[The News Bot]

Reviewed by Chris McEneany, 14th October 2009
It is impossible to underestimate the power and everlasting legacy that Snow White has over Cinema. The film is achingly beautiful, even if it remains one of the studio's slightest productions, narratively speaking. But its power lies equally in this simplicity as it does in its visual splendour. Funny, exciting and terrifying, Snow White is a fairytale of darkness and delight, charity and cruelty. It's got a princess, an evil queen, cute woodland critters and a gaggle of tumbling, prat-falling, slapstick-clowns who just may be the most heroic bunch of reluctant heroes around. The songs, by and large, stink, but the magic is undeniable, even after all these years.

After Sleeping Beauty and Pinocchio blew us all away with their Blu-ray transfers, Snow White now looks set to do just the same. The studio is certainly back with a vengeance and they know what they are doing with the restoration and presentation of their vintage masterpieces. The extensive package of extras offers a winning combination of trivia, fact and production insight. The inclusion of so many classic early cartoons is a collector’s dream, and the kids will be happy with the games and a “real” Magic Mirror.

Film-fan? Then you can't afford to pass this up. It is that simple. No film collection should be without this seminal masterpiece.


Read the full review...

[IAN P]

Hiiiiiiii hooooo...... I'll be humming that all night.


Yeah, must own.


Thanks for the review Chris.

[David Mackenzie]

I just watched this tonight for the first time in since I can't remember when.

Certainly a very important film, but far from the best thing Disney ever did. It was really pretty fascinating in that it played out just like an over-long Silly Symphony and took a long time to say very little. I don't think the source material really justifies feature treatment, but it's a good thing someone decided it did. And I have to say it picked up a lot near the end.

It does make me appreciate all the parodies (Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarves, and that Tex Avery short with the elves) all the more though - interesting to see that other cartoonists found it slightly kitsch even at the time.

One thing I can definitely say - Disney improved a hell of a lot in a short space of time. Hard to believe Pinocchio came directly after this (but that film is one of my first memories, so maybe I'm just biased). Certainly a lot less obvious rotoscoping...

[Pecker]

A great review of a landmark film, cheers Chris.

This one will be going in Freya & Theo's Christmas goodie bag. Daddy may sneak a peak, too.

Originally Posted by David Mackenzie

...it played out just like an over-long Silly Symphony and took a long time to say very little.

To quote Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino "Grrr!"

You can go off people, you know! Each to their own David, but I think that this one is a very good film.

Steve W

[David Mackenzie]

Oh, I certainly don't think it's bad, but I don't think being a landmark film is the same as being an excellent one.

[Pecker]

Originally Posted by David Mackenzie

Oh, I certainly don't think it's bad, but I don't think being a landmark film is the same as being an excellent one.

Agreed. For me, this is both, but "there is no argument in matters of taste."



Steve W

[NicolasB]

I have often alluded to Disney's 1983 live-action fantasy adaptation of Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes, with Jack Clayton at the helm, as being the studio's first bonafide horror film

I don't think so. The Watcher In The Woods came out a couple of years earlier than that, and that's a horror film any way you look at it - borrows a bit from The Shining and scared the hell out of me when I first saw it!

[Smurfin]

Going to pick this one up as it was the very first movie I ever saw at the cinema - for that reason alone it will always have a special place for me....and with the birth of our baby girl, I'm sure she's going to love it (when she's old enough )