Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs released in 1937 marked a milestone that redefined what animation could be. The idea of a 90 minute fully animated feature seemed unlikely to many at the time. Skeptics argued that Disney had already pushed the art form with the early Mickey Mouse shorts, and that a longer film would fail to hold audiences. Yet the bold budget of about 1.5 million dollars turned into many times that amount in returns, and Snow White opened the floodgates for a wave of animated storytelling. [Disney Archives].
RENAISSANCE
Renaissance arrived after Snow White with a run of feature‑length animated films into the 1940s. Pinocchio, released in 1940, and Bambi in 1942, remain classics. After that period, there was a lull in widely admired animated films as key personnel moved on and the studio exhausted many traditional fairy tales, forcing the company to create original material.
THE GOLDEN AGE
The Golden Age began in 1989 with The Little Mermaid, a smash that revived interest in animated features. It opened the door to Beauty and the Beast in 1991, Aladdin in 1992, and The Lion King in 1994. A notable result of this era was Disney casting well known actors to voice major roles, drawing broader audiences; Robin Williams brought energy to Aladdin, while James Earl Jones and Jeremy Irons lent gravitas to The Lion King.
BEYOND DISNEY
Beyond Disney, the best work came from Japan and was not always aimed at a young audience. Directors in cinema history have long sought total control over their films, and since the 1980s many Japanese directors discovered animation gave them the tools to achieve that control. Hayao Miyazaki, whose Spirited Away appeared in 2001, became a global icon and helped establish animation as an art form.
RISE OF THE MACHINES
Rise of the Machines arrived in 1995 when Pixar released Toy Story, the first feature fully animated by computer and the first in a line of many. Critics initially debated the shift away from hand drawn work, a concern echoed in the early days of Snow White. Yet in the years that followed, characters like Woody and Buzz Lightyear, Mike and Sully, Nemo and Wall‑E won the affection of audiences around the world. In 2010 Up became the first computer animated film nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and a movie that moved many viewers deeply. Animated features have since become a trusted pillar of cinema, delivering awards, laughter, tears and unforgettable moments.