Where does Frozen take place? It’s not too far from reality than you may think.
The world of Frozen is so beautifully enchanting that you might have wondered if a
place like that actually exists—or if it’s just some made-up setting to make
the Disney magic happen.
Well, it’s kind of both.
While Frozen takes place in the fictional
kingdom Arendelle, the kingdom was based on multiple locations in Norway. The team behind Frozen even visited Norway to gain
inspiration, and you can see Nordic influence all throughout the movie. Here
are just a few of the connections between Frozen and the very real world
of Norway.
1. Arendelle’s Name and Architecture Come from Norway
If you look closely, you will find that
Arendelle was stitched together from fragments of Norway. For example, the
kingdom was named after Arendal, a port in southern Norway.
The design, however, came from Bergen, a city in Norway’s western fjords. Disney tours in Norway even claim Bergen as the “storybook village” that was the “inspiration for Arendelle, the kingdom and home to Anna and her sister Elsa.”
Architecture throughout Norway influenced the
buildings in Arendelle. Take a look at Heddal Church. Look like Arendelle’s
castle? That’s because the design was based on it, with one notable difference—the
real-life church is wooden. This architectural style came from the Viking era and
is called dragestil, ordragon
style.
Fun Fact: In Norwegian, “Arendelle”
can be loosely translated as “eagle valley.”
2. Frozen and Norway Share Similar Landscapes and Scenery
The landscapes of Arendelle were heavily
influenced by Norway’s western fjords, particularly Nærøyfjord. In the fjords, you
will find the same waterways, mountains, and steep cliffs that you see in Frozen.
The movie also features scenes in the woods, which are representative of the boreal woodlands found in Norway. If you would like to see one for yourself, one of the best preserved examples is Øvre Pasvik National Park.
3. The Music Is Nordic
The opening song immediately tells you that the movie is based on Norway. The song, titled “Vuelie,” was adapted from a song called “Eatnemen Vuelie,” which was written by Frode Fjellheim, a Sami musician. The Sami are the indigenous people of Norway and Sweden, and “Vuelie” contains elements of joik, a traditional Sami singing style.
Later, Elsa’s coronation is accompanied by a song in Old Norse. The piece was also inspired by traditional Sami music.
The orchestral film score brings in even more
elements of Nordic music. The bukkehorn and other regional instruments were
used to record the music. Kulning—a traditional high-pitched Scandinavian
yodeling call—also played a prominent role throughout the soundtrack of the second
Frozen movie.
4. Norwegian Art Inspired Frozen’s Spellbinding Design
Rosemåling is a Norwegian art form that
literally means “decorative painting.” It is characterized by flowing designs
of flowers, scrollwork, lining, geometric shapes, and landscapes.
And you can bet the filmmakers of Frozen used the designs. Almost everything in the movie is decorated, from the fabrics to the walls to Elsa’s ice magic. Basically, if you notice design work or patterns in Frozen, it is likely based on rosemåling.
5. The Fashion in Frozen Is Nordic
The intricate costumes in Frozen can be referred to as bunads, or modern costumes in Norway based on traditional Norwegian clothing. You can see examples in the Norsk Folkmuseum.
The Sami still wear a style of clothing like the
styles found in Frozen.
Traditional garments include the gákti, similar to what you see in the
movie.
Fun Fact: To understand how a dress behaves
while walking through snow, the design team filmed themselves walking through
snow in dresses—both the men and the women.
6. Even the Frozen Trolls Are Influenced by Nordic Mythology
Trolls are a big part of Norwegian legends, and
as we know, they play a major role in Anna and Elsa’sstory. In old
Norse folklore, trolls are magical creatures living in the mountains in family
groups. That sounds a lot like the trolls in Frozen, right? Both can
also be disguised as rocks.
One example of trolls in Norway is Trollstigen. It
is a dramatic landscape featuring a switchback road where trolls are rumored to
come out at night.
7. Both Norway and Frozen Love Reindeers
You can’t forget Sven, Kristoff’s loveable reindeer. After all, “reindeers are better than people.” Reindeer are a common sight in Norwegian landscapes, and they are perfectly suited for the cold. The Sami people are indigenous to the areas of Norway and Sweden, and they are well known for herding reindeer in the north.
8. The Story That Inspired Frozen Is Scandinavian
Frozen is loosely based on a story called The Snow Queen. Both stories feature a snow queen, trolls, reindeer, frozen hearts, and snow creatures. However, the source material is an altogether darker story with a demon, a rather unfortunate magic mirror, and robbers.
The Snow Queen was
written by an author responsible for many of today’s fairy tales—Hans Christian
Andersen. Because Andersen was a Dane himself, much of his work takes root in
Scandinavia. You can even visit Andersen’s home in Denmark.
9. You Can Find Norse Runes and Symbols in Frozen
Norse runes and symbols also make subtle appearances in the first and second films. For example, in one of the early scenes of the first movie, the king looks at a book containing Norse runes. The runes can also be seen inscribed on the gravestones for Anna and Elsa’s parents.
The poster for the second movie proved controversial. The 4-point snowflake on the poster would be impossible in real life. However, the design was based on the Norse vegvísir, a compass intended to prevent the wearer from getting lost in a storm, which reflects the themes of the second movie.
Now that you know where Anna and Elsa are from,
find out where YOU are from. Do you share the same
heritage as Anna and Elsa? How has your past
influenced your story? Find out using FamilySearch.org.
Source: Family Search
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