Disney's live-action remake of 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has been making headlines, and not with very positive reviews. From its dismal reception to its measly box office take, it feels like this fractured fairy tale is more poison than apple.
However, as troublesome as production was for this adaptation, it did do one thing right. It serves as a reminder that fouling up the formula of such a landmark Disney classic is a bad idea. To further illustrate just what an impact the original had, take a look at what Roy Disney had to say back in 1994.
If it ain't broke, don't remake it!
If you were a child of the '90s or at least owned a VHS copy of the original Snow White, you know who Roy E. Disney is. Nephew of Walt Disney and partner to then-CEO Michael Eisner. Roy Disney did wonders for reviving the classic Disney image.
The footage above was shown before viewing the original film, and it serves as a reminder of just why it was such a big deal for The Walt Disney Company. Seen through a 2025 lens, it also serves as a vision of what the studio should strive to emulate. As Disney put it, it's more about looking towards the future, it's "preserving the treasures of the past."
That's not to say Disney needs to rely on its past to preserve its future, as many have said it hits us with the nostalgia bat a bit too much. However, the current Snow White is a cautionary tale as to what could happen when the studio tries too hard to be modern.
That also might be a large reason why Disney relies so much on its backlog of classic films on streaming. There's no substitute for the originals, and the live-action remakes continue to prove that point time and time again.
You can still see the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on Disney+.