Hi folks! Welcome to my My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analysis blog. A blog where I'm analyzing several Disney films, Disney or Animation in general! These entries are just meant to be my analyses. Not reviews or statements. Just fun analyses! Though I'll make some personal remarks now and then, the content of these entries are meant to be depicted objectively. They're made for entertainment purpose only and the pictures/clips are copyright Disney or other companies.
Make sure to leave a comment if you like this site! And if there's something you think could be improved, please let me know. But in a constructive way, please. And just a note; I'm not a Native English writer, so my incorrect grammar may be notable.
And finally; If you haven't seen the films, beware of spoilers! And the funny lines aren't meant to be nothing than funny. So I hope you won't find them offensive. If so, I apologize
![]() |
And this is my wrinkle-less version ;) |
It’s of course completely needless to say this. But it's simply impossible to talk about Disney without taking consideration into Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Walt’s very first animated feature and the one that started it all (yes, this pun was intended, guys).
After all, it was a huge high risk for Walt. Having only made short featurettes with Silly Symphony and Mickey Mouse, it was certainly a departure to do a full-length feature (or as Walt would've call it, the Feature Symphony).



Snow White also influenced live action properties as well. As Citizen Kane and MGM Studios The Wizard of Oz, proving that fantasy could have an adult appeal (yet Frank Thomas commented that he didn't know how Walt would finish the project). Snow White was Disney's very first contribution with RKO Pictures, due to disagreements with their former distributor, United Artists. For us who's born a lifetime later, it’s hard to imagine a world without full-length animated features. Which was simply something that was new at the time. The world was certainly a different place in 1937 than today (sound on film was barely ten years old at the time). So that`s why Snow White didn't have many animated counterparts to be compared to. And would set the mold for Disney's following features to come and their components.
Snow White cost
then-astounding $ 1.5 millions to produce, Walt first assumed that it
might cost 250,00, yet he realized that it would eventually cost
$500,000 dollars. Afterwards Walt had to show the unfinished film to The
Bank of America, pleaded by his brother Roy (who was in charge of the
Finances) when the finance were in trouble. The
small crisis happened in the summer of 1937, where both Walt and Roy
held this issue quiet for the rest of the staff. Yet the guy from the
bank, however, believed that the film would be a success. The economy
proved to be an advantage, since Walt could recruit skilled artists at
the time.



The Success, Innovation and Genesis For Snow White


The crew also worried about not being able to get the movie done in time. But the movie was completed two and a half weeks before it's premiere (and the crew didn't have enough money to advertise it). However, Walt himself has jokingly cited in interviews that the Bank was loosing more sleep than he was.




And it was also the most beloved picture of that year (Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston bought all of the newspapers which had good reviews of the film or stories about the studio). The sold-out premiere was a sensation, where the crew had their own, staged versions of the dwarfs cottage called Dwarfsland. And had several celebrities (as Clark Cable and Shirley Temple). The event was broadcast on radio by NBC. The studio payed the loan and expanded their studios to different lots and hiring with new animators. Some of them being trained architects (yet Walt had to ensure to his father, Elias, that the studio could be used as a hospital if it failed).




Snow White`s Overall Position in Movie History and How It`s The Epitome of The Unrealistic Fairy Tale Tropes
![]() |
I've been smitten by Kaa :) |
![]() |
I'm the cheap version :) |
Snow White Herself
![]() |
It will soon look like the Garden of Eve :) Without nature:) |
Originally she was modeled after Janet Gaynor, while the crew looked at several other celebrities for reference (and animated partly by Hamilton Luske. Who lectured that animated characters needed to be more interesting than usually everyday life. While Woolie Reitherman said that she was the most successfully drawn girl by the studio).
In fact, Snow White herself is the epitome of the so-called “typical” Disney Princess and certainly fills the bill. But perhaps of all Walt’s Princesses, she’s the one who displays an actual personality and gets her characterization more fleshed out. Regardless of her staple of being bland, as with the other Walt Princesses
![]() |
I'll soon not be as pale after cleaning this mess :) |


The Dwarfs
![]() |
This was the highest pyramid we could make :) |
![]() |
You'll have to wait for your turn :) |
In fact, what made Disney`s version distinctive is that it`s title partly was called after the dwarfs themselves (and they were the reason for Walt to do the picture). While not appearing into the film immediately, they're after all just as much protagonists as their female counterpart.



![]() |
Diamonds are a dwarf`s best friend :) |

While the team tried to find a voice for him and actually auditioned several actors, they realized that he was more compelling by being mute (while he was given an actor for reference, Eddie Collins). Yet he was the toughest to tackle. He was given the personality of a dog. Yet some storymen were dissatisfied with the name Dopey, for how modern it sounded (yet Walt's final argument was that Shakespeare used modern names, too). Dopey's hitch step was something that was suggested by Frank Thomas, which made the rest of the animators angry at him. Dopey was particularly promoted in the publicity campaign for the re-releases.


The Remaining Characters: The Forest Animals, The Prince and The Queen
![]() |
We spy with our four eyes :) |

Despite Disney being labeled for their staple of talking animals as a Princess' sidekicks, people seems to forget that Disney’s very first animated feature didn’t have talking animals at all. But the trope of the animal sidekick is something that the Disney Princesses would be forever stuck with (and yes, it also has a couple of vultures in this old Germanic Kingdom. Who's location is never confirmed in the movie, but confirmed in other parts).


While Walt originally wanted the Prince to be more present, he was difficult to animate in terms of how to handle male human anatomy (yet his animator, Grim Natwick, actually helped Luske to animate Snow White. While Natwick did his experimental animation prior). Of course the Prince has led to the bland Prince trope that Disney would be forever stuck with (while it`s been reduced now).
![]() |
Don't worry, it's not Pandora's box :) |

Behind the Scenes Information
![]() |
I'm worse than the Boogeyman :) |



Yet Walt deliberately wanted to throw away the gags from the Silly Symphonies shorts, yet expand it's concept by adding music to Snow White. He decided to reward each gag to the animators (the gag where each dwarfs pop up to Snow White was Ward Kimball's gag, which he received $5 dollars for). Some elements from the original story were simplified. As Snow White's encountering with the Queen (which originally happened three times, yet references to the previous bidding's were going to be in and the closing page of the storybook had a picture of a comb with strands of hair). Yet the actual script was written ten days before it's release (yes, believe it or not, folks).


Yet the experimentation was quite much encouraged by Walt. The technical achievements were also a breakthrough, since the crew had to draw on bigger sheets than they've used to and new field sizes. Animating realistic and convincing human behavior was perhaps the biggest task, since the studio had never really done it before. The Silly Symphony short The Goddess of the Spring was a preparation for Snow White. And originally the characters were designed in the Silly Symphony-vein. Yet Walt payed evening classes for his artists and later on had lecturer Don Graham to take classes at the studio (while the animators looked at three real dwarfs for reference).






Snow White`s Scary and Sad Moments
![]() |
Bambi isn't the only one with huge eyes :) |


recognized for their dark,
horrific moments and Snow White certainly fills the bill. Yet
Walt claimed that he showed the movie to his two young daughters at time
and they wanted to play the witch. Yet Walt wanted to
stress the scariness as
much possible.


The Expansion of the Tale, Disneyfication and The Deleted Scenes
Of course Snow White
was a straight forward depiction of the fairy tale. And due to the
original tale's length, it was certainly a challenge for the storycrew
to expand it (yet the fact that it wasn't too fantastical intrigued
Walt). In fact, for all the flack Disney gets for their so-called Disneyfication, Snow White pretty
much remains faithful to it's original predecessor (with the exception
of some details here and there). But the storyteam wanted to keep the
story simple and straightforward.
Many
deleted story ideas were thrown out, which certainly were many gags
with the dwarfs (as Dopey falling over a waterfall. And Grumpy saying
that Snow White could stay until the gooseberry
pie was done. And also a brief argument between Grumpy and Doc). Even
as little as 31 seconds from the witch dipping the apple was reduced
(and originally she was going to have hair popping out of her warts). Originally
the dwarfs were going to give our heroine a bed as a gift. Which was
going to be interrupted by the animals trying to get the dwarfs to Snow
White. The fly that constantly flies to Sleepy was going to be conquered
by him. Originally our dear Snow White was going to travel through
various places: The Morass of Monsters, Valley of the Dragons,
UpsideDownLand and Backwards Land (two places where birds tails flied
backwards and the trees' roots stick in the air) and Sleepy Valley.
Originally the Huntsman was going to be softened by her kindness
with the bird, when he was about to kill her.
![]() |
I (the hag) know I'm hideous, but the apple isn't :) |

Originally Snow White was going to recover from the poisoned comb. Which the dwarfs saved her from. And the Queen (while her name is never mentioned in the movie, she's named Grimhilde in one newspaper strip written by one of the story guys, Merrill de Maris) would destroy The Magic Mirror (who was animated by Wolfgang Reitherman. Which certainly was a daunting challenge, since he had to redo his scenes) when she gets the news about Snow White being still alive. While he would get his revenge. Yet it was decided that Snow White should be just cursed one time, in order to make her less naive. Originally even the storyteam planned to show the demise of our heroine's mother (adding fuel to a certain, well-known Disney trope. While the mother is actually referred to in several book adaptations).

This fight is fun, at least for now :) |
More Trivia, Feminist Aspect and Music
would endure the
bright colors, the colors were subdued (for also stressing the realism
and depth). Yet Walt wanted an Old World feeling by Swiss draftsman
Albert Hurter (who was older than the rest of the crew) and Gustaf Tenggren.
The backgrounds were evolved by Sam Armstrong.
Walt also traveled to Europe at the time and brought back illustrations of the original fairy tale. The completion made the crew sure and confident enough to face the following challenges of their following pictures (while they would prove to be daunting on their own rights). Yet for all the stigma that animation has faced since it's get-go, Snow White genuinely managed to convert critics that animation was an art form. Later on, Disney sold 7,0000 celluloid paintings of Snow White. While Courvoisier Art Gallery of San Francisco traded their usual pictures for pictures of the dwarfs.
And yes, guys. It’s fair to say that Snow White is a product of it’s time. Taking consideration to it’s slow, mellow and subdued nature (not that it`s a hampering problem), it would’ve not been executed in the same way today (as I kid, I considered the movie to be too short, actually). And sure, since Snow White is pretty much a damsel in distress that feminists love to rant about, it`s easy to ponder of how her movie would've been made if it were released today. But if we really think about it, as the original fairy tales pretty much kept the heroines reactive, the fairy tales made in Walt's time were pretty much suited for their timelines for that lone reason.
What's also marks Snow White's position is that it was a musical. Yet Walt felt very strongly that the film shouldn't be in the same vein of live action musical comedies. Composed by Frank Churchill (who had previously written Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf), there were written twenty-five songs for the feature. Yet the earliest attempts were rejected, as they were too Tin Pan Alley tunes for the movie. And like the usual 30's musicals that diverged from the story. And yes, believe it or not, the dwarfs were originally going to perform Three Blind Mice or Frére Jacques to Snow White instead of The Silly Song (and prior they had the original You're Never Too Old to Be Young). But to enhance the dwarfs personalities, Walt wanted the sequence to be as bizarre and weird as possible and encouraged the yodeling (and modeling the song after The Cookie Carnival from Silly Symphony). The storyteam decided afterwards that it would be better to have their own song. The soundtrack was the very first soundtrack to be released on Phonograph Records and the first movie to have it's soundtrack released.
Recognitions, Shorts With The Dwarfs and Home Video Releases




At least it's not seven henchmen :) |



Snow White`s Position in Walt`s Pantheon and How It Influenced It`s Fairy Tale Followers



Epilogue


So in the end, Snow White truly is something valuable and outstanding of it’s own. It's something that truly deserves the puns and the superlatives for being the fairest of them all and the one that started the all. To cite my own personal opinion about it, I remember seeing it theatrically as a kid with my parents (I don't remember the exact age). And despite me having a fondness for Walt's films and not his post-films, my reaction towards Snow White was overall muddled. While I didn`t hate it, I`ve personally found the movie a little scary and grim at times. And perhaps a little too saccarine at the end.

Wish on my updates on https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035703494050 and https://twitter.com/NerdyLunada.
References:
The Fairest One of All: The Making of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (J.B. Kaufman).
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Art and Creation of Walt Disney's Classic Animated Film (J.B. Kaufman).
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs & The Making of the Classic Film (Richard Holliss, Brian Sibley).
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Deluxe CAV Laserdisc Edition
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Platinum Edition DVD.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition Blu Ray.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs VHS UK version (The Making of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7-QaPlTd-M)
http://animatedviews.com/2012/disney-historian-j-b-kaufman-on-the-greatest-snow-white-books-of-all/
http://www.dvdizzy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=32641
http://www.dvdizzy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3542&p=700003&hilit=soup#p700003
http://floydnormancom.squarespace.com/blog/2017/3/7/working-on-snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs
http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-ways-disney-princesses-created-modern-feminism/
https://books.google.no/books?id=5JHrODsAdNwC&printsec=frontcover&hl=no&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=Bambi&f=false
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Dwarfs_(1937_film)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029583/trivia?ref_=tt_ql_2
http://www.dvdizzy.com/snowwhite-signature.html
http://www.dvdizzy.com/littlemermaid-bluray.html
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/01/17/exclusive-original-snow-white-first-kiss-shocker/78796158/
http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/You%27re_Never_Too_Old
Mouse Under Glass (David Koenig).
Walt Disney The Art of Animation (Bob Thomas).
Disney's Art of Animation: From Mickey Mouse to Hercules (Bob Thomas).
The Art of Walt Disney: From Mickey Mouse to the Magic Kingdoms and Beyond (Christopher Finch).
Walt Disney's Bambi: The Story and the Film (Ollie Johnston, Frank Thomas)
Pinocchio: The Making of the Disney Epic (J.B. Kaufman)
Pinocchio Platinum Edition DVD
Beauty and the Beast Diamond Edition Blu Ray.
The Little Mermaid Diamond Edition Blu Ray.
Waking Sleeping Beauty
http://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/disney-home-video-history/
https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/24/movies/slipsliding-between-animation-and-reality.html