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The funny thing about it is, this approach usually sucks all the life out of stage musicals. But I’d say the Anderson-Lopez’s thrived & there’s something unique abt Frozen 2 that is exactly why a lot of musical theatre peeps (writers, I always mean writers) find it so compelling. https://twitter.com/JennyENicholson/status/1288719947359690753
Listening to folks reduce any musical to “well I liked a couple songs” “there were some good songs” is all very headachy cuz that’s... not the point. You didn’t come to hear the hits, you came for story and character.
It’s possible to write a perfectly compelling, dramatic, musical narrative without 1 “Let it Go” in the bunch. But that’s another story, never mind.
Frozen 2 feels more neatly musical than Frozen 1. From the 3 note (Gregorian Dies Irae FWIW) McGuffin, to interpolation of the mother’s folk/story song into Show Yourself, there’s connective tissue throughout.
And musically, all of the songs are unsettled. The opening number is called Some Thing Never Change but is persistently undercut with things changing. And it nearly sets up that Anna is gonna have to deal with change. The last line is “I’m holding on tight to you.”
There’s something agitated and neurotic about the whole score, even Lost in the Woods. As much as I wrote it off in the theatre, even Olaf’s charm song is unnerved, it’s not as goofy as it could be cuz the ground beneath it is shakey.
I think the Anderson-Lopez’s had an opportunity to make the principals more thoughtful. They used song to do what song is MEANT for in musicals: to show you what’s on people’s minds. And, funnily enough, the “it’s not a tune you can hum” crowd has a habit of forgetting that.
Hell, they musicalize the darkest All Is Lost Moment in Disney history: Anna watches Olaf melt away and she’s certain her sister is dead & who knows where Kristof is. The happiest character ever is put into despair. And Do the Next Right Thing is stronger because of it.
Frozen 1 runs out of musical theatre gas after the recit battle between Anna/Elsa. Big Fixer Upper fan here but it’s ornamental, not propulsive. There’s nowhere to sing in Act 3. & that’s fine. You don’t necessarily want it. As we saw when they cut the A3 song in the stage show.
Funnily enough, Little mermaid kinda works the same as Frozen in that respect. Anywho. Frozen 2 manages to keep that musical balloon in the air in a much more cohesive way. IMO. And the end result is something you don’t see often in a film musical.
There’s clear craft and intent. You can sense when songs are just kinda tossed at a script. It’s called Corpse Bride. And, with the exception of LMM the Anderson-Lopez’s are the best lyricists on Disney’s payroll (for these features, least).
And maybe it’s weird that the musical energy isn’t at odds with the action of the film which seems to be the sticking point for the Film folk: Go look for thing, discover thing that damns your village, choose to destroy your village, PSYCH, village okay, all forgiven.
I’ve seen the argument that Arendelle should be destroyed & I def hoped for it in the theatre cuz strong choices. But I don’t really see what that... accomplishes?
The better argument I’ve heard in favor of the storytelling in Frozen 2 is that it’s simply not... American. It’s not plotted out the ears like most animated films now & there’s anime & Ghibli flavors. I know too little about those things to substantiate that. I do musicals.
I’m just always thrilled to see a unique thing. Especially as a musical theatre writer: Unique things are few and far between. And the culmination of the choices in Frozen 2 adds up to a compelling, unique thing to me. It didn’t have to be so eclectic & yet it is.
And the musical storytelling in it is just the tops. I can’t believe I’m up this late ranting about Frozen 2. I’m apparently starved for musical conversation. Anyway Jenny Nicholson is a cool, smart person & this was in no way meant to be an elaborate dig or “clap back.” I tired.
And to reiterate, in all this, I’m just talking about a response to the finished product. I feel like if we could see what production decisions went into a lot of films we would alter our thoughts on moments and characters and scenes. Doesn’t change the final thing.
