I started this topic on the Frozen board, so I thought I'd do the same here as well:
1. When Rapunzel first comes down from the tower and runs through the forest. It's probably the combination of that, the rising music and her singing, but it's just impossible not to get caught up with all her happiness and joy at finally being free.
2. The Queen comforting the King before they release the lanterns. It shows how much the loss of their daughter still hurts so much after 18 years.
3. The big re-union at the end: No words, just expressions of huge emotion that Rapunzel has found her real parents and the King and Queen have their daughter back.
Familial happy endings get to me much more than Romantic happy endings. #3 Just may be my favorite story-driven ending (favorite ending overall still goes to the Night on bald Mountain/Ave Maria Finale of Fantasia).
The tear Heals scene is also pivotal. the overhead shot of Rapunzel hunched over Eugene next to a rope of her severed hair with the colors all dulled out sums up the feelings of the moment, and then her awe and wonder at the magic performing one last miracle.
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I like the part where the palace guard opened the door to tell the parents Rapunzel had returned and he couldn't even get the words out. Then when her parents go to the door they hesitate for a moment as if having to question whether or not they are ready for this.
Good question. I would say (in no particular order):
- When Rapunzel says, "I'll be here" as Gothel leaves the tower after yelling at her about the lanterns, and then she just sits there, melancholy, her hair blowing around limply like a metaphor for her spirit (in contrast, when Flynn enters her life, representing a chance to see the lanterns after all, she's so excited that she can barely wait for Gothel to leave and runs back into the tower without even un-latching her hair from the hook).
- When Rapunzel can't even speak and just sits on the bed, looking at the flag Flynn gave her after she thinks he rejected her. The look on her face is so realistic of someone going through heartbreak, and she's also the only Disney princess besides Tiana to deal with rejection by a guy she really liked (even though it wasn't true, she at least thought it was), which most women in real life have felt at one point or another. And Tiana's was barely explored, so seeing Rapunzel sitting there on that bed, too depressed to move, practically, really got to me.
- When Rapunzel is so desperate to heal Flynn. Similar to the heartbreak thing, Rapunzel also was one of the first Disney princesses to have a little bit of a romantic gender-role reversal in that she was the one desperate to save her prince, not the other way around. Belle, Ariel and Meg all saved their guys, but Belle did it by accident and Ariel saved Eric the first time she met him, which - even though we're supposed to believe it was love at first sight - wasn't nearly as emotional as Rapunzel's multiple pleas to Gothel to let her save Flynn, even though she knew what it would cost her.
- At the end, when the parents look almost scared to believe that the guard might be right that their lost princess had returned. And then when they reunite, of course.
When Eugene cuts Rapunzels hair...Man..I know I sound ridiculous right now, but that is probably one of my favorite scenes in any movie. It was the ultimate sacrifice. She could have used her hair to save him, but he couldn't bear her to use it anymore. Loved it.
Nope, not ridiculous...that gets me every time. It's such a beautiful moment. He'll die, and he knows it. But keeping her safe, not letting her be used by Gothel or be her prisoner any longer...ugh. SO BEAUTIFUL. And I cry and I get warm squishy feelings and I just adore it. The first time I saw it, it was unexpected, and I was stunned. Now it loses the punch of being a shock, but I still get goosebumps.
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