Frozen

So I saw Disney’s Frozen (Buck and Lee 2013) a little bit later than I would have liked, but hey it was finals week and part of me really wanted to save Frozen for a much-needed study break.  It also helped that there is finally some  snow on the ground to set the mood!!  Okay so I have heard wonderful, wonderful things about this film and it is being praised as the best Disney film since The Lion King and may I say I am tempted to agree.  The choices in cinematography, music, and narrative were absolutely stunning!!  The animation that has become an expectation for Disney hit the mark especially for the ice magic that Elsa creates.  I loved, loved, loved it and needless to say I think I made a good choice in pre-ordering the DVD before I even saw it.

Frozen, loosely based on the Hans Christian Andersen tale, “The Snow Queen,” tells the story of Anna and Elsa: two sisters and daughters to the king of Arendelle.  Elsa however, harbors a secret power to create and transform ice into fantastic imaginings.  The potential fear and harm Elsa’s power could induce keeps Elsa trapped in her room for most of her life.  When it is time for Elsa’s coronation however, the pressure and emotions run too high and Elsa accidentally lets her powers slip causing chaos throughout the kingdom and only Anna can save it and Elsa.  The film is beautiful in the artistic triumph that makes up the scenery and talented voices of Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell (who I was absolutely floored by since I haven’t really seen her myself since Veronica Mars) that bring the narrative to life.

So we are going to start from the tip of the iceberg in regards to the review.  The cinematography was definitely something special.  I saw the film in 3D which I definitely recommend as this is one of the few films that mastered it.  The snow seems to be falling around you and the icicles jutting at you really makes you appreciate the power and beauty of ice that verges on Kant’s concept of the sublime.  It is so beautiful and majestic that it instills fear in us.  The film has replaced my faith in the 3D revolution in that way because there were no gimmicks to keep you marveling at the technology which I much appreciated.  Small choices in how the characters were framed were stunning as well.  One of the smallest things that I cannot seem to get out of my mind was during a scene when Anna is walking away from Elsa and walks down some steps and toward the camera, slowly cutting her out of the scene.  It is a small catch, but definitely different.  I would include a picture but there are surprisingly little screen shots from the film up yet.  The camera allows Anna to be slowly cut out of the shot and since it is an animated film, if this was an accident it could have been an easy fix.  It’s not like they had to regroup the actors and do another take after all!  This makes me think the framing is intentional.  What it means, I’m not really sure but it is definitely an artistic moment.

*Spoiler alert starting now!*

I guarantee the music of Frozen will blow you away.  Bravo to Idina Menzel (the voice of Elsa) for another stunning performance especially with her song “Let it Go.”  The song gave me chills because Elsa showcases the extent of her power and finds this moment as her first one of absolute freedom.  I’m still singing it and it is just one of the gorgeous songs that perfectly compliments the visual imagery of the film.  The song also causes complex ideas of good versus evil as I felt absolute joy during this song for Elsa–an opposite reaction from the majority of the characters in the film.  The lyrics to each song flow flawlessly into the narrative even in mid sentence which lends Frozen to be categorized more along the lines of a classical musical.  This technique is definitely not something I have seen before from Disney.  Most of their songs have a clear beginning and end, while Frozen‘s flow from conversational dialogue instead.  It was unique and very fun!!  I’m officially obsessed with the soundtrack.  There have been speculation that the music is so addicting that the latter part of the film feels lacking.  A fan fiction created a “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” reprise that in hindsight would have just been absolutely perfect.  It has been strategically leaked that Disney is planning a stage production of the film (how they are going to do that I have no idea but if anyone can do it, Disney can!) and I think this reprise would be a great addition to top off the emotional connection of the film.

The narrative of Frozen is really what caught my interest in regards to women’s roles.  Prepare yourself because yes, Anna and Elsa are ridiculously perfect looking despite their endearing, normal, and even clumsy qualities.  They are gorgeous and thin, but their bodies end up being the last thing you’re thinking about, I guarantee it.  The film satirizes the typical narrative where the princess and prince fall in love instantly and are married the same day.  Anna and Hans’ relationship begins as this typical stereotype but ultimately, the only true love really proven in the film is that between sisters and neither need a man to save the day.  While Anna believes she needs Kristoff’s kiss of true love to save her, Elsa instead saves her once again shattering the narrative of the quick, traditional love story (even if we are rooting for the relationship between Anna and Kristoff).  Likewise, Anna’s act of true love for Elsa is what saves the kingdom and restores order and the triumph of good over evil.

The two sisters are truly the most powerful characters in the whole narrative.  Anna, the more romantic and carefree sister, progressively finds her own inner strength throughout the story.  She practices asserting her wishes on Kristoff when she demands of him that he will lead her through the storm on her schedule.  We see a private moment after where Anna realizes how much courage she exerted and how happy she is with herself.  Anna’s strength continues as she even sacrifices her chance at true love with her man to save her sister.  Anna proves that she does not need the love of a man to make her life complete.  Elsa on the other hand, is fiercely independent from the beginning and calls awareness to Anna’s too-quick intentions with Hans.  Elsa is also able to master the art and power of ice which from the very first song, the men call “both foul and fair,” “beautiful, powerful, dangerous,” and “stronger than 100 men.”  Thus the fact that a woman yields the power of ice as it is so feared and venerated by all the men, is empowering!  Elsa unfortunately is lead to believe that she is a monster because of her powers which immediately got me thinking of Linda Williams’ “When the Woman Looks.”  Williams’ article explored the concept of woman and monster both relate as “other” and thus they are things that should be kept oppressed, like Elsa in Frozen.  However Elsa finds her liberation through the power of love and acceptance–a true Disney twist to any horror film critique like Williams’!  Yet Elsa too, does not need the love of a man and has no love interest throughout the film.  Yet there is no question of any sort of “lack” in the narrative because of it like the controversy over Brave started.

I loved the film’s depiction of women as those who can wield power yet can transcend the label of “monster.”  Anna as the main heroine was loveable and relatable.  She had an appetite for food, was clumsy, stuttered, and was playful!  She has showed the evolution of princesses from the perfect images of Snow White and Aurora, to Rapunzel from Tangled.  Anna and Elsa really do represent accurate representations of the modern woman.  I would definitely suggest the film to others, especially Disney lovers who wish to see the transition from the classic princesses to the modern ones and for anyone with a family wishes to embrace the snow and beauty of winter!