Review of The Snow Queen

I looked for this film because I hadn't seen Soviet animation before, and because Miyazaki lists it as an inspiration. It's difficult to find; I ultimately got the 2004 "remastered" version on DVD, with the original English voiceovers, and the live action introduction which apparently accompanied the American TV broadcast in what looks like the early 1960s. That was fascinating in itself: an element of cultural sharing through animation in the middle of the Cold War and during the height of Disney's powers. Anyway, the DVD was delivered to my kiddos in their shoes on Three King's Day, in the middle of an extremely cold Iowa winter, and that's the best way to enjoy this movie: huddled up inside with some hot drinks. The animation is simply but artistic, so far as one can tell from its current state. I think it's main influence on Miyazaki was the strong male-female companionship between children or adolescents, present in so many of his movies, most obviously Castle in the Sky. We all know that Miyazaki hates Disney, but Disney learned from this one too: the Frozen franchise is nothing less than a rehabilitated Snow Queen, almost a warm-up for their live action rethinks of villainesses.