Once upon a time – 200 years ago to be precise – two brothers put down a collection of previously orally bequeathed wondrous and fantastic stories that would continue to amaze children and adults all over the world.
These so-called folktales or fairy tales with their simple stories, magical characters and educational morals fascinated people for hundreds of years. The stories written down by the brothers Grimm represent the sociohistoric and cultural context from their time. As the world changes old styles of oral storytelling give way to newer ones, particularly technologically advanced ways of narration: books, CDs, DVDs, video games, cinema, et cetera. Although there are numerous newer fantastic stories such as Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, the fairy tales' timeless themes like good versus evil, love, friendship, fear and bravery still reappear in contemporary narrative media. Today these fairy stories are still engaging for children, teenagers as well as adults. However, one may not find them very often being told in gloomy, fire-lit spinning rooms or read aloud at children's bedsides any more, but rather on a huge screen with surround sound, special visual effects in 3D and lots of popcorn and candy to nibble.
One of the most popular of Grimms' folktales is S(ch)neewittchen (KHM 53), internationally known as Snow White, Snow Drop, Blanche-neige or Blanca Nieve. No doubt, Snow White is “die beliebteste, meistillustrierte, meist-verfilmte, aber auch vielfach parodierte und verkitschte Figur der Kinder- und Hausmärchen [der Gebrüder Grimm]”.
The tale of Little Snow White has been transformed into many media during the last 200 years, however, Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs from 1937 is supposedly THE classic feature-length animated fairy film par excellence. Since the film won a special Oscar and was one of the most successful films of the 1930s, it was a milestone in the career of the Disney studios and the genre of fairy tales as well. “Der Welterfolg dieses Filmes ist ungebrochen. Noch im Jahre 2001, 64 Jahre nach der Premiere und rechtzeitig zum 100. Geburtstag Walt Disneys, erlebte der Streifen ein Comeback als Video-Kasette für das Heimkino”.
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Fairy Tale Films
3. Colour symbolism
3.1. Cover pictures
3.2. Snow White and her Stepmother, the Evil Queen
3.2.1. White, Red, Black
3.2.2. Silver & Gold
3.2.3. Yellow & Green
3.3. Scenery
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This paper examines how color symbolism is utilized in modern film adaptations of the Brothers Grimm's "Snow White" to shape narrative mood, character perception, and atmospheric tension. The central research question focuses on how visual elements, specifically color palettes in costumes and scenery, create distinct interpretations and emotional responses in the audience compared to the original textual source.
- The role of color theory and symbolism (white, red, black, silver, gold, yellow, green) in film.
- Comparative analysis of "Mirror Mirror" (2012) and "Snow White & the Huntsman" (2012).
- The impact of setting and atmosphere (forest, castle, snow) on audience perception.
- The transformation of fairy tales from traditional oral/textual roots to modern cinematic media.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2.1. White, Red, Black
The colour order of archaic, classic and traditional societies – the basic colour terms – is composed of black, white and red. This colour trilogy is used in literature to refer to an enhanced sexual attractiveness in Shakespeare for instance15, and in fairy tales as well:
The Queen wishes for a child as white as snow, as red as blood and as black as ebony, and that is how Little Snow White looks like in the fairy tale and in both film adaptations as well. She has got skin as fair as snow, lips red as blood and her hair is black as ebony, conforming to the aristocratic ideal of beauty during those times. It was very noble to have pale skin, protected from the sun.
Tanned skin was uncomely16 and having skin as white as snow showed beauty, virginity and purity17, that loveliness and virtue which make Snow White so enchanting and sublime:
“Es ist diese Mischung aus betörender Schönheit und hausfraulichen Tugenden, die den unvergleichlichen Reiz der Heldin ausmacht [, das] Idealbild des bürgerlichen Mädchens im 19. Jahrhundert: naiv unschuldig, schön, lieb, fromm, arbeitsam”18.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the origins of the Snow White tale and sets the context for the comparative study of two 2012 film adaptations.
2. Fairy Tale Films: The chapter discusses the complexities of adapting literature into film and the specific role of storytelling through imagery and setting.
3. Colour symbolism: This section explores how color acts as a tool for visual emotion and narrative focus in the selected films.
3.1. Cover pictures: The chapter analyzes how the DVD and poster art of the two films use color to establish genre expectations and mood.
3.2. Snow White and her Stepmother, the Evil Queen: This section examines the symbolic use of specific color palettes associated with the protagonist and the antagonist.
3.2.1. White, Red, Black: This sub-chapter explores the traditional color trilogy of beauty and death and how it defines the appearance of Snow White.
3.2.2. Silver & Gold: The chapter analyzes how these metallic colors are used to signify the Queen's power, vanity, and moral corruption.
3.2.3. Yellow & Green: This part addresses the symbolism of envy and moral degradation through the use of these specific colors in the Queen's portrayal.
3.3. Scenery: This chapter focuses on environmental symbols like the forest, the castle, and snow, and how their changing colors influence the viewer.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes how modern directors use color to provide diverse and contemporary interpretations of the timeless Grimm fairy tale.
Keywords
Snow White, colour symbolism, film adaptation, fairy tale, Mirror Mirror, Snow White & the Huntsman, Brothers Grimm, cinema, visual storytelling, narrative mood, cinematography, character design, colour theory, setting, fantasy film.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research?
The research primarily investigates the use of color symbolism as a narrative and atmospheric tool in two 2012 film adaptations of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "Snow White".
What are the central thematic areas covered in this work?
The work covers film adaptation theory, classical color symbolism, character analysis through costumes, and the visual construction of settings like forests and castles.
What is the core objective or research question?
The paper seeks to determine how directors utilize color to create distinct emotional interpretations of the Snow White story in modern cinema.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The study employs a comparative film analysis method, focusing on visual semiotics and the application of established color symbolism theories to cinematic imagery.
What is examined in the main body of the text?
The main body investigates the color palettes of costumes (specifically for Snow White and the Queen) and the symbolic depiction of landscapes and buildings in "Mirror Mirror" and "Snow White & the Huntsman".
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include color symbolism, film adaptation, Snow White, visual narrative, and fairy tale analysis.
How does the color yellow reflect the Queen's character in this analysis?
In the text, yellow is described as a color of bile, envy, and suffering, serving to highlight the Queen's jealousy and moral decay.
What role does the setting of the forest play in the two adaptations?
The forest represents internal states; in "Snow White & the Huntsman" it is dark and dangerous, reflecting the Queen's influence, while in "Mirror Mirror" it undergoes a transition to brightness, signaling the triumph of good.
- Quote paper
- Dorothea Wolschak (Author), 2013, Colour Symbolism in Fairy Tale Film Adaptations. "Mirror Mirror" and "Snow White & the Huntsman", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/275972
