Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Lilo & Stitch arrived from Walt Disney Feature Animation in 2002, a hand painted departure from the studio's late nineties output, trading castles and princesses for Hawaii and a genetic experiment gone rogue. Its watercolor backgrounds and small scale family story helped signal Disney's return to character driven animation ahead of the CG era, and it became a sleeper hit that spawned a lasting franchise.
This cell isolates Stitch, Experiment 626, in his surfing moment, a scene that captures the character's restless energy channeled into something joyful and physical. Collectors seek Stitch material for his crossover appeal beyond the film itself, as he became one of Disney's most merchandised modern characters. A cell built around a single named action like surfing works almost like a trailer still, a self contained beat meant to convey personality at a glance rather than plot, making it a compact piece of the character's identity on film.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Lilo & Stitch (2002).
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three complete frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced; the punched holes appear cleanly cut with no visible tearing or distortion.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible below the picture area on the lower edge strip, alongside what appears to be a Dolby Digital data block pattern in the inter-perforation gaps, consistent with a dual-format optical release print.
Edge print
Lower edge reads '23 83 70 3 027'; upper edge print is not legible in this capture.
Base & colour
Base shows a light cyan-blue tint typical of estar safety stock; dye image appears neutral with strong, saturated colour rendition.
Projection history
No visible splices; faint longitudinal lines are present across the frames, consistent with projection wear.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot, and the animated character and style are consistent with the Disney animated feature on record.
Era check
The cyan-tinted estar base, variable-area optical track with apparent Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks, and saturated dye image are all consistent with a theatrical release print from the early 2000s.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
CROWN SERIAL 000063458
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
