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The Snow White Puppet Mystery: Did Disney Miss a Muppet-Sized Opportunity?

The upcoming live-action Snow White film, starring Rachel Zegler, has been a subject of intense scrutiny and debate since its announcement. While Zegler’s casting has been a flashpoint, more recently, details revealed by the actress herself about the film’s production have sparked a new wave of questions – specifically, about the treatment of the iconic Seven Dwarfs.

During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Zegler offered a peek behind the curtain, describing the complex process of filming scenes that involve the Dwarfs. Her explanation has left many wondering if Disney missed a golden opportunity to deliver something truly special, something that could have resonated with audiences far more deeply than the apparent CGI-heavy approach.

Zegler detailed the laborious, multi-layered process: “You basically do three different versions of every scene,” she explained. “You do one with humans in the space so you’re having an emotional connection with somebody and then you do it with puppets, in our case for Dopey and Grumpy and these iconic characters.”

Wait. Puppets? That’s right, Zegler confirmed that puppets were used, at least in part, during the filming process. This revelation immediately raises the question: why weren’t the puppets used more prominently? Why weren’t they, perhaps, the primary representation of the Dwarfs, rather than serving as temporary stand-ins for computer-generated characters?

The Disney live-action remakes have become infamous for their often-unsettling CGI recreations of beloved animated characters. The "realistic" Flounder and Sebastian in "The Little Mermaid," the uncanny Lumiere and Cogsworth in "Beauty and the Beast" – these attempts at bringing animated figures to life have often fallen flat, sacrificing charm and expressiveness for a photorealistic look that ends up feeling lifeless and even, dare we say, creepy.

This track record makes the idea of a puppet-based approach to the Dwarfs all the more appealing. Zegler’s description of the puppetry adds another layer of intrigue. She likened the style to the work of Julie Taymor, known for her groundbreaking theatrical productions, particularly "The Lion King" on Broadway. Taymor’s puppetry blends human performers with intricately designed puppets, creating a visually stunning and emotionally resonant experience. Imagine that level of artistry applied to the Seven Dwarfs.

"They were full, like, I say Julie Taymor-esque because if you’ve seen The Lion King on Broadway, anything that Julie Taymor has done, it’s that kind of puppetry where they’re like attached to the feet of the puppeteer and then moved around with their hands for all of those iconic characters,” Zegler explained.

This vision of expressive, handcrafted puppets operated by skilled performers offers a compelling alternative to what many fear the CGI versions will deliver. It could have been a beautiful compromise – a blend of live-action performance and traditional artistry. Think of the fantastical creatures and expressive characters from Jim Henson’s "Labyrinth" or "The Dark Crystal." These films created believable, enchanting worlds without relying solely on computer-generated imagery.

Why not embrace that legacy? Why not create a Snow White film that evokes the same sense of wonder and imagination? It would be a fitting tribute to the legacy of Disney animation, while also offering something fresh and unique.

One can’t help but wonder if Disney considered a fully realized puppet approach. Perhaps budget constraints or a desire to maintain a consistent "realistic" aesthetic pushed them toward CGI. But the potential for something truly special seems to have been left on the table.

The actress even described the other takes done without the Dwarfs: “And then you do what’s called a clean pass, where it’s essentially me doing ‘Whistle While You Work’ to nobody, dancing and singing. The thing you have to do with props—because essentially they need to turn the prop into a CG prop and put it into the CG character’s hand—[is] you just drop it on the floor. And so that cut of the movie I hope comes out someday, or it’s just me dropping things.”

The thought of Rachel Zegler performing "Whistle While You Work" to an empty room, meticulously dropping props for later CGI manipulation, is both amusing and disheartening. It highlights the immense effort and technical complexity involved in creating these CGI-heavy scenes. While Zegler is undoubtedly a talented performer, one can’t help but feel that her talents could have been better utilized, perhaps in a more collaborative and organic process involving puppeteers.

The article also suggests that Disney should release this "clean pass" cut, which would show the actress dancing and dropping things, or, better yet, the cut with the puppets.

The revelation of the puppet element raises another tantalizing possibility: what if the Dwarfs had been Muppets? A Muppet-Snow White collaboration could have been a stroke of genius, blending the timeless appeal of the classic fairytale with the irreverent humor and heart of the Muppets. Kermit the Frog as the wise leader, Fozzie Bear as the bumbling Dopey, Miss Piggy as the glamorous Evil Queen – the possibilities are endless.

While the finished product will be what it is, the details that have emerged from Zegler’s interview raise questions about creative choices. It has also spawned many fan suggestions that would seemingly be more appealing and less problematic. It does leave one thing certain: Rachel Zegler needs to be in a movie with the Muppets. That’s the film we really want to see.

The final film will arrive, and we will be able to see how the CGI dwarfs measure up. But the rumors of what could have been will linger.