8 Dark Origins Behind Everyone's Favourite Disney Films

8. Snow White

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first Disney musical animation released in 1937. The original story was written by The Brothers Grimm in 1812.

In both versions of the story, the princess is exiled by her step mother when her father dies, as she aims to take the throne using a magic mirror.

The original text includes much more disturbing extracts. For starters, Snow White is only seven years old in the Grimm's telling. Her step mother seeks to become the fairest of them all, hiring a huntsman to kill Snow in the woods and return with her lungs and liver to eat. He kills a boar instead, and lets the young girl free who escapes and takes shelter in the dwarves' house.

Hearing of the princess' escape, the Queen attempts to kill her three times disguised as an old woman with lace, a poison comb and lastly an apple, which puts her in a state of suspended animation.

Presuming she's dead, the dwarves place her in a glass coffin, although she's eventually rescued her someone accidentally dislodging the piece of apple stuck in her throat.

The witch is cursed to dance at the couples wedding in red hot iron shoes and dance until she falls down dead.