MOVIELilo & Stitch - 'The Little Mermaid' Promotional Movie Trailer
SCENEStitch and Ariel
FILM FORMAT35mm
YEAR2002
CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000001623
FILM NOTES
Disney's Lilo & Stitch arrived in 2002 as the studio pushed to recapture the hand-drawn magic of its earlier renaissance while embracing a quirkier, more experimental tone. Set in Hawaii and blending science fiction with island culture, the film became a sleeper hit, praised for its heart and humor, and eventually spawned a franchise of sequels, series, and merchandise. This particular promotional trailer ties Stitch's launch to Disney's own legacy, invoking The Little Mermaid to root the newcomer within the studio's storied animated tradition.
This piece pairs Stitch, the mischievous alien experiment turned beloved family member, with Ariel, the mermaid princess whose 1989 debut helped define an era of Disney animation. Trailers built around cross-character promotion like this one are prized by collectors for capturing a marketing strategy rather than a scene from the film itself, a moment meant to bridge past and present Disney icons. Owning this cell means holding a piece of that promotional bridge, a snapshot of Stitch being introduced to audiences through the lens of an established classic.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital theatrical release print of Lilo & Stitch promotional trailer (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; punched edges appear clean with no torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, appearing as a single-track waveform; Dolby Digital pixel blocks are visible in the inter-perforation gaps on the same edge, indicating a hybrid optical/Dolby Digital soundtrack.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read manufacturer codes or key numbers.
Base & colour
Base appears with a slight blue-cyan tint consistent with a colour print stock; dye image reads as neutral with no obvious red shift or fading.
Projection history
Fine longitudinal lines consistent with projection are visible across the frame area; no splices or cue marks seen.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot and the animated characters and setting are consistent with the film on record.
Era check
The hybrid variable-area optical plus Dolby Digital soundtrack format, cyan-tinted base stock, and positive colour print presentation are all consistent with a 35mm 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 000063467
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
