Today I watched two Disney films that, despite both being within the fairy tale genre, the animation method is very different – in fact they are out of completely different eras.
Firstly I watched the 2010 release Tangled, which is the 50th animated feature in the ‘Walt Disney Animated Classic’ range. It is, to date, most expensive animated film ever made and used a combination of computer generated imagery together with traditional animation. The musical score was written by Alan Menken and it retells the story Mother Gothel who took her Rapunzel from her true parents as a baby as the infants magic hair kept Gothel young.
When I first read about this film I really didn’t fancy the idea of it at all. So I skipped the cinema release – what a mistake! When it was released on blue ray we purchased a copy and since then it has become a firm favourite of mine. I love the humour, the music and the fact this is a sassy strong princess but a bit of a day dreamer.
Then I watched, Snow White. So rewind 73 astounding years to the initial release of Snow White, which was the very first cel animated 
film and the first produced by Walt Disney Productions. For that era it was definitely ground breaking and due to that and the Academies approval Walt Disney received a full-size Oscar statuette and seven miniature ones for the film. The story is a re-working on a traditional tale by the Brothers Grimm and tells the story of Snow White, whose step-mother was cruelly jealous of her beauty and sends her henchman to rip out her heart. Snow White luckily is deprived by the guilt ridden servant and Snow White runs off to the forest.
This is one of my favourites as it was my first Disney film I saw, during it’s 1975 release. Ok I admit I didn’t see all of it as the sight of the witch led me to running screaming out of the cinema! In years gone by it has always stayed in my heart and I love to watch it. To hear more details about the plot of Snow White, ride details and general discussion, listen to show 8 of the Minnie Minxes Podcast (released May 14th) where I pop on the show and chat through Snow White with the shows host Kim.
So which do I choose as my favourite? For story, got to be Snow White however for clarity, brightness and dazzling array of colours of the images it must be Tangled. So I’m sitting a bit on the fence. Which is your favourite classic?
