One Subtle Encanto Detail Tricked You Into Loving The Madrigals More
Disney's Encanto isn't like the studio's other animated movies, and one subtle detail may reveal why viewers love the Madrigals so much. Encanto explains that nearly all the members of the Family Madrigal get magical powers that they use to help their community. For instance, Luisa (Jessica Darrow) has super strength and regularly supports the townspeople by moving buildings and wrangling donkeys. Additionally, Julieta (Angie Cepeda) can heal anyone's ailments with the food she makes. Unfortunately, Mirabel Madrigal (Stephanie Beatriz) doesn't get a unique ability, but that just motivates her to discover the true reason the family's magical house falls apart.
In Encanto, Disney ditches its quest films to focus on a family going through complicated issues. The film's action mainly revolves around Casita, the family's enchanted home. Casita is sentient and regularly interacts with the Madrigals, becoming a lovable character itself. But when the family has issues, Casita has them too. And eventually, the rifts in the Family Madrigal start to tear Casita apart. Of course, the Madrigals solve their problems and come together to build a new Casita in the end.
Encanto is a character-driven film, which led to some changes to make audiences connect with the Madrigals. In Art of Encanto, Director of Cinematography Layout Nathan Warner explained why the film feels unique. "For the cinematography in Encanto, we wanted to do something different," Warner explained. The Director of Cinematography Layout added, "We decided to have this film be the first Walt Disney Animation Studios production to use a tall frame since Tangled." Warner explained the cinematography switch would allow the audience to feel closer to the characters. "A wide frame is better suited for big action adventures, and this is such an intimate piece," Warner said. The cinematography change may help explain why the Madrigals have become such a hit with viewers.
Audiences undoubtedly love the Madrigals. Mirabel Madrigal is an approachable protagonist who just wants to make her family proud. She doesn't have superpowers, and her story of feeling overshadowed is the definition of relatable. The cinematography change helps bring her story to life, allowing audiences the chance to know her more than they would if the film were a big, flashy adventure. Likewise, Art of Encanto explains the film had emotions lead the design. This style could "amplify, exaggerate, and distort perception." Along with the cinematography, the film's philosophy of leading with emotions lets the audience experience what the characters were going through more intimately.
Disney is doing something unprecedented with its wildly popular and Oscar-nominated Encanto. Despite the film coming out in theaters first, Encanto took off in popularity after reaching Disney+. And the audience's love of Encanto is now bringing them back to theaters as the film received another theatrical release. Encanto's soundtrack also made a permanent dent on the Billboard charts. The Encanto album has stayed at number one for seven weeks now, and "We Don't Talk About Bruno" has been number one on the Hot 100 for five weeks. So there's something about Encanto that's enchanting audiences, and it may come down to everyone feeling like they're part of the Family Madrigal.