Frozen 2 shattered box office records over the weekend, now achieving the highest all-time worldwide opening for an animated film. The film is a visual masterpiece, showcasing the breadth of Disney’s capabilities when it comes to animation. The songwriters from the original returned for a soundtrack that is both upbeat and at times, melancholy. And while the story is more complex than the original, Frozen 2 offers some important messages about love, acceptance, and understanding the importance of one’s past. I always find the process of creating a film to be intriguing. Here are 10 things you didn’t know about Frozen 2.
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Frozen 2
- Sleeping Beauty: The artists behind the creation of the enchanted forest were inspired by the artist Eyvind Earle, who was a celebrated part of Disney Animation in the 1950s and behind the ethereal backgrounds and color choices in “Sleeping Beauty.” The filmmakers were inspired by Earle’s grouping of trees and his verticals, and turn-of-the-century Russian painters whose work showcased intriguing use of light in their landscapes.
- Invisible Animation: When it came to animating Gale, the wind spirit, filmmakers were challenged with creating a character that was basically invisible. Ultimately, they decided to use everything Gale affects—from leaves and debris to another character’s clothing or hair—to showcase Gale’s movements. Swoop, a new technology created at Walt Disney Animation Studios, helped bring Gale to life.
- Walk On Water: The water spirit, known as the Nokk, presented artists and technicians with another challenge. The Nokk is not only made of water, it has to perform in and on water. Add to that an introductory scene that takes place at night in the Dark Sea. Filmmakers gave the character a volume with a slight shimmer against the dark background, authentic horse-like movement and water effects on its mane and tail. The Nokk is inspired by Nordic folklore, taking the form of a horse with the power of the ocean.
- Hairy Situation: “Frozen 2” is the first feature to utilize new proprietary software— a hair solver simulator called Beast, which helped filmmakers achieve art-directed curls for Anna, Kristoff’s wind-blown locks and a new style for Elsa.
- Firmly Planted: Filmmakers consulted with a botanist from Oslo, Norway, to ensure their enchanted forest was made up of authentic vegetation. Among the 10 varieties of trees is the aspen, which features predominantly in the film. Also featured were ground cover plants, including bearberry, crowberry, bracken fern and fireweed—selected for their ability to contribute to the specific color palette of the enchanted forest.
- What’s in a Name? Bruni the salamander was known as Sally during production.
- Snowman Scratch: Songwriter Robert Lopez, who co-wrote seven original songs with his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez, has worked with the voice of Olaf, Josh Gad, for so long he has a pretty good handle of the star’s voice and delivery. In fact, filmmakers tapped Lopez to do some of Olaf’s scratch recordings, including songs and even some dialogue.
- Stony Expressions: The earth giants are massive creatures formed by the earth. They form the rocky riverbanks when sleeping, but when they are awakened, they’re capable of intense destruction—uprooting trees at will and hurling giant boulders at those who anger them. The earth giants were both characters and environments in “Frozen 2,” so both teams played a role in their creation.
- Music by the Numbers: The “Frozen 2” soundtrack features original songs from Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and an original score from Christophe Beck. The soundtrack features 7 all-new original songs. The score features 19 tracks. There are 3 end-credit artists who have recorded unique versions of songs for the film: Panic! At The Disco, Kacey Musgraves and Weezer. The score was recorded with 91 of Los Angeles’ finest players—the largest Beck has ever recorded with. Kristoff’s song “Lost in the Woods” is inspired by 1980s glam rock songs (he even gets wind in his hair).
- 17 Tiny Reindeer: In “Frozen 2,” Jonathan Groff lends his voice to mountain man Kristoff, who finds himself struggling to express his feelings to Anna. The character’s emotions take center stage in the new original song “Lost in the Woods,” in which Groff voices not only Kristoff, but Sven and more than a dozen other “backup” reindeer.
Frozen 2 in 4DX
As I mentioned above, Frozen 2 is a visual delight. And if there is one movie you want to see in 4DX it is Frozen 2.
4DX is an immersive movie experience that engages all of your senses. Through motion and other special effects, you become part of the movie. My kids find that going to watch a film in 4DX is fun and exciting. They love the unknown when it comes to the special effects, because each film offers a unique experience.
As you can imagine, Frozen 2 in 4DX features a snow effect, perfect for the winter theme depicted in the film. Weather is a large part of the film, as Elsa continues to understand her powers and their origin. The use of rain, wind, fog, and scent enhance the visuals in the film as Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf venture into new lands. Some theaters, like Regal Cinemas offer the option of turning off the water effects.
Each 4DX theater features motion-based seating which is perfectly synchronized with more than 20 different effects to completely immerse audiences in the film. The best way to describe it is like a more technically advanced version of a motion simulator ride. The motion is not continuous and is used seamlessly to enhance the visuals on-screen.
To find a 4DX location near you, visit CJ4DX.com.
Frozen 2 Printables, Activities, and Coloring Sheets
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