Snow Movies -- #4

So far in our great snow exploration, we’ve looked at stories from the middle of the 20th century, the end of the 20th century, the end of the 19th century to just a couple of years ago. The common thread? They all had scenes full of snow. They all make you feel winter.

But the one that could leave you the coldest is 2013’s Frozen by Jennifer Lee. This animated adventure/comedy gives us two sisters, and one of them has a power she could live without—everything she touches turns to ice and snow. She’s kept apart from everyone because, of course, this power is dangerous and could harm the world and the people in it. But when she has a bit of a tantrum, she sort of accidentally turns her world into ice and leaves the kingdom to hide elsewhere, figuring she’s a monster and dangerous—she basically feels guilty for having turned the kingdom into an endless winter.

But Elsa’s sister, Anna, heads out with some cohorts to find Elsa. She has several snow adventures along the way until she finally arrives at this cool, ice castle that Elsa has built for herself. While there, Elsa does it again and accidentally hits Anna in the heart… How can Elsa help her survive?

Take a look at a clip from the film.

Is that a winter wonderland or what? It hearkens back to Superman’s ice fortress—where he’d go to contemplate. And that’s interesting—that characters go alone to this icy place they construct in order to sort things out. Like the cold will keep them focused or something.

How many times in a film, during an emotional scene when the main character wants to, say, get to his lover before she marries someone else, does it rain? The rain, of course, forces the character to have yet another obstacle in his way before he can get to his lover.

Well, it’s the same here. The snow and ice stop Elsa from thinking she can go back to her kingdom because she’ll hurt them with this power. And it takes someone who does not have this power to show her the way.

So what can we gain from all this talk of snow?

Winter sucks—but it can also be magical. It can be a character in your story, a character that stops your heroine from doing what she’d like to do. Snow is also simply another world. Grass, leaves, flowers—they don’t exist. You’re left in this cold, cold world—and so are your characters. How will they deal with it?

There are many ways to think about what you want to write—whether it’s an entire script or just a scene you’re planning for your characters. But one element to think about is something like snow.

Snow… ice… winter trials to live through. For you—and your characters if you choose to set some of your script in the snow.

Bottom line, it’s interesting to think about what the setting can do to your story. And I think snow adds a particular je ne sais quoi to a film.

OK. Take a deep breath. It’s the last day of February, so there’s every chance that if the snow’s not quite over, it will be soon!

Copyright © Diane Lake

28Feb21

Email Diane a question to Diane@DianeLake.com