Live-Action ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’

[Disney Analyst]

Disney doesn’t tell anybody anything. It’s been that way since I can remember.

That’s why there are entire threads on multiple sites devoted to how long you can park with a dinner reservation and whether an annual pass holder can take their family through the dedicated entrance.

Disney’s not going to respond to every goofy idea the internet comes up with, especially given some of the nonsense sites spreading this speculation.

Exactly. Why should any production, Disney or not, be forced to reveal story points for an unreleased movie, based on tabloid fodder.

Does anyone here realize why movie companies keep key plot devices secretive?

 

[Andrew C]

I tend to lean to the idea that the simplest explanation is most likely the correct one.

Was Disney really going to do a version of the film without the 7 Dwarfs, when those 7 characters are pretty much the heart of the original film?

When Disney mentioned consulting with the community, that more than likely meant to forge the best path towards representing these characters, and at least showing they understand there could be criticism.

Or it could be the conspiracy some (not you) are pedalling on here, that they were indeed replacing them completely, have suddenly changed course, and will now need to reshoot every single scene between Snow and those 7 characters, OR work really hard on editing out every actor to replace them with a CGI version...

Seems the latter is the simplest explanation.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Seems the latter is the simplest explanation.

In the end, everything must be taken with a grain of salt. These things tend to come out, eventually.

 

[LittleBuford]

I tend to lean to the idea that the simplest explanation is most likely the correct one.

Was Disney really going to do a version of the film without the 7 Dwarfs, when those 7 characters are pretty much the heart of the original film?

You see, I don’t think that’s the simplest explanation at all. In light of Disney’s statement after Dinklage’s criticism, of the non-mention of dwarfs after the leaked pictures, of the actors’ repeated references to how different this version of the story will be, and of the shoddy look of the CGI image released the other day, the simplest explanation to my mind is that the dwarfs were hastily and just recently added. There are only two reasons I’m beginning to think I may be wrong in this assumption: first, it would make little sense for those involved in the film to lie about the bandits and dwarfs being parallel groups, since such a lie would soon come to light; and second, Zegler herself referred to Dopey in her Entertainment Weekly interview, as I discovered last night.

That still leaves the test-screening comments to consider. These were emphatic in identifying the dwarfs and bandits as one and the same group, and they made no mention of CGI dwarfs. And so, despite my earlier mea culpa, I’m still not really sure what to think. A few possibilities:

- The dwarfs were indeed always included, in which case the test-screening comments are made up or garbled. Why Disney would have kept this in their pocket till now is still beyond me, however.
- The dwarfs were recently added and will be appearing in addition to, rather than instead of, the bandits, in which case the insider comments are glossing over the truth.

All of which is to say that I’m thoroughly confused.

One thing I can state with confidence: Disney could have handled the publicity around this film much, much better than they have (and I’m not referring to Zegler’s interviews, which don’t bother me in the least).

 

[Disney Analyst]

You see, I don’t think that’s the simplest explanation at all. In light of Disney’s statement after Dinklage’s criticism, of the non-mention of dwarfs after the leaked pictures, of the actors’ repeated references to how different this version of the story will be, and of the shoddy look of the CGI image released the other day, the simplest explanation to my mind is that the dwarfs were hastily and just recently added. There are only two reasons I’m beginning to think I may be wrong in this assumption: first, it would make little sense for those involved in the film to lie about the bandits and dwarfs being parallel groups, since such a lie would soon come to light; and second, Zegler herself referred to Dopey in her Entertainment Weekly interview, as I discovered last night.

That still leaves the test-screening comments to consider. These were emphatic in identifying the dwarfs and bandits as one and the same group, and they made no mention of CGI dwarfs. And so, despite my earlier mea culpa, I’m still not really sure what to think. A few possibilities:

- The dwarfs were indeed always included, in which case the test-screening comments are made up or garbled. Why Disney would have kept this in their pocket till now is still beyond me, however.
- The dwarfs were recently added and will be appearing in addition to, rather than instead of, the bandits, in which case the insider comments are glossing over the truth.

All of which is to say that I’m thoroughly confused.

One thing I can state with confidence: Disney could have handled the publicity around this film much, much better than they have (and I’m not referring to Zegler’s interviews, which don’t bother me in the least).

It’s all very confusing, that I can agree.

 

[_caleb]

Are the Dwarfs in the original Snow White meant to be actual humans with dwarfism who work in mines? Or are they... something else?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Are the Dwarfs in the original Snow White meant to be actual humans with dwarfism who work in mines? Or are they... something else?

I’ve always thought of them as the mythical creature dwarves, not people with dwarfism dwarves.

 

[LittleBuford]

Are the Dwarfs in the original Snow White meant to be actual humans with dwarfism who work in mines? Or are they... something else?

I’ve always thought of them as the mythical creature dwarves, not people with dwarfism dwarves.

In the 1937 film, they’re referred to as “little men” by Snow White and the Evil Queen. To my eyes, they are depicted as caricatures of human beings with dwarfism, not as supernatural beings.

 

[Screamface]

They're so creepy looking.

 

[Nunu]

I’ve always thought of them as the mythical creature dwarves, not people with dwarfism dwarves.

We think alike in this regard. They are gnomes to me, not people with dwarfism.

 

[LittleBuford]

This discussion always puzzles me. If everyone views the dwarfs as supernatural beings who have nothing to do with people with dwarfism, why would Dinklage have said what he said, and why would those opposed to his views (including in this thread) have criticised Disney for denying work to actors with dwarfism?

 

[_caleb]

In the 1937 film, they’re referred to as “little men” by Snow White and the Evil Queen. To my eyes, they are depicted as caricatures of human beings with dwarfism, not as supernatural beings.

Huh. I can honestly say it never occurred to me that they were ever intended to be humans with dwarfism!

But I also don’t think I’ve ever thought they were magical in any way…

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

This discussion always puzzles me. If everyone views the dwarfs as supernatural beings who have nothing to do with people with dwarfism, why would Dinklage have said what he said, and why would those opposed to his views (including in this thread) have criticised Disney for denying work to actors with dwarfism?

Clearly he sees them as little people dwarfs, that doesn’t mean we do though.

As far as the jobs I just assumed they‘d employ little people to play them because they are the right size, I expected prosthetics so they’d look like the movie dwarves though.

 

[LittleBuford]

Huh. I can honestly say it never occurred to me that they were ever intended to be humans with dwarfism!

But I also don’t think I’ve ever thought they were magical in any way…

The word “dwarf”, together with its equivalents in other Germanic languages, has been used for centuries to refer both to little people and to the mythical beings. Regrettably for people with dwarfism, this has led to an inevitable conflation of the two definitions in popular culture.

 

[LittleBuford]

Clearly he sees them as little people dwarfs

So did Snow White and her stepmother, it seems!

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I’ve met quite a few little people over the years and none of them looked anything like the characters in Snow White, Norse dwarfs, the Lord of the Rings dwarfs, video game dwarfs, etc all share similar traits with them though, bulbous noses, big cheeks, and beards are almost universal with mythical dwarfs, they are usually carrying an axe or a hammer also, I guess that’s why I’ve always associated them with mythical dwarfs, that’s what they look like.

 

[LittleBuford]

I’ve met quite a few little people over the years and none of them looked anything like the characters in Snow White, Norse dwarfs, the Lord of the Rings dwarfs, video game dwarfs, etc all share similar traits with them though, bulbous noses, big cheeks, and beards are almost universal with mythical dwarfs, they are usually carrying an axe or a hammer also, I guess that’s why I’ve always associated them with mythical dwarfs, that’s what they look like.

To be clear, I’m not saying the Seven Dwarfs look like real people. They are highly caricatural, which is consistent with Disney’s broader treatment of comical male characters, including, for example, LeFou:

LeFou looks no more real than the dwarfs do, but he’s clearly meant to be understood as a human being within the logic of the film. There’s nothing to suggest that the same isn’t true of the dwarfs, who have no magical powers or superhuman strength, and who are referred to by other characters as “little men”.

 

[Disney Irish]

In the 1937 film, they’re referred to as “little men” by Snow White and the Evil Queen. To my eyes, they are depicted as caricatures of human beings with dwarfism, not as supernatural beings.

You might want to double check that.....

As when the Magic Mirror is telling the Queen Snow is still alive he mentions she is with the Dwarfs, specifically calling them Dwarfs not little men. And right before the Queen changes to the old hag she says she'll go to the Dwarfs cottage herself, again specifically calling them Dwarfs, not little men.

I believe its only Snow that doesn't call them Dwarfs.

 

[LittleBuford]

You might want to double check that.....

As when the Magic Mirror is telling the Queen Snow is still alive he mentions she is with the Dwarfs, specifically calling them Dwarfs not little men. And right before the Queen changes to the old hag she says she'll go to the Dwarfs cottage herself, again specifically calling them Dwarfs, not little men.

I believe its only Snow that doesn't call them Dwarfs.

I wouldn’t have written what I did without checking first.

“The little men will be away, and she'll be alone . . . with a harmless old peddler woman. A harmless old peddler woman!”

 

[Disney Irish]

I wouldn’t have written what I did without checking first.

“The little men will be away, and she'll be alone . . . with a harmless old peddler woman. A harmless old peddler woman!”

Well then you might want to check again, as I just watch it right now on D+. And indeed the Magic Mirror calls them Dwarfs and so does the Queen, both prior and after turning into the old hag.

Here is the transcript, you can read it yourself, Pages 8 and 10 -

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Movie Script

Read, review and discuss the entire Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs movie script by Jacob Grimm on Scripts.com

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