The highly anticipated live-action remake of Disney’s timeless classic “Snow White” has found itself embroiled in controversy even before its release yet again, as the son of the original film’s director expresses strong disapproval of the upcoming adaptation. David Hand, 91, who shares the same name as his father, the director of the 1937 animated masterpiece, has voiced his concerns, warning that the remake has the potential to “destroy” the legacy of the beloved film.
“They change the stories, they change the thought processes of the characters, they just aren’t the original stories anymore. They’re making up new woke things and I’m just not into any of that,” he said. “I find it quite frankly, a bit insulting that they may have done with some of these classic films.”
“There’s no respect for what Disney did and what my dad did… I think Walt and he would be turning in their graves.”
These criticisms follow a series of contentious remarks made by the lead actress of the new adaptation, Rachel Zegler, who characterized the original 1937 animation as “extremely dated” and took issue with the portrayal of the titular character’s relationship with the prince. Zegler argued that the updated version of Snow White would not rely on the traditional trope of being “saved by the prince,” and she also pointed out the problematic dynamics of the prince’s pursuit of Snow White, describing it as a form of stalking.
Leaked images from the film set have further fueled the controversy, as they reveal alterations to the iconic seven dwarfs, transforming them into “magical creatures” in an effort to avoid perpetuating stereotypes. Hand, who had worked as a designer for Disney in the 1990s, expressed his strong disagreement with these changes in an interview with The Telegraph. He argued that both his father and Walt Disney would be “turning in their graves” due to the alterations, which he deemed “insulting.”
According to Hand, the original “Snow White” was created with “good taste” and should be respected as a piece of cinematic history. He lamented that Disney’s tendency to modify classics in line with modern sensibilities threatens to dilute the essence of the original stories, accusing the studio of introducing “woke” elements that deviate from the source material.
Hand’s sentiments resonate with a growing chorus of critics who believe that Disney should focus on producing fresh and innovative content rather than reimagining their beloved classics. He urged the studio to channel their creative energies into developing new characters and narratives rather than attempting to reshape and potentially “destroy” the magic that the original films captured.
