Snow White

On this impressive double disc set, Disney's debut animated feature truly is the fairest of them all, with special exclusive features and a treasure trove of archival materials. Angela Lansbury hosts two guided video tours that orient viewers to the features on each disc, which include a 40-minute "making of" documentary and several segments that trace the film's production--from original camera tests, storyboard-to-film comparisons, and deleted scenes, to newsreel footage of the film's 1937 premiere, and a "Silly Symphony" cartoon, "The Goddess of Spring," that served as a precursor for the character of Snow White. With apologies to Warner Bros., that's not all folks. Excerpts from the 1950s Disneyland TV series and vintage b&w short subjects delve into the creation of Disney cartoons, and "Disney Through the Decades" is an all-star through-the-decades overview of Walt Disney Studios from 1930s to the present. Serving as hosts are a roster of Disney icons, including Fess Parker (Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier), Dean Jones (The Love Bug), Robbie Benson (Beauty and the Beast) and Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid). Barbra Streisand contributes a newly recorded version of "Some Day My Prince Will Come" over a montage of highlights from the film. A magnificent movie and a DVD that has become the new benchmark of excellence (the film itself has never looked better, as viewers will see in a segment about the painstaking restoration process), this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (K. Lee Benson)[Blu-ray Review—Oct. 13, 2009—Walt Disney, 3 discs, 84 min., G, $39.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Diamond Edition) features a great transfer and a DTS-HD 7.1 soundtrack. Bundling both the Blu-ray and DVD versions of the film, extras include audio commentary by animation historian John Canemaker with audio clips by Walt Disney, and a “Hyperion Studios” section with over 40 brief featurettes, behind-the-scenes segments, shorts and image galleries, including “The One that Started It All” on how the film changed the studio, “Bringing Snow White to Life,” the classic shorts “Steamboat Willie” and “The Skeleton Dance,” storyboards, an abandoned concept gallery, a color test gallery, and production photos—all totaling over three hours. Also included is a “Disney Over the Decades” featurette (37 min.), two deleted scenes (11 min.), previously unseen drawings of a possible sequel (9 min.), an “Animation and Voice Talent” featurette (7 min.), a sneak peek at the upcoming The Princess and the Frog (8 min.), the music video for “Someday My Prince Will Come” performed by Tiffany Thornton, a games and activities section (with “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall,” “What Do You See?” “Jewel Jumble,” “Disney's Wild Mine Ride,” and “Scene Stealer”), the “Heigh-Ho” sing-along song, and trailers. Bottom line: an animated legend makes a spectacular debut on Blu-ray.][Blu-ray Review—Feb. 9, 2016—Walt Disney, 83 min., G, $36.99—Making its second appearance on Blu-ray, 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs features a great transfer and a DTS-HD 7.1 soundtrack. Extras new to this release include a “making-of” featurette (33 min.), an “Iconography” segment on the film's legacy (7 min.), the archival audio interview “In Walt's Words” (5 min.), an “@DisneyAnimation: Designing Disney's First Princess” animators segment (5 min.), “The Fairest Facts of them All” featurette on the title character (5 min.), “The Prince Meets Snow White” alternate sequence (4 min.), a brief “Snow White in Seventy Seconds” segment, and bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: if you already own the earlier Blu-ray release (this new version uses the exact same transfer), you won't need to buy this one; but if you don't, then this would be the preferred version.]