Post: #1

I was thinking about writing this thread and never got a round to it, but BI had an article today (reprinted from the good eunuch project) that brought it to mind again. If you don't have kids, Frozen is the biggest kids' movie since The Little Mermaid.

It's a pretty lame article, though he does a good job on the character of Ariel in Little Mermaid: "I’ve always seen Ariel as the quintessential spoiled princess." But, really, his analysis of Elsa, WTF?

Quote:She’s finding her powers, and sure, it all goes terribly awry, plunging the land in endless winter, nearly kills her sister and hands over her kingdom to a manipulating evil prince—but at least she’s embracing her power and her identity, and damn the consequences.

Although the consequences catch her later. And it’s fine if she wants to do it all in a super sparkly dress.This song is “I am,” not “I want.”

I find it reassuring that this song about embracing one’s true self, no matter how weird or seemingly monstrous, is the big hit from Frozen. My daughter wants to be Elsa, not Anna.

He finds it reassuring that "embracing one’s true self, no matter how weird or seemingly monstrous" is a hit?

Personally, I see Elsa as code for a lesbian - the whole "Let it Go" song is about coming out of the closet:

Quote:Don’t let them in, don’t let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know
Well, now they know

So she goes off, leaves her family, builds this terrific ice palace and hides from the world. Yep.

Another interesting thing: in this princess movie, BOTH parents are gone. It used to be these movies were about a girl who's mother had died or just wasn't present, and that's easy - girls want their fathers, and movies about a father figure hit that nerve. Now both parents are gone. I can't think of a Disney movie that involves orphans - maybe "The Rescuers"?

So here's the thing about this movie: Anna is the main character. She gets most of the screen time. She's modern woman at her finest: falls in love with the first guy she meets, who to all appearances is a wonderful, charming kid who happens to be royalty, but he turns out to be out only to take over her kingdom and push her aside. Meanwhile, Christoph, the ice cutter, is living on his own with his reindeer buddy, the subject of endless body odor jokes, but he's got a good heart, he's brave, loyal, and hard working. Christoph is the MGTOW man, a guy who's decided he doesn't need anyone, least of all a woman, but can't help himself when he runs into Anna. (FWIW, he does have some excellent lines, especially in the scene where they're getting chased by wolves).

What's the message with Anna? Don't fall for the player. The working class shlub is the one you want, even if his social status is considerably lower than yours. And that, I don't know if it's encouraging or fucked up. We'll see what Disney does with the sequel, I guess.

Post: #2

Good observations, RockHard.

I watched this movie with my niece a week or so ago and asked, "Who do you like better Elsa or Anna?"

"Elsa."

"Why?"

"Because she can freeze everything," she said. As children will do, she mimicked Elsa freezing various objects. She then asked me who I like better.

Of course you can't be like, "Well I'd def. bang Elsa, but Anna's only good for a last call Hail Mary." So, I said, "Anna, but only because I don't like Elsa - I mean, think about it, Elsa has one bad day, so she freezes the kingdom, makes everyone cold, and runs away."

The child looked at me and replied, "But she was miiiisssserable!"

Obviously it's just one observation from an otherwise cool little kid, but DAMN.

Post: #3

Every time I hear that song it get stuck in my head for 2 or 3 days.

Post: #4

I don't plan on seeing it. But I think "Let it Go" is the worst "big ballad" I've ever heard in my life.

If you're going to write a showstopper, take your cue from Mariah Carey, who are least put some soul into these types of songs, not Celine Dion or Bette Midler, who were all bombast and no heart.

Back in the day, critics pounced on Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" and Midler's "Wind Beneath My Wings," calling them out for being the narcissistic empty vessels they were. Now, everyone is so pandering and politically correct, no one will come out and say "Let It Go" is a piece of shallow, didactic tripe.

***

Here is a bit of related musical trivia for you all. Back in '67, the hit songwriting team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin wrote a song called "The Snow Queen," which has a lyric based on the old folk tale "Frozen" was apparently taken from.

Unlike their mega-hits for the Shirelles, Monkees, etc., this was a very a minor hit for the "sunshine pop" group the Roger Nichols Trio. But it's pretty great and IMO a zillion times more emotionally effective than "Let It Go." Dig those jazz chords.

It also has a more realistic, sobering Red Pill lyric, something "Let It Go" doesn't have. The money line: "No, my friend, she doesn't want what you're selling."

Post: #5

Let It Go confused me. I didn't see why it was such a big deal.