Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 11, 2023

Home theater aficionados got a Valentine's Day present of sorts when the 4K UHD disc format debuted on February 14, 2016, which may then beg the question for some as to why it took the venerable Walt Disney organization, a studio I've joked has long engaged in what amounts to "recycling" of its legendary (and, frankly, non-legendary) titles, to get around to releasing what is arguably its most legendary animated feature in that "new, improved" form. Well, it may have taken a while, and considering the season, this may be kind of weirdly a Halloween present of sorts for home theater aficionados, but as anyone who has ever answered the feral call of "trick or treat" on a certain night, both Snow White and other characters like an evil apple bearing witch tend to be popular costumes with tots, so maybe it all makes sense in a way. As with virtually every 4K release Disney has offered, this has several editions available, including this wide release, as well as a SteelBook available at Best Buy and a Disney Movie Club edition. (As of the writing of this review, there's also a listing for a Wal-Mart Exclusive, but it doesn't have info yet, and may be a "phantom listing".)

Recycling, you say? As should come as no big surprise to anyone, visitors to this site have some previous reviews of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to read which can provide both reactions as well as technical analyses. Ken Brown contributed his Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Blu-ray review back in the "Dark Ages" of 2009, and then Martin Liebman's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Blu-ray review focused on the two disc Signature Edition that came out in 2016. Unless I'm missing something, the sole 1080 disc in this set replicates all of the content of the two disc set Marty reviewed. You'll note that as tends to be the case in the "different reviewers means different opinions", I've given the overall film a slightly higher score than either Ken or Marty did.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc included in this package.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is (are?) presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Disney / Buena Vista with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.37:1. Say what you will about Disney's proclivities toward revisiting their releases over and over (and over), when they bring one of their undisputed classics out in a "new, improved" version, they typically do a splendid job, and that's once again the case here. This is another gorgeously organic looking presentation, and proves that actual "film" features can have a really beautifully tightly resolved grain field. Resolution of grain can be especially impressive in moments like the "peddler woman" (you know who she really is) is wandering through a mist strewn forest, where things look appropriately spooky and textured without ever really verging into noisy territory. Kind of interestingly, HDR tends to cool things just a bit at times, though there are still some incredibly ravishing reds in particular that dot the frame at regular intervals. Line detail is typically exceptional and general detail levels are excellent. The increased resolution of this format may tend to point out some minor irregularities in any given frame or two, where, for instance either animation imperfections or actual focus issues can lead to slight passing deficits in clarity (for just one of many examples, keep your eyes peeled toward the left of the frame on Snow White's first introduction with the helpful little birds, and you can see a couple of the birds kind of "blur out" for a second. Some of the establishing shots, as in the very first views of the castle, can also show somewhat less fulsome detail levels, due at least in part to a relatively less baroque animation style.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

I'm matching Ken's and Marty's score for the repeated use of a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track for this release, but I'm sure I'm not alone, at least among audiophiles, who wish Disney would just offer original mono tracks as an option. Ken goes into quite a bit of detail in his review about many of the aspects of the track, and I'd only add that there's some unmistakable and no doubt unavoidable boxiness and slightly tinny sound to this product of relatively early recording technologies. That said, aside from having been rejiggered (however artfully), which may raise a few hackles, the track provides excellent fidelity and clear rendering of all dialogue and music. Optional subtitles in several languages are available.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 4K UHD disc in this package sports no supplemental content. The 1080 disc in this set replicates the Signature Edition reviewed by Marty (see above). Marty's review has an excellent rundown of all the supplements on the 1080 disc. This release contains a digital copy and packaging features a slipcover.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs "old fashioned"? Well, of course, and probably nothing else should be expected of a vintage 1937 production that itself is based on an even older tale. But that quaint quality is what I'd argue is one of this film's outstanding charms, and this new 4K UHD presentation does the visuals proud. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 option is fine, and in fact rather conservative for a surround reimaginging (which is the correct choice, in my opinion), but I sure wish Disney would let us have original mono mixes as an audio option. Otherwise, though, this release easily comes Highly recommended.