Important from a Historical Perspective, Impressive from a Creative One

Rating: 8/10 (26 March 2020)

Disney set themselves a tough act to follow with their first-ever animated feature. An ambitious blend of wacky, stylized cartoon action and smooth, roto-scoped realism, Snow White still serves as a lovely slice of bright, cheery, kid-geared fantasy. Just seeing the whole thing through to the finish line was a significant achievement, amidst all the mainstream doubts and staggering financial risks. But it also stands tall on its own merits, from the bold, unforgettable character designs to the lasting, catchy musical interludes. I'm not sure the studio has ever matched this soundtrack, actually, both in terms of staying power and sheer sing-along-ability.
A few unsightly seams might show - clumsy little tricks to avoid the difficult camera angles and puzzling plot machinations to trim troublesome characters (which explains why the charming prince disappears for most of the film) - but animators were literally flying by the seat of their pants here, experimenting on-stage to test the viability of their chosen medium. I could nitpick about a whole lot of small items, but in a broad sense, it's the rare film that can still easily captivate a willing audience after eighty-plus years in the can. That alone is an incredible testament to the dedication, tenacity and enduring skill of the whole team, and the quality of the finished product. Not perfect - in fact, this team would drastically improve the formula in subsequent efforts - but quite a first step.