A milestone in cinema...still the greatest animated film of all time

Rating: 10/10 (30 June 2011)

Having just picked up quite possibly the last copy of the recent Diamond Edition of this film, and watching for the first time in 15 years, I am compelled to write this review. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is 74 years old this year, and it doesn't feel like it has aged a bit. What everyone thought would be a flop is the reason we have the likes of Pinocchio (1940), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), The Lion King (1994), Toy Story (1995) and Tangled (2011). This film blew away audiences back then, being hailed as one of the greatest cinematic achievements and even being proclaimed the greatest film of all time by Russian director Sergei M. Eisenstein. The amazing thing is, Snow White blew people away when it was re-released in 2001 in the Platinum Edition, reminding people that the older Disney movies are timeless, and will never be topped.
Adapted from the Grimm Fairytale and made family-friendly, Snow White follows the story of...Snow White (Adriana Caselotti), who is proclaimed the "fairest of them all," much to the distaste of her stepmother, The Queen (Lucille La Verne). A hunter is hired to take Snow White out into the woods and kill her, returning her heart to The Queen as proof, but having a change of heart, lets Snow White escape. She stumbles across an old house in the woods, which houses seven dwarfs.
The re-master is gorgeous, highlighting just how beautiful the animation is, and why hand-drawn will always be the best. The animals are cute as ever, the "evil woods" scene looks stunning, The Queen's transformation still frightening, and the final scene in the storm is just as epic as it was when I was five! I forgot just how many fantastic musical numbers this movie had, with "Whistle While you Work," "Heigh Ho" and "Someday My Prince Will Come" sounding as good as ever.
This film spawned some of the greatest family films of all time, with Pinocchio, Bambi, Dumbo and Fantasia following straight after Snow White's success. As a 20 year old guy, I thought the magic may have worn off, but this film is a lasting legacy, a testament to the brilliance of these old Disney films. Watching this again, I found myself smiling at the antics of the dwarfs, singing to songs I'd long forgotten, and crying with the dwarfs over Snow White's body. Snow White has managed to enchant audiences for 74 years, and will continue doing so for as long as I can imagine.
5/5