MOVIELilo & Stitch - 'The Little Mermaid' Promotional Movie Trailer
SCENEStitch Surfing
FILM FORMAT35mm
YEAR2002
CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000001632
FILM NOTES
Lilo & Stitch arrived from Walt Disney Feature Animation in 2002, a hand drawn feature that broke from the studio's fairy tale mold in favor of a scrappy Hawaiian setting and a genuinely odd premise about family, alienation, and an indestructible blue alien. Its release coincided with Disney's promotional tie-in to The Little Mermaid, cross marketing that paired the new property with a beloved 1989 classic to build audience recognition. The film's box office success and cultural staying power cemented Stitch as one of Disney's most enduring modern characters.
This piece comes from a promotional trailer, material built to sell the film ahead of release rather than to advance its story, which makes it a snapshot of how Disney chose to introduce Stitch and Nani to audiences. Stitch, the chaotic experiment turned family member, and Nani, Lilo's older sister and guardian, anchor the film's emotional core, and collectors prize early trailer material for capturing the character before his design and tone were fully settled in public memory. The surfing activity named here ties directly into the film's Hawaiian setting and Stitch's early integration into island life.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Lilo & Stitch promotional material.
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched edges appear clean with no visible tearing.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along the bottom edge beside the perforations, appearing as a dual bilateral waveform; a thin blue Dolby Digital data stripe is also visible between the optical track and the picture area.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture.
Base & colour
The base appears with a slight blue-cyan tint consistent with a colour print stock; dye colours appear saturated and not visibly faded.
Projection history
No splices, cue marks or prominent scratches are visible in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, and the character and setting are consistent with the animated film on record.
Era check
The combination of dual bilateral variable-area optical track, Dolby Digital data stripe, and colour print stock is consistent with a 2002 theatrical release print.
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 000063476
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
