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    The Business

    How 'Frozen' Became a Modern Disney Classic

    Frozen 's writer/director Jennifer Lee and songwriter Kristen Anderson-Lopez talk with Kim Masters about the backstory behind the creation of this new Disney classic. For years the film had been in development at the studio but many were stumped as to how to adapt the story of Hans Christian Anderson's Snow Queen to the screen.

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    By Kim Masters • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    Frozen's writer/director Jennifer Lee and songwriter Kristen Anderson-Lopez talk with Kim Masters about the backstory behind the creation of this new Disney classic. For years the film had been in development at the studio but many were stumped as to how to adapt the story of Hans Christian Anderson's Snow Queen to the screen. One 'aha' moment came when Anderson-Lopez, writing with her husband, Bobby Lopez (Book of Mormon, Avenue Q), wrote the song Let it Go. Lee talks about how that anthem crystallized the movie for everyone at the studio and how she rewrote the script because of it. They also talk about subverting some of the Disney princess movie clichés and how John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Pixar and Disney Animation Studios, was supportive of all of it.

    Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Bobby Lopez

    Photo by Kevork Djansezian/NBC

    Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee

    Photo by Christopher Polk/NBC

    The full episode

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    Two Women Who Made 'Frozen' a Modern Disney Classic
    1. 0:00Hollywood News Banter
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    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Kim Masters

      partner/writer at Puck News, host of KCRW's “The Business.”

    • KCRW placeholder

      John Horn

      Los Angeles Times

    • KCRW placeholder

      Darby Maloney

      Producer

    • KCRW placeholder

      Jennifer Lee

      filmmaker

    • KCRW placeholder

      Kristen Anderson-Lopez

      actress and songwriter

      CultureEntertainmentArts

    The full episode

    2 of 2
    Two Women Who Made 'Frozen' a Modern Disney Classic
    1. 0:00Hollywood News Banter
    2. 0:00How 'Frozen' Became a Modern Disney ClassicYou’re reading this
    Back to The Business