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Walt Disney Animation Studios has produced several fairy-tale favorites over the years. A few such films are Pinocchio, Beauty and the Beast, and Frozen. However, only one started it all.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was not only Disney's first animated feature, but it was the first cel-painted technicolor animated film ever. It also featured Disney's first princess (Snow White), first "I Wish/Want" song ("I'm Wishing"), and, first lovable sidekicks (the dwarfs).
Snow White's childlike innocence and motherly nature make her likable. She especially shines when helping a tiny bird return to its parents and expressing sympathy for the parentless dwarfs. Snow White even prays for the dwarfs, which I especially appreciate as a Christian. She also expresses a lot of emotion, especially her fear as she runs through the creepy forest. Snow White later hints at her fear of the evil queen's attack when first meeting the dwarfs.
Yet, not surprising for a protagonist from a 1937 film, Snow White is difficult to fully connect with. She is mostly a passive participant who desires only to be rescued by a prince. Snow White does make the decision to clean the dwarfs' cottage before they come home, but that has nothing to do with her desires. Her dreams came true when a prince kissed her on the lips while she slept in a coffin-without consent.
Otherwise, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has stood the test of time. Perhaps I can even forgive the film's one-dimensionality since it was made during a time when audiences desired escapist stories about winning against all odds. The film is not only escapist, but it has a lot of mystery that enhances it (especially when Snow White discovers the dwarfs' cottage).
Another reason Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is so great is the animation. Snow White is rotoscoped, meaning she was drawn over footage of a live actor. That explains her smooth animation. Plus, while most animated Disney movies have bright colors, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is delightfully neutral. It's colors are not too bright, but the visuals are still easy-on-the-eyes.
The soundtrack is another highlight. The film begins and ends with instrumentals and features several songs in between. My favorites are the dwarfs' "Heigh-Ho" whistling tune and their yodeling-dancing song ("The Silly Song").
The dwarfs' distinct personalities and names make them memorable. There's Doc, the leader; Sleepy, Bashful, Happy, Sneezy, Grumpy (the only one who changes), and Dopey (the mute one).
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs may be a fairy tale, but it also has some scary scenes. The first one involves Snow White running through the creepy forest. The evil queen's transformation and journey to and from the dwarfs' cottage are also creepy. However, none of these scenes sends me as many thrills as the donkey transformation scene in Pinocchio.
There's a point to the horror; Walt Disney believed children could handle scary moments as long as there's a happy ending. Hence, they learn that everything will be okay in the end.
That's what Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs taught us; good can always overcome evil. Snow White won in spite of the evil queen; at the right time, her dreams came true. In today's animated fairy tales, the protagonist would work for their dreams. However, during the Great Depression, people could only hope to win; Snow White's journey gave them optimism and their struggle ended at the right time: the dawn of World War II.
Disney's first animated film is full of music, innocence, mystery, joy, fear, magic, and victory; all these elements have been prevalent in many Disney movies since. For Disney fans (or general film fans) who want a glimpse of how Disney fairy tales began, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a must-watch.
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