Anastasia

The last time I saw this, I thought there were maybe too many songs in it that distracted the feel from the movie. But now that I've seen it again, it's clear that the songs are well written, along with the storyline.

This is not based on a true story, only loosely on a few rumors that the real Anastasia survived the killing of her family. The heroine Anya is like a Disney princess who is desperate to find out who she is and where she belongs, after suffering from amnesia following the separation of her family. The villain is the brilliant Rasputin, back from the dead, intent on extracting revenge on the Romanovs, thus starting the Russian Revolution. Dimitri and Vladimir at first are looking to find the ideal Anastasia look alike in order to get the riches from her real mother in Paris.

A lot of Bluth's films revolve around a journey and a couple involving some history on Russia. I really enjoyed the songs that played over the end credits, "At the Beginning" and "Journey To The Past" sung in her own way by Aaliyah, the beautiful angelic voiced R&B singer who left way too soon.

Brilliantly animated for its time and enjoyable for adults, Anastasia remains a classic family film.

Let others carp about the disservices to history: this Anastasia rises above its flaws to offer an engaging, emotionally resonant story of a girl's search for identity. Within its historical, quasi-factual context, the film presents a situation almost everyone can relate to--that of trying to find one's place in the world. Orphaned Anya's quest for her past (and, consequently, her future) strikes universal emotional chords: singing "Journey to the Past," she sets out with both trepidation and hope to find her identity and her place in the world. The haunting, poignant "Once Upon a December" sequence, one of the finest scenes in any recent film, is unforgettable, as we watch Anya's yearnings take the form of a ghostly dance with memories of a vanished life. And the final reunion where hostility melts gradually into acceptance, is one of the most moving and satisfying moments in film. Everything about the film bespeaks loving attention and quality: the magnificent animation and design re-create lavish Russian and Parisian locations (complete with recognizable artworks and cameos by celebrities of the '20s), and the screenplay balances action, humor, and genuine emotion. Villain Rasputin is clearly aimed at children, and some of the repartee between Anya and unlikely hero Dimitri may seem jarringly anachronistic, but viewers of any age should still enjoy this timeless coming-of-age story.

This is my personal favourite of the Don Bluth movies. I also recommend American Tail, Land Before Time and All Dogs Go To Heaven. Anastasia is just beautiful, and was one of the most requested films when we had our family cinemas. A couple of years ago, I got it on video, and all those memories came back. I love this movie so much. The animation is gorgeous. The characters are well drawn, and the backgrounds and colours are stunning. There is a lot of wit between the characters. Not to mention a truly sweet romance between Anastasia and Dimitri. Whoever hated this movie, must be told, that this is so much more watchable than Richard Rich's King and I. Anastasia herself is so beautiful. The highlights were Anastasia's dream and the scene on the train. The songs are what make this movie. My favourite is "Once Upon a December" as it is so nostalgic, haunting and poignant. All the other songs are well done and move the story forward. Even "Dark of the Night". As for the story, yes it is historically inaccurate, but so is Pocahontas, and this is marginally better. It was so well told. In some Don Bluth movies, they lose the essence right from minute one, but not here. As for the voice talents, they were all impeccable. Meg Ryan was suitably feisty as Anastasia, and Liz Callaway did her singing voice beautifully. John Cusack put an immense amount of charm into his voice-over, although Dimitri was for me was the weakest character in the movie. Kelsey Grammar has great fun as Vladmir, and also check him out as Zozi in Bartok the Magnificent. Christopher Lloyd voices villain Rasputin with over the top menace, and the villain loses his body parts here. We have all had days like that. Hank Azaria is also great as Bartok.Underrated Broadway actress Bernadette Peters has a great french accent, and I had so much fun with her singing "Paris hold the key to your heart." For me, Angela Lansbury provides a completely human and poignant character in the Dowager Empress. Her prologue was so well paced, and there was a side to the great character actress that I never knew she had. In conclusion, a sweet and beautiful animation that is essential to all animation lovers. 9.5/10 Bethany Cox

Some of the most beautiful animation and backgrounds in recent history are a central ingredient of "Anastasia", a charming full-length feature based on the famous title character and set against the period of the Russian revolution. Expert vocal work by Angela Lansbury (Dowager Empress), Meg Ryan (Anastasia), John Kusack (Dimitri) and many others, make the characters seem more dimensional than in most animated features. Particularly Dimitri and Anastasia, whose love-hate relationship seems startlingly real given the superb animation.

The score is studded with some Oscar-nominated music and the sinister moments have the kind of villain you love to hate (Rasputin). Some of the scenes might be too intense for small children--as well as a realistic railway scene on a runaway car--but all in all, should delight young and old. Angela Lansbury's voice is especially effective as the Empress. The art of animation doesn't get any better than this! This Don Bluth/Gary Goldman production is as good as anything Disney might have attempted.

I'm somewhat biased: I watched this movie as a child dozens of times. The first because it had the same name as mine, and all of the times afterwards and still today because I love the movie by itself.

After years, I watched it once more tonight. The fact that it's not factual in the least doesn't take anything away from the movie to me, though I must admit cross-referencing did distract me from the movie until I just put that to the side and decided that the movie is just fiction and to leave it at that. Avoid looking at the facts very much until after the movie.

The music, characters, and scenes took me back to my childhood. The first ballroom scene and remembrance of it is my absolute favorite. I remembered the wonder of being a child throughout watching the movie, but I also held wonder for some more little details in the scenes I hadn't noticed before.

Only two things made me cringe: the pronunciation of Anastasia and Rasputin's undead body's antics.

I've grown up listening to almost everyone pronounce the name not as the Greek origin or the Russian adaption (Ah-na-stah-see-uh / Ah-na- stah-shyah), but as the common English pronunciation - which this movie uses. I'm both Greek and Russian, so it does tend to rub me wrong even more in that aspect. I've grown up around both cultures and done further research on the name, and I'm certain it's pronounced wrong. It's funny how what bothers me the most is the pronunciation.

Overall, this is a magnificent movie which all children (and those childlike at heart) will enjoy and should watch at least once. It definitely encourages imagination in its own way.