November 19, 2013 (El Capitan Theatre)
November 22, 2013 (limited release)
November 27, 2013 (United States)
Frozen is a 2013 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's 1844 fairy tale, "The Snow Queen", it was directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee (in her feature directorial debut) and produced by Peter Del Vecho, from a screenplay by Lee, who also conceived the film's story with Buck and Shane Morris.
The film stars the voices of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad and Santino Fontana, with Alan Tudyk, Ciarán Hinds, Maia Wilson, Chris Williams, Stephen J. Anderson, Paul Briggs, Livvy Stubenrauch, Eva Bella, Maurice LaMarche, and Lee in supporting roles. The film follows Anna, the princess of Arendelle, who sets off on a journey with the iceman Kristoff, his reindeer Sven, and the snowman Olaf to find her estranged sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped their kingdom in eternal winter.
Frozen underwent several story treatments before it was commissioned in 2011. Christophe Beck was hired to compose the film's orchestral score, and Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez wrote the songs. After its world premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on November 19, 2013, Frozen had its general theatrical release on November 27. The film was praised for its visuals, screenplay, themes, music, and voice acting, and some critics consider Frozen Disney's best animated film since the studio's Renaissance era. Frozen won a number of awards, including Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song, the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film, the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film, and two Grammy Awards.
The film grossed over $1.280 billion in worldwide box-office revenue and was the highest-grossing animated film, a record held until the remake of the remake of The Lion King surpassed it in August 2019. It finished its theatrical run as the highest-grossing film of 2013 and the fifth-highest-grossing film of all time. The film's songs, characters, storytelling elements, and appeal to a general audience were called a popular culture phenomenon. By January 2015, its Blu-ray home video sales led the US. The film's popularity spawned a franchise which includes an animated short in 2015, a 2017 animated featurette and a feature-length sequel, Frozen II, in November 2019.
Storyline[]
Princess Elsa of Arendelle possesses magic powers that allow her to control and create ice and snow, often using them to play with her younger sister, Anna. After Elsa accidentally injures Anna with her magic, their parents, the King and Queen, take both siblings to a colony of trolls led by Grand Pabbie. He heals Anna, but alters her memories so that she forgets about Elsa's magic. Grand Pabbie warns Elsa that she must learn to control her powers, and that fear will be her greatest enemy. The King and Queen isolate both sisters within the castle, closing the castle gates to their subjects. In an effort to protect her sister from her increasingly unpredictable powers, Elsa ceases all contact with Anna, creating a rift between them. When the sisters are teenagers, their parents die at sea during a storm.
Following her twenty-first birthday, Elsa is to be crowned queen of Arendelle. She is terrified, however, that the kingdom's citizens might find out about her powers and fear her. The castle gates open to the public and visiting dignitaries for the first time in years. Among them are the scheming Duke of Weselton and the dashing Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, the latter of whom Anna falls in love with at first sight. Elsa's coronation takes place without incident, but she still remains distant from Anna. Hans proposes to Anna, but Elsa objects. Hurt and confused, Anna protests, begging Elsa to explain her fear and isolation. The emotional strain causes Elsa to accidentally unleash her powers before the court. Branded a monster by the Duke, Elsa flees to the North Mountain, where she finally acknowledges her powers, building a palace of ice in which to live a hermit life. In the process, however, her magic unintentionally engulfs Arendelle in an eternal winter.
Anna ventures out to find Elsa and end the winter, leaving Hans in command. She gets lost, collecting supplies at Wandering Oaken's shop. She meets an ice harvester named Kristoff and his reindeer, Sven, convincing them to take her to the mountains. An attack by wolves leads to Kristoff's sleigh being destroyed. On foot, they meet Olaf, a cheerful snowman brought to life unknowingly by Elsa, who offers to lead them to her. When Anna's horse returns to Arendelle without her, Hans sets out to find Anna and Elsa, accompanied by the Duke's minions, who have secret orders to kill Elsa.
Reaching the ice palace, Anna meets Elsa. When Anna reveals what has become of Arendelle, a horrified Elsa confesses she does not know how to undo her magic. Her fear causes her powers to manifest themselves once more and she accidentally freezes Anna's heart, poisoning her. Elsa then creates a giant snow monster named Marshmallow, who chases Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf away. Realizing the effects of Elsa's spell on Anna, Kristoff takes her to the trolls, his adoptive family. Grand Pabbie reveals that Anna will freeze solid unless "an act of true love" reverses the spell. Kristoff races Anna back home so Hans can give her true love's kiss. Hans and his men reach Elsa's palace, defeating Marshmallow and capturing Elsa. Anna is delivered to Hans but, rather than kissing her, Hans instead reveals that he has actually been plotting to seize the throne of Arendelle by eliminating both sisters. Hans locks Anna in a room to die, and then manipulates the dignitaries into believing that Elsa killed her, but not before they were married. He orders the queen's execution, only to discover she has escaped her detention cell.
Olaf frees Anna, and they venture into the blizzard outside to meet Kristoff, whom Olaf has revealed is in love with her. Hans confronts Elsa outside, claiming that she killed Anna, causing Elsa to break down and abruptly stop the storm. Anna spots Hans about to kill Elsa; she leaps in the way and freezes solid, stopping Hans. Devastated, Elsa hugs and mourns over her sister, who thaws out, her heroism constituting "an act of true love". Realizing that love is the key to controlling her magic, Elsa ends the winter and gives Olaf his own snow flurry to survive the warmer climate. Hans is arrested and exiled from the kingdom for his attempted assassination, while the Duke's trade links with Arendelle are cut off. Anna gives Kristoff a new sleigh and the two kiss. Both sisters are reunited and Elsa promises never to lock the castle gates again.
Also See[]
- Frozen Fever (2015)
- Olaf's Frozen Adventure (2017) (Short)
- Frozen II (2019)
- Myth: A Frozen Tale (2020)
- Once Upon a Snowman (2020)
- Frozen III (2026)
Movie Trailer[]
Sound Effects Used[]
- Hollywoodedge, Bear Polar Growl Inha AT032201 (Used for Marshmallow's roars.)
- Hollywoodedge, Gusts Heavy Cold Wind PE031601/Whistling Wind Stead PE033301
- Hollywoodedge, Horses Several Whinn PE025201/Horse Whinnies Group AT045501
- Hollywoodedge, Large Ceramic Pot Bre TE023001/Pottery Drop Break PE112401
- Hollywoodedge, Lightning 08 CloseG SIG012601
- Hollywoodedge, Quick Double Bell Di CRT015001 (1st ding; heard once in a high pitch.)
- Hollywoodedge, Wind Whistle Bell CRT059101 (Heard once in a much higher pitch during the song "In Summer" when Olaf throws his hat and cane.)
- SKYWALKER, CRACK - ROCK OR EARTH CRACKING
- SKYWALKER, DOG - SCUD'S BARKING SOUND
- Sound Ideas, BABY - LAUGHING, HUMAN 02
- Sound Ideas, BARN, AMBIENCE - BARN AMBIENCE: EXTERNAL: SMALL GROUP OF GOATS AND SHEEP, FOOT MOVEMENT, FARM
- Sound Ideas, BELL, HAND - SMALL BRASS BELL: SHORT RING
- Sound Ideas, BITE, CARTOON - UNBITE BONE (Heard once when Sven tries to eat Olaf's nose.)
- Sound Ideas, FLAP, FABRIC - FABRIC FLAPPING AND MOVEMENT: LIGHT (It's possible that this sound effect was heard once when Anna's cape was flapped in the freezing wind while walking on the ice.)
- Sound Ideas, HUMAN, BABY - CRYING (Heard after Elsa freezes outside, she hears a newborn baby crying like this, and its mom hides it from her; 5th half only. This is one of the only two Walt Disney Animation Studios movies to use any part of that sound effect alongside Pocahontas. It is also the highest-grossing film to use that sound effect.)
- Sound Ideas, WIND - GENTLE DESOLATE WIND, WEATHER
- Sound Ideas, WIND - HOWLING AND WHISTLING, WEATHER
- Sound Ideas, WIND - SOFT WIND, WEATHER