The remake of Snow White in real shots has indeed a main problem that it is very difficult to ignore. As we have seen, here is our opinion.
Even before its release, the new remake in real shots of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was under the fire of criticism. Heir to the first animated feature film Walt Disney Released in 1937, this new adaptation suffered so many controversies that it comes out as discreetly as possible, with a very discreet preview and little or no promotion with the casting. We saw the film when it was released, and if it is not as catastrophic as its chaotic creation suggested, it has a big defect.
No, the concern is not Rachel Zegler. Under the fire of criticisms for various reasons (she undergoes racist harassment, is criticized for her political positions, when it is not her comments on the cartoon of 1937 where she deplores that Snow White Dream only of the prince and nothing more), the Polish and Colombian actress is charming in the role. The characteristics of the heroine are preserved, but she gains in depth and in maturity.
The problem does not come from the changes that remakes in its plot operates. With the exception of “One day, my prince will come” which was changed by another title, all the striking scenes of the cartoon are preserved. They are simply enriched by new rather entertaining sequences which are used to deepen the themes of the film and new not unpleasant songs, even if they do not equal the original songs. The subject remains naive and childish, but these additions have the merit of making Snow White more proactive and in the era of time, without distorting it. Extractors of the first hour can be reassured, the legacy of the Disney cartoon is indeed intact.
The big defect of the remake of Snow White
The big defect of Snow White remains formal, and above all visual. The result is ugly and does not have the magical and enchanting paw of the classic of 1937 (even if it keeps all the codes even in the costume of Snow White). The director Marc Webb provides the minimum service, without much inspiration, but with too excessive use of the CGI. There are everywhere, all the time, in garish sets, the additions of light to give a (falsely) magical effect. Worse, digital effects are used for animals, which is an amazing choice for a film in real shots. More problematic, they are used for the seven dwarfs, instead of real small players.
To embody prof, grumpy, joyful, shy, sleeper, atchoum and simple, they are numerically reworked puppets in post-production. Visually, the result is grotesque. Morally, he raises questions. So much so that it sparked controversy even before the film was released. The press kit made available to journalists does not explain the reasons that prompted the film to use the CGI for the seven dwarfs. In addition, no interview was granted during the very discreet preview in the United States.
But then, why this choice? You have to go back to an intervention by the actor Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) in the podcast Wtf with Marc Maron 2022which denounced the clichés that the classic of 1937 conveys: “You are looking to be progressive in a sense, but you keep this p ***** of retrograde history in which seven dwarfs live together in a cellar?” This position had “struck the community of actors suffering from nanism” because it suggested deleting roles when there is “not much to [eux] In Hollywood, “said actor Dylan Mark Postl in an interview with the Guardian.
To avoid controversy and stereotypical representation, Disney promised to adopt a “different approach” so as not to “strengthen stereotypes” of the cartoon. The studio then declared that it had consulted the community of the main interested parties before making the choice to replace the small actors by the CGI, thus transforming the seven dwarfs into “magic creatures” more like gnomes (which can also be perceived as a stereotype). But it is clear that the film never ventures into this area there. The characters have no power and have the same characteristics as those of animated film. The only difference is that they are not embodied by real actors … and that their mention no longer appears in the title of the film.
Snow White Released in the cinema this Wednesday, March 19, 2025. If you want to compare with the original animated film of 1937, it is available in streaming on Disney+.
Synopsis – Adaptation in real shooting of the Disney animated film of 1937 “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”.