If you kept up with my last series of passion blogs, you know that my theme for last semester was different musicals that I have seen or been in. Although I love so many more musicals, I decided to change it up a little this semester by instead reviewing different Disney princess movies in a similar way that I reviewed musicals. I was inspired by my paradigm shift essay, which focused on the transformation of Disney princesses in relation to the different waves of feminism. As this blog progresses throughout the semester, I want to delve deeper into each specific movie, discussing the plots, songs, and feminist messages. To begin this blog, I will start out with my favorite Disney princess movie (although tied with Tangled and Moana because I am indecisive), Frozen.
Although many people claim that Frozen is overhyped, I disagree because the praise it received after it was released in 2013 was well-deserved, in my opinion. Frozen has amazing songs, actors, and plotlines that make it different from any Disney princess movie that we’ve seen before. Instead of focusing on a love story between a prince and a princess, it focuses on the bond that sisters have, which is stronger than a romantic sort of love. It also features a variety of characters that have funny moments at times but heartfelt moments at others, making it a movie that anyone can enjoy.
Frozen begins with Anna and Elsa as two young princesses playing in their palace late at night. Elsa, who has various ice powers, is turning the room into a winter wonderland, and Anna, her younger sister, is having fun playing with her. They have an amazing time until Elsa slips on ice and accidentally hits Anna with her ice powers. Anna has to go see a troll that can unfreeze her mind, but he also erases all memories of Elsa’s powers, so she has no idea that Elsa has ice powers. Elsa stays locked up in her room for the majority of her adolescence, leaving Anna on her own. However, at Elsa’s coronation on her eighteenth birthday, Anna meets a handsome prince, Hans, and tells Elsa that she wants to get married. Elsa is so furious that she accidentally uses her ice powers, making everyone believe that she is dangerous. Elsa leaves the castle, and the movie follows Anna’s quest to find her to prevent her from freezing their kingdom of Arendelle, with the help of the snowman Olaf and Kristoff.
Ever since I saw the movie, I have loved the music, so much so that I went to see a showing of a Frozen sing-a-long in theaters. My favorite song is “For the First Time in Forever,” with “In Summer,” Olaf’s feature song, coming in a close second place. The orchestral pieces that play in the background of the rest of the movie are also amazing, and I highly recommend checking out “Winter’s Waltz,” “Elsa and Anna,” “Coronation Day,” and “The Great Thaw,” all composed by Christophe Beck. Frozen has a variety of different musical numbers, so whether you enjoy a fun, Broadway-inspired song by a snowman or a large ensemble number sung by trolls, there is something for everyone in this movie.
Ultimately, the main message of Frozen is that the bond shared between sisters can be much stronger than any romantic relationship. In the end, after (spoiler alert) Hans betrays Anna, Anna’s selfless display of love when she throws herself in front of Elsa is the act that ends up saving them both. Although Kristoff and Anna do share a romantic plot line, the main message comes from Anna and Elsa’s bond. If Disney keeps releasing movies like this, they will continue to teach young girls that you do not need a “prince” in your life to be happy and succeed.