Frozen - in 3 short paragraphs

[kimmy]

Frozen is one of the most successful films of recent years, and one of the most successful animated films ever-- in the same company as Shrek or Lion King at the very least. It was top 10 at the box office right from its release in November continuous to the DVD release a couple of weeks ago. It's pretty much a global phenomenon, with huge commercial success internationally as well as in North America. I gather that the soundtrack has been very successful as well, and they just won Oscars for best song and best animated picture.

I watched it last week, and really enjoyed it. It's visually stunning, and I loved the characters. I'm not usually big on musicals, but the songs in this were very good. I had to go on IMDB afterward to find out who sang Kristen Bell's character Anna's songs. Kristen Bell sang them. I had no idea she could sing. Idina Menzel (or Adele Dazeem, as John Travolta introduced her at the Oscars...) provides the voice of Elsa and sings the "Let It Go" song that is one of the movie's high points. They originally intended to make a movie based on the Hans Christian Anderson story "The Snow Queen", but the end result bears no resemblance to the fairy tale, other than having both snow and a queen. I read somewhere that Elsa was originally intended to be a villain, but the songs the songwriters wrote for her changed the writers' perspective about her and they came up with a story that makes her a very sympathetic character.

So... after watching this thoroughly enjoyable and seemingly innocent movie, I was shocked to learn that it is actually a source of controversy -- CONTROVERSY!! -- as various people with axes to grind came after Anna and Elsa to further their various causes.

The first of these causes: the shocking amount of white people in Frozen has outraged people who feel that there should be an affirmative action plan for animated characters or a racial quota for Disney princesses or something. Just because it's set in a little Norwegian town of centuries gone by doesn't mean they couldn't have had African princesses, I guess. So there was a thing on the internet where people posted their Africanized pictures of Anna and Elsa with the hashtag #thiscouldhavebeenFrozen because snow and African princesses go together like peas and carrots I guess. When I think of Hans Christian Anderson stories, I usually picture African characters, obviously. Perhaps they could have had Arabian princesses. And instead of Norway it could have been set in Arabia, and instead of snow, Elsa's magic covers everything in sand, and instead of an ice castle, Elsa builds herself a sand castle, and instead of Frozen, it could have been called Sandblasted. That would probably have worked well too.

Slightly more rational criticism pointed out that the male lead-- Kristoff-- was modeled after the Saami-- Scandinavia's indigenous people. Kristoff wears traditional Saami garb and travels with a reindeer-- just like the Saami did. Yet Kristoff is blond! Surely Kristoff should have been a person of color! Well, as these photos of Saami demonstrate...

...it turns out that "indigenous" is not a synonym for brown.

The other complaint about Frozen is that it's SATANIC GAY PROPAGANDA aimed at INDOCTRINATING young girls into HARDCORE MAN-HATING LESBIANS. That was how one American pastor described it, anyway. Others have present this idea without the hyperbole. The argument is this: Elsa lives in fear of everyone finding out she is different, afraid that they'll hate her if they find out-- this could be a metaphor for a gay person living in the closet, afraid of bigotry if they are found out. The "Let It Go" scene where Elsa embraces her magic power could be a metaphor for coming out of the closet. Elsa only finds happiness when she embraces her magic-- the movie is metaphorically telling gay people that they have to come out of the closet to find happiness, right?

Well, it could be symbolic of those things, but it is actually symbolic of experiences that are almost universal as people grow into adulthood. The "Let it go" scene is really about the decision to put aside other peoples' expectations and choose your own way in life. It could be about someone coming out of the closet, but it could equally be about telling your dad "I'm quitting proctology school and joining the rodeo" or quitting your job as an accountant to start your own business. Elsa's experience as a child growing up hiding her terrible secret could be symbolic of a gay person, but it is equally applicable to any shame-inducing experience that people struggle through, especially children.

The idea that Elsa finds happiness by "coming out of the closet" actually doesn't follow from the movie. Her life actually gets a lot worse. What saves her is that in the climax of the movie, she finally understands that she is loved, unconditionally, just as she is. Accepting that we are worthy of being loved is an important thing, and sometimes a difficult thing, and not just for gay people.

-k

[cybercoma]

Jesus. That was a hell of a lot more than 3 paragraphs. THIS IS A MESSAGE BOARD, KIMMY!

I think Frozen shows Disney back in form. The animation, story, and music all have a "classic" Disney feel to them. I quite enjoyed it.

[August1991]

Jesus. That was a hell of a lot more than 3 paragraphs.

I may be wrong but I have always figured that Kimmy was one of those faux blonde Ukrainian girls who is bad at math.

Edited April 13, 2014 by August1991

[kimmy]

I am vraiment blonde, only half Ukrainian, and quite good at math.

However I confess that I deliberately understated the number and length of the paragraphs in my post, as an attempt to cash in on the wildly popular Three Short Paragraphs phenomenon.

-k

[Argus]

I still prefer Brave. It was clearly much more about lesbianism and man rejection.

Also, everyone had a really neat Scottish accent. Frozen should have had Scottish accents!

Edited April 13, 2014 by Argus

[Mighty AC]

I do like Scottish accents, but I found Frozen to be a far superior story. I enjoyed the fact that they setup the typical prince charming will save the day formula and snuck in the surprise, strong female finish. Frozen is up there with 'How To Train Your Dragon' for me; a film that also has at least one Scottish accent.

[August1991]

I still prefer Brave.

Brave? I haven't seen that one but I did finally see Frozen (on a small screen on vacation, not 3D) and I scored it at, uh, 2 or 3, of 10. I would have given it 1 but the Disney cartoon graphics (snowflakes etc) are impressive. Those data wranglers keep all those files in the right directory: Amazing!

It's no Mary Poppins, or even Fantasia. It's a crappy movie. I reckon that Kimmy (and many others) were pulled in by the hype. I suspect that the cartoon big-eyes (Japanese anime-style) are a draw for the Chinese market - and the supposed (suspect) large box office numbers. (Hey! It's Hollywood!)

=====

"Feelings" girl of frozen sister falls in love with bad guy but ditches him for other guy because of snowman who doesn' melt...

About 30 minutes in, I was thoroughly confused and thinking that this was a movie for 6 year old girls - give it leeway. Disney knows its audience.

Then, as I walked out, I realised that Disney doesn't know it's audience. It only knows hype.

Edited July 11, 2014 by August1991

[cybercoma]

So Frozen was too confusing for you, but it's more suitable for the intellectual faculties of a 6 year old girl. Is that about what you're saying?

[guyser]

It sure seems it.

[The_Squid]

So Frozen was too confusing for you, but it's more suitable for the intellectual faculties of a 6 year old girl. Is that about what you're saying?

I think that makes a lot of sense given the posters history of ummmm.... how to put it politely..... nonsensical posts....

I haven't seen the movie yet...

Edited July 12, 2014 by The_Squid

[kimmy]

A true classic! You've managed to work many of the classic August themes into yet another masterpiece. Computer graphics suck! People have been deceived by hype! Pining for the old days of cel animation and Julie Andrews! 14 year olds in Hong Kong!

Brave? I haven't seen that one but I did finally see Frozen (on a small screen on vacation, not 3D) and I scored it at, uh, 2 or 3, of 10. I would have given it 1 but the Disney cartoon graphics (snowflakes etc) are impressive. Those data wranglers keep all those files in the right directory: Amazing!

I think that looking at a brilliant piece of animation like Frozen and congratulating the data wranglers for keeping the files in the right directory is like looking at a great painting and congratulating the guy who mixed the paints.

It's no Mary Poppins, or even Fantasia. It's a crappy movie. I reckon that Kimmy (and many others) were pulled in by the hype.

I think if I had to pick out one element of your messages that I enjoy above all the rest, it would be the steadfast conviction that you know what's Good, and that people who think they enjoyed something you decided was Not Good have obviously been Duped.

I suspect that the cartoon big-eyes (Japanese anime-style) are a draw for the Chinese market - and the supposed (suspect) large box office numbers. (Hey! It's Hollywood!)

Ah, the large eyes... devised to appeal to Asians. How fiendishly clever! Old Walt himself no doubt had just that in mind when he came up with these big-eyed little guys.

"Feelings" girl of frozen sister falls in love with bad guy but ditches him for other guy because of snowman who doesn' melt...

I don't remember that part.

About 30 minutes in, I was thoroughly confused

There's a shocker...

and thinking that this was a movie for 6 year old girls - give it leeway. Disney knows its audience.

Then, as I walked out, I realised that Disney doesn't know it's audience. It only knows hype.

You've concluded that Disney doesn't know it's audience because you didn't enjoy the film?

I'm pretty sure Disney's audience isn't middle-age snobs who can't stand anything made since 1980 except the occasional French art-house movie.

-k

[Black Dog]

So Frozen was too confusing for you, but it's more suitable for the intellectual faculties of a 6 year old girl. Is that about what you're saying?

This post is, as the kids say, full of win.

[August1991]

So Frozen was too confusing for you, but it's more suitable for the intellectual faculties of a 6 year old girl. Is that about what you're saying?

As BD posted, you more or less nailed my opinion, cybercoma.

If I add the caveat about current (modern? progressive?) Disney...

Edited July 16, 2014 by August1991