"The Dwarfs' Dilemma" 8mm Home Movies

From roughly 1969 to 1984, Walt Disney Home Movies released film reels with excerpts from their animated and live action motion pictures, as well as clips from the Disney theme parks. The first in the series was The Dwarfs' Dilemma. It highlights the scene from Snow White where the dwarfs wash up before dinner and Grumpy refuses to participate.

The film was issued in a variety ways. Both standard 8mm and super 8 reels were produced. The reel size was either 3" or 5" in diameter. The standard 8s were typically silent but not always. According to the flyer below, they came in lengths of 200 and in either black & white or color. The super 8 format offered more options--black & white or color, silent or sound, and a 50' short version or the 200' long.

The original box artwork for The Dwarfs' Dilemma shows them gathered around the washtub. This same design was used with almost all of the format variations, including the international releases. What differentiates them are the side markings, labels, and stickers found on the box, plus the box itself.

The first versions were made of stiff cardboard with a removable lid. The product number was typically listed on the side. No. 1101 is used to identify b&w reels; no. 2101 is color. From about 1973 on, the box design changed to a more lightweight paperboard with a side opening.

US Standard 8mm - B/W, SILENT.

Included in the box was a price schedule. As would be expected, the color and long versions cost more. Also available to 8mm buyers was a bonus mail-in offer for two free 8x10 color pictures.

US Standard 8mm - COLOR, SILENT.

US Super 8 - B/W, SILENT.

US Super 8 - COLOR, SILENT.

US Super 8 - COLOR, SOUND.

UK Super 8 - COLOUR, SILENT.

Italy Standard 8mm - COLOR, SILENT. Distributed by Walt Disney Cinecasa.

France Super 8 - COLOR, SILENT. Distributed by Walt Disney Cinéma A Domicile.

France Super 8 - COLOR, SOUND.

Germany Super 8 - COLOR, SOUND. Distributed by Revue Film.

___

Later printings featured alternate cover artwork. Some films offered the option of a slightly longer silent version or a shorter one with sound--all on one reel.

US Super 8 - COLOR, SOUND.

Mexico (& Latin America) Super 8 - COLOR, SOUND.

France Super 8 - COLOR, SOUND.

Back cover courtesy of Greg Philip at A Lost Film.

Spain Super 8 - COLOR, SOUND. Printed in France, distributed in Spain.

Special thanks to the Nunziante Valoroso Collection for supplying images and additional info.