Tangled is a 2010 movie based on the Grimm Brother's fairy tale Rapunzel. This film updates the story by giving a reason why Rapunzel's hair is so long; that being it possesses magic powers from a sun-drop-flower that the witch, Mother Gothel uses to stay young forever by brushing it while Rapunzel sings. If it's cut then it loses its powers. The film also portrays Rapunzel, a very passive damsel in distress in her original fairy tale, as a playful, quirky, artistic, curious, empathetic, and brave character. The thing that she wants most, her main motivation, isn't to get married or "more," whatever that means. It's to obtain knowledge about the strange phenomenon that happens on her birthday every year. She is a lot like Ariel in a way that she wants to escape her strict parental figure and learn about the world outside her home. True, she does end up falling in love and getting married in the end. But it's not just her story, it's also Eugene's story. Both characters learn and grow with each other and they both come into their own as people. Eugene becomes less self-absorbed and Rapunzel gains her confidence and stands up to Mother Gothel. In the end, it's not just one or the other that saves the day, Eugene and Rapunzel save each other through their love for each other. Rapunzel is willing to sacrifice her newly obtained freedom for Eugene's life (even though they try to play it like her saving Eugene would kill her, but they never establish if her using her hair to heal lethal wounds would take her life in exchange). Eugene gives his life to save Rapunzel and is revived by a magic tear leftover from the magic in Rapunzel's hair, which is a good call back to the original fairy tale where Rapunzel's tears heals the prince's blindness. If Rapunzel hadn't bargained with Mother Gothel to save Eugene, then Eugene wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to save Rapunzel. This is what makes these two the perfect Disney couple, because of they're selflessness and willingness to put the other first. Tangled isn't just one of my favorite movies, it's my favorite Disney film by far. 10/10.
Frozen is a 2013 film based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Snow Queen. While I like the story they went with for Frozen, I still love the original Snow Queen fairy tale and wish they had adapted it more faithfully. Instead of Kai and Gerda, the story follows the Snow Queen named Elsa (played by Idina Menzel) and her younger sister, Anna (played by Kristen Bell). Elsa was born with the ability to conjure ice and snow from her fingertips and her powers grow more dangerous and out of control as she gets older and has to keep it a secret from Anna to protect her. This creates tension between the sisters until Elsa loses control, her secret comes out, and she runs away to the mountains, so it's up to Anna to find her sister and make amends before the kingdom freezes to death. It is a great movie with wonderful music composed by the same Wicked team. It has lovable characters like Olaf the snowman, who loves warm hugs. It also has a really good take on the "true love will solve everything" cliche. I'm very impressed with how progressive Disney has become with it's lead female characters.The focus of the story is about the sister's relationship, not the pursuit of a romantic relationship. I also give this movie a 10/10.
I love both of these movies and, for the most part, everyone else loves them as well. But which one is better? Is Frozen a re-hash? To that I say, no. I think Frozen has similar elements as Tangled, because the production team felt that they had to keep some of the popular elements that worked in Tangled. Like a large side kick animal (i.e. horse, reindeer), a lead girl who has to bargain with a guy to be her guide on a dangerous journey, etc. and a perky, upbeat lead female who may look a little like Rapunzel. Seriously, they were created through the same animation style, but they have different shaped eyes. Rapunzel's is really round where as Anna's is more of an almond shape. One fan theory to explain why they look similar is because Anna and Rapunzel are cousins. The theory goes that Anna's and Rapunzel's mothers are sisters because they also look a lot alike. Anna's parents were on their way to Rapunzel's and Eugene's wedding when their ship sank. Three years later, we see Rapunzel and Eugene during the "For the First Time in Forever" sequence. Frozen came out three years after Tangled. Coincidence? Most of Tumblr thinks NOT!
So which movie is better? Probably the most difficult question at the moment, because both these movies have their strengths and weaknesses. I personally think the Tangled music numbers are better, because they feel less forced and come and go naturally. Frozen has really good songs like "Do You Wanna Build A Snowman?" (the feelz!) and "Let It Go," but it's pretty obvious a person who created a huge Broadway play wrote them and they squeeze their way into the story like it would on a Broadway production. This isn't a bad thing, I just think the songs in Tangled were more like Disney songs and fit better with the story.
Speaking of the story, Frozen has some great twists that keep you guessing. I know I said I would mention some spoilers, but I won't dare ruin the twists for you here. (Why are you even still reading this?!) The focus of Frozen is on the two sisters and it's great. That's all I can say about it. Like most stories with a twist, it is a little bit complicated. One of the twists involves a certain character revealing they aren't the person we think they are, so re-watching Frozen makes the character's motives and actions a little confusing. In Tangled, we already know what's going to happen from start to finish for the most part, but the movie keeps us invested, because it has the room to let us get to know the characters and get us invested just like a traditional Disney movie would.
Anna and Rapunzel are very similar characters. They're both energetic, positive, brave, and assertive when they need to be. I think Anna is more assertive, because she was brought up as a princess and knows how to push people when she needs to. Rapunzel learns to become assertive and to push back through her journey, which makes her the more interesting character, because we see her struggle and we cheer for her when she stands up to Mother Gothel. Anna is naive and learns that the world doesn't work they way she thinks it does, but it's not really touched upon the way Rapunzel's story arch is.
So because the music is better placed, story better paced and focused, and with a stronger, more interesting main character, Tangled is the better movie. I still love both movies, but Tangled is my favorite Disney movie and it's going to take Disney out-doing itself to make me change my mind.
Now I wonder what one-word-adjective-fairy-tale movie Disney will release next...
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