Frozen 2: Every ’80s Reference In “Lost In The Woods”

Frozen II includes glorious musical performances from the main female protagonists, but the standout pop culture moment emerges through Kristoff’s emotionally-charged forest ballad “Lost in the Woods.” Viewers of all ages can appreciate the inherent melodrama and dramatic vocals, but it’s the overall aesthetic that makes it so magical. Some images reference specific artists that were popular during the ’80s, such as Queen and Journey, and certain story beats are all about the mood of ’80s-era MTV: the brooding, the posturing, and the visual wonderland of it all.

Kristoff doesn’t have any big singing moments in the original Frozen movie, which didn’t go unnoticed by fans of voice actor Jonathan Groff — an accomplished Broadway performer. For the sequel, songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and husband Robert Lopez wanted to provide Kristoff with a special moment, one that would allow him to unload all his feelings. The film franchise is centered primarily on the journeys of sisters Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristin Bell); however, Kristoff is always at their side. Frozen II was originally supposed to feature a comedic Kristoff solo called “Get This Right,” but Disney ultimately settled on an ’80s-style power ballad, “Lost in the Woods.”

Kristoff belts out “Lost in the Woods” approximately midway though Frozen II, the result of being abandoned in the forest after planning to propose marriage to Anna. The mountain man then takes a moment for himself, and imagines a world where he and his reindeer pal Sven are in harmony with nature and the universe in general. It’s this emotional vibe that allows Disney to incorporate various ’80s references to establish a specific atmosphere, all the while providing animators with the opportunity to show a different side of Kristoff. After all, ’80s rock ballad energy is mostly about vulnerability (typically, of the masculine variety) and allowing the audience to connect with the overall passion. Kristoff channels that energy in Frozen II, with a dream sequence symbolizing that he’s alone with all of his thoughts. Meaning, he’s not technically posing for an audience, but rather being true to himself. Here are the primary ’80s references in “Lost in the Woods.”

Journey-Like Posturing

The “Lost in the Woods” sequence in Frozen 2 was partially inspired by ’80s karaoke songs. According to Groff, the movie moment channels “drunk dudes singing Journey,” which explains why Kristoff roams around a bit, almost like he’s consumed a couple of adult beverages and wants to claim the forest as his personal stage. The band Journey is well-known for their music video posturing, and Kristoff’s extreme close-up (see above) visually links to a video like “Separate Ways (World’s Apart),” in which lead singer Steve Perry and his bandmates stare directly at the audience and communicate what troubles them deep inside.

Queen Theatrics

Fans of “Lost in the Woods” can thank Freddie Mercury and Queen for inspiring the visual theatrics. The song itself would be just fine if it was merely a Kristoff spotlight, but Disney wisely includes a proper reindeer chorus. The character staging references a plethora of ’80s music videos, and there’s a clear shout-out to the iconic Queen music video “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which, although it is technically from the mid-’70s, heavily inspired the music video trends of early ’80s MTV.

The beauty of it all is that Kristoff isn’t phased by his surroundings, as he’s fully locked into the music and the passion that guides him. According to Groff:

“Queen was so theatrical and big and when you do something that’s theatrical and big like that and it’s sung by a man, it gives boys the opportunity to really be theatrical and express themselves.”

“Lost in the Woods” visually references “Bohemian Rhapsody” with its character framing. Near the end of the song, Kristoff is framed front and center, with four reindeer harmonizing at his side before a black background. This particular image links to a similar moment in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” but with slightly different framing. Later, as “Lost in the Woods” reaches its final moments in Frozen II, the image of Kristoff and multiple reindeers directly links to another famous moment in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” in which the member of Queen are visually multiplied. From beginning to end, Mercury appears to be lost in his thoughts while rocking out during the video — a stylistic choice that is repeated in Kristoff’s “Lost in the Woods” performance.

Big Bryan Adams Energy

The beginning of “Lost in the Woods” shows Kristoff really committing to the music, and even deciding to rest his back against a tree. The orange-purple color palette sets the mood, and the character posturing aligns with that of noted ballad singer Bryan Adams. It’s almost like Kristoff is fully connected to Mother Nature, much like a similar forest sequence featuring Andy Samberg in the 2007 classic Hot Rod. The Frozen II songwriters reportedly committed to “a YouTube rabbit hole” in order to provide Groff with the necessary energy that was required to pull off such a performance.

Heavy MTV Vibes

The Frozen II animators reportedly inspired the songwriters by offering the following note: “Feel free to take this to an ’80s video kind of place.” Overall, “Lost in the Woods” is indeed full of heavy MTV vibes from the early to mid ’80s, most notably when Kristoff flips his hair back and sings directly into an acorn while making a proper diva pose with his right hand. It’s a definite tone-setter, one that informs Frozen II audiences that Kristoff has truly drifted off into a special place.

“Lost in the Woods” includes obvious homages to classic music videos, but it’s the little things that make it so special. For example, there’s a rebellious aspect to popular ’80s productions that don’t necessarily hold up now, but are nevertheless authentic. The music video medium was entirely new back then, so new trends emerged through MTV. For artists, there was no playbook for how to act, and so they did their best to communicate a message. Decades later, the most brilliant productions have true nostalgic value, and so do the most cringe-worthy music videos. With “Lost in the Woods,” Disney channels the good and bad of early-’80s MTV, as Kristoff communicates all his feelings through exaggerated movements.

About The Author

Q.V. Hough
(1892 Articles Published)

Q.V. Hough is a senior writer at Screen Rant. He’s also the founding editor at Vague Visages, and has contributed to RogerEbert.com and Fandor.

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