Film Strip Friday ~ Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs

It’s Film Strip Friday!

Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs

Release Date February 4^th, 1938

 

From now on every Friday is Film Strip Friday! Every Friday I will share what information I can find out about a Disney film. I will be going in order of release so you can also see the development and growth of the art of animation. I will also share any and all fun trivia I can find out about each movie.

SYNOPSIS:

Snow White is always cheerful and kind, even though her cruel stepmother wishes the innocent maiden ill when the Magic Mirror reveals Snow White to be the fairest in the land. The wicked queen tries to do away with Snow White, but she narrowly escapes through the terrifying forest and finds comfort among the gentle wild creatures that live there. Even after she has found a new home with her new friends, the Seven Dwarfs, her wicked stepmother finds a way to send her into an enchanted sleep. Fortunately, a happy ending is just a kiss away.

PRODUCTION FUN FACTS:

Fifty ideas for the dwarves' names and personalities were listed in the film's proposal; the list included all of the names finally included except Dopey and Doc (Dopey being the last to be developed). Some of the dwarves were: Awful, Biggy, Blabby, Dirty, Gabby, Gaspy, Gloomy, Hoppy, Hotsy, Jaunty, Jumpy, Nifty, and Shifty. Sneezy was a last-minute replacement for Jumpy.

Walt Disney saw a silent film version of Snow White, staring Marguerite Clark in February, 1917 when he was 15 years old. This movie was projected on a four-sided screen using four separate projectors. Walt had a seat where he could see two of the screens and it made a huge impression on young Walt because they were slightly out of sync.

Publicity material relates that production employed 32 animators, 102 assistant, 167 "in-betweeners", 20 layout artists, 25 artists doing water color backgrounds, 65 effects animators, and 158 female inkers and painters. 2,000,000 illustrations were made using 1500 shades of paint.

Scenes that were planned, but never fully animated: - The queen holds the prince in the dungeon and uses her magic to make skeletons dance for his amusement. - Fantasy sequence accompanying "Some Day My Prince Will Come" in which Snow White imagines herself dancing with her prince in the clouds beneath a sea of stars - Dwarves building Snow White a coffin with help from woodland creatures. - The song "Music in Your Soup" where the dwarves sing about the soup that Snow White had just made them. - A musical number, "You're Never Too Old to Be Young", featuring the dwarves. It was pre-recorded, but never animated.

To encourage creativity, Walt Disney instituted his "Five Dollars a Gag" policy. One notable example of this policy is when Ward Kimball suggested that the dwarfs' noses should pop one by one over the foot boards while they were peeking at Snow White.

The Prince was originally a much more major character, but the difficulty found in animating him convincingly forced the animators to reduce his part significantly.

When comedian Billy Gilbert found out that one of the dwarfs' names was Sneezy he called up Walt and gave him his famous sneezing gag and got the part

Dopey initially was to be a talking dwarf, but was made mute when a suitable voice was not found.

At a recording session, Lucille La Verne, the voice of the Wicked Queen, was told by the Disney animators that they needed an older, raspier version of the Queen's voice for the Old Witch. Ms. Laverne stepped out of the recording booth, returned a few minutes later, and gave a perfect "Old Hag's voice" that stunned the animators. When asked how she did it, she replied, "Oh, I just took my teeth out."

Because Disney did not have its own music publishing company when the earlier animated films were produced, all the rights to publish the music and songs from this film are actually still controlled by the Bourne Co. In later years, the Studio was able to acquire back the rights to the music from all of the other films, except this one. Prior to Snow White, a movie soundtrack recording was unheard of and with little value to a movie studio.

It took animator Wolfgang Reitherman nine tries to get the animation of the Slave in the Magic Mirror just right. He achieved it by folding the paper in half, drawing one half of the face, then turning the paper over and tracing the other half. He was then dismayed when his hard work was obscured by fire, smoke and distortion glass for the film.

For the scene where the dwarves are sent off to wash, animator Frank Thomas had Dopey do a hitch step to catch up to the others, as suggested in the storyboard. Walt Disney liked it so much he had the step added to other scenes - much to the chagrin of the other animators, who blamed Thomas for the extra work they had to do.

Mel Blanc was considered for the voice of Dopey.

The movie was to start with scenes involving Snow White's mother, but they had to be cut to avoid the wrath of the censor.

Marge Champion served as a movement model for Snow White; some of this animation was later reworked for Maid Marion in Disney's Robin Hood (1973).

Some animators were opposed to the name Dopey, claiming that it was too modern a word to use in a timeless fairy tale. Walt Disney made the argument that William Shakespeare used the word in one of his plays. This managed to convince everyone, although any reference to the term "dopey" is yet to be found in any of Shakespeare's work.

Ward Kimball nearly quit after his two main sequences (the dwarfs eating soup and building a bed for Snow White, respectively) were cut. Walt Disney convinced him to stay by giving him the character of Jiminy Cricket in the next feature, Pinocchio (1940).

To give Snow White a more natural look, some of the ink and paint artists started applying their own rouge on her cheeks. When Walt Disney asked one how they would apply the rouge correctly for each cel, she responded, "What do you think we've been doing all our lives?"

In the original fairy tale, the Queen dies when she is forced to dance in burning metal shoes. Disney dropped the idea.

Pinto Colvig, who voiced Sleepy and Grumpy, was the voice of Goofy. He was also one of Disney animators.

FIRSTS FOR SNOW WHITE:

Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the first American feature length animated film. During its four year development the film industry called it, “Walt’s folly” believing as nobody would want to see it. Even Walt’s wife, Lillian said, “No one’s gonna pay a dime to see a dwarf movie.” Many people tried to convince Walt the movie would fail.

One of the first films to have related merchandise available at the time of premiere.

Was the first film to ever have a soundtrack recording album released for it. (Just think! They did not consider a movie soundtrack important in 1938!)

The first animated feature to be selected for the National Film Registry.

Was the first of many Disney films to have its premiere engagement at New York City's Radio City Music Hall. At the end of the film's initial engagement there, all the velvet seat upholstery had to be replaced. It seems that young children were so frightened by the sequence of Snow White lost in the forest that they wet their pants, and consequently the seats, at each and every showing of the film.

OTHER FUN FACTS:

The "special" Academy Award granted to the picture consisted of one regular sized award and seven smaller sized awards.

Most of the voice actors reprised their roles for an appearance on "The Lux Radio Theater".

25 songs were written for the movie but only eight were used

The British Board of Film Censors (now, the British Board of Film Classification) gave the film an A-certificate upon its original release. This resulted in a nationwide controversy as to whether the enchanted forest and the witch were too frightening for younger audiences. Nevertheless, most local authorities simply overrode the censor's decision and gave the film a U-certificate.

Spoonerizing comedian Joe Twerp was earlier considered for the role of Doc, according to the DVD supplementary material. The part went to Roy Atwell instead, but Twerp did perform as the voice of Doc on the radio.

 

Many facts were found at MoviesPlanet.com

Why the Disney Addiction???

Why the Disney Addiction???

I can trace my Disney Addiction all the way back to my childhood. I grew up in Burbank, California not too far from the Disney Studio, along with many other studios. Disney is a big part of Burbank life.

Back in 1960 my paternal grandparents decided to take my two brothers to Disneyland but refused to take me. They said I was too young (I was 2 ½) and too much of a problem for them to bother. My maternal grandma decided that was unfair and I had to go to Disneyland! She was elderly and ill but made sure I went. In truth she wanted to go as much as I did.

I only remember grandma going on a few rides that day but she totally loved the place. She fell in love with Peter Pan, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the Skyway. She loved sitting and watching people having fun. She gladly waited as I rode the rides she could not or did not wish to ride with my mother. She would sit on a bench near the exit of the ride so I could run over right as I got off to tell her about the ride with my toddler excitement. I always started calling out to her as the ride vehicle was nearing the end of the ride. I rode many rides that day!! I remember Matterhorn Bobsleds along with many others. She wanted to know about everything I saw and felt on the rides she could not go on. She took me back once or twice a year for the next three years until she was too ill to go anymore. Each time she would say some grandchild or another had to go and my mother had to take them and grandma. If my mother went my brothers and I had to go! Usually my uncle got the tickets for us.

After grandma died I still got to Disneyland an average of once a year. Usually my Uncle would pay for my mother to take some of my cousins to the park in memory of grandma. In the early days of tickets we did not do many rides but we loved watching people and seeing the shows. All through my school years I looked forward to Gradnight at Disneyland. Oh my!! Stay up all night at Disneyland!! How magical is that??

All through my childhood I watched Disney movies. As I grew I found I liked the depth of the stores and characters of Disney movies better than others. I loved the richness of the animation and the attention to detail that Disney took with their movies. No other studio could do animation as well! I remember all the Disney educational films being shown in school. I grew up watching things like, Our Friend the Adam and Donald Duck in Mathematicland. I remember watching Uncle Walt on TV. The Disneyland TV show and Wonderful World of Color were a bright spot in my week. I would watch the clock all day and run into the livingroom and turn on the TV sitting on the floor as close as my mother would allow waiting for Uncle Walt to come on and tell me what wonderful, magical and amazing story he would tell that week! If I was at my grandparents home we would watch it there because grandma was also addicted. During the next week my grandma, mother and I would talk about the story.

In 1978 I was set up with a wonderful guy. From the start we thought it a bad match. We both said no way! Best friends forever! Romantic NEVER!!! For a year that was our mantra. My “Best Friend” went to college and took a two year course in Respiratory Therapy and completed it in nine months! He aced his finals and then his State Boards! What would I do to celebrate his accomplishments?? I took him to Disneyland of course!! We were sitting in the French Market Café enjoying dinner when the Jazz band there started playing love songs and dedicating them to us! We laughed and said, “No Way!!” The band just laughed and told us, “We have the Disney Magic and we can see you two are in LOVE!” The love songs kept coming until we ran out of the café to the laughter of the band and other guests! Within the week we realized we were in love and started dating! January 1980, 6 months later, we were married! Thank you Disney!! We celebrated our 31^st anniversary this year.

My husband and I would look for a way to spend a joyful and peaceful day so off we would go to Disneyland. When we adopted a child we quickly introduced her to all things Disney and took her to Disneyland for the first time when she was three months old. We decided to homeschool our daughter and we would take her to Disneyland often to learn. We would walk down Main Street and talk about history, the development of transportation and electricity and in the Opera House we talked about Lincoln, the Civil War, (for a time) development of photography, slavery and state rights. There are many other ways to learn at Disneyland if you have an open and creative mind.

I’ll tell you the one last reason and it’s a secret reason for my Disney Addiction. I suffer from depression, life has not been kind to me in many ways. I choose to take Walt Disney’s advice and live by his example and choose to be happy and make a difference instead of wallowing in self-pity. Walking into Disneyland I truly leave most of my problems at the gate and give my soul time to recharge. As a Christian I take to heart Jesus’ words, “Come to me as a child.” I believe that means I should not be childish but childlike. A child has whimsy and a open heart. There is a willingness to suspend reality (the truths they know for sure) to accept the amazing. Going to Disneyland or watching a Disney movie reminds me to be childlike and be ready to be amazed.

So in short I’m addicted to Disney because I make a choice to find a little joy each and every day and in Walt’s words, “Keep Moving Forward.”

Disney Legend and One of Walt’s Nine Old Men ~ Eric Larson

Disney Legend and One of Walt’s Nine Old Men

º ~ Eric Larson ~ º

September 3^rd, 1905 ~ October 25^th, 1988

Worked for Disney

1933 ~ 1986

       At a young age Eric Larson wanted to be a journalist. He went to university to study journalism and also secretly took drawing lesson. In 1925 Eric headed to Los Angeles to try his hand at journalism and writing. Sadly for him but a blessing for animation lovers he failed to get a job in journalism. He fell back on his drawing lessons and in 1933 applied at the Disney Studios. He was hired as an `in-betweener'.

       Animator Hamilton Luske recognized Larson's talent and promoted him to assistant animator; Luske became Larson’s mentor. Further promotions followed and Larson was made an animator on Snow White. In 1940 he was further promoted to animation director.

       Eric Larson became a gentle and devoted mentor to the next generation of up-and-coming Disney artists. One of his former students Andreas Deja, who animated such Disney characters as Jafar in "Aladdin" and Scar in "The Lion King," recalled Eric as "The best animation teacher ever." Said Deja, "No one was more concerned with passing on the Disney legacy than Eric."

In the 1970 Larson saw that the older seasoned animators were dying or leaving. He headed up a program to find and train new animators to take over. Many of today’s current seasoned animators owe their start to Eric Larson.

After 52 years at Disney, Eric retired in 1986. In an interview at that time, he said, "The important thing is not how long I've been here [at Disney], but how much I've enjoyed it and what I've accomplished in all that time. When I think about my contribution to the animation that people enjoy so much, it makes me feel good."

How to beat the heat at the Disneyland Resort

How to beat the heat at the Disneyland Resort

       It does get hot at the Happiest Place on Earth. Summer is the time that a lot of families come to visit Disneyland. It is a wonderful time to come but you must be aware of the heat. It can get well over 100˚ at Disneyland and you must be prepared to take care of yourself. So how to beat the heat?

       First off be aware of how your body is reacting. If you start feeling faint, nauseated or dizzy STOP and take care of yourself! Lather on the sunscreen and grab a hat! You do not want to destroy your fun time by getting sick or ending up in the hospital. Make sure you drink plenty of water and stay hydrated. You can get a cup of ice water at the restaurants for free. Find shade when you can and if needed take a break. Don’t make the drive to ride every ride keep you from taking care of yourself. Be very aware of young children or elderly people with you. They may not be aware they are getting overheated. Make sure everybody takes care of themselves.

       If you are staying at Disneyland Hotel or a Hotel near the park you can take a break during the heat of the day and return to your hotel for an afternoon swim and/or nap. This is a fun and relaxing way to beat the heat.

       Find a ride to get you wet! At Disneyland you can get wet on Splash Mountain (You will get wet. You may get drenched.), Davie Crocket Canoes (You will get splashed) and Pirates of the Caribbean (You get splashed and the ride has a/c!). You can also go over to the Tomorrowland Water Ball and get as wet as you wish there.

       At California Adventure you can get wet on Grizzly Rapids. You will get drenched. Leave your camera and other electronics in a free locker! There are also several water play areas to get wet in. Check out the farm area and Flick’s Fun Fair.

       Plan to take in shows and inside rides that have a/c during the heat of the day. Captain EO, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Main Street Movie Theater (showing old time Mickey Mouse cartoons), Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s Small World, (POTC and SW are also the longest rides in the park) Innoventions and the Enchanted Tiki Room are good choices for a few minutes of cool down. Any of the “dark rides” in Fantasyland are good choices along with Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters. They give a few minutes relief from the heat at Disneyland. California Adventures has Aladdin the Musical (45 minutes in a beautiful theater with a fantastic stage show and a/c!), Soarin’ Over California, It’s Tough to be a Bug and Muppet 3D all have a/c. Toy Story Mania and Ariel’s Undersea Adventure are a nice few minutes inside.

       Take a lunch break during the heat of the day and sit down in a restaurant with a/c. A good choice that does not cost a lot and offers a wide choice of deli type foods is White Water Café in the Grand Californian Hotel. If cost is not an issue, any of the hotel restaurants is a great choice. Any sit down inside restaurant inside the park is nice as well.

       You can also use my husband’s favorite way to cool off. If you wear a hat soak the hat and keep your head wet and cool. You can step into any bathroom to do this. You can also take a handkerchief or paper towel and place it on your neck. If you are really having a problem stop in at First Aid and ask for an ice pack and rest for a few minutes in the cool and quiet area. They will give you bags of ice to take with you so you can continue to have fun. Just make sure you don’t get too overheated before getting the ice pack.

       Most of all don’t overdo it in the heat. Relax and go slow. Drink plenty and take breaks often. Get help when needed.

Disneyland Turns 56

Disneyland Turns 56

July 17, 1955

When Walt Disney announced Disneyland people said he was crazy and said it would fail. On the day the park opened it was over 100⁰ and a good many things went wrong. 25,000 people were invited and an estimated 50,000 attended. People printed fake invitations and some even climbed over the fence to get in. Half of the drinking fountains did not work and the street surfaces had not had time to set as they were finished late the night before. Ladies high heels got stuck in the hot tar. Newspaper Headlines the next day read, “Walt’s Folly” and told of how it would never last. Disneyland saw its one millionth guest walk through the gate just six months later.

I have many fond memories of Disneyland over the years. I remember my first trip back in 1960. Disneyland was five years old and I was two. I remember riding Peter Pan, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Skyway, Disneyland Railroad and several of the Main Street Vehicles with my grandma. I also have vivid memories of riding Matterhorn with my mother and jumping off to run to grandma to tell her all about it.

During my childhood years Disneyland was a once or twice a year special treat for my family. I remember when I got my first “steady” job babysitting I took my nephew and mother to the park to celebrate. Whenever I wanted to spend special time and make memories Disneyland was where I went.

In 1978 a friend set me up with a nice guy. We knew that we would be best friends forever from the moment we first met but we felt we would be romantic never. After being best of friends for a year and my friend graduating college in 1979 I took my best friend to Disneyland to celebrate his graduation. Disney Magic happened by way of the Jazz Band at the French Market Café in New Orleans Square. My friend and I were eating dinner and talking when the band started playing love songs for us! They said they knew we were in love even if we denied it. We were informed they had the Disney Magic! A week later we were dating and six months later in January of 1980 we were married!

My step-father said Disney and especially Disneyland was for kids and he was not interested. He told me in no uncertain terms he did not take his son to Disneyland as a kid and he refused to consider going. He was also ill and disabled.  He felt there was nothing there for him to do. After being ill and my family helping my folks dad decided to take us to Disneyland to say thank you. He fell in love with the park and the Disney Magic swept him up. He and my mother would go to the park several times a week just to have lunch and watch a show or ride the Mark Twain around the Rivers of America. This kept him full of joy and gave him a reason to continue living when he got even sicker. When he was too sick to travel it gave him a safe place to go and a reason to get up out of bed. I feel this kept him alive at least five or six years longer than if he had not found Disney Magic.

All of my life Disneyland has been a place to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, life’s accomplishments and the simple fact the sun rose that morning.  It also became a place of healing and joy. During times of stress or emotional turmoil Disneyland became a place to find refuge. The words on the archways leading into the park have became real to us. “Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy.” We walk under the sign and the pressure of life seems to lift. It is as if for the time I’m in the park the world and all the problems are held outside the gate.

So Happy Birthday Disneyland!! May you have many more years of spreading Disney Magic and Pixie Dust to the guests that walk through your gates.

The Godmothers of the Disney Cruise Ships

Cruise Ships Have Godmothers?

The Godmothers of the Disney Cruise Ships

       All cruise ships have Godmothers. Most of the time it is celebrities and Royalty that get the fun and honor. A ships Godmother christens the ship and blesses it. She is entrusted with guiding this ship to and around all its destinations by placing a blessing upon it. Now just because ships have Godmothers it does not mean they don’t also have Godfathers. This maritime tradition has been going on for about 4,000 years.

       Disney Cruise Line, like all other cruise lines does have a grand christening ceremony and announces a Godmother or a set of Godparents for each of their ships. Here is who has been chosen as Godmother for the three ships already in the Disney fleet already.

Disney Magic

Patty Disney, wife of Roy. O. Disney is Magic’s Godmother.

Roy O. Disney was named Godfather along with his wife.

Roy O. Disney was the son of Roy E. Disney and nephew of Walt Disney. He was on the board of the Disney Company for many years.

       Disney Wonder

Tinker Bell was named Fairy Godmother of the Wonder and is the first Fairy Godmother for any cruise ship in the world.

Disney wanted to have one of its most beloved characters have the honor. Tinker Bell completed the christening by sprinkling Pixie Dust over the Wonder. Tinker Bell was the first fictional character to be named as a ships Godmother.

       Disney Dream

January, 2011 in a huge ceremony webcasted around the world Jennifer Hudson was made Godmother of the Dream.

Jennifer Hudson started her professional singing career on the Disney Wonder.

Disney Fantasy’s Godmother has not been named yet. Following tradition we most likely will not find out until the christening of the ship early in 2012 who the Godmother is. Disney may have already chosen who she is but will keep the information top secret until christening.

I have a few suggestions for Godmother of the Disney Fantasy. Diane Disney Miller is my favorite idea. As daughter of Walt Disney I think she is a perfect Godmother. Maybe one of Walt or Roy’s grandkids could be Godparents. Minnie Mouse would be another fun choice and maybe Mickey could be Godfather. Who would you choose?

How to Bring a Little Disney Magic into Your Home Everyday

How to Bring a Little Disney Magic into Your Home Everyday

 

       Ok, I’ll be honest. I am a totally addicted to Disney! I love walking into a Disney Hotel or Park and seeing all the little Disney touches. I was amazed the two times I was on the Disney Cruise Ships when I saw all the beautiful little hidden Disney touches. Hidden Mickeys and other characters and even the not hidden characters that are tastefully placed make it so special.

       When I come home from a visit to Disneyland (especially one of the rare occasions when we stay at one of the hotels) I want to put little Disney touches all around my home. So how do I do that?

       First I put up pictures from our visits. Some are just pictures of characters. Other pictures of us taken to celebrate special occasions are placed in special places of honor. I make displays of special trip pictures that don’t happen often. These are the pictures of Disney trips we don’t do often or only once. We have only been to WDW once and on the DCL twice. Those pictures and little mementos will have special places with special frames and shadow boxes. I will be honest I’m still working on putting a good number of things up.

       I try to add little Mickey touches to small things around my house. I’ll cut an Icon Mickey out of a piece of cloth and sew it on a wash cloth, towel or dish cloth. I even put Mickey on aprons and other items. I have designed many different crochet patterns with Mickey & Minnie in them. I’ve made table clothes, blankets, scarves, Christmas tree skirts and other items for my home and as gifts. I even cook with a Mickey touch! I try to recreate food I enjoy at the parks. I also come up with ways to put my favorite mouse in my dishes.

       Most of all I try to keep the Disney way of thinking going in my family. Think Blue Sky, what would you do if you had no restrictions. You want to change the decor in your room, plan a super special party/trip or make a gift? What would you do with no restrictions of money, ability or time. Now that you have those ideas what can you really do with it. What can you afford or how can you do with you want for less. If you don’t know how to do something can you learn it? Can you change things to make it work? Think Disney Cast Member Service, don’t say, “I don’t know.” Instead say, “I/We can find out.” This is great when helping a child learn something you don’t know. Disney gives it’s cast members permission NOT to know everything as long as they keep trying to find out. Keeping the Disney way of thinking helps solve problems and keep creativity going.