The Original Disney Princess Who Even Hardcore Fans Don't Know About
Princesses are big, big business for Disney. Whether you like the classics like Aurora or Ariel or prefer a modern princess like Moana or Tiana, there’s a movie — and plenty of merchandise — for you. But the princess film that started it all isn’t the one you think. Before Walt Disney released the groundbreaking Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, there was another princess. And she definitely doesn't fit with the iconic Disney formula.
The beginnings
Hand-drawn animation has changed a lot over the years. Back in 1937, the year Snow White was released, it was still in its infancy. Filmmakers didn’t even know if it was possible to portray a human character that would act as a real person does. Mickey Mouse was one thing, but animating a human being?
Disney’s dream
This was the genesis of the Disney princess. Walt Disney was absolutely determined that he would make a feature-length movie with realistic human characters, no matter how ambitious or how difficult a task that was. So in 1934 he brought the studio’s biggest talents together and made the announcement: production on Snow White was about to begin.
The big meeting
That meeting between artists spawned a legend in itself. According to those who were there, Walt performed the entire story for the animators, doing every different character and even hunching over when voicing the wicked queen. The Disney staff were impressed and threw themselves into this new challenge.
Disney’s folly
But outside of the Disney company, very few people thought a full-length animated film could succeed. Industry insiders dubbed the production “Disney’s Folly,” and Walt’s own wife suggested to him that it was simply too ambitious a concept. Yet Walt refused to be dissuaded and plowed ahead regardless.
