MOVIELilo & Stitch - 'The Little Mermaid' Promotional Movie Trailer
SCENEStitch Surfing
FILM FORMAT35mm
YEAR2002
CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000001634
FILM NOTES
Lilo & Stitch arrived from Walt Disney Feature Animation in 2002, a hand drawn feature that broke from the fairy tale mold with its Hawaiian setting, its watercolor backgrounds, and its story of an alien fugitive folded into a broken family. Released alongside a wave of promotional material tying it to Disney's classic catalog, the film became a sleeper success, later spawning sequels, series, and a permanent place in the studio's modern lineup. Its blend of science fiction and domestic tenderness set it apart from the era's other animated output and helped keep traditional animation alive a little longer at Disney.
This piece ties Lilo & Stitch to The Little Mermaid through a shared promotional campaign, the kind of crossover trailer material studios once produced to link a new release with a beloved predecessor. Stitch alone carries the frame, his chaotic charm suited to a scene built around surfing, a fitting image for a character defined by mischief and adaptability. Collectors prize Stitch material for his crossover appeal and his standing as one of Disney's most recognizable modern creations, and pieces tied to promotional rather than feature footage hold particular interest for their rarity and historical context.
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 torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack
A dual variable-area optical track is visible along one edge, with what appears to be a Dolby Digital data block strip (blue stripe) running adjacent to it, consistent with a Dolby SR/Digital combined print.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
The base shows a light blue-cyan tint typical of modern polyester print stock; the dye image appears fully saturated with no visible fading or colour shift.
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks are apparent in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, and the animated character and setting are consistent with the film on record.
Era check
The combination of dual variable-area optical track, Dolby Digital data blocks, blue-tinted polyester base, and fully saturated dye image is 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 000063478
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
