The characters had a realism the audience had never experienced before, aided in no small part by the development of the multiplane camera. Though Walt Disney’s name is on the patent, it had been used by other animators, but not with the same success as the studio.

Disney's perfectionism meant the film ran way over budget and brought the studio to the brink of closure

What the camera delivered was the ability for animators to produce the illusion of three-dimensionality. The depth of an image was created by layering multiple images on top of each other, with the freedom of moving each individual layer vertically and horizontally.

However, Disney's perfectionism meant the film ran way over budget and brought the studio to the brink of closure. After securing a last-minute bank loan, the film eventually cost $1.75m to make - seven times the original budget.

A further layer was added to the mix with songs written by Frank Churchill and Larry Morey. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is recognised as the first feature film soundtrack album to be released commercially, and songs like Whistle While You Work, Heigh-Ho and Some Day My Prince Will Come continue to charm generations to this day. It was also the first feature film to take merchandising seriously, with an extensive marketing campaign making hats and dolls and other collectibles available on its opening night.

After its premiere, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was instantly declared a hit, the reviews were ecstatic - and not just from the critics. Disney had succeeded in demonstrating that an audience would sit and watch a feature-length animation, especially when the film explores emotions, adds a balance of comedy and reinforces with a good tune.

The film’s impact is immeasurable. It opened the door for further Disney features including Pinnochio (1940), Dumbo (1941) and Bambi (1942)and without it we wouldn't have Up (2009), Waltz with Bashir (2008) or Song of the Sea (2014).

Snow White made $8m internationally on its initial release, and remains in the top ten list of the biggest grossing films (adjusted for inflation), of all time after repeated re-releases. Disney's big gamble undoubtedly paid off.