Happily Ever After
(1993)
G | 74,80 or 84 mins | Children's works, Fantasy | 28 May 1993
Cast:
Edward Asner, Irene Cara, Carol Channing [ More ]Writers:
Martha Moran, Robby LondonProducer:
Lou ScheimerEditors:
Jeffrey C. Patch, Joe GallProduction Designers:
Rick Maki, Tenny Henson, Ray Aragon, Gerald Forton, Frank Frezzo, Leandro Martinez, Tom Shannon, Cliff Voorhees, Patricia WongProduction Company:
FilmationThe film opens with sketch illustrations depicting the ending of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938, see entry). The images are accompanied by voice-over narration of Dom DeLuise as the “Looking Glass”: “We all know the story of a maid named Snow White and how the good Dwarfs tried to hide her from sight. And who could forget how that wicked queen—the creep—gave Snow White the apple to cause eternal sleep. Poison is strong, but love stronger still. One day came a prince riding over the hill. With love in his heart, he reached out his hand. His touch woke Snow White and brought joy to the land. What follows now? A wedding! Well then, let all the Dwarfs be our seven best men! Good! Look! They rode into the sunset and through green clover. But that isn’t the end. No! Our story’s not over. So for those of you who feel perplexed and want to know what happens next, we are proud to present, for your fun and delight, the continuing story of the Prince and Snow White.”
On 4 Aug 1986, People magazine reported that Joni Mitchell was cast to voice “Mother Nature” in an animated project for Filmation, which a 24 May 1993 DV article called an “unauthorized sequel” to Walt Disney Productions’ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. A few days later, however, the 15 Aug 1986 HR announced Mitchell’s replacement by Phyllis Diller, and referred to the film by the working title, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfelles. Various Var items in fall 1987 suggested that the film was ...
The film opens with sketch illustrations depicting the ending of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938, see entry). The images are accompanied by voice-over narration of Dom DeLuise as the “Looking Glass”: “We all know the story of a maid named Snow White and how the good Dwarfs tried to hide her from sight. And who could forget how that wicked queen—the creep—gave Snow White the apple to cause eternal sleep. Poison is strong, but love stronger still. One day came a prince riding over the hill. With love in his heart, he reached out his hand. His touch woke Snow White and brought joy to the land. What follows now? A wedding! Well then, let all the Dwarfs be our seven best men! Good! Look! They rode into the sunset and through green clover. But that isn’t the end. No! Our story’s not over. So for those of you who feel perplexed and want to know what happens next, we are proud to present, for your fun and delight, the continuing story of the Prince and Snow White.”
On 4 Aug 1986, People magazine reported that Joni Mitchell was cast to voice “Mother Nature” in an animated project for Filmation, which a 24 May 1993 DV article called an “unauthorized sequel” to Walt Disney Productions’ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. A few days later, however, the 15 Aug 1986 HR announced Mitchell’s replacement by Phyllis Diller, and referred to the film by the working title, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfelles. Various Var items in fall 1987 suggested that the film was later renamed Snow White: The Adventure Continues.
According to a 17 May 1993 LAT article, production was completed in 1988. Around this time, Disney sued Filmation, but was assured that the characters would not resemble those in Disney’s 1938 original.
The 7 Feb 1989 DV stated that French cosmetics corporation L’Oreal created Paravision International, an entertainment branch intended to expand the company’s involvement in the film and television market. Paravision purchased rights to the Filmation library, and Filmation closed its production office in Reseda, CA.
Items in the 9 Apr 1990 DV and 18 Apr 1990 Var suggested the involvement of Kel-Air Entertainment, but the company is not credited onscreen. The 24 May 1993 DV reported that the film was first reviewed by Var in Jun 1990 as “well-crafted but uninspired,” and an advertisement in AMPAS library files indicated the newest working title as Snow White in the Land of Doom.
Following the dissolution of Filmation, the 11 Jun and 20 Jul 1993 HR announced that Texas-based 1st National Film Corp. purchased theatrical distribution rights for $1.3—$1.5 million. The 19 Nov 1990 Var claimed that funds were raised through a “stock swap,” which gave shareholders a stake in 1st National’s parent company, Power Capital. However, the already delayed 16 Jun 1990 release was once again postponed due to “lack of capital,” as 1st National attempted to entice merchandisers with rights to products such as a Nintendo video game, dolls, toys, comic books, and apparel. A 19 Sep 1991 DV news item stated that 1st National also acquired television distribution rights, which included a $7.3 million “minimum performance guarantee” and $17 million in projected sales.
On 10 Mar 1993, HR announced that Continental Capital & Equity Corp. had replaced GICC Capital Corp. as a backer of the theatrical release, and would provide $6 million for prints and advertising costs. The 26 Apr 1993 Var stated that 1st National hoped to release the film on 1,200 screens, but so far had only booked commitments from 400 theaters. The 24 May 1993 DV stated that a total of $7.4 million was spent on promotional efforts, which included trailers and television advertisements. The article proposed that the delayed opening would help the company “cash in” on the recent success of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (1991, see entry) and Aladdin (1992, see entry), as well as the studio’s upcoming re-release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on 2 Jul 1993.
According to the 2 Jun 1993 DV, the film received negative reviews and grossed only $1.8 million during its opening weekend, causing 1st National’s stock to drop thirty-six percent. After ten days, the film earned $2.8 million, which the 11 Jun 1993 HR stated was cause for “substantial doubt” about 1st National’s future after the company estimated a figure closer to $15 million, which would recoup the film’s total production and advertising costs. By the following month, the 20 Jul 1993 HR listed cumulative earnings of $3.2 million. As a result, 1st National sold home video distribution rights to Spelling Entertainment Group’s Worldvision Enterprises Inc., with videocassette release scheduled for the 1993 holiday season. Due to fees and marketing costs, however, Worldvision was not expected to earn more than a few million dollars in revenue.
In light of the film’s underwhelming box-office performance, the Securities & Exchange Commission filed a complaint against 1st National for knowingly “defrauding” investors by “inflating” the picture’s potential. Despite Disney’s lack of involvement, 1st National wrote letters to potential investors purporting the film’s status as a sequel that was projected to gross at least $122 million in theatrical and home video sales. The 29 Jun 1995 DV stated that the complaint was settled out of court.
Although the original Nintendo video game was never released, Imagitec Design developed a version of the game for Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994.
Snow White in the Land of Doom
Snow White: The Adventure Continues
Shortly after the death of the wicked queen, peace returns to the kingdom and Snow White prepares to wed the Prince who saved her life. One day, the queen’s wizard brother, Lord Maliss, storms into the castle and demands to know his sister’s whereabouts. When the queen’s talking looking glass reveals that her jealousy of Snow White led to her demise, Lord Maliss vows to avenge her death by taking control of the land, which he dubs the “Realm of Doom.” He transforms himself into a dragon and flies away, followed by the queen’s supporters, a cigar-smoking owl named Scowl, and an innocent bat named Batso. Lord Maliss finds Snow White picking flowers on the way to the cottage owned by the Seven Dwarfs. He snatches her in his talons, but Scowl inadvertently gets in the way, causing the dragon to drop her in the forest. When the Prince challenges Snow White’s attacker, Lord Maliss returns to human form and uses magic to knock him unconscious. In her attempt to escape, Snow White becomes lost in the woods, but eventually locates the Dwarfs’ cottage. She faints from exhaustion just outside the door and awakens several hours later inside the house, which she realizes is empty. After exploring the property, she meets the Dwarfs’ female cousins, the Seven “Dwarfelles,” who took over the cottage after the Dwarfs moved away. Snow White explains her problem, and the Dwarfelles take her to Rainbow Falls to see Mother Nature. While each of the Dwarfelles—Muddy, Critterina, Blossom, Marina, Sunburn, and Moonbeam—control different elements of the natural world, the young Thunderella laments her failure to develop her power to command the weather. Mother Nature criticizes ...
Shortly after the death of the wicked queen, peace returns to the kingdom and Snow White prepares to wed the Prince who saved her life. One day, the queen’s wizard brother, Lord Maliss, storms into the castle and demands to know his sister’s whereabouts. When the queen’s talking looking glass reveals that her jealousy of Snow White led to her demise, Lord Maliss vows to avenge her death by taking control of the land, which he dubs the “Realm of Doom.” He transforms himself into a dragon and flies away, followed by the queen’s supporters, a cigar-smoking owl named Scowl, and an innocent bat named Batso. Lord Maliss finds Snow White picking flowers on the way to the cottage owned by the Seven Dwarfs. He snatches her in his talons, but Scowl inadvertently gets in the way, causing the dragon to drop her in the forest. When the Prince challenges Snow White’s attacker, Lord Maliss returns to human form and uses magic to knock him unconscious. In her attempt to escape, Snow White becomes lost in the woods, but eventually locates the Dwarfs’ cottage. She faints from exhaustion just outside the door and awakens several hours later inside the house, which she realizes is empty. After exploring the property, she meets the Dwarfs’ female cousins, the Seven “Dwarfelles,” who took over the cottage after the Dwarfs moved away. Snow White explains her problem, and the Dwarfelles take her to Rainbow Falls to see Mother Nature. While each of the Dwarfelles—Muddy, Critterina, Blossom, Marina, Sunburn, and Moonbeam—control different elements of the natural world, the young Thunderella laments her failure to develop her power to command the weather. Mother Nature criticizes her incompetence, and ridicules the other Dwarfelles for misusing the powers she gave them. Although Snow White argues in their favor, Mother Nature decides to strip the Dwarfelles of their magical abilities. Moments later, Lord Maliss attacks in his dragon form, but Mother Nature protects them. Before he flies away, however, Maliss announces that the Prince is being held captive in the Realm of Doom. Giving the Dwarfelles one last chance to prove their worth, Mother Nature assigns them to accompany Snow White across the kingdom and save her beloved. On their journey, the group realizes they are being followed by a cloaked traveler, whom they call the “Shadow Man.” Watching their progress through the looking glass, Lord Maliss sends a pack of vicious horned dogs, which chase the Dwarfelles to the edge of a ravine. From the other side of the chasm, the Shadow Man knocks over a tree, creating a bridge for them to cross. Snow White thanks their savior for his help, but the Shadow Man runs away in shame after seeing his reflection in a puddle of water. Moments later, Lord Maliss appears, transforms into a dragon, and kidnaps Snow White once again. Back at the castle, Scowl and Batso decide to flee the realm to avoid Lord Maliss’s wrath, but notice the Dwarfelles assembled at the gate. Although Scowl hopes to win Lord Maliss’ approval by turning them in, the Dwarfelles easily escape the bird’s clutches. Inside, Lord Maliss disguises himself as the Prince and drags Snow White to a stone plinth, where he intends to turn her into a statue using his magic cape. The Shadow Man intervenes, but the evil wizard kills him. The Dwarfelles arrive, and Lord Maliss petrifies all except Thunderella, who finally summons powers enough to shock him with bolts of lightning. As he attempts to morph into a dragon, Snow White covers him with the cape, causing his body to solidify midway through the transformation. Snow White cries over the corpse of the Shadow Man, and her tears revive him. He sheds his cloak and reveals himself as the Prince, now freed from Lord Maliss’ crippling curse. Mother Nature grants the Dwarfelles permission to keep their powers, and proclaims that Scowl and Batso will train as their new apprentices. After inviting the Dwarfelles to their wedding, the Prince and Snow White kiss, looking forward to living happily ever after.
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