Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film) January 11 to March 9, 1980, a total of 106 performances. In the 2000s, DisneyToon Studios began development on a computer-animated prequel to "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", titled "The Seven Dwarfs". Director Mike Disa and screenwriter Evan Spiliotopoulos pitched a story explaining how the Dwarfs met, and how the Evil Queen killed Snow White's father and took the throne. According to Disa, DisneyToon management changed the prequel to center around how Dopey lost his voice upon witnessing the death of his mother. After Disney purchased Pixar in 2006, John Lasseter, DisneyToons' new Chief Creative Officer, canceled "Dwarfs". In
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film) (1936) — to which Disney made direct reference in a story meeting pertaining to the scene in which Snow White lies in her glass coffin — to the more obscure, including European silent cinema. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", as well as the two Disney films to follow it, were also influenced by such German expressionist films as "Nosferatu" (1922) and "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1919), both of which were recommended by Disney to his staff. This influence is particularly evident in the scenes of Snow White fleeing through the forest and the Queen's transformation into the Witch.