Bartok the Magnificent

Anastasia is my personal favourite Don Bluth movie, but this film actually does it justice if not as good.

The animation is mostly good, bright and colourful, that falls a tad flat in the scarier bits. The story is a bit noisy, but well told, considering that the film itself is too short. The dialogue is good, the best coming from Zozi, and the morals are admirable.

The songs are quite good, but not as beautiful as Anastasia. All of them are lively, and atmospheric, but could have been better timed. The voice talents are impeccable, Bartok is a little annoying but Hank Azaria voices him well, but Kelsey Grammar is perfect as Zozi. Andrea Martin is convincing as Baba Yaga, and Catherine O'Hara is a suitably over the top villain, a bit too OTT perhaps. Tim Curry is also very good as the skull who was brilliantly animated, and Jennifer Tilly is great as Pilaf .

An entertaining movie! Look out for it! 7/10. Bethany Cox

I didn't expect to like the movie as much as I did Anastasia and I was right.

They chose the character I didn't care much for, but as I said in my Anastasia review he was very appealing to the kids. So when it comes to Bartok the magnificent, this cartoon is more for just children. So the drawing is not as beautiful, there are less details of Russia and songs are not as great.

Also, as somebody who grew up over there and had a lot of Baba Yaga in my childhood, I really didn't like the portrayal of her or her house, was so different from what it was in my childhood. This of course wouldn't make a difference for most viewers and kids but this is where movie lost some points with me. I wish it was her old house with chicken legs in the middle of a beautiful Russian forest.

It is still not a bad movie for kids. And I personally liked to have more of Kelsey Grammar in it who now had a bigger part as Bartok's friend the bear.

As an earlier commentator noted, "Bartok the Magnificent" is a prequel to "Anastasia". I guess animated bats live for a REALLY long time. But if you are going to quibble about dates then just what will you say about the existence of talking bears, musical witches and a huge animated riddle asking skull—just go with it. For all the sequential fuzziness, I find this film a real joy.

The voice talents of Kelsey Grammar as the Russian Dancing (and classical theater loving) bear Zozi is wonderful as are also Tim Curry's, as the Huge Talking Skul and Jennifer Tilly's role as Piloff. I have no idea what Piloff is, She looks life a living fur boa some women might wear around their necks. Whatever she is, Tilly's voice makes her seems gentle and funny (and a little ditsy but in an attractive kind of way) while also being impervious to whatever Bartok does to get her off the bolder (and a strange looking bolder it is too—looks more like a construction girder) as demanded by Baba Yaga. Indestructible gentle femininity is a good thing. Of course Bartok (voiced by Hank Azaria) is himself a hoot. Also Kelsey Grammar's voice in song is as full of life and warm as is his speaking voice. I love to listen to him even when he's the bad guy as in "Toy Story 2" as Stinky Pete. This film is one of the straight to video ones which should have been given a shot as a theatrical run. Both the video and the DVD comes with the songs separate with sing along lyrics--nice touch.

In this follow-up to ANASTASIA, the title character (and most of the others) are gone, so I can only suppose that BARTOK THE MAGNIFICENT portrays the future of the Romanoff family (Prince Ivan looks like he could be Dimitri's grandson or something). Bartok, after the demise of Rasputin, now works in his own two-man circus act that reinacts his fictitious heroic deeds. After Prince Ivan is kidnapped by the evil witch Baba Yaga, the gullible people of Moscow force Bartok (whom they totally believe to be the real McCoy) and his supposedly dead bear friend, Zozi, to rescue him from the evil witch.

When I first saw this on the shelf, I was dismayed. I was horrified that they were going to ruin ANASTASIA. Thankfully, my fears were dispelled as soon as I heard and saw the opening sequence telling the tale of Baba Yaga. The animation is smooth, flowing, and the lip-synching actually works. The voice of Kelsey Grammer for Zozi fits like Mickey's glove; you can tell Zozi is Frasier. The use of CGI in certain places, normally backgrounds and inanimate objects, is a good touch. The story isn't quite as poignant as ANASTASIA: this time 'round, Bluth and co. have opted for a comedy in the form of BARTOK THE MAGNIFICENT. If you liked ANASTASIA, certainly watch BARTOK THE MAGNIFICENT, if you didn't like ANASTASIA, watch it anyway! It will be worthwhile.

This film, about a circus bat in Russia, off to save the prince from the "evil" Baba Yaga, will no doubt have a great appeal on children. It is sure to entertain them and they will be likely to sing and dance along with it as soon as they know the words of the songs.

As an older person, such as a grown-up or teenager, this film may fall flat on its face. It is quite babyish and the animation - including the backgrounds, could possibly do with a little bit more work. However, this film is likely to entertain the older anyway. The songs are very charming and so is the plot. The characters are also very lovable. One thing that can be said happily, is that they use a very English actor to voice - not a baddie - but a goodie, a thing which many American films do not have (including "The Lion King")! The other voices are good too.

So, enjoy "Bartok The Magnificent", who is the specifically, terrifically magnificent!