The Nine Disney Animated Masterpieces
Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty
Assigned to Fred Moore (1911-1952) this “Bedroom Sequence” – as it became known – was one of the first to be animated. Snow White yawns and stretches and starts to wonder whether the “children” have returned then notices seven pairs...
As noted in Disney historian Leonard Maltin’s 1973 book The Disney Films, there is much “cross-cutting” in subsequent sequences of Snow White. The first of these happens now, as the film “cuts” from the dwarfs’ march home back to their...
After that blackout on Snow White and critters cleaning the cottage, Churchill’s glorious music punctuated with melodic clinking introduces the dwarfs’ song. The film employs effectively what is called in cinematic parlance a “telescoping wipe”, in this case brilliantly modified:...
The screen fades to black and now the film presents a whole new delightful surprise. So far it has established an already powerfully-engrossing storyline involving the romantic or dramatic relationships of four realistically-drawn human characters – the “Snow White half”...
Declaring this dwelling to be “adorable – just like a doll’s house”, Snow White dashes up to it with a little skip in her step and all her new animal buddies follow her, last of all that green-shelled turtle which...
Snow White remains surrounded by probing eyes in the darkness; however as light filters into the glade these watchers are revealed to be merely an assortment of innocent woodland animals curious about her presence in their midst. Cautiously they begin...
Without a moment’s relief from this attempted murder, the film proceeds into another spectacular sequence of terror, a kaleidoscope of ever more frightening images brilliantly illustrating how the young girl’s panicking mind transforms all surrounding forestry into tormenting demons –...
Crossfade quickly out of the darkness to Queen Grimhilda (her name is never mentioned in the film) seated upon her magnificent throne with peacock feathers splayed behind it. She is addressing someone in front of her with instructions to take...
Panicked by the Prince’s intrusion out of her dreams into her “real” life, Snow White immediately flees from him, running into the castle amidst a flurry of those white doves. The camera follows her escape with a diagonal pan to...
Snow White begins conversing with the doves who have flown along with her and assembled around the rim of the well. Thus is her “special power” established right away: she can communicate with animals and befriend them, which she does...
