Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937, was the first animation feature film to be produced by Disney.  It was an incredible testament to the animators’ talents at Disney studios as well as Walt Disney’s remarkable vision.  This is one of the finest examples of character animation in history.  While the dwarfs are named after each of their primary feelings, it is easy to guess which one each one represents based simply on gestures, expressions, and movements.  Dopey, who never talks through out the film and is presumably the youngest of the dwarfs (he doesn’t have a beard), is, to me, the most expressive.  The audience can feel and sympathize with him even though he lacks the ability to communicate.  The animators used real actors to play out some of the scenes so that they would know how to draw them better and more life like.  One funny story is that the woman (Margie Bell) who played the real life Snow White was asked to wear a football helmet so that the proportions of her head were closer to the proportions of the cartoon Snow White. (p 119)  Snow White did well in theaters and still remains a classic film to this day.