The Importance of the Aesthetics of Disney’s SNOW WHITE (and why Rachel Anne Zegler is a great fit)

Is the age of princesses over? More than any other Disney live-action adaptation, the currently in production live-action version of Walt Disney’s 1938 masterpiece SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS has been filled with people asking the question, “why?” And for reasons ranging ANYWHERE from “why remake a masterpiece?” to “why remake a film that is so deeply flawed ?”

Now I am firmly of the belief that the original is an absolute stone cold masterpiece. But I’m also excited, cautiously optimistic even, about this coming adaptation. However, I would argue that this live-action Disney adaptation is the one title that, more than any other before it, needs to really reflect back on the original and draw from it – both in literal and spiritual inspiration. And e where the character of Snow White is concerned, I argue that just being a faithful and well done live-action retelling should be its “raison d’etre”.

As I already hinted at, my dear clickers, I absolutely LOVE SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS. It’s my favorite “Disney princess” film, a top three Disney film overall (FYI – THE BLACK HOLE and the first PIRATES are the other two) and a top twenty film of all time for me. 

In broad strokes, I would argue that the film created a new genre, the animated live-action film, and yet it still also stands as a pillar of the genre on its own. The artwork and score alone arguably remain superior to most Disney and non-animated films produced during any time period and honestly blow most animated features of the last 20 years out of the water.

But it goes beyond that. The film creates iconography for good and evil that would still be mimicked within and outside of the Disney studio decades later. The film produced an open-hearted heroine based on kindness, caring, and persistence – and not on beauty or misfortune – but something as universal as overcoming evil and the world’s injustices by being positive, persistent, and patient. In fact, many people forget that Snow White even is a princess per se within the story (though no one would deny that she is a Disney Princess). SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS also has an adorable supporting cast that used animation in a revolutionary way to define their characters (recent criticism notwithstanding my love for the Seven Dwarfs knows no bounds) – although one dimensional, I would argue that the dwarfs have some of the deepest one dimensions in ANY film – their movements, expressions, and faces each delicately designed to evoke the Dwarf’s titular emotion (but going any deeper and this is probably another blog). And SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS also revealed a surprisingly dark heart, embodied by the Evil Queen, Magic Mirror, and even Snow White’s ultimate choice and fate.

Yes I’m a total Snow White fanboy. I ride Snow White’s Enchanted Wish EVERY time I’m at Disneyland and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a top 3 ride at Walt Disney World for me. In fact, last time I was at Walt Disney World in January, I went so far as to book a dinner at Wilderness Lodge’s Storybook Dining at Artist Point. “Storybook Dining” is essentially a Snow White themed dinner complete with visits from a few of the dwarfs, the evil queen and of course the fairest of them all: Snow White herself. I wore my Snow White sweatshirt and this is about the closest I’ve been to ever doing any sort of cosplay. I was quite embarrassed but I also knew that as a fan I really wanted to do this. And honestly it was a great experience – the cast members, servers, chefs, and characters alike, were all awesome. And it was the highlight of my week-long trip. I got to meet Snow, Grumpy, Dopey and the Evil Queen while dining under a canopy of an LED lit forest complete with trees on the table. And this whole meal was like a dream come true.

Now I know I’m a weirdo and I am way too old to be THIS into SNOW WHITE but hopefully I look like a happy weirdo. I admit, I need a crutch. I need SOMETHING to get me through the days I spend away from Disney World and Disneyland and being back in my office during a cold winter – and this experience went a long way in doing that. And maybe because it is my crutch is why I care about this character so much (this is also probably another blog).

Anyway, my point is, I come into this opinion with a lot of bias. I want to see a REALLY good live action re-telling of the Snow White tale that honors its tradition but also builds a new path forward. But specifically I want for the film to have elements of the film I fell in love with.

Now I know a lot of film people say, “who cares whether or not it LOOKS like the previous version” when they are talking about ANY remake. But honestly if you are not honoring the previous version any time you do a remake, why do a remake? For the title? The IP? Far too often lately the answer is yes – but that’s another story. A remake is not a restaging of a play – plays are inherently literary at their base level – whereas I would argue films are visual and are largely defined by their release (as opposed to a screenplay).

But I also think honoring the past is particularly important for this title because of the recent past of the public domain character also known as “Snow White”. You see we’ve seen the Grimm’s Snow White tale turned into live action recently – THREE TIMES. And well. Whether it was Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron playing Snow and Evil Queen, with Chris Hemsworth as a most excellent Huntsman in SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNSTMAN, to the version seen on ABC’s long running mega-hit ONCE UPON A TIME that really examined the Snow White and Evil Queen mythos that was produced under the Disney umbrella, or the underrated Bollywood-esque MIRROR-MIRROR featuring Julia Roberts and Lily Collins. All were good. But none of them were Walt Disney’s animated Snow White.

And I’m not saying that artists should be totally locked into adapting a film beat for beat in a live-action remake either – for the record. But none of these come anywhere close to matching that original animated Walt Disney version (albeit intentionally for the most part) and really evoking what made her so special.

PREVIOUS DISNEY LIVE-ACTION REMAKES

In the past we’ve seen Disney live-action Princess adaptations mirror their animated counterparts to varied degrees and to varied successes:

MALEFICENT focused its revisionist interpretations on the title character – meaning the film was more of a new perspective than a live-action adaptation, much like the recent CRUELLA (technically not a princess but certainly one in my book), which was a prequel as well. Still – MALEFICENT had an a number of moments that mimicked the original – and I think quite effectively including the dragon scene, the kiss scene and the dungeon of spinning wheels/ “prick” scene…. The sequel strayed even further from the source material, though I found it kind of a fun and entertaining film in its own right.

CINDERELLA was more of a loose adaptation – though, it also had a clear story structure that mimicked the animated film quite closely even if individual beats and character behavior did not. I would put MULAN and ALADDIN into this same boat.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is probably the film that comes closest to being a “shot for shot” remake of the original. Coincidentally it is also the biggest blockbuster of any live action adaptation yet. The character design for Belle was extremely close to the original while the Beast was arguably a bit more stylized. 

Now I am hoping that the SNOW WHITE adaptation is maybe a mix of CINDERELLA and MALEFICENT’s approach. I hope it follows the story structure of the original SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS but is not afraid to make character and scene interpretations – but also hew closely to SNOW’s character design from the original animated film. The more I think and hear about the movie – including their reinterpretation of the dwarfs to being potentially magical, non humanoid creatures, and casting Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen – which hints at a possible redemption arc, as such a big actress might be loathe to play a generic “baddie” at this point. In fact I would argue that we’ll probably see some reasoning behind the Evil Queen’s insecurities and fears in this film (something that ONCE explored rather deftly).

However, I’d argue that more than any other Disney Princess – even Ariel (and especially when she isn’t a mermaid) Snow’s appearance is the most important to her recognition as a character. Now let me be clear, I am not saying that she is such a blank slate that she only has her look. Much in the same way that Superman or Spider-Man’s costume is iconic and that there is little room for interpretation on either front, I would argue that so is Snow White’s costume. Rather like Superman and Spider-Man, Snow White’s iconic look helps define the great character that is already there. 

THE UNEXPECTED BECOMES ICONIC: AN AESTHETIC OVERVIEW

Merriam Webster defines aesthetics as “a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste and with the creation and appreciation of beauty”. So really the point of this blog is to point out what makes Snow White such a good design from a visual and character perspective and also examine why these would be important to a live-action adaptation.

And ultimately weird things do become aesthetically iconic. I’m not sure if Bill Finger thought a man in a mask with bat ears and a cape would come to signify vengeance or that Siegel and Schuster thought that a man in blue tights and a red cape would come to signify truth justice and the American way, or that Steve Ditko thought a man dressed in a red, white and blue jumpsuit and mask with webs on it would come to embody the angst and responsibility of being a hero. In the same way, while some thought was definitely placed into the look, some of it is undeniably kismet.

I would say that there are certain character traits specifically associated with this version of SNOW WHITE – caring, kindness, poise, pacifism, and perseverance, that rank the top at my list of Disney’s interpretations. But those are also qualities that are not entirely alien to other versions even if heightened in the Disney version. And I would argue that the way they are heightened is through her aesthetic and that moreover, I’d also say that more importantly her aesthetic helps to define her from a character perspective. Walt Disney was very particular about Snow’s look and for good reason. 

You can even see in the original footage of character model Marge Champion back in the 1930s that her visage, her movements, and her dress were all things that Walt Disney was very specific about early on in the process of creating SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS. 

And Disney also knew that the story of Snow White existed prior to this telling. So creating a memorable, one like me would even say iconic look for this character was imperative to differentiate this version from all previous and all past versions of Snow White. And yet it was also the first animated film – so it needed to succeed. Prior to release, SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS was known in Hollywood gossip circles as Disney’s folly. And many pudits at the time thought it would be the end of the young and promising studio. Furthermore, and this may sound a bit jaded, but SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS was the first film to ever have merchandise available on the day of the release. And in this distance, Disney was not building the character’s brand as they do so often with features today. Rather the character Snow White was building Disney’s brand. So obviously Walt and his animators would want characters that would be not just memorable but instantly iconic. And I would say he was 100% successful. As Walt later reflected, “We had a heck of a time getting to finish Snow White but six months later we were sitting with a couple million dollars in the bank.”

But the look was important to Walt because the look helped define the character. If it did not – it would not matter how many Snow White dolls, dresses or shoes were released back in 1937, no one would have bought them. He once said about SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, “Over at our place we are sure of just one thing, everyone in the world was once a child. So we don’t think of grown-ups or children but just that fine clean unspoiled spot deep down in every one of us that maybe the world has made us forget and that maybe our pictures can help us recall.” And the aesthetic and design would all be pivotal to the succeeding.

And it worked. Animators who worked on the project have said that “Snow White is a successful design for the type of character Walt wanted” – a very innocent and pure heroine”. The original animators drew on characters from the animated Betty Boop to the live action actress Zasu Pitts (1930s megastar of the classic film GREED – arguably one of the best silent films, even films, ever made – but that is another blog).

Personally I find the bright colors of her dress and the no-nonsense bob, her joyous but measured movements, and her facial reactions belay an underlying innocence and purity that build to reveal a character that is caring, kind, cheerful, well-intentioned, positive, poised and completely unfettered – even when confronted with great evil (as a side note these are all things that I strive to be in my life – though it is often challenging – and I often look to Snow for inspiration).

Walt wanted to be very clear about creating this well defined hero that could then face off against the Evil Queen’s  deep darks, angular and haphazard movements, and the jaded righteousness inherent in her facial expressions. So let’s take a closer examination of Snow White’s aesthetic and her look, and see how it helps define her character.

But how much of her character defines her look and how much of her look defines her character. Almost 100 years later, it is tough to say as her visage has become as iconically tied to many of the things she stands for. 

SNOW WHITE’S AESTHETIC, DECONSTRUCTED

HAIR:

Snow White has one of the few short(er) hairstyles in the Disney princess pantheon. In fact, it’s the only one. To me that alone makes it iconic. And when it is iconic you cannot ignore it – unless you are trying to deconstruct it (which I don’t think Disney should or has the capacity to necessarily do in this live-action adaptation). I think the hair represents the historical time period of the 1930s – and as I noted above the character references for Snow included both Zasu Pitts and Betty Boop both of whom sported that iconic bob or even crop in that time period (see previous photos). So when you see that style you think of the 1930s, you think of the golden age of Disney, it transports you – even though it is arguably completely anachronistic to any sort of storybook art prior to its existence. It being out of place within other storybook art makes it memorable.

I think looking at the hair outside of historical context, we can also see that it is a style that is indicative of somebody who doesn’t have a lot of time or wants to spend a lot of time on her hair when it could be spent better elsewhere. Some of this is unfortunately because Snow White has so many housekeeping duties, but some of it could be meant for us to infer that while the hair is quite iconic and beautiful – the fact that it is less time-consuming than Ariel’s layered cut or Cinderella’s bangs and bouffant cut leads one to subconsciously arrive at the conclusion that Snow is not vain or fussy. Not that longer hair indicates vanity – please don’t understand, but rather that the lack of it certainly points to someone who is not ruled by vanity.

Now I also think that the bow matched with the dark hair really pops – visually and also subconsciously: the bow is a ray of brightness (like Snow) against the dark against the dark which becomes a metaphor for the rest of the film. Maybe I’m thinking too deeply or stupidly or both here. But it is worth noting that early on in the film she sports a blue bow (see above picture with Snow at the well) with her black hair so the red bow, which becomes her visage for the rest of the film, was a deliberate choice by Disney and his animators.

By the way have you seen Rachel Zegler’s hair recently, pretty cool (and will look awesome with that red bow):

DRESS:

The dress of Snow White was apparently something that the animators and Walt Disney were tinkering with up until the last possible minute – even just eight months before release:

But I think the yellow skirt, deep blue top, puffed shoulder with storybook-esque stitching create a relatable, approachable heroine. Snow is someone who can attend a ball or walk through the forest in her iconic look. Though there is a variety of colors they are all saturated and arguably bright. And ultimately the red/blue/yellow combination is not something that you see a lot outside of athletic team uniforms. That is not a knock but rather another nod to the iconography of the character design. 

I think to move away from the colors in an adaptation runs dangerously close to making the character generic. Think about a green and gold Spider-Man. I mean there are deviations that you can explore in a Spider-Man costume but they are within reason. And while I do not want to see an extract replica of the costume that someone might find in bibbidy bobbidy boutique, I would like to see the influences and representation of that classic iconography.

I also think the length and the fit are indicative of a more (as previously noted) European storybook aesthetic, as someone who works in a royal setting yet might not be a royal herself. Look at the length of the skirt but also the cut which is indicative of ease of movement rather than trying to highlight physical attributes. The Little Golden Book artwork, especially, helps to give us a better picture of the full dress – complete with the now iconic blue, yellow, red coloration:

MOVEMENT:

As I already discussed, Disney used Marge Champion as a guide to showcase the movements that Snow White would make (see above black and white photos). At age 14, Champion was filmed moving and walking around on a make-shift stage for Walt Disney and his artists. Marge’s movements were then used as almost turn for turn guides for the animators. Now it is my belief that Amy Adams in ENCHANTED uses Marge’s (ahem SNOW WHITE) movements more than a few times in that film – for comedic effect. I do think that on some level, if the movements were used a bit more subtly they could be nice callbacks but honestly also give credence to the emotional power of Snow. Check her out as she dances to THE SILLY SONG.

The movements and specifically their rhythm just have an originality to them that, due to time and now being tied to Snow White, speak to the joy and innocence of the character:

FACE:

Over 150 inkers and painters were employed on the film, the majority of which were women. These women were tasked with transferring the animators’ drawings onto the cells that would be used for the actual production and coloring the cells. This was a fairly maverick area as colors in animation on film were still being tested and improved. Disney chemists custom mixed all of the colors for the various clothes and shading of each character. Over 1500 separate shades were used in the production. But especially important would be creating a realistic and sympathetic face for Snow White, something essential in the success of the character.

The women in the ink and paint devised their own method of creating a more natural face for Snow after viewing some of the initial animation. This actually involved using real rouge, and other make-ups, all applied directly onto the cell. Walt Disney conceded that it looked great and if you look at the photos above you can see the rouge, lip gloss, and eye shadow that were achieved all had a naturalistic yet memorable look that went far beyond anything in that day and is to this day still so ingrained in every Disney fan’s memory.

GLASS COFFIN:

Wait what? OK I think one of the most iconic and haunting things about SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS is the glass coffin. Huh? Let me explain. Now the coffin is in the original story as the prince sees Snow White’s beauty and is so enamored that he kisses her – despite her state. Now this is sort of what happens in the Disney film BUT there are a few important tweaks.

First, the narrator states very clearly that the dwarfs were so heartbroken by Snow that they could not stand to bury her. So they instead decided to fashion this coffin out of glass and gold. And that act combined with the haunting spectacle of our hero in her glass coffin – basically dead, always stayed with me, even as a kid.

Second, much like the prince in the original story, we the audience see SNOW WHITE, this person who has so enchanted and beguiled US. She is the person that was so pure that she accepted a poisoned apple from someone who others might have found off-putting or even scary, she fell for these seven dwarfs and made their house a home, and now lies in a state of forever sleep.

As the animators stated, it is quite a moment in the film and indeed the first audiences to see the film found themselves in tears at this moment. I think some people use the Prince coming along and kissing Snow as a point of criticism, mocking his lack of character development (especially in contrast to Snow or the dwarfs). But I think the fact that he was only seen in the opening scene really makes his appearance all the more powerful because we, the audience, have likely forgotten about him and are convinced that Snow is indeed confined to this state for eternity.

For all of these reasons, I really hope we get to see the glass coffin, complete with Snow’s name carved on it as the names are written on each of the dwarf’s beds. Quite a sentimental touch that always gets me.

RACHEL ZEGLER BECOMES THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL

So enter Rachel Zegler. As of today I think she is one of the best possible choices Disney could make to play Snow. Is it because she is a Latina? No (but as a fellow Latino, I do love that). Rather it is because her visage, both physical and the energy she projects, exudes that of the fairest of them all.

You see, I really was not familiar with her prior to WEST SIDE STORY. So when she was first cast, I was a little nervous. Not because I thought she would be prima-facially bad but because I did not know her. And then I saw WEST SIDE STORY. And it was one of my favorite films of all year – and a lot of that had to do with her performance, much of which dovetailed nicely with many of the things that ALSO define Snow White’s character and which I have already discussed. Her kindness, her caring, her purity and innocence all seem apparent in her appearances on and off the screen.

BUT I was slightly nervous about her hair. HER HAIR? Yes. And if you haven’t read the preceding parts of this blog this would seem even weirder. But hopefully you have and understand my concern. But then a few weeks ago she debuted her Snow White hair which was on full display at the Oscars. Here it is again, this time opposite Snow:

Anyway, I can’t wait for Disney’s live-action Snow White – I’m too big of a fan not too. In the meantime, I’ll hope for the best. So far, so good. Time will tell.