Well, after a long wait for Frozen to come to the local budget theater, we finally saw it last night. Heartwarming, uplifting, technically brilliant, visually appealing, musically stunning, I left the movie house with tears in my eyes and a song in my heart. Huge props to everyone who had a hand in the creation of this masterpiece – the Oscar was imminently deserved, and although the wait was painful, but now the itch has been scratched. As soon as it is available on DVD, it will take an honored place in my collection.
Unfortunately, there are some folks who are not at all pleased with the effort. Some think the Sámi culture was minimized and disrespected:
Supposedly the Sámi are “people of color,” and the representation of Kristoff on the right would have been more accurate, but just hop over to Google and search images for the Sámi people, and you’ll see for yourself that they’re a mixed bunch. Click through for a great article about the supposed “whitewash.” As for not including people of color, have a gander at this ballroom scene:
… and those are just the ones I could see at first glance.
I first was introduced to the Sámi when I visited the Norwegian Folklore Museum in Oslo. Up until that time they had not been on my radar – there are so many cultures in the world it’s hard to become acquainted with all of them.
Thanks to Globerider’s blog for the photo.
But they are a proud people with a distinct culture, language, and history, and I was pleased that the opening sequence of Frozen was an example of Joik, the traditional a capella chanting of the Sami people. Wikipedia notes that “Frode Fjellheim is a widely known joiker, known from Transjoik (earlier called Jazz Joik Ensemble). Fjellheim contributed the opening song to Disney’s holiday blockbuster Frozen, the yoik Eatnamen Vuelie (“Song of the Earth”).” If that’s not going right to the source, I don’t know what is.
Last are those who saw ulterior motives and messages in the film. I’m sorry to say that one of these is a member of my own community of faith. Having now seen the film myself, I can go on record as saying that I saw not a hint of “core message” dealing with the LGBT community, bestiality, or satanism. People with too much time on their hands can find virtually anything they look for anywhere, and reveal more about themselves than they do about the subject they are complaining about.
Nobody likes everything. Viggo Mortensen said “If you’re trying to please everyone, then you’re not going to make anything that is honestly yours, I don’t think, in the long run.” The adaptation of “The Snow Queen” that has now become “Frozen” is a unique product of its creators who gave their all to tell a beautiful story, and from where I sit the film is destined to take a high place of honor in the Disney repertoire.
The Old Wolf has spoken.
