Earlier this week, it was announced that Disney’s recent animation Frozen has become the highest grossing animated film of all time.
Earlier this week, it was announced that Disney’s recent animation Frozen has become the highest grossing animated film of all time. First released in America on 29 November it has since made $1.072 billion (£644.5 million) at the worldwide box office, replacing previous record holder Toy Story 3. This makes it also the tenth highest grossing film of all time, which is no surprise considering it dominated the UK and US box offices for three months.
But why is Frozen so successful, outdoing the likes of Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean, all big franchises, at the box office?
As the undoubted king of animation and one of the biggest studios, Disney know exactly what to do to make money. With Christmas being perhaps the busiest season at the cinema, the cold weather and time off work draws people in, it is the ideal time for studios to unleash their latest blockbusters.
A long term box office hit
Releasing Frozen at the end of November was a smart move allowing Disney to take full advantage of the whole of December, rather than the traditional Boxing Day release. But what was even cleverer was that they made their Christmas release winter themed, and so those who were maybe not interested in an animation would see it to put them into the festive mood.
Every Christmas studios release festive themed movies hoping to take advantage of the season and make money, no matter how bad the film is. A good Christmas film though will draw in millions, and when the name Disney is attached, a well-known and popular studio, people would rather see theirs than a dubious sounding Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas.
Frozen though went on to dominate the box office past the seasonal period, with sing-a-long versions and back by popular demand releases helping it to keep drawing in the crowds. This is because not only is it a good Christmas film, but it is a traditional and brilliant Disney animation that ticks all the right boxes to make it a success. For starters, we have the music.
What do most people remember about The Lion King, The Jungle Book and all of the other best Disney films—the songs of course! Frozen’s main song ‘Let It Go,’ sung by the wonderful Idina Menzel, has not only won an Oscar but has inspired hundreds of versions across the internet and has become the key selling point for the film.
A Disney formula
Catchy, easy to sing along to with inspiring lyrics it is no wonder it has become such a hit. Accompanied by other fantastic songs such as ‘Do You Want to Build a Snowman’ and ‘Love is an Open Door’ it has a great soundtrack that is a key appeal of the film.
Like with all Disney animations it looks beautiful, and the 3D certainly helped bring in the money at the box office. However, it is the plot that harkens back to traditional Disney films that made it so popular. All young girls love Disney princesses and so would want to watch Frozen over and over again simply for the fact it has not one, but two princesses featured.
The strong female characters, the focus on sisterhood and the twist on a traditional love story however gives it a more universal appeal with something for everyone to enjoy. With a mixture of adult and young themes it is perfect for families, children and even adults going to see it with their friends or partners. Frozen leaves you with a smile on your face, a warm feeling inside and puts you in the mood to dance and sing.
This feeling is infectious and therefore it is no surprise Frozen is such a success and one for repeated viewings.
What do you think? Have you seen Frozen? Have your say in the comments section below.
