5. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Released all the way back in 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs marked the beginning of the Disney feature film phenomenon. Obtaining the distinguished honour of being the worlds 1st feature film in colour, the film has become the benchmark of animation, creating a world filled with detail while carrying all the trademarks that Disney has become synonymous with. The continual element that holds the film together is undoubtedly the superb cast of secondary characters, most particularly the seven dwarves, who evoke the personalities that their namesake describes. The real achievement of this is the film generates humour not from silly, wacky antics but from the personality of each dwarf. Dopey is slow but garners our sympathy with his childlike disposition, Grumpy is naturally miserable but finds warmth and love within himself, changing his outlook on the world while Doc, the leader of the dwarves often confuses words but is attentive and affirmative in his actions. Each dwarf conveys a differing emotion from the audience, something incredibly difficult to achieve, especially from seven characters that arent physically different in any dramatic way. Its their own specific body language and movement that develops their names from mere saying to reality. Its a brilliant achievement and lends the film its comic relief but also its heart. The animation is breathtaking, with the painstaking process of drawing the film frame by frame beautifully reimagined with everything feeling seamless and ultimately natural. The films greatest achievement is the introduction of colour which is sharp, focused and provides a beautiful colour palette depending on tone. Bright, vibrant greens for the forest and gothic black tones for the evil witch all of which is enhanced by the level of detail the Disney animators have managed to squeeze into the screen. Life is everywhere and is particularly impressive when Snow White is within the forest which is full of creatures and animals flying in and out of shot. While admittedly the story and particularly the music of the film have become dated, the aesthetic of the film is still such a triumph, an achievement that is as impressively detailed and wondrously colourful as any Disney feature since. Snow White and The Seven Dwarves marked its name in being the most ambitious, technologically advance piece of animation on its release and over time it has developed nostalgic and sentimentality becoming a figure of the magic that animation can provide. It pushed animation from mere childrens entertainment to the consciousness of all. A miraculous piece.