute to the unsung heroes of Snow White : the voice cast. They were literally unsung in this case, since none of them were actually credited in the film. (Unsurprisingly, it glosses over one of Walt Disney’s many dark sides: he wanted to maintain the illusion that these were real characters, so he actively worked to block Snow White actress Adriana Caselotti from having much of a career elsewhere.) Oh, and for some unknown reason, there’s also in Info tab that just repeats the eight-second legal warning from the beginning of the disc. Thanks?

Missing from that Diamond Edition Blu-ray is the useless Disney View feature that added painted windowbox borders to placate anyone bothered by the black bars, as well as the full interactive Hyperion Studios Tour and the featurette The One That Started It All . There were also some interactive games, a music video, a sneak peak at The Princess and the Frog , and some miscellaneous legacy content from the DVD. As far as that 2001 Platinum Edition DVD goes, this set is also missing the Angela Lansbury-narrated documentary Still the Fairest of Them All: The Making of Snow White , the 1934 Disney short The Goddess of Spring , and more interactive materials. Of course, many of the extras from the 1994 Deluxe LaserDisc CAV Edition have never seen the light of day elsewhere, including yet another documentary The Making of a Masterpiece – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs . There were also audio-only radio broadcasts, song demos, commercials, and more, plus interactive storyboards and other materials.

To be fair, there have been so many releases of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with so much bonus content that it wouldn’t have been practical to include all of it, and some of it was no longer relevant anyway. As far as any new content goes, that’s just not the cut of Disney’s jib right now. Baby steps, because any way that you slice it, Disney’s pivot back to physical media is off to an auspicious start. Their 4K Ultra HD release of Cinderella was a hell of an opening salvo in that regard, and this new restoration of Snow White proves that it wasn’t just an anomaly. Yes, there’s still no excuse for not including the original mono track, but anyone who skips these releases just because of that fact is shooting themselves in the foot, cocking the shotgun, and taking out their other foot for good measure. Don’t be that person. By all means, contact Disney to let them know that they’re making a mistake, but don’t deprive yourself of this extraordinary release. There’s nothing wrong with the restrained 5.1 remix, and Snow White has never looked as beautiful as it does here. If you haven’t seen this 4K restoration, you haven’t really seen Snow White . It gets the highest possible recommendation—and then some!

- Stephen Bjork

(You can follow Stephen on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook .)

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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , American animated musical film , released in 1937, that established Walt Disney as one of the world’s most innovative and creative moviemakers. Along with Pinocchio (1940), it is widely considered to be Disney ’s greatest film achievement.

Loosely based on the famous fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm , the plot is set into motion when a vain, wicked queen consults her magical mirror and learns that her beautiful stepdaughter, Snow White, is now the “fairest in the land.” Instantly resentful, the queen enlists a woodsman to murder Snow White, but he cannot commit the act and exhorts the young girl to escape. In the forest Snow White discovers a cottage inhabited by seven eccentric dwarfs, who warmly welcome her into their home after she offers to cook and clean for them. The queen eventually learns of Snow White’s whereabouts and, disguising herself as an old hag , fatally poisons her stepdaughter with a tainted apple. The heartbroken dwarfs stand guard over the girl’s body until a handsome prince restores her to life with a kiss.

Walt Disney was already a respected name in the film business when he undertook his biggest gamble to date: to produce the first full-length animated feature film from an American studio. Disney had been determined to bring the legend of Snow White to the screen ever since he saw a silent-film version of the famed fable in 1917. Literally hundreds of technicians laboured on the expensive production to the extent that it became known as “Disney’s Folly.” Upon its release, however, the film was an immediate box-office sensation and earned praise from no less than the groundbreaking Russian director Sergey Eisenstein , who called it the greatest movie ever made. In 1939 the film was honoured with a special Academy Award , recognizing it as a “significant screen innovation which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field for the motion picture.” Indeed, the superb animation , voiceover work, and production values set the standard for all future Disney animated films. Furthermore, this version of the classic tale—which provided names for the dwarfs and introduced other key components to the story—has now virtually superseded all others in the popular imagination.

• Studio: RKO Radio Pictures
• Directors: David Hand (supervising director); Perce Pearce, Larry Morey, William Cottrell, Wilfred Jackson, and Ben Sharpsteen (sequence directors)
• Producer: Walt Disney
• Writers: Ted Sears, Richard Creedon, Otto Englander, Dick Rickard, Earl Hurd, Merrill De Maris, Dorothy Ann Blank, and Webb Smith
• Music: Frank Churchill, Leigh Harline, and Paul Smith
• Running time: 83 minutes
• Adriana Caselotti (Snow White)
• Lucille La Verne (Queen/Witch)
• Roy Atwell (Doc)
• Eddie Collins (Dopey)
• Pinto Colvig (Sleepy/Grumpy)
• Billy Gilbert (Sneezy)
• Scotty Mattraw (Bashful)
• Otis Harlan (Happy)
• Harry Stockwell (Prince)

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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

December 21, 1937

Animation, Family, Fantasy

The beautiful and kindhearted princess Snow White charms every creature in the kingdom except one -- her jealous stepmother, the Queen. When the Magic Mirror proclaims Snow White is the fairest one of all, she must flee into the forest, where she befriends the lovable seven dwarfs -- Doc, Sneezy, Grumpy, Happy, Bashful, Sleepy and Dopey. But when the Queen tricks Snow White with an enchanted apple, only the magic of true love's kiss can save her!

Rated: G Runtime: 1h 23min Release Date: December 21, 1937

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The characters.

Due to extreme jealously of Snow White, the Evil Queen plots how to remain the fairest of them all.

Snow White is a kind and gentle princess, with lips red as a rose and skin white as snow. After she's forced to leave her castle, she befriends the lovable Seven Dwarfs and finds her one true love.

A bad case of hayfever causes Sneezy to sneeze violently and frequently but he doesn't let that stop him from having fun.

While always eager to fall asleep, Sleepy is considered the most observant amongst the dwarfs.

The cure to Snow White's sleeping death, the Prince finds Snow White in the forest and kisses her to awaken her.

Fat and jolly with a friendly personality, Happy maintains laughter and joy amongst the dwarfs.

Grumpy tends to be irritated with the other dwarfs' antics and opposes allowing Snow White to stay with them.

Although Dopey may annoy Doc & Grumpy, his intentions are silly and he is often the core of the dwarfs' jokes.

Self proclaimed leader of the group, Doc often loses his train of thought and bumbles around, looking over the dwarfs.

Being around Snow White increases bashful's tendency to bury his head but she doesn't mind.

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See first look at Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Disney's new 7 dwarfs

The live-action reimagining won't be in theaters until March 21, 2025.

Rachel Zegler is the latest actress to play the fairest of them all — and now, we have our first look at the West Side Story star as Disney's first princess.

Disney released the first image from its upcoming live-action reimagining of Snow White . It's the first time we've officially seen Zegler in the princess' iconic blue-and-yellow dress, as well as our first glimpse at the seven dwarfs. The film, directed by Marc Webb and co-starring Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, is now set to release on March 21, 2025 — almost a year after its previous release date, March 22, 2024.

The image features Zegler's Snow White in what appears to be the dwarfs' cottage, surrounded by all seven of her diminutive companions: Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy.

Despite this being our first official look at the film, Snow White has already been subject to substantial criticism. Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage expressed his disapproval for the film last year. "You're still making that f---ing backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the f--- are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soap box? I guess I'm not loud enough," he said in an interview with Marc Maron. All love and respect to the actress and all the people who thought they were doing the right thing. But I'm just like, what are you doing?"

Disney responded to Dinklage's criticism with a statement provided to EW. "To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community," a Disney spokesperson said. "We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period."

Now, it looks as though the dwarfs in the upcoming film are fairly faithful visual translations of the characters from the 1937 animated film, with significant CGI assistance to emphasize the dwarfs' exaggerated features.

In an interview with EW at D23 in 2022, Zegler addressed the elements of the original animated movie that now seem dated. "The reality is that the cartoon was made 85 years ago, and therefore is extremely dated when it comes to the ideas of women being in roles of power and what a woman is fit for in the world," Zegler told EW. "And so when we came to reimagining the actual role of Snow White, it became about 'the fairest of them all' meaning who is the most just, and who can become a fantastic leader."

Zegler's comments went viral this summer, prompting extreme pushback from skeptics online, as well as a disapproving statement from David Hale Hand, the son of the original film's supervising director David Dodd Hand. "I mean, it's a whole different concept, and I just totally disagree with it, and I know my dad and Walt would also very much disagree with it," the 91-year-old told The Telegraph .

The studio is honoring the legacy of its first animated feature in a number of ways this year. Disney recently released a new 4K restoration of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on Disney+ to celebrate the studio's 100th anniversary.

Additionally, the filmmakers behind the studio's upcoming animated film Wish told EW that their film is heavily inspired by the 1937 movie. "When the idea came up of [Asha, the main character,] having a group of friends, we thought, 'Well, it's the 100th anniversary. Could we do seven friends? Can we actually do this?'" co-director Chris Buck told EW. The creative team crafted seven new characters that each physically resemble one of the dwarfs — and each of the characters' names shares a first initial with their dwarf counterpart.

Snow White hits theaters March 21, 2025.

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Related content:

• Rachel Zegler doesn't want to be part of 'nonsensical discourse' over Snow White casting
• Gal Gadot practiced her Snow White audition song for a month
• Disney responds to Peter Dinklage's Snow White criticism: 'We are taking a different approach'

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Did disney make the right decision about the 7 dwarfs for ‘snow white’ movie.

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - MAY 02: In this handout photo provided by Disney, Disney characters (L-R) ... [+] Doc, Happy Dwarf and Sleepy Dwarf take the stage to help dedicate the park's newest attraction, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in the Magic Kingdom park May 2, 2014 at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The attraction, which will open to guests May 28, is a family-style coaster that immerses guests in playful and musical scenes inspired by the Disney animated classic film, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." The attraction completes New Fantasyland, the largest expansion in the history of the Magic Kingdom. (Photo by Ryan Wendler/Disney Parks via Getty Images)

Disney recently released the trailer for its new live action version of the classic fairytale Snow White . Like with other live action remakes of classics, this one has also been filled with controversy regarding the choices Disney has made with regard to casting the characters.

In the Snow White remake, Disney has opted to use computer-generated imagery (CGI) for the dwarfs, which Disney says are now called “magical creatures,” rather than real life little people. Note, the magical creatures still have the same names as the original dwarfs: Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy

Many people connect the criticism the brand received from actor Peter Dinklage, also a little person, to the current controversial approach. While on a podcast, Dinklage expressed frustration with Disney deciding to re-tell what he calls a “backward story of seven dwarfs living in a cave together.”

Soon after Dinklage’s comments, Disney issued a statement to Good Morning America saying, “To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community.

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Many people who are part of the little people community, including actors and public figures have taken issue with Disney’s decision, and even Dinklage’s comments.

Pro wrestler Hornswoggle, said that Dinklage’s criticism resulted in the elimination of “seven potential dwarfing dream jobs from the dwarf acting community.” He explained that roles for people within the community are few and far between already, noting that Disney’s resulting decision to take away “dream roles literally made for our community” ultimately hurt the community. Hornswoggle later questioned, “why is he the single voice for a whole community?”

Zach Roloff, star of the reality show Little People, Big World, said that Disney’s decision to rebrand the dwarfs and use CGI is a form of erasure of this specific disability community.

With all the controversy and opinions surrounding Disney’s decision, there are some important lessons for marketers who are working to be inclusive with the products, communications, and experiences they deliver.

Listen To The Right Voices

While Disney did acknowledge that they consulted with members of the dwarfism community with regard to their decision about how to approach the seven dwarfs for the live action movie, little people are actually the ones who are most vocal about their disapproval of the CGI decision.

The issue marketers should take into consideration is which voices they are listening too. It is very difficult for one person to be the voice of an entire community. That just isn’t possible, especially as we think about intersectionality and other factors, lived experiences, and privileges that influence a person’s point of view.

Marketers should definitely embrace voices of people who have lived experiences related to the choices they are trying to make. It is also helpful to incorporate voices of people who have an expertise in understanding and advocating for the community as a whole, rather than just people who have the identity.

Another helpful consideration for marketers is in co-creating and bringing the community along throughout the ideation and production process. For Disney, that could have included user testing, to see how people from the little people community, both experts and non-experts, to see how they would respond to not only using CGI characters rather than real actors, the rebranding of the dwarfs, and even the design of the CGI characters.

It is possible that Disney did do all this, and despite its efforts, there is still discontent. It is rare that everyone will be fully on board with your decisions all the time. However, knowing people’s criticisms in advance helps prepare a brand for messaging and mitigation efforts once a decision is made and the public has an opportunity to share their feelings.

Bottom line: don’t create in a vacuum. Engage multiple voices, including experts with lived experiences into your process from the beginning, and take them with you on the journey to be a part of the development process all the way through to completion of the project.

You’ll get much better results, and much less backlash when you take this approach.

Embrace ‘Done Right The First Time’ As A Principle

Disney released the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs animated film back in 1937. A lot has changed in our society since then, including how we think about, portray, and support people from underserved communities.

Peter Dinkle’s opinion is that telling a story about dwarfs in this manner in this day and age does nothing to advance the cause or tell a more accurate narrative about the community.

And while it is important to acknowledge the feedback about erasure, and the loss of potential dream roles for actors, it is also prudent to address the larger issue.

There is not enough representation in Hollywood or in marketing and advertising on the whole for little people, or for people who are part of underrepresented and underserved communities.

So instead of trying to go back and retrofit existing products, content, and experiences that did not include people from marginalized communities, or portrayed them in a stereotypical and unflattering light, take a more impactful approach.

Build inclusive products, communications, and experiences from the start. Create characters that are nuanced main characters, rather than tokenistic sidekicks. Feature talent in a way that challenges existing harmful narratives, and elevates communities that have historically been pushed to the side.

Don’t give people with already marginalized identities what feels like sloppy seconds in your quest to make something inclusive after it was already created. Not only is it a recipe for more criticism and backlash, but it also just feels lazy.

Products, communications, and experiences are more effective and do a better job of making people feel like they belong when they are designed from the beginning with inclusion, and a broad variety of identities in mind.

Instead of Disney working to make inclusive decisions to modernize what some consider to be a problematic story, create a new fairy tale where the prince or the hero is a little person, or a character from a historically marginalized community.

Instead of brands developing campaigns that are written for a mass market, and then adding diversity at the end with casting, create a new campaign with a marginalized identity as the lead identity. Even better when you do this when the point of the campaign isn’t to talk about a marginalized identity.

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The trailer for Disney’s live-action ‘Snow White’ remake has some people very Grumpy

Rebecca Rosman

Rachel Zegler as Snow White in Disney’s live-action remake of its classic animated film. //Disney hide caption

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to online uproar factory we go. The first teaser trailer for the upcoming live-action remake of Disney's Snow White is here.

Starring Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, the pair introduced the highly anticipated teaser at Disney’s D23 Expo Friday evening, with a release scheduled for March 21, 2025. Featuring first glimpses of Zegler singing "Whistle While You Work" and Gadot talking to her mirror, mirror, the trailer also showcased seven CGI dwarfs.

Written by Greta Gerwig ( Barbie ) and Erin Cressida Wilson ( The Girl on the Train ) and directed by Marc Webb (( 500) Days of Summer, The Amazing Spider-Man ), the people behind the film have emphasized that this latest adaptation features several 'modern' twists, alongside new songs from the duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul ( Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman ).

Could this update to the 1937 classic be the — erm — fairest of them all? It may be a tough sell for Disney fans and other extremely online critics, whose scrutiny of the latest adaptation began years before today's trailer drop.

Here is a brief overview of their grievances, explained.

A Snow White who's not white enough

When news broke in 2021 that Zegler, who had her breakout role as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake, would be playing the titular character, it provoked a string of racist comments on social media. People questioned why an actress of Latin descent would be playing a character with "skin white as snow."

Zegler, who is of Polish-Colombian background, responded to the comments on X by saying she didn’t want to be dragged into the "nonsensical discourse"about her casting.

"I really, truly do not want to see it," Zegler wrote in a post that included photos of her as a child dressed as a princess. "I hope every child knows they can be a princess no matter what."

A reimagination deemed too "woke" by some critics

In another interview with Variety in 2022, Zegler and Gadot talked about how the story of Snow White was being adapted with a "modern edge" — one that would nix the part about Snow White being saved by a prince.

"She’s the proactive one," Gadot said. "She's the one who sets the terms. It's [these factors] that make it so relevant to today."

Main Character of the Day

Another disney princess, another online outrage. this time it's about 'snow white'.

"She's not going to be dreaming about true love. She's dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be, and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave and true," Zegler said.

In another interview, Zegler referred to the prince as a "stalker" and said the messaging would be updated to reference a woman's power in the modern world.

"The cartoon was made 85 years ago, and therefore it's extremely dated when it comes to ideas of women being in roles of power and what a woman is fit for in the world," Zegler said. "So, when we came to reimagining the actual role of Snow White, it became about the 'fairest of them all' meaning who is the most just and who can become a fantastic leader, and the reality is Snow White has to learn a lot of lessons about coming in to her own power before she can come into power over a kingdom."

The comments provoked a wave of backlash on social media, notably from "anti-woke" accounts and from several conservative media outlets including the Daily Wire, which responded by saying it was producing its own version of the classic that would be written "in line with the values in which it was written."

It just gets worse and worse.... The new Snow White says that the Prince was a creepy stalker and suggests that all scenes of the Prince could be cut She’s a walking PR disaster for Disney pic.twitter.com/7QJGDIx5er — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) August 13, 2023

Others, like TikTok user @reubenwoodall, criticized Disney's attempt to turn Snow White into a "girl boss."

"The point of Snow White's fairytale isn't that she's going to try and become a leader," Woodall said in a video that amassed more than 1.3 million likes. "She's not supposed to be this girl boss, leader, queen, feminist icon. And I don't know why every reimagining, it has to be that the woman is in a position of power, otherwise it's not feminist."

In an interview with the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph in 2023, David Hand — the son of the 1937 animation’s original director — told the paper he felt it was a "disgrace" that Disney was "trying to do something new with something that was such a great success earlier."

"There's no respect for what Disney did and what my dad did … I think Walt [Disney] and he would be turning in their graves," Hand said.

A "backward" story about seven dwarfs

In a 2022 interview, the actor Peter Dinklage criticized Disney over its plan to release the live-action remake, stating he was "taken aback" by the studio's celebration of casting Zegler as a Latina lead while revisiting a story with an unflattering representation of dwarfs.

Disney defends its 'Snow White' remake after criticism from Peter Dinklage

“It makes no sense to me. You’re progressive in one way and you’re still making that f—ing backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the f— are you doing, man?" said Dinklage, who has a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia, during an interview on the WTF With Marc Maron podcast.

Dinklage’s comments prompted Disney to release a statement saying it had decided to take a "different approach" with the seven character. "To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we ... have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community," a Disney spokesperson told Variety .

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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

• Exiled into the dangerous forest by her wicked stepmother, a princess is rescued by seven dwarf miners who make her part of their household.
• The beautiful and kindhearted princess Snow White charms every creature in the kingdom except one - her jealous stepmother, the Queen. When the Magic Mirror proclaims Snow White the fairest one of all, she must flee into the forest, where she befriends the lovable seven dwarfs - Doc, Sneezy, Grumpy, Happy, Bashful, Sleepy, and Dopey. But when the Queen tricks Snow White with a poisoned apple and falling into a deep sleep, only the magic of true love's kiss can awaken her. — Lesley (from the back of the Snow White DVD)
• For fear that Snow White's beauty will surpass her own, green with envy, the treacherous and vain Queen orders her loyal huntsman to take the princess deep into the impenetrable woods and kill her. But fate has other plans. In an act of unprecedented kindness, the pitiful hunter spares the maiden's life--and as Snow White finds refuge in the cozy cottage of seven friendly dwarfs--for once in her life, she feels what it is like to be safe. Eventually, with the curse of the Sleeping Death at her disposal, the disguised Queen will set off to trick the unsuspecting Snow White into eating a poisoned apple and falling into a deep sleep; nevertheless, is there a spell more potent than love? — Nick Riganas
• The first, and by far most memorable full-length animated feature from the Disney Studios, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" may have been superseded technically by many of the films that followed it. But its simple story of a charming princess saved from the evil deeds of her wicked stepmother, the Queen, by a group of seven adorable dwarfs made history when it was first released in December 1937 and has since become an incomparable screen classic. — filmfactsman
• A prologue in the form of text from an ornately decorated book explains that the Evil Queen, who cares only for being "the fairest one of all", is jealous of her stepdaughter, Snow White. Out of fear that Snow White's beauty will one day overshadow her own, she dresses her in rags and forces her to become a scullery maid in her castle. Each morning, she consults her magic mirror, asking it who is the fairest of all. It tells her that she is, and for a while, she is content. One morning, the Mirror tells the Queen that there is a maiden fairer than her: Snow White. Meanwhile, Snow White is in the courtyard, singing "I'm Wishing" to herself as she works. A handsome prince, riding by the castle, hears her voice and is enchanted by it. He climbs over the castle wall, unseen by her, who is singing to her reflection at the bottom of a well. He joins in, which startles and surprises her; she runs indoors, but when he pleads for her to return, she comes to the balcony and listens as he sings "One Song" to her. Unseen by both, the Queen watches from her window high above. Infuriated at Snow White's beauty (and perhaps jealous for the Prince's affections), she closes the curtains in anger. The Prince smiles at Snow White before leaving. The Queen summons the Huntsman, and orders him to take Snow White far into the forest, and kill her; she demands Snow White's heart as proof. He is reluctant to do so, but is bound by his orders; he takes her deep into the forest, where he lets her gather flowers. As Snow White helps a baby bird find its parents, he unsheathes his dagger and advances on her. When she sees him approaching, she screams in terror; however, he is unable to fulfill his orders and drops his dagger. Taking pity on her, he begs for her forgiveness and, warning her of the Queen's intentions, pleads for her to run away and never come back. Snow White obeys, and as she flees through the forest, her fear manifests itself in what she sees around her; eventually, she falls to the ground in fright and breaks down sobbing. She is comforted and befriended by the forest animals; she sings "With a Smile and a Song" and asks them if they know of a place where she can stay. The animals lead her to the Cottage of the Seven Dwarfs, which she finds empty and dirty. Thinking that cleaning it may persuade the owners to let her stay, she and the animals clean it and its contents while singing "Whistle While You Work". The dwarfs, meanwhile, are working in their mine, digging for diamonds. When it is time for them to go home for the day, they march through the forest, singing "Heigh-Ho". After cleaning the cottage, Snow White falls asleep on several of the dwarfs' beds. When the dwarfs see light coming from the cottage, they approach cautiously, thinking that a monster has taken up residence in there. They search the ground floor but are afraid to go upstairs. After an unsuccessful attempt by Dopey to chase the "monster" down, they all venture upstairs to discover Snow White sleeping. She wakes up and befriends each of them. They allow her to stay (though Grumpy is reluctant). She remembers that she has left soup downstairs and rushes to prepare it, ordering the dwarfs to wash while they wait. They proceed outside to a trough, where all but Grumpy wash; the others later wash him, dumping him into the trough when supper is ready. That evening, the Queen once again consults her Magic Mirror, who tells her that Snow White still lives and that the Huntsman had given her a pig's heart. Furious at being tricked and his betrayal, she descends a spiral staircase, entering her dungeon, where she resolves to do away with Snow White herself. She uses a potion to transform herself into a witch-like peddler - a disguise to deceive Snow White. She then decides to use a poisoned apple to send Snow White into the Sleeping Death (a magically-induced coma). At the cottage, the dwarfs perform "The Silly Song", with Snow White singing and dancing along with them. She then sings "Someday My Prince Will Come" (referring to her romance with him) before sending them up to bed; however, they decide to sleep downstairs, allowing her to sleep in their beds, where she, looking towards the window, says thankful prayers about her and their protection, and wishes for Grumpy to like her more. Meanwhile, the Queen prepares the poisoned apple and, dismissing the possibility that Snow White may be revived by "love's first kiss" (the only cure for the Sleeping Death), gleefully proclaims that she will appear dead and be "buried alive". She leaves the castle and makes her way to the dwarfs' cottage, kicking the skeleton of a long-deceased prisoner on the way out. As the dwarfs leave for the mine in the morning, Snow White kisses each one on the forehead, though Grumpy initially resists. He warns her not to let any strangers into the cottage. After the dwarfs have left, the Queen in disguise goes to Snow White and offers her the poisoned apple, which she is about to accept until the animals, sensing danger from the vultures, try to attack her. This causes Snow White to take pity on her and she takes her into the cottage. The animals then rush to the mine and try to tell the dwarfs of the danger. They eventually realize what is happening, thanks to Sleepy, and, led by Grumpy, hurry back to the cottage with the animals. The Queen persuades Snow White to take a bite from the apple by telling her that it is a "wishing apple", which will make any wish of hers come true; after taking a bite, she collapses in sleep as the Queen cackles in triumph. She then proudly exits the cottage to return home, but her victory gets cut short as the dwarfs arrive and chase her, eventually cornering her up a cliff, where she attempts to crush them with a boulder, but before she can do so, a bolt of lightning strikes the ledge she stands on, causing her to fall off the cliff followed by the boulder, crushing her to death. Afterward, her dead body remains are devoured (off-screen) by the vultures that were following her. Back at the cottage, the dwarfs and animals mourn Snow White, but she's only asleep. Although the other dwarfs are silent, Grumpy sobs at how he mistreated her, and Dopey sobs, being the one who loved her most of all. Unable to find it in their hearts to bury her, they place her in a glass coffin in a peaceful glade in the forest. The Prince arrives upon hearing about her sleep, and after singing a reprise of "One Song", he kisses her, which breaks the spell. Awakened, she bids farewell to the dwarfs and animals, then rides off with the Prince to his castle to live happily ever after.

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The 32 greatest Disney movie moments

These are the Disney moments that take us wonder by wonder

Since the release of its 1937 feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Disney has been synonymous with timeless storytelling and quality craftsmanship. While it’s true that not everything ever made from the studio are seismic hits, there’s no dispute that Disney is a name known worldwide. It’s for good reason. Because for many years, Disney has made movies that have brought families together. Reader, reader of the screen: What Disney movie moments are the fairest to be seen?

Originally sourcing its movies from Grimm fairy tales and European folklore, Disney has since expanded its vast kingdom to tell (and re-tell) stories from all realms, from mythologies and oral histories to even comic books. In celebration of the studio’s own continued story, these are the 32 greatest Disney movie moments of all time. (A quick word: We’re excluding movies from Pixar , because that’s a category all on its own.)

32. Mulan Takes Her Father’s Place (Mulan)

Simply reading the premise of Disney’s Mulan, loosely based on the Chinese folk heroine, is enough to stir feelings through its themes of family, duty, and honor. But to actually see the moment Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na Wen) takes her father’s place in the army and disguises herself as a man is something else. Set against a dramatic thunderstorm, Mulan does what no Disney princess before her had ever done – take up arms – and the resulting scene is an exquisite portrait of heroism and bravery, all coming from love for the people who matter most.

31. The Rocketeer Blasts Off (The Rocketeer)

Before The Avengers assembled under Disney’s vast empire, it had the Rocketeer, an original superhero from creator Dave Stevens. In Joe Johnston’s 1991 film version of Stevens’ comic, The Rocketeer (played by Billy Campbell) takes off into the skies for the first time to rescue a pilot in an air show that’s gone wrong. While the visual effects are comparatively primitive to what’s seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the entire sequence is still a hoot, being an affectionate and nostalgic throwback to the Golden Age of superheroes.

30. Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride (Lilo & Stitch)

There’s no better cure for a sour face than a couple of boards and some choice waves. In one of Disney’s few non-musical animated hits Lilo & Stitch, dejected sisters Nani and Lilo have run out of time for Nani to find a job and thus protect Lilo from being taken away into the foster system. As the sun sets, the sisters – plus hunky David, and rabid pet alien Stitch – opt to forget their troubles and hang ten, allowing every wave to take them from the troubles that await on land. Powered by the bubbly platinum-hit song “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride,” this unforgettable scene shows what it means to surf with the ocean rather than to swim against the current.

29. Hellfire (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

Any Disney movie musical is sure to have a killer “villain” song. But Frollo’s song “Hellfire” is like no other. Rooted in the hypocrisy of pious men and inner conflict found in all who are devout in their chosen dogmas, “Hellfire” unveils the true and remarkably human motivations of the villainous Judge Claude Follo (Tony Jay). Haunted by fiery spirits and looming hooded clergy, Frollo sings of his regretful lust for beautiful Esmeralda (voiced by Demi Moore), revealing a man who isn’t hellbent on amassing cosmic powers or dominion over kingdoms. Instead, he’s just a man who wants a woman. And because he can’t have her, then no one can. How frightening, and for many people, how tragically familiar.

28. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Fantasia)

Truly, almost all of Fantasia qualifies as a great moment for Disney. While classical music was traditionally popular with early 20th century animation, Fantasia was different in that it imagined a more serious tone unlike the slapstick comedy common in more conventional cartoons. But the centerpiece short of Fantasia is also the best and arguably most definitive of Disney’s storytelling magic. We’re talking, of course, about “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” where Mickey Mouse is tasked with a chore by his wizard master Yen Sid and his plan to shortcut the work creates a, ahem, flood of problems. It’s not only beautiful to watch, it’s also funny, cute, and enlightening, with its chief lesson – there’s no substitute for hard work – resonating when Mickey silently and sullenly finally does what he was told to do.

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27. Swinging Through the Trees (Tarzan)

The Disney Renaissance is full of technically dazzling films that made us all go, “You can do that in a cartoon ?” In 1999, Disney released Tarzan, based on the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs story with impossibly great music from Phil Collins. Closing off its first act that shows how a baby boy grows up into a man raised by apes, an adult Tarzan swings from vine to vine and “surfs” through the trees high above in an astonishing feat of animated filmmaking. It’s barely 20 seconds long, but it’s still a show-stopper as the culmination of a century’s worth of industry evolution and a tiny bit of computer effects to foreshadow the coming future of the new century.

26. Heigh Ho! (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

Let me guess: You have it stuck in your head now. The introduction of the titular Seven Dwarfs who come to support the beautiful Snow White are memorably introduced inside a jewel mine, picking and clawing out priceless jewels and singing about it with a catchy jingle. What’s most important is how the Seven Dwarfs are individually introduced, not with lyrics that call attention to themselves but simply how they act and behave all throughout. (Dopey, natch, is the heart and soul of the entire thing.) For many, “Heigh Ho!” is how people learned to whistle. 

25. Goodbye, Baymax (Big Hero 6)

Originating as a mighty obscure Marvel Comics title, Big Hero 6 shows how some of that precious Disney touch can create some real magic. In Big Hero 6, teen genius Hiro honors his late brother Tadashi by outfitting his creation, a huggable medical robot assistant named Baymax (voiced by Scott Adsit), into a butt-kicking superhero. But at the end of the movie, Baymax offers to sacrifice himself to save Hiro, with his signature question – “Are you satisfied with your care?” – taking on deeper meaning. Credit to Scott Adsit for a remarkably human voiceover performance.

24. The Hair Flip (The Little Mermaid)

At the dawn of Disney’s rebirth period came The Little Mermaid, setting a new standard of quality for Disney movies. While The Little Mermaid is chock full of amazing moments under the sea – including an all-time great villain song “Poor Unfortunate Souls” – there’s one eight-second bit that has fostered a lifetime of imagination. When a changed Ariel (with two legs) swims to the surface for the first time, she flips her hair back, the glistening of the splashing water indistinguishable from the magic that has totally altered her body. Between the scene’s realistic lighting and overall visual majesty, what you have is a moment that encapsulates how much beauty and magic are inextricably linked.

23. Carrying the Banner (Newsies)

The opening number of Disney’s pro-union musical Newsies is the platonic ideal for all cinematic musicals. It not only sets the expectations for all of its musical stylings – in this case, jazzy ragtime of the late 1890s – it also tells a story about the daily life of overworked orphans struggling every day under the oppressive thumb of crony capitalism. It’s catchy, it’s lively, the choreography is legitimately impressive, and it never sounds the same for the whole five minutes. A major plus: It has a very young, pre-Batman Christian Bale flexing his talents as a future movie star.

22. Savages! (Pocahontas)

A thunderous war song underscored by the ways racial prejudice makes barbarians of us all, the “Savages” number in Disney’s Pocahontas lives up to the word “epic” even if the world isn’t at stake. While history rightfully asserts that European colonization has done more harm than good, as far as a Disney movie is concerned, Pocahontas boasts striking visual metaphors that unsubtly suggest how our tribalistic tendencies render us inhuman. Observe how the white settlers are lit red by their raging fire, all whilst singing about the inhuman “red” Indians – and how the Native Americans, painted blue in the pale moonlight, warn about the violence of pale men. We could all benefit from a little introspection.

21. Bette Midler Puts a Spell on You (Hocus Pocus)

When the spooky season comes along, there’s nothing better than boogying down with three Salem witches. Hocus Pocus is a Halloween classic for all the obvious reasons, but Bette Midler has ensured its timeless quality through her big musical number “I Put a Spell on You,” which actually illustrates her villainy in a clever way. Not only is Winnie eerily adaptable to modern settings, she doesn’t even feel the need to hide exactly what she’s doing: casting a spell over the people. It’s horrifying because the people don’t mind, so long as you know how to put on a good show.

20. A Walk in Central Park (Enchanted)

Before Disney developed a nasty habit of remaking all of its animated musicals into live-action movies, it satirized itself with that very idea with the 2007 hit musical Enchanted. Featuring Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey, the movie affectionately pokes fun at Disney movie conventions, including spontaneous musical numbers with elaborate choreography. While “That’s How You Know” is a great song on its own, it gets a boost of entertainment from a flummoxed Robert (Dempsey), lost as to how everyone in Central Park knows how to sing in key and dance on cue.

19. Old Yeller Gets Rabies (Old Yeller)

Early Disney really had a thing for killing animals, didn’t it? As iconic as Bambi and The Lion King, Old Yeller is best remembered for the close friendship between teenage boy Travis (Tommy Kirk) and his dog, a Black Mouth Cur named Old Yeller, only for that friendship to end in painful tragedy. When Old Yeller develops rabies and becomes a hostile dog who horrifically snarls at the sight of any human, Travis included, it’s up to Travis to put him down. The movie is another example of Disney showing the ruthlessness of nature, and that even the best of bonds can be broken.

18. Talking About Bruno/Meeting Bruno (Encanto)

Family shame mixes with Colombian melodies in one of the most memorable and mesmerizing Disney numbers of the 2020s. In the 2021 film Encanto, Maribel (Stephanie Beatriz) learns more about her estranged uncle Bruno (John Leguizamo), a future-teller who is talked about only in hushed whispers. While the number, ludicrously catchy and groovy as it is, does an excellent job of setting Bruno up as another mystical Disney villain, the truth hits hard when Maribel actually meets him and discovers he’s just a man who wants to be part of his family. With its metaphors of mental illness and the ways families drown out their guilt with careless cruelty, Bruno ensures Encanto is more than just another run of the mill Disney movie musical.

17. Light Cycles (Tron)

In a strange and exceptionally rare instance of outdated visual effects looking better with age, there is the 1982 sci-fi epic Tron. Directed by Steven Lisberger and featuring then-cutting-edge CGI, Tron takes place inside a virtual world where video game developer Flynn (Jeff Bridges) is transported into an arcade game and must physically compete in games – including a deadly light cycle race. Simultaneously the most 1980s-looking sequence imaginable and still ahead of its time, Tron made us all wish we could get on light cycles ourselves and ride to victory – or doom.

16. When You Wish Upon a Star (Pinnochio)

Kicking off the Disney classic Pinnochio is the song that has quite literally defined Disney itself, functioning as the company’s signature theme motif for decades. At the start of Pinnochio, the credits are scored to colorful strings and an angelic choir before the deep voice of Cliff Edwards who sings to us: “When you wish upon a star/makes no difference who you are/anything your heart desires, will come to you.” It’s a sweet and sentimental idea that makes us want to believe that magic could be real, especially at times when we need to believe in it the most.

15. Bambi Survives (Bambi)

Bambi was and is one of Disney’s greatest movies for a reason. Aside from its stunning storybook design and animation, its themes of love, death, and the uncontrollable chaos of the outside world are universally instructive to viewers too young to actually grasp what it means to lose somebody. While the moment Bambi dies is iconic to the point of spawning endless parodies, it’s still an important moment for the Disney canon in demonstrating how children’s entertainment doesn’t have to be devoid of meaning.

14. Elsa Lets It Go (Frozen)

Sincere apologies to parents whose shell-shocked memories of Frozen fever we’ve just thawed out, but there’s no arguing the sheer impact that “Let It Go” had once upon a time. In the seismic 2013 Disney classic, Princess Elsa declares her individuality away from the suffocating glares of Arendelle by going to where they could never, ever bother her. Besides the fact that “Let It Go” is a stone cold karaoke banger, Elsa’s signature number is a true spectacle to behold, with gorgeous imagery centered around the instantaneous rise of Elsa’s private castle of ice.

13. A Whole New World (Aladdin)

Don’t you dare close your eyes. One of the most unstoppable duet songs ever from Disney maestro Alan Menken, Jasmine (whose singing voice belongs to the incomparable Lea Salonga) and Aladdin’s breathtaking magic carpet ride around the world is a soaring sequence that just feels like the way falling in love with someone feels. It feels like flying, and there’s nothing else like it on Earth. With its sweeping lyricism and utterly romantic atmosphere, this scene takes you over, sideways, and under — to a dazzling new place you never knew.

12. Next Stop: Neverland (Peter Pan)

See enough Disney movies and you’ll begin to spot the same recurring ideas: orphaned animals, true love’s kiss, and of course, the magic of flying. In Peter Pan, Wendy and the kids are sprinkled with fairy dust by Peter Pan and take on the ability to fly. All they need to do is think happy thoughts. (Now wouldn’t that be nice for the rest of us?) While the scene may not impress modern audiences who are used to more technically sophisticated sequences, the scene is pure, quintessential Disney magic that is still timeless after all this time.

11. A Pirate’s Arrival (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl)

There has simply never been another character like Captain Jack Sparrow, before or since. Played by Johnny Depp, this sun-kissed, rum-drunk rock star buccaneer makes his first appearance in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie fully-formed, wearing in his baggy eyes a lifetime of adventures. While Captain Jack is a sorrowful case of a good thing getting spoiled, there is still something ineffable in his debut appearance. May we all learn to disembark sinking ships with such nonchalance.

10. The “Bear” Necessities (The Jungle Book)

You don’t get “Hakuna Matata” without learning about the bare necessities. In The Jungle Book, Mowlgi learns from the effortlessly chill Baloo (voiced by Phil Harris) the secret to living a full life: by having little complications in it. Though Baloo is literally teaching Mowgli how to survive off of Earth’s natural offerings, the song has a bigger meaning in instructing younger viewers how to have a more zen-like approach to modern living. Before Marie Kondo, before minimalist trends on TikTok, there was a dancing big bear who showed us how to look under the rocks and glance at the fancy ants.

9. Spaghetti Dinner for Two (Lady and the Tramp)

It’s so iconic and ubiquitous, but it still hasn’t lost its power. In the unforgettable dinner at Tony’s, Tramp takes Lady out for a candlelit Italian dinner, where they share an accidental smooch over spaghetti. Keep in mind the scene is entirely animated in the old school hand-drawn Disney style; from the dogs’ expressive, cherubic faces to the intimate warmth of a back alley dinner, everything about this moment just feels alive, pulsing with the thrill of budding romance.

8. A Tale as Old as Time (Beauty and the Beast)

Putting aside any stray vibes of Stockholm syndrome, the ballroom scene between beautiful Belle and the beastly, well, Beast is still a Disney moment for the ages. As “Beauty and the Beast” is sung by the incomparable Angela Lansbury, Belle and Beast spin and twirl in an ornate golden ballroom, which is rendered by primitive, but no less impressive CGI. As a mixture of Diseny’s traditional animation and cutting-edge new disciplines, Beauty and the Beast shows that even tales as old as time can still find new ways to be told.

7. Colors of the Wind (Pocahontas)

Arguably one of the most beautiful Disney musical numbers of all time, “Colors of the Wind” – sung by Judy Kuhn, as the singing voice of Pocahontas – tells multiple stories all at once. While primarily a lecture about nature preservation from Pocahontas’ point-of-view to John Smith, who is but a visitor to her homeland, the song slowly expands on a macro-scale to feel like a passionate plea from all to think more carefully about our relationship to this ancient and beautiful Earth. As Pocahontas puts it in the song: You can own the Earth, and still all you’ll own is Earth until you actually understand what it means to be one with it.

6. A Spoonful of Sugar (Mary Poppins)

Just because you have to do something doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun along the way. In Mary Poppins, the impossibly beautiful Julie Andrews instructs the two children she babysits to take responsibility and clean their room. But she shows them how to do it with a smile, for a spoonful of sugar really helps the medicine go down. Props to Andrews for making this scene as wonderful as it is, whose upbeat energy perfectly matches the uptempo sound.

5. A Fairy Godmother’s Makeover (Cinderella)

It’s a trope that has come to define Disney’s storybook fantasies, and it still works because it’s still so powerful to believe in. In Cinderella, the poor orphaned Disney princess laments missing out on the ball, only for her fairy godmother to come to a last-minute rescue. Not only is the moment Cinderella “puts on” her dress still a feat of technical filmmaking, but everything about screams timeless elegance. Plus, who wouldn’t want to ride into the hottest part of the year in a tricked-out pumpkin ride? It’s a moment that defines “belle of the ball.”

4. Slaying the Dragon (Sleeping Beauty)

To anyone who thinks that old Disney movies are stuffy and boring and lacking action, think again. Prince Philip’s daring confrontation against Maleficent – in her fearsome form as a fire-breathing dragon – is still an exciting climactic match-up, and deeply formative for all RPGs and Soulsborne boss battles. Powered by George Bruns’ score and illuminated by swirling fires and thorny black branches, the climax of Sleeping Beauty is still one of the greatest ever.

3. True Love’s Kiss (Snow White)

Here’s something to remember for pub trivia: The first instance of “true love’s kiss” in a Disney movie was 1938’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. While a handful of other Disney princesses get smooched to break whatever curse ails them, Snow White was the first, with her kiss from Prince Charming ending the Wicked Queen’s spell. Beautifully animated for the screen through rotoscope technique, this moment from Snow White has undeniably resonated across generations. 

2. “And Then… I Got In” (Tron: Legacy)

Epic and ominous all at once, the opening of Tron: Legacy (the 2010 sequel to the 1982 original Tron) is awe-inspiring as it is spine-chilling. It’s not scary, but suggestive of worlds within worlds, of realities man can create and still be totally ignorant to its existence. Beyond that, the arresting use of contrasting colors – pitch black and neon pale blue – showed how anything old can be new again, and how “retro” is a fluid concept ready for redefinition. We haven’t even touched on Jeff Bridges’ slick narration that economically breaks down the story of the original Tron, nor the iconic soundtrack of Daft Punk as they effectively inspired the rebirth of synthwave. There’s no introduction to a Disney movie quite like Tron: Legacy, and that’s because it stands alone.

1. The Circle of Life (The Lion King)

The Lion King is such a towering masterwork of the Disney library, you could write out a whole list of great moments from just the one movie alone. But narrowing things down to just one, there’s no debate over the movie’s prologue and epilogue, which is beautifully and simply put as “The Circle of Life.” Kicking off the movie on an arresting high note – with Zulu vocals sung by Lebo M – the sequence is a stunning blend of animation and wildlife documentary, as Africa’s kingdom of animals (more or less) behave exactly as they do in the wild. Punctuated by the motif of a rising sun, which casts a beautiful golden layer of sheen on all it touches, the sequence lives up to the word “majestic.” How fitting, for the birth of a new king.

Eric Francisco is a freelance entertainment journalist and graduate of Rutgers University. If a movie or TV show has superheroes, spaceships, kung fu, or John Cena, he's your guy to make sense of it. A former senior writer at Inverse, his byline has also appeared at Vulture, The Daily Beast, Observer, and The Mary Sue. You can find him screaming at Devils hockey games or dodging enemy fire in Call of Duty: Warzone.

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