Though the character of Snow White has been on the page since The Brothers Grimm ‘collected’ her tale in 1812, it has only been in recent years that it has undergone more than a slight variation as she has been overhauled and updated for modern times. ‘Re-imaginings’ of Snow White’s tale through the 1990s experimented with changes in setting, chronology and familial relationships, creating a wide-ranging back-catalogue of effectively new stories, based on her original story.
As written, her’s is a tale of horror, envy and betrayal, as Snow White is systematically ousted from her home, pursued and plotted against by her evil step-mother, The Queen, because her magical mirror tells her that Snow White is more beautiful than she is. The Queen commands a Huntsman to kill her step-daughter and provide gruesome proof. There is attempted poisoning, dramatic rescue by dwarves, lengthy comas and brutal deaths. The story has all the elements of Hollywood gold, which explains why so many versions have been produced.
Although the first appearance of the character of Snow White was in the 1916 silent film of the same name, it is unfortunately the 1937 Disney animated film that was most closely associated with her, until recently. In it, Snow White is a saintly image of ultimate perfection, singing and swishing her way through a magical land of bluebirds and cute bunnies. Such effective white-washing of a previously fascinating character almost consigned Snow White to the Pointless Princess Pile, until the turn of the century brought with it a desire to explore the character of Snow White, and all her untapped potential. Snow White: A Tale Of Terror in 1997 took her right back to the darker side, while Mirror, Mirror in 2012 attempted to bring the laughs. It was 2012’s Snow White And The Huntsman that did her the greatest service, however, having her evolve into a driven and ambitious warrior, determined to overthrow The Queen.
Today, she is a staple feature of stage-plays, musicals and pantomimes around the world, in addition to her long reign at the multiplexes, and has also moved into television with Ginnifer Goodwin’s portrayal in Once Upon A Time. With cinematic depictions to date by Marguerite Clark, Adriana Caselotti, Sarah Patterson, Kristen Kreuk, Monica Keena, Lily Collins and Kristen Stewart, the newly modernized Snow White is far more influential than Mr. Disney could ever have imagined.
