Disney has been doling out information about Frozen in parts. First, we learned about a snowman who was able to separate, yet still talk (and chase after his carrot nose). Next, we learned about our feisty heroine Anna (Kristen Bell) and the adventure she’d embark on to rid her land of a snowy fate.
Today, Frozen takes a turn for the interesting, introducing a character that finally helps the latest Disney animated feature feel like a vintage fairy tale – a tragic "villain" with a horrible curse who doesn’t want to be evil and really just needs our help (and sympathy). Elsa (Idina Menzel) is the Snow Queen, riddled with a power she can’t control. Meet her in the latest Frozen clip, which arrived online last night:
The new clip fills in a lot of the gaps, explaining the familial bond between Anna and Elsa, spelling out how Olaf the snowman was created, and hinting that Frozen will be closer in nature to musicals like The Little Mermaid and The Lion King than, say, Wreck-It Ralph. It emphasizes that the holiday feature will tug at our heartstrings by emphasizing the sibling relationship between Anna and Elsa. And it hints at more of the comic relief that we've come to expect from our annual dose of Disney animation.
Walt Disney Studios frequently divides its attentions, partnering with Pixar, Studio Ghibli and artists like Tim Burton to distribute creative works of cartoon animation. But the studio itself has been on a hot streak all its own that has included such fantastic films as Wreck-It Ralph, Winnie the Pooh and Tangled (which gets a shout-out in the buildup to the conclusion of this new clip).
Can Frozen carry that momentum? It’s getting a choice Thanksgiving-weekend release window, and that alone can really help a film find its audience. We’ll have plenty more on Frozen leading up to its release. For now, what did you think of the trailer?
