Scandinavian and Sámi inspirationEdit
The setting was principally based on
Norway, and the cultural influences in the film come from
Scandinavian culture.
[100] Several landmarks in Norway appear in the film, including the
Akershus Fortress in
Oslo, the
Nidaros Cathedral in
Trondheim, and
Bryggen in
Bergen. Numerous other typical cultural Scandinavian elements are also included in the film, such as
stave churches,
[100] trolls,
[18]:6
Viking ships, a
hot spring,
Fjord horses,
[101]clothes,
[80] and food such as
lutefisk.
[18]:43
[102] A
maypole is also present in the film, as well as the brief appearance of
runes in a book that Anna and Elsa's father opens to figure out where the trolls live.
[18]:6 A scene where two men argue over whether to stack firewood bark up or bark down is a reference to the perennial Norwegian debate over how to stack firewood properly.
[18]:59
[103] The film also contains several elements specifically drawn from
Sámi culture, such as the usage of reindeer for transportation and the equipment used to control these, clothing styles (the outfits of the ice cutters), and parts of the musical score.
[104][105]Decorations, such as those on the castle pillars and Kristoff's sled, are also in styles inspired by Sámi
duodji decorations. During their field work in Norway, Disney's team, for inspiration, visited Rørosrein, a Sámi family-owned company in the village
Plassje that produces reindeer meat and arranges tourist events.
[106] Arendelle was inspired by
Nærøyfjord, a branch of Norway's longest fjord
Sognefjorden, which has been listed as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site;
[107]while a castle in Oslo with beautiful hand-painted patterns on all four walls served as the inspiration for the kingdom's royal castle interior.
[108]
The filmmakers' trip to Norway provided essential knowledge for the animators to come up with the design aesthetic for the film in terms of color, light, and atmosphere. According to Giaimo, there were three important factors that they had acquired from the Norway research trip: the fjords, which are the massive vertical rock formations, and serve as the setting for the secluded kingdom of Arendelle; the medieval stave churches, whose rustic triangular rooflines and shingles inspired the castle compound; and the rosemaling folk art, whose distinctive paneling and grid patterns informed the architecture, decor, and costumes.
[86]
