Blu-Ray Review

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS – ‘The Signature Collection’ Blu Review

By Tom Stockman | January 24, 2016

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS is a true Hollywood classic. Released for the first time in December 1937. the first full-length Disney feature is a brilliant portrayal of the brothers Grimm’s chilling tale of an evil queen and the beautiful Snow White. The film reflects many of the social conditions of the time; the depression had just passed and songs such as “whistle while you work” were intended to promote a strong work ethic to the young children of America. The budget of the film was a staggering $500,000, around double the cost of an average film, yet the payoff was huge as this was the film that launched Disney’s decades-long domination of the animated features market.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS arrives on Blu-ray February 2^nd in a new two disc set packaged in a slipcover that replicates the artwork beneath. This is not the first release of the film. This is the ‘Signature’ release of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS and it features the same audio and video presentations found on the film’s previous ‘Diamond Edition’ release from 2009. I’m not sure why they didn’t wait until next year for an 80^th Anniversary bid but regardless, they have added a treasure trove of new extras worthy of this animation standard-bearer.

The image is magnificent. Backgrounds remain magnificent, sporting the clearest definition and distinct drawing/coloring, while character animation itself remains more generic, due to the techniques of the time. Color boasts tremendous vibrancy. Cleanliness is not an issue, as this film looks borderline pristine, with only a few little remnants of debris sometimes visible to the keenest of eyes in quick flashes inside a character near a shift in color .There’s no aliasing or shimmer, and blacks remain powerful and deep, particularly when the queen turns into a witch and the subsequent thunderstorm, scenes that have fueled many a nightmare.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS Signature Collection also delivers a remarkable audio presentation in the form of an impressive 24-bit DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. Voices are clean, intelligible and carefully prioritized, with subtle directional effects.

The extras for this new ‘Signature Release’ are amazing:

Here are the extras that are new to the ‘Signature Release’:

In Walt’s Words: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – Runs four minutes and is vintage audio footage from an interview with Walt Disney conducted in 1956. Disney talks at length while pictures from the production are shown, about the process of making the film.
Iconography runs 7 minutes and has people involved with the film discussing the iconic moments and images in the film; the picture’s legacy; and people’s work that has been inspired from Snow White.
@DisneyAnimation: Designing Disney’s First Princess runs 5 minutes and features animator Mark Henn, Art Director Michael Giaimo, Art Director Bill Schwab, and Art Director Lorelay Bové are interviewed and discuss the film’s main character’s design history and the artists who created her
The Fairest Facts of Them All: 7 Things You May Not Know About Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs runs 4 minutes and stars Sofia Carson, star of the upcoming Disney Channel movie ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING who shares some trivia about conspiracy theories surrounding the film’s release, voice acting, Dwarf names, Snow White’s original hair color, the princess’ rosy cheeks, animator bonuses, and Dopey’s unique history in the movie.
Snow White In Seventy Seconds – runs, well, 70 seconds and is a quick hip-hop version of the story. An extra I could have lived without.
Alternate Sequence: The Prince Meets Snow White runs 3 minutes and is an eye-opening, never-before-seen scene featuring Snow White meeting the Prince for the first time. It features voice recreation inspired by early story discussion transcripts and story sketches from the Walt Disney Animation Research Library.
Disney’s First Feature: The Making of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1080p, 33:15): A lengthier version of the supplement entitled The One that Started It All that was found on the Diamond Edition of the film

And here are the extras that are carried over from the Diamond Edition of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS:

Bringing Snow White to Life – 30 minutes
Hyperion Studios Tour – 30 minutes
Decoding the Exposure Sheet – 7 minutes
Snow White Returns 9 minutes
Story Meetings: The Dwarfs 6 minutes
Story Meetings: The Huntsman 4 minutes
Deleted Scene: Soup Eating Sequence 4 minutes
Deleted Scene: Bed Building Sequence 7 minutes
Animation Voice Talent 6 minutes
Audio Commentary: Commentary by Roy E. Disney and Historian John Canemaker, and Recordings by Walt Disney.