The "Cult of Frozen"

[luvthemouse71]

I love Idina Menzel and her voice. Olaf the snowman and his song about summer cracks me up every time. The whole movie is just fantastic.

 

[Magpie]

Oh my, this brought a tear to my eye. That is absolutely beautiful. I think (and hope and pray) that this story is being repeated many times for many children in all types of situations.

You should write to the directors and songwriters and tell them.

It isn't an LGBT story at all, it is much bigger than that. I actually believe Frozen is important and kids everywhere should watch it.

Elsa is different and has a horrible time trying to conform and hide herself. She finally gets free and sings the great ballad Let it Go. But that isn't the end of the story. Being yourself but forgetting everyone else is not the solution its another problem.

Her sister sacrifices herself for the person who caused her death (The act of true love) and Elsa learns that it is love that is the answer to her powers.

The real message is we each need to be ourselves AND love and serve others.

What an awesome and true message for every child!!!!

And note how she uses her powers for the people at the end and they accept them.

Sacrificial love, be yourself, loving others - how can you not love what this movie teaches from any aspect.

Then the icing on the cake is that both Elsa and Anna are "real" with some depth that kids can relate to.

And it isn't anti romance. Anna and Elsa are independent but Anna still has a relationship with a man that is her equal and can deal with her strength!

Did I mention I liked Frozen?

I agree with everything you said! I'd just add one little caveat to it...

It's not that it "isn't an LGBT story at all", it's that it's a story that echoes the LGBT experience, the experience of someone with mental illness, and the experiences of anyone else who has ever had to repress their true self and hide from the people around them.

It's a universal story, and as such encompasses the LGBT story (among others).

 

[JRawkSteady]

The only problem I had with Frozen is the trolls. They just disappear after their big number. The main plot issues are resolved, but they kind of just fade off and we never get any kind of resolution. It bothered me so much when I left the theater.

Besides that - it was an absolutely perfect film.

 

[Eastern]

Even my young adult sons enjoyed this movie.

 

[Lizzybean]

Maybe it's because I have 2 daughters who are so close, but the movie struck such a chord with me (and them!). I loved how it was the bond of sisterly love that saved them. I don't know, it just really resonated with me. Plus the music was fabulous, Olaf was great... It was just an all-over wonderful movie.

 

[DizzDoll]

I was in Gettysburg, PA when I went to see this movie, in a blizzard, and it played to a full house. Somehow appropriate!!! I loved this movie. Sometimes a movie is a stand-out just BECAUSE, and there is no explanation needed, and this is one of them.

 

[Magpie]

The only problem I had with Frozen is the trolls. They just disappear after their big number. The main plot issues are resolved, but they kind of just fade off and we never get any kind of resolution. It bothered me so much when I left the theater.

Besides that - it was an absolutely perfect film.

I look forward to many direct-to-video troll movies. Maybe even a Christmas troll story!

 

[sharadoc]

1. It is just SO PRETTY! I love the ice castle that Elsa builds. The visuals are just stunning.

2. The music. I cannot stop singing Let It Go. The song isn't just a catchy song. It is a relateable song. I think many people have felt that they have had to conceal their true selves at one point or another. When those people finally decide to stop following the rules and let their light shine, it is liberating. I know that I personally could relate to that song when thinking about my own religious beliefs. I never agreed with the religion I was taught growing up, but I was always told to keep those thoughts to myself and not let anybody know that I disagreed. When I finally decided to let all of that go and start expressing how I really felt, it was amazing. I am sure many other people have similar stories or other stories that make the song personal to them.

3. Olaf. Who doesn't love that snowman? I mean, he wants to experience summer! Aw. . .

4. The girl saves the day. It is not the typical girl meets boy, boy saves girl, they live happily ever after story. While there is love, even romantic love, in the movie, the girls are the main focus and their sisterly love is what matters in the end.

5. A girl queen! The girl is in charge! Girls are important too!

I think you hit it all here. But I would add that it's the human performer that breathe the life into it. Josh Gad is SO great and when you see him talk about it, he says how honored and awed by his involvement. He loved Disney musical movies forever, and he treated his role with such respect and gave it his absolute best performance. I feel that in Olaf.

Idina Menzel is incredible, and her performance of Let It Go is stunning, as stunning as her ice castle! Knowing that it was her from the beginning made the movie more "Broadway" to me, as well as casting of Kristin Bell and Jonathan Groff. All of the main characters are Broadway actors, so they act and project within their character like they would in a Broadway musical live. It was really smart.

We all loved it.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I agree with everything you said! I'd just add one little caveat to it...

It's not that it "isn't an LGBT story at all", it's that it's a story that echoes the LGBT experience, the experience of someone with mental illness, and the experiences of anyone else who has ever had to repress their true self and hide from the people around them.

It's a universal story, and as such encompasses the LGBT story (among others).

That is kind of what I meant to say. It is much bigger than one subject. They did not intend to covertly tell an LGBT story, they told something bigger that can be applied to anyone. It is a principle that is all encompassing, powerful, and appropriate to most of us, particularly young people in any situation, but particularly those in difficult situations.

The only problem I had with Frozen is the trolls. They just disappear after their big number. The main plot issues are resolved, but they kind of just fade off and we never get any kind of resolution. It bothered me so much when I left the theater.

Besides that - it was an absolutely perfect film.

I think this is simply an editing issue. Many times in filmmaking there are intentions for character follow-through that end up on the cutting room floor. Plus, you can't work them into Arendelle at the end, they live far away in secret. But I guess, since it is Norway, trolls are part of history and culture. They did seem a bit simple and "forced" but still very good and do help the story.

In the sequel they will play a bigger role.

 

[agavegirl1]

It is for many reasons...and TIME couldn't put a finger on it any more than this thread can.

It is currently winter.
It is about Norway (a previously untapped ethnic group especially in the midwest)
It is about sisters and sacrifice.
It is not about a prince rescuing a princess (the princess doesn't fall for the cad in the film)
The music doesn't cater only to a child's audience.
The animation is well done.
It appeals to audiences on more than one level (kid and adult)
It is well timed in that Disney has not had a female protagonist since Brave and the market was right.
One female protagonist is blonde and the other not.
More costumes for aspiring young princesses.

You name it ....Frozen has it was basically the answer in her mind.

 

[stitchfan75]

There's quite a few independent Frozen tees available online. Me, I'm holding out for a Frozen/Dr. Who mash-up.

Your my new best friend.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I think this has been mention at least in part, but one other thing about Frozen that is probably the most important:

It works in such a manner that it is loved by one group without alienating any other groups. For example, the movie has important themes about being oneself, freedom, love, sacrifice, etc. that are claimed as clear themes by very different groups.

Very conservative Christian professors and very liberal LGBT activists on the web have claimed the movie as their own. People that love princess movies and people that hate them both love the movie. People that hate Disney romances and people that love them all love the movie.

This is due to the respectful way Disney twisted the age old themes of princesses, true love, and romance themes. Anna still has a love interest at the end, the girls are both still princesses wearing pretty dresses. They respectfully played the romance differently. They made Anna strong and in control and doing the saving, but they didn't make Kristoff a buffoon, they make him a man that stands toe to toe with Anna, helps her, and loves her as she is. They dumped love at first sight on it's head, but not romance itself.

In many other ways this movie did not take an overly simple approach, such as; Women are wise and powerful and men are big stupid kids (Half of all sitcoms!). This is masterful subtle storytelling that has depth, which is probably due to the excellent script and direction. I think it is probably due in large part to the contributions of Jennifer Lee.

I think she is going to get many more directing opportunities with Disney and not just in tandem with Chris Buck on Frozen II and III.

Anybody watch Good Morning America's national Let It Go sing-along? If not it is available online. Hilarious and cute. It had Idina singing with the cast of her new show including an old Rent buddy. I enjoyed it. It was fun to see some of the GMA cast their with their children.

 

[obx_mama]

By the way, if you're fond of Game of Thrones, as well as Frozen, there is this unofficial tee for sale over at Teefury.

http://www.teefury.com/gallery/2885/Winter_is_Coming/

There's quite a few independent Frozen tees available online. Me, I'm holding out for a Frozen/Dr. Who mash-up.

THIS. IS. AWESOME.

 

[Winnowill]

BTW, I ordered the Elsa/GoT tee the other day, and they only had size M left (thank goodness for recent weight loss!) It'll probably be sold out soon.

 

[surferdave]

~Meanwhile, the internet is buzzing with who Elsa's love interest should be. Sub-Zero would make a great Super Hero partner for Elsa.

~But the top contender & obvious choice for Elsa is Jack Frost. Awwww.

You're going to have to find Elsa a dragon rider if you're going to have A Song of Ice and Fire.

 

[JRawkSteady]

I think this is simply an editing issue. Many times in filmmaking there are intentions for character follow-through that end up on the cutting room floor. Plus, you can't work them into Arendelle at the end, they live far away in secret. But I guess, since it is Norway, trolls are part of history and culture. They did seem a bit simple and "forced" but still very good and do help the story.

In the sequel they will play a bigger role.

Believe me, I think editors are the ones who make the movie in the end (since that's what I do for a living )...but if this IS an editing issue, then unfortunately they didn't make an extremely wise decision...and I'd have to question their judgement. It caused a gaping plot hole... A simple segment after the credits could have closed the trolls' story...it would have been as easy as that...

But, again, this isn't enough to take away from the movie. Just a slight annoyance that came and went .

 

[BroganMc]

A sequel! It doesn't sound half bad for "direct to video"...



On the other hand, the entire story appears to be about about getting Mulan properly married off to Shang so they can have their "happily ever after". And presumably babies. After all, it's not like the emperor is offering Mulan a career in escorting young ladies hither and yon!

She could definitely do worse than Shang, though!

Not sure what will happen to the princesses... being married off for political reasons is pretty much in a princess's job description, especially in a patriarchal country like ancient China.

Hopefully, they'll get better matches next time!

They do find love matches in that sequel. That's the point of the story. Mulan is appalled to learn her mission is to take these girls off to marry princes they never met. It causes friction between her and Shang because he's a follow orders/traditional sort of guy. Meanwhile it turns out their fellow guards (the ones we met in the first movie) are the exact right matches for the girls. They end up going off on a date in a village en route and discovering just how ideal they are for each other. Shared interests and temperaments. About as much of a true relationship as you'd fill out on a match.com request.

But then danger strikes, Shang appears lost and the girls are devastated. They'd been following Mulan's example and daring to start speaking up for themselves and questioning their father's orders for them. But with Shang's apparent death it seems happily-ever-after can't really happen for them. Mulan will have none of that and frees the girls of their obligation by offering herself on the sacrificial marriage altar instead. She's got nothing left to live for since Shang's dead so why not?

The movie ends with a happy ending. It's not clear that Mulan suddenly withdrew from public life to be a meek little wife and mommy at home. In fact, it seems the opposite with Mulan changing the kingdom with her progressive ideas and earning Shang's true respect. Gives them a better basis for a long lasting happy marriage. It's really one of the better Disney sequels.

Little Mermaid 2 is pretty good as well. It shows Ariel and Eric living happily on land for 20 years but cut off from her family because of threats from Ursula's vengeful sister. And their daughter wishes to live as a mermaid instead.

I always had a soft spot for the Little Mermaid because I identified with her desire to be part of a world not made for her. (Growing up with a physical disability that affected my walking meant I frequently felt left out and desperately wanted to be part of my peers' world.) The original Hans Christian Andersen tale ends tragically with the Little Mermaid choosing to sacrifice her life rather than kill the handsome prince who marries someone else (a neighboring princess). Killing the prince was the only other way to break the curse. Not killing him showed her love was true and selfless.

Fairy tales are all about a singular emotion or conflict. Real life is made up of many emotions and conflicts. It doesn't make the fairy tales false; just simplified.

Sleeping Beauty is about a girl growing up in protective custody and still eventually finding her way home.

Snow White is about a jealous vain stepmother who tries to murder her stepdaughter but ultimately fails.

Cinderella is about a girl who can never catch a break because she's being used by the people with power over her and one magical night someone takes an interest and gives her a chance to escape the hardship and be who she truly is. Of course the right person notices her and is so impressed he has to find her again and reveal her to the world. Every person who's ever been taken for granted at work or in society dreams of this fairy tale outcome to their under-appreciation conflict.

Tangled is about a girl who's kidnapped, tricked and used by her kidnapper but dreams of a bit of freedom. Once she gets it she's tricked into returning to captivity only to realize she is indeed a prisoner and rebels. The only reason she's willing to go back into captivity then is to prevent her kidnapper from hurting someone else.

Brave is least impressive to me because it's pretty much every history story we've ever known about royalty and aristocracy before Queen Victoria. Daughters were political pawns married to beget bloodlines and trade property until some said "the hell with that!" and demanded love. Except Merida didn't really demand love but the ability NOT to marry and remain a somewhat spoiled teenager. That made the story feel incomplete to me.

Frozen is fun because it plays with your expectations and gives you something entirely different but still logical from the story. Anna remains her idealistic self easily loving those around her. (Why exactly did she think herself so close to her sister when they had pretty much no relationship for a decade?)

The analysis is just for fun - a kind of fun entertainment in of itself. I don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying these movies just for themselves. And I don't think the movies damage young girls or should be banned. I happen to adore Sleeping Beauty and it's one of the "worst" for female role modelling. Aurora is SUCH an incredible airhead! Doesn't stop me from re-watching the movie and singing the songs. (It's really the Fairies' story anyway.)

I just think it's an interesting exercise, and something enjoyable to do with your kids when they're older. Nothing wrong with teaching them to think about their entertainment critically!

I agree. The three original princess movies are mostly long music videos rather than full fledged stories. We don't get into real storytelling until Beauty and the Beast. (Mind you that story is about the Beast's redemption and taming. Yes he yells at her and imprisons her, but he also saves her life and risks his own to do it when she gets fed up and runs off. That shows he does have potential under all the bad manners. Then she slowly tames him to behave better and treat her respectfully. He shows just how much he has changed when he lets her go be with her father with just the magic mirror to remember him by. Gaston becomes the true example of a beast to contrast with what Beast has become due to Belle's influence. It's pretty much every girl's fantasy that she can tame a good man out of a gruff one.)

 

[BroganMc]

BTW, I ordered the Elsa/GoT tee the other day, and they only had size M left (thank goodness for recent weight loss!) It'll probably be sold out soon.

Isn't it funny how a Disney movie does more to showcase the strength and power of women than the wealth of material we get from Game of Thrones?

 

[Cee]

When my adult DD and I were watching the film, we almost simultaneously said to each other, "It's the true love of her sister that will save her!"

What a lovely change of pace. Some people are worth melting for.....

 

[cmurray234]

There are fantastic things about the movie. First and foremost, the incomparable Idina Menzel. I didn't know it was she who played the part of "Elsa"...but I kept saying through the whole thing how much the music reminded me of Wicked. "Let it Go" is a masterpiece.

The visuals are gorgeous and the comedy is well-written.

But with that being said, I thought there were some holes in the story. Elsa wasn't given enough depth in my opinion. I hardly know anything about her. She claims to be a "good girl" but where's the proof? As Stephen King once said, you should never tell an audience (er...reader) what you can show them.

I liked the fact that there wasn't a classic villain and I liked the sister love angle A LOT. But I still felt like the plot was a bit on the anemic side.

I'm delighted to see Disney animation on top again though. There were times (Home on the Range comes to mind) where I thought Disney's only hope was Pixar.