The Film
When it comes to animated movies, we're pretty spoiled these days. Disney and Pixar have elevated the genre to a point where we expect perfection in both story and artwork. However, back in 1937, the idea of creating a feature-length cartoon seemed completely insane. Thankfully, Walt Disney knew better.
When Disney was working to bring Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs to the big screen, Hollywood types called the production "Disney's Folly" -- and that's not as cheery as it sounds. Despite all of the naysayers, the film went on to become the first full-length animated feature film. It was a pretty successful one, too.
Snow White And The Seven Drawfs isn't the best of Disney's theatrical efforts, but it's certainly the most historical one. It paved the way for the 53 (and counting) full-length Disney animated features and countless non-Disney films that followed. And frankly, even after 79 years, it's still really entertaining.
Based on the German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, the story is pretty well known. Snow White (perfectly voiced by Adriana Caselotti) is the epitome of a Disney princess, with a beautiful face and a singing voice to match. She lives a lonely existence, but still manages to irritate her evil stepmother, the Queen (Lucille La Verne). Snow White flees to the forest, where she meets up with the Seven Dwarfs, and eventually, her prince (Harry Stockwell).
Of course, Snow White doesn't have the same moxy found in some of the more recent Disney princesses. However, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs isn't so much about a princess who lives the life of a doormat until she gets swept off her feet. In fact, the prince is sort of a blip here. It's really about Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs -- hence, the title. And really, if any Disney characters deserved a backstory, it's Doc (Roy Atwell), Grumpy (Pinto Colvig), Happy (Otis Harlan), Sleepy (Colvig), Bashful (Scotty Mattraw), Sneezy (Billy Gilbert), and Dopey (Eddie Collins). (Plans for a prequel were scrapped. However, the Dwarfs do get the spotlight and some pretty interesting adventures in the Disney XD show, The 7D.)
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs may not be the best Disney film, but it is a pioneer. It also has a wonderful collection of characters, including one of Disney's scariest villains ever to grace the screen. (After all, the Queen wants poor Snow White's heart in a box just because she's a cutie pie!) It also has a stellar soundtrack filled with classics such as "I'm Wishing," "Whistle While You Work," "Heigh-Ho," and "Someday My Prince Will Come." And there's just still so much Disney magic here; I'm surprised pixie dust doesn't fall right out of the Blu-ray case. Enjoy.
The Picture
If you're wondering why this Signature version looks a lot like 2009's Diamond Edition, it's because Disney didn't actually do anything new to the image. And really, why should they? This 79-year-old film is downright gorgeous. Oh sure, it's not going to pop like newer Disney films, but it does have a wonderful array of bright, beautiful colors. There's even a decent amount of detail here. Again, it's not as sharp as newer, computer-animated movies, but there are several moments that will surprise you. One of my favorites is that scene when Snow White presses her perfectly petit nose against the window of the Dwarfs' house. The image itself is also amazingly clean, without a speck of grain or any noisy bits.
Like the previous Blu-ray, this one also includes the DisneyView option, which turns the 4:3 image into a 16:9 image -- sort of. This allows you to view the film with art by Toby Bluth on each side of the screen. The imagery changes throughout the film, but each picture blends very well with the movie.
The Sound
Similar to the image, the audio seems to be lifted from the Diamond Edition Blu-ray. Purists will appreciate the original mono track, but the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix does offer a nice boost, without destroying any magic. Overall, it's a pretty front-heavy affair, but the music does fill out the surrounds quite nicely. There are also a few standout moments of atmospheric sounds in the forest, as well as the rumble of the thunderstorm. Overall, it's a wonderfully entertaining track.
The Extras
That said, those new featurettes are pretty interesting. One has actual clips of Walt Disney discussing the movie. Another talks up the legacy and popularity of Snow White. There's also an alternate sequence with the prince, as well as a lengthier making-of featurette. Disney even squeezes Sofia Carson from Disney's Descendants into the interesting "7 Things You May Not Know About Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." And finally, one of my favorite new shorts has the Disney Animation team discussing the artists and design of the original film -- and with a lot of awe. It's great to hear how the film inspired future Disney animators, even though the short only runs for about 5 minutes.
Final Thoughts
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs isn't just a Disney classic, but a piece of cinematic history. There are a lot of those, but not all of them hold up 79 years later. This one absolutely does and is worth owning on Blu-ray. That said, don't let the star rating fool you. While this is a great set, it's basically identical to the Diamond Edition -- just with a few new extras. Only die-hard Disney fans should indulge.
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