MOVIELilo & Stitch - 'The Little Mermaid' Promotional Movie Trailer
SCENEStitch Surfing
FILM FORMAT35mm
YEAR2002
CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000001637
FILM NOTES
Lilo & Stitch arrived from Walt Disney Feature Animation in 2002, a Hawaii-set story that broke from the studio's fairy-tale mold to explore family and belonging through the lens of an alien fugitive and the sisters who take him in. Released during a transitional period for Disney animation, it proved that offbeat, character-driven stories could still resonate with audiences, and it launched Stitch into one of the studio's most enduring modern franchises, spanning sequels, series, and merchandising well beyond the original film.
This piece comes from promotional material tied to The Little Mermaid, pairing Disney's animated past with its newest breakout property. Stitch remains the character collectors chase hardest from this era, his chaotic charm having made him a crossover icon almost immediately. Nani Pelekai grounds the moment as the guardian figure central to Stitch's integration into island life. Surfing situates this pairing squarely within the film's Hawaiian identity, a defining visual and cultural touchstone of the franchise. As trailer material, it captures Disney marketing Stitch's appeal to audiences beyond his own film's release.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Lilo & Stitch promotional material, 2002.
Gauge
35mm, 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 variable-area optical track is visible below the picture area, appearing as a dual bilateral variable-area (stereo) track; Dolby Digital data blocks are visible in the inter-perforation gaps on the lower edge, indicating a composite Dolby analogue and Dolby Digital soundtrack.
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 consistent with a colour print stock; dye colours appear saturated and not visibly faded or red-shifted.
Projection history
No visible splices, cue marks or heavy scratching are seen; the image surface appears consistent with a projected release print.
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 composite Dolby analogue variable-area plus Dolby Digital inter-perforation data block soundtrack configuration is consistent with a 2002 theatrical release print, as this combination was standard for major studio releases of that period.
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 000063481
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
