A couple of weeks ago I watched The Paul O’Grady Show with Littlest (we love love love him). Paul was interviewing Adriana Caselotti who was the original voice of and, therefore, the original Snow White. She was stunning in so many ways. She talked about her original audition for the role and the joy of being Snow White. She was 19 then, back in 1937. Watching her being interviewed made me think about legacy and purpose and defining moments. Within ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ they captured a young Adriana, using her movements and shape to form the outlines for the Snow White drawings, yet so few of us will even know her name.
I think that ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ is the ultimate Disney film. The storytelling is superb. The magic mirror, the evil Queen, the ordering of Snow White’s death and then the wanting proof in the form of the poor girl’s heart. Then the dwarfs, the woodland creatures, the evil witch finding Snow White’s safe place, the poison apple, true love’s kiss. The truly good and the awfully evil are alongside each other. I don’t think that any other Disney film maintains such dynamics and contrasts to the degree that ‘Snow White’ does. I know that the film is different to the original story, but still, I can’t help but find it is utterly terrifying (in a good way!).
Littlest feels the same. She asked for a Queen doll for Christmas last year and Santa delivered, but that doll stayed in the box, in my bedroom, until recently. It was too scary to be played with. I think I’m back to talking about ‘believing’. If you engage with the fabulous goodies and believe in it all, then the engagement with the evil baddies will be there too and that is utterly terrifying. And, as I’ve said before Littlest believes in Disney’s world with all of her heart and her super logical mind.
Last weekend, continuing on from my Blu-ray love-fest and collection building and armed with popcorn, we watched ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ (the Diamond Edition Blu-ray Combi Pack) (which Think Parents very kindly sent to us). The bonus features have a fabulous Disney sing-a-long, Dopey’s Wild Mine Ride Game, a fascinating glimpse into how the original film was made, Walt’s original studio and so much more. There’s no contest, as far as I’m concerned. Blu-ray brings this hand-animated 1937 classic bang up-to-date with sharp colours, clear sound and enhanced scariness. We loved it.
This year, Littlest has asked Santa for a singing Snow White doll. I’m going to remind her, on Christmas morning, that Snow White’s real name is Adriana Caselotti.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I remember seeing a local production of Snow White which was on at the church hall in our village. I don’t know how good it was, objectively speaking, but I do remember it carried some power. I knew the story - perhaps both from the Disney and the original - but it carried something extra as a real, live performance unfolding before me.
I loved reading your words about Adriana Caselotti.
There is something about the story that terrifies me, I guess the fact that her ‘safe place’ never is, that there is no place to hide from evil. Seriously scary. The ride in Disneyland Paris scared me and Littlest too… it’s all about believing. Watcing Adriana on lovely Paul’s show really made me smile. I don’t think I’d ever thought that Snow White existed beyond her created character… x
we dont have Snow White on dvd but my parents do, and I do vaguely remember watching a show on how it was animated once. I have always loved fairy tales, my great aunt gave me two volumes of Fairy Tales of the World which I used to read over and over (well my favourites anyway), and I have a hardback Grims Fairy Tale collection which I got a few years ago that has the more gruesome original tales in in. I’m in the middle of writing my own fairy tale, which I kept ignoring and putting aside for other things (I have set myself the challenge of getting it finished by the end of the month though I fear I need a taskmaster or several to harp at me to get it done). I’m not a big writer, I do small drabbles and a few fan fics in recent years, I seem to have forgotten that I once desperately wanted to be a writer among other things.
Those fairytales influence my writing, as in really really do. Not many pick up on the fairytale imagery but it’s all there in everything I try to write. I think that their fairytales and their literature have helped form me. Good luck with your fairytale! x
Gosh, I’ve not seen Snow White in years and years!! Might have to go and get myself a copy after reading this!!
C x
Ps. Bought myself a copy of the A to Z of possible worlds today!! Can’t wait for it to arrive
Oh do, it’s terrifying! Hope you enjoy A-Z. It really is fabulous! x
Snowwhite…I
And I 1st saw this in Ellesmere Port with my Aunty Ethel who was a retired “Nanny”…of The Old School…( Eat Up Ypur Greens! Don’t Slouch At Table! Stand Up For Grownups!) I wish I could talk with her now.
She “nannied” wealthy Cheshire families…and sometimes brought home books “her children” had finished with…I particularly remember ” Sam Pig Tears His Trousers”?…Was that Alison Uttley???
Anyhow she took us to Snowwhite …and HORROR of HORRORS! She actually CRIED all through it…
My mother later saud that Aunty Ethel had had Good Cause to cry…and I would understand why when I was older…
I love love love your comment! Every time you leave a comment, I can feel a short story emerging. Hope all is good with you x