--- title: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs" critics_score: 80 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938): what the critics said Critics' score 80 from 12 reviews: 11 positive, 0 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics treat the film as a landmark, and the praise clusters on the animation itself: the detail in every frame, the colour, and the way editing, camera angles and sound give the forest flight an intensity the medium had not managed before. The dwarfs and the forest animals are singled out repeatedly as the characters that still charm, and several reviews note that the songs and slapstick keep it fun for children eighty years on. The reservations are mild and scattered. A few critics find the wicked stepmother overdone, the dwarfs’ dialogue a touch tough, or some scenes too frightening for the youngest viewers, and others allow that the animation looks dated beside what came after. The spread is narrow, with one clear dissent: Slant Magazine finds the characters insipid and the pacing abysmal, granting only the craft and the historical importance. Paste still faults the film for confining American animation to children’s entertainment. ## Los Angeles Times — Charles Solomon Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 16 July 1987. A landmark in animation history that set box-office records and introduced big-time cinema techniques to the medium, establishing standards of emotional depth and technical skill that later features struggled to surpass. Scenes like the forest flight demonstrate unprecedented emotional intensity through editing, camera angles, color, motion, and sound. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-07-16-ca-4233-story.html) ## Sight and Sound Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). The critic finds it difficult to spot flaws in this lovely film full of beauty, tenderness, fantasy and humour that perfectly captures a child's dreams. They single out the near-perfect animation that brings the dwarfs, queen and animals to life, while noting some scenes may be too scary for young children. [Read the review](http://old.bfi.org.uk/features/ultimatefilm/chart/details.php?ranking=3) ## The Hollywood Reporter — THR Staff Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2022. The critic calls the film a masterpiece of entertainment for all ages that proves length is no handicap in animation. It highlights the innovative drawing, animation, color, music, and the dwarfs' comedic characters as key strengths. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-review-movie-1937-1235286007/) ## The New Yorker — John C. Mosher Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 8 January 1938. The first feature-length Disney film is entrancing and skillfully avoids the pitfalls of its length and artifice, refreshing even jaded adults with its fairy-tale charm. The director excels with animals, birds, coloring, and Snow White herself, though the wicked stepmother is somewhat overdone and the dwarfs' dialogue is a bit too tough. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1938/01/15/1938-01-15-060-tny-cards-000034052) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 1987. The film remains a landmark whose revolutionary impact on animation and cinema has been taken for granted as it became a beloved classic. Its original release set box-office records and influenced generations of artists and filmmakers. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/12/movies/snow-white-at-50-undimmed-magic.html) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. This animated treatment does the well-known story absolute justice as a timeless classic that remains fun thanks to its scary moments, slapstick humour and memorable sing-along songs like Whistle While You Work and Heigh-Ho. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/snow-white-seven-dwarfs-review/) ## Little White Lies — Nathanael Smith Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 21 December 2017. The piece celebrates the film's enduring appeal 80 years on, praising its technical innovation and quality in every frame despite some dated elements and tropes. It singles out the detailed animation and simple storytelling that captures romance and magic. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/in-praise-of/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-at-80) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 13 November 2009. The 1937 Disney film remains visually sensational with a sinister bite, particularly the poisoned apple scene and Snow White's flight through the forest, even as modern audiences are accustomed to more sophisticated animation. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/dvd-snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-pg-various-directors-dvd-83-mins-1819424.html) ## Slant Magazine Rating 1. 7 October 2009. The critic deems the film an underwhelming underachiever that fails to transcend its insipid characters, kitschy setting, and abysmal pacing. It acknowledges the technical craft and historical importance in animation but finds the overall result callow and poorly structured. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs/) ## Den of Geek — Mark Pickavance Rating 5 out of 5. 11 November 2009. The critic praises the film as a groundbreaking achievement in animation with tight storytelling and iconic scenes that still charm. They single out the restoration's color saturation and the enduring appeal for animators and children. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-blu-ray-review/) ## Eye for Film — Gator MacReady Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 25 October 2001. The critic praises the 1937 Disney classic as showing a level of class and innovation that later Disney features lack, highlighting its groundbreaking animation and charming elements like the dwarfs and forest animals. They contrast it favorably with modern Disney's reliance on celebrity voices and gimmicks while noting its European style and enduring appeal despite tame elements by today's standards. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-film-review-by-gator-macready) ## Paste — Kenneth Lowe Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 20 February 2023. The critic views the film as an indispensable cornerstone of animation and the Disney princess formula, while criticizing its role in confining American animation to children's entertainment. He praises the lavish cel animation and realistic movement. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/disney/snow-white-seven-dwarfs-disney-first-princess) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs.md