Truth be told, I haven’t really “loved” Disney 100 so far mostly because they have made it a centerpiece at the parks, where it feels VERY out of place IMO. We’re not celebrating a park – this is a celebration of a company’s governmental incorporation. Which is absolutely fine. Let’s celebrate it. But it feels so forced when making it a compulsory part of the Disney parks. After spending about a week at Disneyland in early January, I decided not to renew my Magic Key. While this was mostly done so I could do a Disney World vacation later in the year it was also because I was just not loving all the “Disney 100” everywhere you went in the park – cups, plates, fireworks show, etc…. Its not like we celebrated Walt Disney World’s 50th in the cinema after all. And this is coming from a guy who went to Walt Disney World TWICE in the space of 16 months during that 50th Birthday celebration. But 1.) that felt like a REAL party in the park (ok maybe I’m in the minority on that one) and 2.) I just love the darn 70s aesthetic of the 50th Birthday Party at Disney World.
But the first thing I’ve really liked in I this Disney 100 celebration is the Disney 100 Special Engagement film series. Well, I like the idea behind it at least. The series will be releasing a classic Disney film every two weeks from July through October. They’ve already released PIRATES OF THE CARIBEAN (2003) and TOY STORY (1998). Now I do wish they reached a little further back into the vault and brought out old favorites (the original SNOW WHITE) and forgotten masterpieces (COMPUTER WEARS TENNIS SHOES, CAT FROM OUTER SPACE, ESCAPE FROM WITCH MOUNTAIN, APPLE DUMPLING GANG, GUS, MILLION DOLLAR DUCK, UNIDENTIFIED FLYING ODDBALL, heck even THE BLACK CAULDRON anyone). Instead we’re getting the new Disney review. I mean honestly we’re lucky we got PIRATES to be honest. Everything else is a rinse and repeat of the last 30 years: MOANA, COCO, INCREDIBLES, THE LION KING (excited about that one too) and of course, FROZEN. Now I’m partial to FROZEN. I will go seen FROZEN or FROZEN II anytime they are on the big screen. And if you are a long-time reader of this blog, you probably know FROZEN is one of my favorite Disney franchises and probably my favorite this century. So when FROZEN was announced back in theaters, while some may have sighed like I did for the other titles on this list, I immediately knew I wanted to go.
My Disney 100 Special Engagement Festival:
FROZEN – DISNEY 100 SPECIAL ENGAGMENT REVIEW
So I made it out to the theater this morning and it was just me and a family of three in the theater. OK I get it. I’m sure that was a little weird – like who the heck is this adult sitting in the second row by himself watching FROZEN at 10AM?!? But after I chuckled at a few of the GREAT, natural, unforced jokes in this film along with the family, I think things improved (or they thought I was doing my DeNiro in CAPE FEAR impression). And man, I really enjoyed the experience. I think there has been a kind of wave of hate and criticism of Disney lately – some of it justified (heck even I just went off on the Disney 100). Most of the justified part is the lackadaisical nature of a lot of their recent releases. Now there have been more good (ELEMENTAL, GUARDIANS 3) than bad (HAUNTED MANSION) but the bad is clearly what Disney fans remember because they have been so good in the past. And watching FROZEN reminded me of just how many risks Disney took even 10 years ago. Sure, a lot of the left turns that happen in FROZEN may seem almost too familiar now. But back in 2013, things like the death of Anna and Elsa’s parents early on, the Lopez’ dynamic songs, the Elsa/Anna dynamic, the “true love” resolution, even the use of the trolls as a hybrid Greek chorus all feel like “old hat” but they’re not. They were great, daring, decisions that were risky back in 2013. And now, 10 years late, the last few years of Disney storytelling have felt more measured than risky. Is there still quality, definitely – but an extra push towards more risks (even if it means more failures) should be rewarded in Disney storytelling. Sure there was the monster hit of FROZEN around then but there was also BOLT and BIG HERO 6. And while those films were not mega-hits of their respective times, the fact that they took chances means that they are memorable and still memorable to this day. As a Disney fan, when you can play the decade game (as the Disney 100 celebration points out) and truly monetize a film over time, you can take big risks and still make films that pay off years later – even if they are not box office hits right out of the gate. Heck, BIG HERO 6 is getting its own land at Disney California Adventure as we speak (an idea that could not have happened when it was released nine years ago) because its resonance and value has grown over time.
So FROZEN is both a resonant, quality film and the box office hit. And I feel like Disney lately has been reaching for the latter as opposed to the former in terms of a target. But I wish they would forget about box office. Who cares what the youtube channels have to say about your box office. This is Disney, you will monetize almost ANY film over time. I mean there is a $700M TRON roller coaster in Magic Kingdom! When all the youtube haters tell you your film was a bomb, it is – if you were any other studio. But with parks and your library, stay strong. Even the aforementioned UNIDENTIFIED FLYING ODDBALL (1979) trailer has 7,300 views on youtube.
OK, I’ll get off my hidden mickey soapbox and talk about FROZEN, which, of course, I loved. I’ve seen FROZEN so many times. But seeing it on the big screen is such a special experience. Like the snowflakes in Elsa’s hair, you notice so many more things, both visually and in the narrative, at least I did this time.
Olaf has become such an undeniable part of FROZEN that it amazed me how long it takes for Olaf to get back into the story (almost 50 minutes). I forgot how much I love LET IT GO – hearing it on those massive movie theater speakers (thank you to the theater workers over at Regal Edwards Mira Mesa here in San Diego) and seeing Elsa’s ice castle come together is as big of a thrill for me as anything in the MCU or STAR WARS (not a sleight, just saying it is on the same level).
Some other notes, it is so interesting to see how a lot of the ice spinning by Elsa invokes images from FROZEN II, including the Nokk (I swear I saw horse outlines a few times) as well as the Ahtohallan signet or star (which comes up twice – when Elsa’s full powers begin to freeze the fjord and at the end when she unfreezes it). It is also kind of crazy how Elsa sends the abominable snowman to kick Anna, Kristof and Sven out of her castle and he almost ends up killing them. Also forgot how Anna and Kristof are really creeped out my Olaf when he first shows up (again a fact I now find kind of crazy considering how ingrained he is into the story). I also noticed that Anna’s hair is turning the color of Elsa’s hair (and I know, DUH) – a fact that I never realized before but maybe makes me think she might have some latent powers that may be passed on to her child – something I speculated about earlier in my FROZEN 3 theories blog.
My biggest and most emotional takeaway was seeing the ending again on the big screen. Seeing Anna unfreeze after her embrace from Elsa really got me. And so did seeing Anna give Kristof his new sled at the end of the movie, And him saying he wants to kiss Anna and her saying, “you may”. Gosh I still love that moment. I mean that moment is why you go to the movies (or at least I do).
No Scoops Club 