The Development of the Genre of Animation in 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' by Madagascar

Almost every fall, Disney and Pixar would team up and create a family friendly film that would have “anthropomorphic creatures or objects rendered with state-of-the-art computer graphics.”(Babich 235) Then later on in the summer Disney would come out with one of its more classic movies ,a 2D animated film

Although Snow White isn’t anything remarkable with today’s computer-generated graphics, the hand-drawn film was groundbreaking at the time. The high profit from Snow White inspired Disney to relocate and expand his studio in order to facilitate all of his animation needs (Wingert). This upcoming state-of-the-art studio would open up several new opportunities for the Disney Company.

In many people’s opinions, animation means funny and humor and designed for children. The content of the animation is nothing more than fairy tales, legends, fables, etc. Animation even becomes a symbol of Disney cartoon. However, if we re-examine the animation from another point of view, we will find that it has grown out of a single commercial mode constraints. Some of the animations are complicated, obscure and abstract. Variety kinds of visual images in it stimulate the audience's optic nerves. This is the salient features of experimental animation. Experimental animation belongs to the field which between film and pure art. Innovation is the soul of it. In the production process, the

What images come to mind as you reflect on your childhood? Playgrounds, blackboards, and soccer balls may be among the warmest of memories. Yet for many mermaids swim their thoughts, princesses get swept of their feet, and lions roar to their loyal place in the animal kingdom. There is no doubt that today’s entertainment has most of its touch using classical influences. Walt Disney has produced animated films that have captured the heart and imagination of audiences of all ages around the world through the magic of storytelling and imagery. Many of us appreciate the imagination and magic that Disney puts into its animations with out knowing they are based off of classical and traditional storylines

During the 1940’s America was fighting battles both at home and overseas, both on-screen and off. The reason being, World War II changed the possibilities of animation. Before the war, animation was only used for comedy and entertainment. Animation were these shorts played with color, music, and storytelling both hand drawn and computer animated. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a turning point in this form of entertainment because never before has the movie industry and nation been so aligned with interests and goals. To explain, “Film studios used animated characters to spread propaganda and educate Americans about their enemies. And the animators themselves were employed to make insignia for military units and equipment” (Stillich). In brief,

Traditionally, Disney tales have a common theme where their princesses or princes’ curses need to be broken by the spell through a kiss of love, so the dream becomes a reality. In the first feature-length animated film from Disney, The Snow White, and Seven Dwarves. Jasmine the princess and Aladdin the street boy both they had chemistry and realized their wishes against Jaffar and Middle-Est culture. Passing over the fabulous story of Ratatouille, Alfredo Linguini and Remy that is the story about rejected someone according is status. Disney animated movies blend social diversity through their tales, but they didn’t realize to go so far until they see the first African – American president in the White House, Disney made a First American princess who is black, The Frog and the Princess. Moreover, Disney animated movies are diversities whose people knew as The Jungle from Indian culture, Mulan is a Chinese tale, the Amerindian- Princess Pocahontas, and so on. Thus, Disney animated movies include more various cultures and teach children to know and appreciate diverse cultures.

Characters of Walt Disney Animation Studio movies have become beloved all over the world since releasing its full-length animated feature film Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs in 1937, and all the way to the musical fantasy-adventure film, Moana. Young or children at heart, Disney has hit the hearts of many across the world but is there more behind the classic stories of Cinderella, Belle, and Mulan than first thought. As for the development of Disney female leads, Walt and his animators looked for stories to tell, from fables, fairy tales, legends, to the universal realities that can be found there. As the part of women has lengthened and altered, particularly in the twentieth century and now the twenty-first century, the stories are tending

Animation has a variety of differences between Japanese culture and the culture of the United States. While animation is usually made for the sole purpose of entertainment for children in the United States, Japanese animation, also known as anime as it is referred to both in Japan and in the West, is a form of media that is enjoyed by people of all ages. Unlike the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob Square pants, both very popular American animations shows in their times, anime focuses more on drama and other non childlike qualities. The differing cultures of the United States and Japan can be considered the main factor to the huge differences in their own respected animation styles.

There have been many animated movies that were very popular during the 1940’s and 50’s. Some are still watched and have been recreated in today’s times: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and Dumbo. Although not the first animated movie to be created, Fantasia (1940) was the first movie to connect classical music with animations.

“Once upon a time in a faraway land, there was a tiny kingdom; peaceful, prosperous, and rich in romance and tradition.” (Cinderella, 1950) This is the ideology that has

Considered to be legendary in the fields of film and animation and well known for his famous theme parks, Walt Disney was and still continues to be an icon of the entertainment industry. Coining the phrase, “If you can dream it, you can do it,” Disney was devoted to embodying the American spirit. He loved learning about the past and was active in working towards the future in a whimsical manner which is evident in his films and theme parks. Although he is no longer living, Disney’s energy and spirit continue to shine through all the Walt Disney Company’s endeavors. Walt Disney singlehandedly changed the entertainment industry in regards to quality of animation and integration of American culture into film as shown in his first full- length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

In a world where technology is rapidly developing and evolving, it is sometimes hard to keep up with the changes that are made. When looking back on changes that are made it is particularly interesting to look at the development of animation over history. Today when one thinks about animation it is impossible not to think of Disney and their major motion pictures. The Shreck films, Finding Nemo, and Happy Feet, to name just some of the dozens of animated films Disney has produced, raked in million upon millions of dollars at the box office, and have been hit films with people in all age groups.

Before Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, there was not any other full colored feature length cartoon before. To enhance and make the character creation of Snow White herself to appear more realistic to the viewer’s eyes, “the women of the ink and paint department applied real make-up to cels of Snow White, to give her a more rosy, life-like complexion”. (Oh My Disney) During the production of the film, “Walt Disney kept a variety of animals on the studio lot as a live reference for the animators”. (Oh My Disney) This demonstrates that Disney wanted to create a cartoon fairy tale come to life on screen as realistic as it could. Although live-action reference has not been commonly done before to such an extent, Walt Disney would use it in a great extent for his films. “Rotoscoping was popular at the time and Walt used it often. Most of the dancing scenes and all of Prince Charming's character movement were rotoscoped. The roto tracings were used as a guide for timing and positioning while the cartoon characters of different proportions were drawn to conform to those positions” (Imgur) The use of rotoscoping in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is very interesting particularly because of the aspect of having the live-action reference film and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs side by side showing the action taking place simultaneously.

Walt Disney had to make changes in the details and the plot of the original Snow White tale published by the German Grimm Brothers in Grimms’ Fairy Tales to fit American society’s interests. These interests during 1930s America that influenced Disney’s decision to change the tale included: the changing role of women in society, the people’s concept of romance, and popular political systems.

Throughout the animation history, people have been constantly striving to achieve perfect realism. Walt Disney’s Snow white and the seven dwarfs (1937) is one of the earliest attempts in capturing realism and achieving the ‘life like’, introducing new techniques such as roto-scoping in characters and multiplane cameras to create 3 dimensional depth. Therefore there are many flaws regarding techniques, style and narrative despite how much effort and care was put into its making. The scenes when snow white meets the dwarfs, sings into the well, and when the Queen transforms into the evil witch; clearly demonstrates how realism is achieved and why impact the issue of realism. With reference to Paul Wells’ conceptions of ‘hyper-realism’ and ‘orthodox animation’, the issues of realism within the film will be discussed in the latter.