I'm sure this post is no longer relevant for many who would stumble across it, because it seems that everybody has watched Frozen by this time. And probably absolutely loved it, as well.
I think I've heard about Disney's attempts to adapt Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen since I was young and in the midst of my rabid fandom for the film outfit's Renaissance (aka 2nd Golden Age), and have subsequently gotten into the habit of dismissing any news (since they always don't pan out anyway). So, I wasn't as pumped when they announced a couple of years ago yet another attempt at the source material, this time changing up some of the characters and their connection with one another.
Then, they announced the casting of Kristen Bell as Anna, which piqued my interest. When they followed with the casting news that Idina Menzel would voice Elsa, Anna's sister and the animated film's version of the Snow Queen, I was pretty much willing to support whatever efforts Disney was putting into the project.
Elsa and Anna are princesses of Arendelle. The elder sister, Elsa, possesses the power to create ice and snow, creating plenty of fun times for herself and her sister. But an accident causes Elsa and her parents to fear the powers she possess. She isolates herself from Anna, whose memories of her sister's powers are removed by the trolls to save her. The sisters remain estranged until the day of Elsa's coronation as Queen of Arendelle, placing her control on her powers to the ultimate test. While Anna is keen to become close with her older sister again, Elsa remains steadfast in her decision to keep everyone at bay. Prompted by an argument caused by Anna's impetuous engagement to Prince Hans, Elsa's powers are revealed in the worst possible way and she runs away, leaving Arendelle in eternal winter behind her. Anna follows after her sister to set things right, guided by mountain man Kristoff, his reindeer Sven, and the snowman Olaf.
The decision of director Chris Buck (later joined by co-director Jennifer Lee from Wreck-It-Ralph) to create a familial connection between Elsa (Snow Queen) and Anna (based on the character Gerda from the original story) created a much more engaging story for viewers to follow. As fascinating as the original Snow Queen was in the story, there's not much room for redemption or evolution for the character, so the adaptation was all the better for the deviation from the source material.
Frozen builds on the success of Tangled, their last foray into animated musical territory. While some of the characters could do with more background stories, they are well fleshed out and are relatable. Though I have to admit that my favorite characters weren't actually any of the main human characters, but the reindeer Sven and snowman Olaf. But that's just me... I apparently have a weakness for innocent snowmen wishing to experience summer and reindeers that act like adorable dogs or consciences depending on the situation.
Yet, the true success of Frozen is the music. Tangled was a lot of fun to watch, but it was the story that drew me in, rather than the music. Frozen features several songs that make the film worthy of a Broadway adaptation (and evidenced by their cast made up of actors with theater origins) and are so addictive to listen to (or attempt singing along to). You know that the songs are good if a two and a half year old is singing the line "Let it go! Let it go!" at every possible opportunity. The songs are especially effective when they're tied to the characters' emotions, making the scenes of Anna imploring Elsa to play with her and build a snowman ("Do You Want to Build a Snowman?"), and Elsa finally letting her powers out without fear of discovery after running away ("Let It Go") all the more compelling. Olaf's ode to summer ("In Summer") is all kinds of fun and funny. And I don't know why, but I get giddy every time I hear "Frozen Heart".
While I agree with some critics that the story could use more strengthening, the sum of all the different parts of Frozen does make it a memorable film. The excellent voice acting, a more than decent story, an emotional core viewers can easily empathize with, great humor and even greater music are what made Frozen the film success that it has become. And it speaks well for an animated film that a pivotal scene (Elsa's "Let It Go" number) is considered one of the greatest cinematic moments of 2013.
I have to agree with my goddaughter Lia (previously mentioned two and a half year old and reliable judge of quality animated films) that Frozen is a definite favorite among 2013's film offerings, both animated and live-action. You won't hear me complaining when she asks, yet again, to re-watch the film with her.
Happy viewing!!Labels: Animation, Fantasy, Film, Frozen, Musical, Must-Watch
