"Sight & Sound Mag.": Disney Execs Admint Snow White Looks Nothing Like The Original (1 Viewer)

[Peter Kline]

That's right, the film has been greatly changed in the visual department. Now, before the purists out there start sending poison Apples to Burbank, read the article in the current issue.
Basically the article says the film, released in the then new 3 Strip Technicolor of 1937, did not properly represent the colors that the animators wanted. Compromises were made because of the limitations of the process. All releases since that time compounded those errors to the point that color values changed for the worse over the years. As everybody now knows the studio went back to the original cells to correct and match the color schemes. So, this being the case, does it qualify as an unthinkable alteration of a classic film as some will rant, or a long overdue correction? Opinions? (keep to 50 words or less, thank you.)

[Edited last by Peter Kline on October 17, 2001 at 03:02 PM]

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

I think I have mentioned before that the original cel art alone is not a proper reference. Disney did extensive camera tests to determine how the art would look when photographed, not to mention experiments with different filters and exposures to achieve various effects. One can also assume that the folks at Disney knew a thing or two about this from the Technicolor shorts they had produced prior to Snow White. I have a strange suspicion that Disney did more than just address the necessary "compromises" due to the "limitations of the process" with the latest video transfer.
Regards,
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Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA

 

[GlennH]

I assume you're referring to the "Sound & Vision" magazine article (you wrote Sight & Sound

). I read it the other day. Anyway, I agree with the statements in there to the effect that Walt himself would have wanted to use the latest techniques to improve the quality of the presentation.
I like what they did. It looks great and is much more watchable than it would be with a lot of film grain and other artifacts, despite the fact that some may feel it's less "authentic". Too bad they haven't made some of their newer films look as good on DVD (e.g., POCOHANTAS - where is that SE?)
[Edited last by Glenn Heberle on October 17, 2001 at 03:43 PM]

 

[Rob Tomlin]

If you are referring to the "Sound and Vision" article, I think you have seriously misquoted them. Nowhere in that article is it stated that anyone at Disney says "Snow White Looks Nothing Like The Original".
I think it says something closer to the fact that they made it look closer to what the original intent was based on the original Cel work.

 

[Peter Kline]

Sorry, it should be Sight & Vision. As far as looking nothing like the original I took the overall comments and photos and improperly attributed a line that did not appear in print . My apologies. But in any event SW looks great and Walt would be proud. Heigh-ho.
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[Vince Maskeeper]

quote: Sorry, it should be Sight & Vision[/quote]
Nope, wrong again. It is Sound & Vision.
Sound & Vision.
Not Sight and Vision.
Not Sight & Sound.
Sound & Vision.
-Vince
[Edited last by Vince Maskeeper on October 17, 2001 at 04:43 PM]

 

[ScottR]

Well, like I said in a previous post...Snow White looks great. However, I am concerned about the fadeouts on the DVD. Moments of animation are missing from the end of scenes with fadeouts..the most noticeable of these is the Queen/Witch's transformation scene. The fadeout, leaving only her eyes on a black screen, has been altered by a few seconds. I don't know why this was done, but I am sure that it was not an oversight on the part of the restoration team...I hope.

 

[Ron-P]

[slightly off topic] Talk about original Disney Cells.
Both my parents worked at Disneyland. My mom a drink-stand girl and my dad, the Mad Hatter. They worked across from each other and that is how they met.
My dad has about 35+ Original Disney Cells from about 6-7 different movies. He said he bought them in the Coffee house on Main street for 25 cents each.
Recently he got back about 10 that he sent to a speciality business in L.A. that takes 3 years to restore them to their original condition, they look beautiful. He paid between $300-$700 per Cell to have them restored. [/slightly off topic]
The Snow White dvd is simply breath taking.
Peace Out~

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http://home.earthlink.net/~peregrinefalcon
[Edited last by Ron-P on October 17, 2001 at 04:55 PM]

 

[Colin Jacobson]

My mom a drink-stand girl and my dad, the Mad Hatter.

Now we know why you wear a cap and hoist a beverage in your sig photo...
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Colin Jacobson
DVD Movie Guide
www.dvdmg.com
[Edited last by Colin Jacobson on October 17, 2001 at 08:54 PM]

 

[Robert Harris]

Re: Ron P and your parents cells...
Be aware that the majority of the early cells were
made of nitrate stock and not safety, and should be
treated as such.
RAH