Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition Banner.jpg. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2015, from http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20141007114025/disney/images/f/fd/Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Dwarfs_Diamond_Edition_Banner.jpg
Snow White and the seven dwarfs (1937)
Background information
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Extra Large Movie Poster Image - Internet Movie Poster Awards Gallery. (n.d.). Retrieved January 25, 2015, from http://www.impawards.com/1937/snow_white_and_the_seven_dwarfs_xlg.html
|
Title of the film:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Year released: 1937 Story based off of: Based on the German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, Important people involved in making the film: The story was adapted by storyboard artists Dorothy Ann Blank, Richard Creedon, Merrill De Maris, Otto Englander, Earl Hurd, Dick Rickard, Ted Sears and Webb Smith. David Hand was the supervising director, while William Cottrell, Wilfred Jackson, Larry Morey, Perce Pearce, and Ben Sharpsteen directed the film's individual sequences. Last but not least, Walt Disney. Amount of money the film made: $416million Awards: At the 11th Academy Awards, Walt Disney was awarded an honorary Oscar, and the film was nominated for Best Musical Score. It was added to the United States National Film Registry in 1989 and is ranked in the American Film Institute's list of the 100 greatest American films, who also named the film as the greatest American animated film of all time in 2008. impact: Disney's take on the fairy-tale has had a huge cultural impact, resulting in popular theme park attractions, a video game, and a Broadway musical. Extra information: it is the first full-length animated feature film and the earliest in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. |
Snow white and the seven dwarfs summary
"A beautiful girl, Snow White, takes refuge in the forest in the house of seven dwarfs to hide from her stepmother, the wicked Queen. The Queen is jealous because she wants to be known as "the fairest in the land," and Snow White's beauty surpasses her own. The dwarfs grow to love their unexpected visitor, who cleans their house and cooks their meals. But one day while the dwarfs are at their diamond mine, the Queen arrives at the cottage disguised as an old peddler woman and persuades Snow White to bite into a poisoned apple. The dwarfs, warned by the forest animals, rush home to chase the witch away, but they are too late to save Snow White from the poisoned apple. They place her in a glass coffin in the woods and mourn for her. The Prince, who has fallen in love with Snow White, happens by and awakens her from the wicked Queen's deathlike spell with "love's first kiss." (llluneeklll, 2010)
|
The Buzz. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2015, from http://blog.disneystore.com/blog/flashback-friday/
|
Snow White and the seven dwarfs songs
"Whistle while you work"
Whistle While You Work Lyrics. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2014. http://www.metrolyrics.com/whistle-while-you-work-lyrics-snow-white-and-the-7-dwarfs.html
Analysis
Analysis
- More instrumental then lyrical song
- High notes throughout the entire song
- Upbeat tempo
- Many sound effects used to express the voices made from animals (animal sounds)
- High female voice
- Instruments used - violin, viola, flutes, piccolo, xylophone, cello, double bass, trumpet(with silencer), oboe, trombone, tuba
- Natural sounds are used as well (water)
- Lyric - 12 lines
- What is happening in the scene - Snow white is cleaning up the dwarfs house after discovering it. She does this by cleaning with the animals of the forest.
- General message of the song - If you whistle while you work, time will fly by faster
- Notable lines - Just whistle while you work
"Heigh Ho"
Heigh Ho - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI0x0KYChq4
Analysis
Analysis
- Working song
- Upbeat
- The type of beats changes half way between the song a's if 2 different songs are in one composition
- Xylophone, violin, viola, flute, trumpet, triangle (diamond sounds), cow bell, woodblock, piccolo, trumpet, trombone, wooden xylophone, snare drum (represents marching), Oboe
- Lyrics - 25 lines
- What is happening in the scene - The 7 dwarfs are working hard at the jewel mine. When the day was done they go home in a single file line.
- General message of the song - A working song
- Notable line - It ain't no trick to get rich quick, Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho, It's off to work we go
"Some Day My Prince Will Come" - Snow White
Disney's Snow White - Someday My Prince Will Come. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0niwn2pOEno
Alalysis
Alalysis
- High notes throughout the entire song
- Waltz type of song ( 1,2,3,1,2,3 rhythm)
- Slow tempo song
- Instruments used - string instrument (violin, viola, Harp, cello, flute
- Repeats similar
- Lyric - 9 lines
- What is happening in the scene - Snow white is describing the prince she met to the dwarfs. She is happily singing to them about her future with the prince.
- General message of the song - one day she will meet her prince and they would live happily ever after
- Notable line - Some day my prince will com, Some day we'll meet again, And away to his castle we'll go, To be happy forever I know
Events/musical style popular at the time
"The 1930s marked the revival of barbershop vocal harmony, a form of a cappella music done in four-part harmony. These quartets consisted of a lead singing the melody, a tenor, a bass and a baritone. The popularity of the phonograph contributed to the barbershop quartet's popularity while the development of the radio began to mark a down-slide at the end of the '30s." (Redman, 2014)
Swing music, or simply Swing, is a form of American music that developed in the early 1930s and became a distinctive style by 1940. Swing uses a strong rhythm section of double bass and drums as the anchor for a lead section of brass instruments such as trumpets and trombones, woodwinds including saxophones and clarinets, and sometimes stringed instruments such as violin and guitar, medium to fast tempos, and a "lilting" swing time rhythm. The name swing came from the phrase ‘swing feel’ where the emphasis is on the off–beat or weaker pulse in the music (unlike classical music). Swing bands usually featured soloists who would improvise on the melody over the arrangement. The danceable swing style of big bands and bandleaders such as Benny Goodman was the dominant form of American popular music from 1935 to 1946, a period known as the Swing Era. The verb "to swing" is also used as a term of praise for playing that has a strong rhythmic "groove" or drive." (Redman, 2014)
Swing music, or simply Swing, is a form of American music that developed in the early 1930s and became a distinctive style by 1940. Swing uses a strong rhythm section of double bass and drums as the anchor for a lead section of brass instruments such as trumpets and trombones, woodwinds including saxophones and clarinets, and sometimes stringed instruments such as violin and guitar, medium to fast tempos, and a "lilting" swing time rhythm. The name swing came from the phrase ‘swing feel’ where the emphasis is on the off–beat or weaker pulse in the music (unlike classical music). Swing bands usually featured soloists who would improvise on the melody over the arrangement. The danceable swing style of big bands and bandleaders such as Benny Goodman was the dominant form of American popular music from 1935 to 1946, a period known as the Swing Era. The verb "to swing" is also used as a term of praise for playing that has a strong rhythmic "groove" or drive." (Redman, 2014)
Was the music style popular during that era present in the movies?
The style of music which was popular at the time is not as present in the songs being played in the movie Snow white and the seven dwarfs. In the 1930s swing music and also jazz music was widely popular. While in the movie there is an overall orchestral feel to each and every song being played. This could be because in order to match the time period of the movie the song needs to reflect similar aspects.
Role of music in the movie
The Voice19-year-old Adriana Caselotti voiced the character of Snow White. Walt Disney wanted to keep Snow White’s voice special and very specific, so he held Adriana to a very strict contract and she was never allowed to perform on stage or film again. As Walt Disney said himself ;
"I'm sorry, but that voice can't be used anywhere. I don't want to spoil the illusion of Snow White." By using a person who was not famous to play the part of Snow White (the main character) it lets the audience focus on the animation and the story itself. Walt Disney did not want people to come watch the movie because someone famous was portraying the character but instead to have a genuine interest in the animation techniques used and the story line itself. It is told that many famous singers of that era auditioned for the exact same part but since their voices were iconic and recognizable Walt Disney turned them down.
Woman's RoleThroughout the movie Snow White is portrayed as a sweet, innocent, loving girl that seems like she can do no harm to anyone or anything. But what also she is portrayed as is a helpless weak girl that also cleans the house. The entire song "Whistle While You Work" revolves around the idea of Snow White cleaning a filthy house left by men (Dwarfs). The dwarfs find Snow White and let her stay in exchange for maid work. This portrays societies ideas of what a woman's role was in the 1930's.
In the film it also portrays her as a person who is not very intelligent; "Snow White is apparently so dim that the stepmother manages to dress up as two different personalities and trick her into her own death. The tale makes it clear that the female brain cannot process anything more complex than cleaning and knitting. The male hero sweeps in and saves the day by accidentally dislodging a piece of poisoned apple from Snow White’s throat and bringing her back to life." (zuleykaindarte, 2013). The last point is a continuation on the idea of the male hero stepping in and saving the say. Snow White is constantly talking and or singing about how she is waiting for her prince to arrive. The songs "I'm wishing" and "Someday My Prince Will Come" revolve around the ideas of a man sweeping her away and taking her to a castle so that she can finally achieve ultimate happiness. Although this particularly is not a bad thing, her way of thinking revolves around a man. |
Celebrating the Life of Adriana Caselotti, the Original Snow White. (2014, March 27). Retrieved February 12, 2015, from http://www.italiantribune.com/celebrating-the-life-of-adriana-caselotti-the-original-snow-white/
STarting a new musical TraditionMost of the Disney's music history started in 1937 when his first full length animated movie came out. This movie was Snow White and the seven dwarfs and is one of the most known Disney movies. The reason why most of the music history of Disney started here is because it was where all of the traditions o of incorporating songs into animation started. Walt Disney did not want songs that didn't have any connections to the movie, regardless if it was a song the characters were singing or background music. Like Walt Disney said;
"We should set a new pattern, a new way to use music. Weave it into the story so somebody doesn't just burst into song." From this point onward it became the new norm for the foundation and or structure of Disney Animation. |