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
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And this is my wrinkle-less version ;) |
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Even I can whistle when I work :) |

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).
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Welcome to Wackyworld :) |

Of
course Disney's so-called folly turned out to be a huge, astounding
success and getting acknowledges from film critics about it's
importance. And even getting compared to D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation (Time Magazine claimed that
it was was exciting as a Western, funny as a Haywire comedy and sad as a
Symphony). It was recognized as being one of the best films of the
year. Animator Shamus Culhane cites that the audience for the premiere was the most receptive, enthusiastic audience he's ever seen.




While not all of Walt's staff worked on Snow White and worked on other properties at the time. Walt was at the time given a special Oscar and seven little miniature Oscars (given by Shirley Temple). Which were for innovating the new genre. But believe it or not, the movie ran for just five weeks, since both Walt and Roy feared that the film could loose it luster if it was played longer.

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.




Perhaps it’s invigorating
genre made Snow White the huge event at it was. But Snow White
was really cherished for being good on it's own terms. Since Walt was
known for not just appealing to children, but to the child within
(cliche to say to say this, but it is true), he managed to accomplish
that. Since he received letters from grown ups who felt the same way
about watching the movie.
The reason for why Walt chose Snow White
was for being the first (silent-version) movie that he had ever seen
in 1916 as a teenager by Marguerite Clark (by Paramount Pictures). He
was invited alongside with the others Kansas City delivery boys at the
local Convention Hall at an unusual screening. 



While Walt was originally toying to make Babes in Toyland as an animated feature and wanted to plan the animation/live action hybrids of Alice in Wonderland and Rip Van Winkle (which both were eventually done by different studios), Walt realized that the full length features would be mostly profitable for his studio. And Snow White was the first movie of any kind to have merchandise with it on it's release (and even The Beatles' song Do You Want to Know a Secret has a nod to I'm Wishing)
Snow White`s Overall Position in Movie History and How It`s The Epitome of The Unrealistic Fairy Tale Tropes
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I've been smitten by Kaa :) |
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I'm the cheap version :) |
However, it’s also a movie that it’s been easy to mock in current pop culture.
Snow White Herself
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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
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I'll soon not be as pale after cleaning this mess :) |

Why
Snow White was given rouge on her cheeks was because she looked pale on
the ink- and painting. Yet constantly adding rogue was exhausting for
the crew. Despite paying nod to the original tale with her hair
color, Snow White was initially blonde in concept art.

Originally Snow White was going to have a naughty side of her who liked to mock, since she would mock her stepmother and her Magic Mirror. And the Huntsman was going to take her on a flower ride and then leave her alone (and he was afterwards going to be dragged away by Nubian torturers). It’s noteworthy that Snow White is to this day the youngest of the official Princesses, being just fourteen years old (something that Moana was originally going to be).
The Dwarfs
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This was the highest pyramid we could make |
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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.

While Walt had used dwarfs priorly on his Silly Symphonies-cartoons, at least these dwarfs could be distinctive on their ow way. Being individualized and given names, these cartoony dwarfs are named after their trademarks, which makes them a departure from the original fairy tale.


Some storymen
felt the introductory scene between our Princess and her seven little
men was too long. And while Walt agreed, he felt the pacing was
sufficient enough. Originally Walt wanted certain
radio hosts to voice the dwarfs. But as the dwarfs evolved and changed,
those performers never recorded the voices. Despite the voice
process being a difficult one, finding voices for them were easier for
their heroine.
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Diamonds are a dwarfs 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
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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).
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Don't worry, it's not Pandora's box :) |

Originally the film would precede Sleeping Beauty
by having the Queen (who was modeled after Lady Macbeth and was voiced
by Lucille La Verne. Who played the Queen's parts as both royal and the
witch) capture the Prince in the dungeon and her proposing to marry, And
he would try to escape her! He would have a battle with the guards and
be released by the birds. While a skeleton named Oswald (a nod to Oswald
the Lucky Rabbit) was there and the Queen would have magic to give life
to the skeletons. Even the Prince's horse was going to be more characterized.
Trivia
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I'm worse than the Boogeyman :) |



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).




While the animation of the humans were criticized by critics (as well as Americanizing the Grimm story), especially by Al Hirschfeld in The New York Times 1938, the buzz surrounding Snow White was mostly positive. Yet it was mentioned that "criticizing Snow White was telling Titian to correct his colors"). The crew also built three-dimensional models of the characters and sets. However, though, the animators said that Snow WHite
was the very first project where they were instructed to not animate
all just nicely. The final settlement of the colors for Snow White's
dress was settled eight months before the film's release (yet originally
her dress was pink and afterwards all yellow, while some of the crew
realized that a dark color scheme would be a contrast to her pale skin).


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

As our heroine's exaggerated escape through the scary forest (which worried the storycrew that a fall could eventually kill her. And which Roy E. Disney saw only in pencil test as a kid, being terrified by it. Since the film premiered when he was 7). And the scenes which the Evil Queen (the most beautiful of the evil stepmothers, while I personally found Maleficent somewhat hot as well. Yet the Queen was originally intended to be fat). And certainly the scenes with her as a witch are scary, which has given many nightmares.



The Expansion of the Tale, Disneyfication and The Deleted Scenes
This fight is fun, at least for now :) |

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.
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Ignore the wrong title :) |

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,.
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I know I'm hideous, but the apple isn't :) |
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).

It was deleted in the spring of 1937, but completed in the 50's. While the scene was originally shown in the television program The Plausible Impossible (at least that scene showed how Dopey got the soap out of his stomach. While the cut made it less satisfying, since it was going to transition from the impaled soap to the impaled heart on the Queen's castle). The song was included on an album, though, in The Seven Dwarfs and Their Diamond Mine.
More Trivia, Feminist Aspect and Music







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Snow was busy at the moment :) |
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




practically begging Walt to put them on more releases. Which makes Snow White Returns remarkable on it`s own way, while it's presumed that it was rather intended to be a short rather than a full-length sequel. The reason why a sequel was never made was because the sequels to the hugely successful Three Little Pigs failed. Yet the public were pleading for more shorts with the dwarfs, which Walt realized their potential and being an attraction for the movie.


Commissioner of the National Film Board of Canada made the Canadian War bond short with the dwarfs called 7 Wise Dwarfs (blending new and old animation from Snow White). While the short The Winged Scourge, urged by US. Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs, featured new animation and was about a warning for malaria for South-America and afterwards made for India (where Whistle While You Work was played in the background and the dwarfs were more pantomime). The dwarfs were also used to decorate a special certificate by US. Treasury and also appeared on various insignias.

At least it's not seven henchmen :) |
Snow White has also seen a couple of DVD and Blu Ray releases. It was first released on DVD as the then newly beginning Platinum Edition in the fall of 2001 (which featured new animation of the Magic Mirror on the Menu`s). It was also being a part of the new Walt’s Signature Collection lineup, despite how the Diamond lineup not officially having closed before beginning the new line.
Snow White`s Position in Walt`s Pantheon and How It Influenced It`s Fairy Tale Followers


Epilogue



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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
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