Anastasia

Year: 1997
Country: United States
Director: Don Bluth and Gary Goldman
Watched through: library DVD

The scenario: An elaborate “what if” fantasy that speculates on what might have happened if the fourth daughter of Czar Nicholas II had survived the Russian Revolution. . . as well as what might have happened if the Revolution has been caused by an evil sorcerer.

First impressions: I remember going to see this at the movie theater when I was a kid. I didn’t really recall anything about the film, however; what I remembered more vividly was my mom’s reaction when we walked out. She was complaining that this film wasn’t a Disney movie, saying that it had been advertised as one. I don’t know of anything from the advertising which might have implied this (does anyone?), but it certainly looks like a Disney film. This is not surprising, considering that both of the directors used to work at the Disney studio. This film, with its singing princesses, cute sidekicks, whirlwind romance, and dastardly villain, is certainly one of my most obvious Disney rip-offs of the 90s, but it’s also one of the best. It has its flaws, though, as we shall see.

Plot and story: Well, it’s. . . ludicrous. Yeah, as if you didn’t know already. Now, I can buy a story in which Czarina Anastasia survives the revolution and escapes the country. But a story in which Anastasia develops amnesia after escaping from the evil sorcerer (?!) Rasputin (who somehow caused the revolution), gets picked up by two con men who want her to pose as the person she ironically IS, travels to Paris to meet the beloved grandmother she forgot she had, eventually gets reunited and regains her memory, and falls in love with the con man who wanted to use her, all while being menaced by the ill will of Rasputin? Well. . . in the end, I bought everything except the evil sorcerer bit. The main plot is carried out with enough grace and wit that the preposterous premise actually works. Interestingly enough, I don’t think this film even really needed a central villain; there’s enough conflict and intrigue between the main characters that the whole “evil sorcerer” thing becomes extraneous. Overall, the story is good, except for the insulting and unnecessary portrayal of Rasputin. 15/20

Characters: We’ve already established that the villain is sorely lacking (in motivation, personality, threatening presence, and everything else that a villain should have), but the main characters fare much better. Anastasia is warm-hearted but also feisty, and has a dry sense of humor. The two con men, Dimitri and Vlad, are a study in contrasts, with the latter being sentimental and the former being more cocky and cynical. Anastasia’s grandmother is perfectly regal, being both proud and kind. There’s also a dog thrown into the mix, as well as a flamboyant cousin of the grandmother. All of these characters bounce off each other in believable ways, and it is the film’s personal struggles, rather the physical ones, that really push it along. 17/20

Voices: They literally aimed for the stars when casting this movie; every major part is done by a celebrity. Angela Lansbury is perfectly cast as the grandmother. Bernadette Peters is a bit annoying as the French cousin, but pulls off the part well. Kelsey Grammer, as Vlad, is the only one who sounds remotely Russian, but luckily this isn’t a distraction. Christopher Lloyd tries his best as Rasputin, but since the character is badly written, the dialogue can’t really save him. Kirsten Dunst is annoyingly high-pitched as the child Anastasia, but Meg Ryan pulls off her adult voice without a hitch. Finally, John Cusack doesn’t miss a note as Dimitri. This is reasonably inspired casting, and most of the acting is top-notch. 17/20

Music: Since this film is a Disney imitation from start to finish, it wouldn’t be complete without songs, right? It certainly has a lot of them, but some are better than others. The musical centerpiece is “Once Upon a December,” which easily holds its own against Disney’s best songs. “Journey to the Past” earned the film an Oscar nod (the score was nominated as well), and “Learn to Do It” is great fun. Unfortunately the song sung by the villain is crap and never should have been included. Really good and memorable music overall. 17/20

Visuals: I’ve already mentioned that it looks like a Disney film, both in design and movement. There were some small things that bothered me, like the French cousin’s design and Dimitri’s incredibly angular ears, but overall this film is successful at maintaining subtle realism. The color scheme is bold, even sumptuous, and the backgrounds are beautifully detailed. There is also some CGI which is used to great effect in the song sequences. But, again, back to Rasputin, and how much he sucks in this movie. His design is mildly grotesque but not the least bit interesting or menacing, and although the animators tried to be creative by having his appendages fall off once in a while, he drags the film down every time he appears. So, as mentioned in all the other categories, Rasputin is what keeps this film from being a masterpiece; suffice to say that it’s really good. 17/20

Overall grade: 83/100 (A-)