The Walt Disney Company is a studio that is built on fairytales, fantasy, and storybook dreams come true. While that might sound like a load of sentimental fluff, it's not far from the truth. All anyone simply has to do is look at their biggest successes if they want proof.
Frozen, all of them are stories built on classic fairytale tropes and cliches, and fans devour them every single time. It's the cozy sense of familiarity and comfort that keeps the house of mouse in business. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's a formula that's worked since 1928.
Underdog Protagonists
Everyone loves an underdog, and Disney has some of the best. From Rocky Balboa to Mirabel Madrigal, audiences around the world love seeing a character rise above the odds to come out on top. They love it even more if they get struck down before the end of the third act.
Chances are that if they're well-versed in Disney movies, viewers already know their favorite character is going to survive in the end. And yet fans still flock to the theatres year after year to see their heroes triumph.
References To Other Movies
It might be something as small as a carpet pattern or as big as a character cameo, but it's not uncommon to have Disney movies reference other Disney movies. From Hidden Mickeys to outright quoting a famous song, they are all connected in the grand scheme of the animated universe.
This has resulted in many fan theories, jokes, parodies, and other pieces of metamaterial amongst the masses. It might be just the artists slipping in a few easter eggs, but the fans will find a million and one ways to make it something more.
Talking Animal Friends
Disney seems to have a particular love for anthropomorphic animal characters, not that the fanbase is complaining. Such fine examples of famous furry friends include Cinderella's mice, Timon and Pumbaa, and the entire population of Zootopia just to name a few.
Maybe it's because animal characters allow the artists more creativity with their expressions and personality, maybe it's because they simply get away with more than people, but no matter what the reason might be, they continue to be a mainstay for the medium. Disney certainly isn't running out of ideas or species.
Wisecracking Sidekicks
No Disney hero (or villain) could ever be complete without an appearance from an adorable/annoying wisecracking sidekick. Out of all the Disney tropes imaginable, it's quite shocking to know this is the one that continues to have one of the longest lifespans.
To Disney's credit, there are many great sidekick characters without whom the movies they inhabit would lose a bit of their luster. But for every Pascal or Genie, there's a Pain and Panic or a Flit right behind them. At least their hearts are always in the right place.
Comedian Character Voices
To be fair, this didn't technically start happening until Aladdin hit the scene with Robin Williams in the immortal role of the Genie. That being said, it feels like every big Disney animated feature has to have a famous comedian playing a secondary or sidekick role somewhere in the movie.
Eddie Murphy played Mushu, Danny DeVito was Phil, even John Leguizamo cemented the role of Bruno in Disney's Encanto. For something so relatively new, it still feels like a trope that's permanently stuck with the Disney Brand.
Bombastic Musical Numbers
There's no arguing that Disney has created some of the best movie musicals out there, but they've definitely gotten better with age. Even recently, Disney has outdone their own success as "We Don't Talk About Bruno" put "Let It Go" six feet under. While their classic hits will always keep that classic status, there's always room to grow.
A great deal of credit has to go to the studio's history of enlisting some serious musical talent to bring their films distinctive soundtracks. From the Sherman Brothers to Lin-Manuel Miranda, Disney knows exactly who to recruit to make their musicals memorable.
Villains Getting The Best Songs
Of course, there's no talking about Disney musicals without mentioning the villain song. In a theatrical sense, it's all perfectly logical. While the protagonist(s) might have a number of chances to express themselves through song, the villain typically gets only one. Fortunately for them, all it takes is one song to outdo many a heroic ballad.
"Poor Unfortunate Souls," "Be Prepared," and "Hellfire" are songs that leave a longer impression while making the antagonist one of the most enjoyable characters in the film. Even if only for a few minutes.
Problems Solved With Love
In the immortal words of John Lennon, "All you need is love." At least Disney seems to think so. True love conquers all is a motif that has been with the company since the days of Snow White, but what's interesting to note is that the definition of the love in question has changed in recent years.
Yes, sometimes it's love in a romantic sense, seeing as how a good old-fashioned romance never goes out of style. But lately, Disney's plots have involved sisterly love, brotherly love, familial love, or even something as big as the love of community. While romance is still a big element, the studio has been exploring bigger pictures.
Good Conquering Evil
It's one of the oldest storytelling elements in human history. The ongoing battle between good and evil is a struggle that has fueled many stories for centuries, from princes slaying fire-breathing dragons to Lost Boys battling pirates in the Neverland lagoon, it's a fight that never gets old.
While realism might vary, seeing beloved heroes combat and conquer their respected villains is a comfortable and refreshing motif that will always have a place in viewers' hearts. After all, fairytales don't say dragons exist, they say they can be beaten.
Ending With A Kiss
It's practically the oldest Disney cliche in the book. While it might not be as common as it was a few years ago, it's still an act that the Disney brand has marketed for decades. All magical curses and sleeping spells are null and void with the power of true love's kiss.
Some might call it an easy way out, some might even go as far as to label it as sentimental hogwash, but it's still one of the studio's most identifiable traditions. Because sometimes it's okay to be simple and sweet.
