This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company. To celebrate the occasion, a number of classic Disney movies have been popping up in cinemas over the past few months, and a few more will appear before the end of the year.
One of the movies that will re-appear in 2023 is the animated fairy-tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The film is being screened at the BFI in London, as part of the BFI’s extensive, two-month ‘Disney at 100’ programme of events, where it will appear amongst 50 different films from the Mouse House.
For those who have never watched Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the movie is often referred to as ‘the one that started it all’. It was the first feature-length animated offering from Disney, which kick-started a long-running collection of animated classics that are still going strong today.
Supervised by David Hand, with sequences directed by Perce Pearce, William Cottrell, Larry Morey, Wilfred Jackson, and Ben Sharpsteen, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is based on a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. Released in 1937, the film follows the story of Snow White – a young princess living with her wicked stepmother, who finds life is about to take a sinister turn.
One day, when the Queen asks her magic mirror who is the fairest person in all the land, she is frustrated to hear that Snow White is deemed the prettiest gal in town. This enrages the Queen, who becomes jealous of Snow White’s natural beauty, and who in turn orders a huntsman to take her stepdaughter into the forest, kill her, and bring back her heart.
The huntsman initially agrees to this rather macabre request, but when the moment comes he is unable to go through with the Queen’s orders. Instead, he tells Snow White to flee into the forest, and for her own safety to never come back.
As Snow White makes her way through the trees, she comes to a clearing where she stumbles upon a house. After venturing inside, she discovers the property belongs to seven men of small height, who all have their own distinct personalities.
Befriending the men, Snow White stays at the house as their guest, where she hopes to remain safe from the Queen’s clutches. However, the Queen is not so easily deterred and soon finds a way to track down her missing stepdaughter.
Although clearly dated by today’s standards of storytelling and characterisation, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs remains a masterpiece in animated features. The film demonstrates the sheer ingenuity and high level of quality Disney is (usually) known for, and boasts some imaginative visuals and neat little touches.
The reason this film was as successful as it was back in 1937 is because it continually delivers eye-catching visuals. All the way through the movie, there’s something going on in every corner of the picture, from colourful critters through to dazzling diamonds, and it’s not difficult to get caught up in the magic of the whole thing.
To say the film is a work of art is a bit obvious – as it literally is a work of art – but in terms of what it achieves, and what it achieved for cinema back in the ’30s, it is certainly something remarkable. The film was like nothing else when it made its debut, and all these years on it still has the power to impress.
When the movie wants to be playful, it allows plenty of time for singing and dance routines, including the delightful ‘Whistle While You Work‘ and the earworm that is ‘Heigh-Ho‘; while at other times there is space for some romance, and a bit of slapstick comedy. However, when Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs wants to frighten or shock, it has no qualms about turning completely on its head to present darkness and danger, and the film contains some truly creepy imagery too.
In terms of its story, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs does suffer from being a product of its era, with a limited narrative, so do be advised there is a fair bit of padding. At times, the film becomes so concerned with what it can deliver visually, that it forgets it still needs enough story to round out its 83-minute runtime, and this means the pace does drop off on more than one occasion.
But this issue with the narrative (which gets ironed out with future Disney movies) is really a teething problem associated with a studio breaking new ground, and should be chalked up accordingly. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ shortcomings in the story department don’t detract from what an accomplished picture this is, or take away any of the sheen when it is truly firing on all cylinders.
There are moments in this movie which are both stunning and truly captivating. The picture aims to take its audience on a rollercoaster ride of emotions (happiness, laughter, frights, sadness, etc), to ensure everyone feels as if they have had their full money’s worth.
From ‘true love’s kiss’ and a handsome (if completely useless) prince, to comedy sidekicks and toe-tapping tunes, it’s all here. It may not quite win over those who want modern, fast-paced action, but Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs maintains all the right ingredients for a delightful deviation away from the real world.
Should you wish to catch Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs this summer, the BFI is screening the movie on Sunday 22nd July and Monday 24th July. As noted above, the film is being screened amongst a huge collection of movies from the Disney vault, covering all aspects of Mouse House, from Walt Disney Classics through to Pixar, Touchstone Pictures, and even a collection of Silly Symphonies shorts.
Other movies that will be popping up across July and August at the BFI include Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Tron, The Black Hole, Splash, Dinosaur, Dick Tracy, Beaches, Tarzan, The Little Mermaid, and Sister Act, amongst many others. The BFI is also screening the three Pixar movies released during the pandemic years that didn’t receive a theatrical release: Soul, Luca, and Turning Red.
And of course, if you can’t make any of the screenings, you will find most of these titles, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, available to stream on Disney+.
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