Review: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Collection
By Tony Robinson, film criticSuccesses don’t happen without big gambles and no one exemplifies this more than Walt Disney. Already established as an animator, he was faced with major problems when rising production costs offset his diminishing profits. His contemporaries, Charlie Chaplin and even Laurel and Hardy, were getting out of the short film business to make features and Walt knew he would have to do the same. Despite his previous success, people in the film industry told him it was a bad idea and that no one wanted to sit through a feature-length cartoon; the colors would be too bright for too long and there was no way he could maintain the “joke-a-minute” pace. He gambled on a childhood passion and despite all the naysayers, his dream project, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” became a runaway hit. Were it not for that film’s success, American entertainment as we know it would be drastically different. Pixar might not exist and family films in general would be vastly different. I’ll bet you didn’t know that the success of “Snow White” prompted “The Wizard of Oz” (one of the most beloved fantasy films of all time) to be greenlit. This one animated risk changed everything and was heralded as an instant classic. Without it, there would be no Disney empire. That’s a little bit of trivia for you, but you’re probably more interested in the new release. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is the first of Disney’s new high definition “Diamond Collection” and is being released before the new standard DVD comes out. Simply put, the “Diamond Collection” is a dual set, featuring a single DVD along with a Blu-ray disc and a second Blu-ray disc containing brand new bonus features.
Disney has been in the high definition business for a while now and there is no better Blu-ray producer in the industry. “Snow White” looks as fabulous now as it probably did in 1937 and you’ve never seen it look so good on home video. The print is pristine and the pioneering artwork is lush and bright. The audio is impeccable as well, impressively showcasing the dialogue, effects and classic songs like “Heigh Ho” and “Whistle While You Work.”
The film itself is still magic and reflects a more innocent time when “family films" didn’t need to include innuendo or adult jokes to keep parents happy.
It’s refreshing knowing there won’t be any prurient material or off color jokes. That’s not to say it’s all happy-go-lucky, as “Snow White” features a few intense scenes of menace. This is consistent with all the traditional folk tales, but Walt knew just how far to push it without going overboard.
The real reason to buy this edition is for the Blu-ray and this is “Snow White’s” high definition debut. Along with enhanced video and audio, there are a plethora of bonus features, including classic supplements from previous DVD releases as well as new features specially created for the “Diamond Collection.”
The classic supplements include a number of interactive games for the kids, an audio commentary, as well as “Snow White” karaoke, featuring “Heigh Ho.” There’s also a look at “Disney Through the Decades” which examines the company’s growth, as well as the frequent re-releases for “Snow White.” These extras are a lot of fun, but the new supplements will expand your appreciation for the company.
First, Disney has included a sneak peek at their upcoming film “The Princess and the Frog,” a return to traditional hand-drawn animation. Disc one also includes an examination of two deleted sequences from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and the idea of how they may have been included in a proposed sequel.
Disc two’s main feature is a comprehensive look at Hyperion Studios, the original home for Walt Disney and his team of animators.
This interactive documentary contains 3-D enhanced archival photos along with classic interviews with the men and women who worked directly for Walt Disney. The studio is separated into the various departments and each “work room” contains a number of choices to select from. There you’ll get dozens of documentaries ranging from a minute or less to almost twenty minutes.
The documentaries address all facets of the Hyperion Studios, including scripting, animation, music, art design and much more. There are also several classic Disney cartoon shorts included as well. Expect to spend several hours going over all the historical information contained within this massive archive. Disney doesn’t scrimp on DVD/Blu-ray supplements so fans can buy this new “Diamond Collection” with confidence.
If you don’t have a Blu-ray player, you can still have the film on DVD and already have material in your collection once you decide to upgrade. The video and audio quality is outstanding and the bonus material is a lot more than you would ask for. That’s how they do things at Disney and it’s great to see “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” treated with the respect and reverence it deserves.
This is a flawless release and will provide hours upon hours of quality entertainment.
Movie
5 out of 5
Disc quality/Bonus Features
5 out of 5/ 5 out of 5
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Tony Robinson is a past host of KATU's Movie Guys film review segment and currently reviews movies exclusively for KATU.com. He lives in Portland with his wife, son and action figure collection. He can be reached at 
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