One could argue that this film contains an impressive array of genres: comedy, drama, song, farce, suspense, murder, horror, and of course… a chase. A classic since the creation of cinema as a dramatic art, the chase here is the climax of the tension created by the death of the main heroine. The dwarfs want to fight, and so does the viewer. At the end of a final treachery in which the Queen tries to kill her pursuers, she is struck down, as if by God, and the vultures follow her slowly, sinking into the blur of the ravine on a bold visual and scenic move.
Sadly, the orchestral track for this sequence no longer exist, and, despite its importance, it is not included on the original CD soundtrack.
It should be noted that this is the only sequence in which Bill Roberts replaces Norman Ferguson on many shots of the witch, whereas the character had previously been the animator’s preserve, despite some help from animators.
Scene 4 of this sequence is an adaptation of scene 11 in sequence 14E. Also in scene 9, Bernard Garbutt mistalenly animated Dopey obviously enjoying himself riding the deer.
Production information
Sequence number: 14J
Date of final draft: November 9, 1937
Directors: Ben Sharpsteen
Assistant director: Lou Debney
Animators of the hag: Norman Ferguson, Bill Roberts, John Lounsbery & Frank Kelling
Animators of the dwarfs: James Algar, Bernard Garbutt, Bill Roberts & Eric Larson
Animators of the animals: Eric Larson, James Algar & Bernard Garbutt
Animator of the vultures: Ward Kimball
Bernard Garbutt assistant animator: Lynn Karp
Eric Larson assistant animator: Don Lusk
Ward Kimball assistant animator: Claude Smith
Frank Kelling assistant animator: Bob Cormack
Bill Roberts assistant animators: John Elliotte & Bob Cormack
Effects animators (Boulder, lever): Cy Young & Sandy Strother
Effects animator (Rain, shadows): Cornett Wood
Effects animator (Lightnings): Bob Martsch
Effects animators (Boulder, lever, rain, clouds): Joshua Meador
Effects animator (Rain): Art Palmer
Cast
Hag: Lucille La Verne
Doc: Roy Atwell
Grumpy and Sleepy: Pinto Colvig
Happy: Otis Harlan
Bashful: Scotty Mattraw
Sneezy: Billy Gilbert
Additional dwarfs voices: Jim MacDonald, Clarence Nash, Hal Rees & Lem Wright
The birds: Esther Campbell, Anne Darlington, Marion Darlington, Peggy Downey, Ruth Magden, Louise Meyers, Clarence Nash & Ruby Ray
Scenes
Here is the sequence broken up into scenes with the corresponding animators.
