Anastasia

Twentieth Century Fox's big-money gamble to horn in on Disney's realm is worthy. The songs, especially the recurrent "Once Upon a December," by Broadway team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty are better than Disney's recent efforts. It's worth picking up the soundtrack. The mix of cell animation and computer work is vivid. The collection of vocal talent is also strong, from John Cusack (as Dimitri, who wants to earn the reward by bringing Anya to Paris) to Hank Azaria as an amusing albino bat. Kelsey Grammer helps turn a roly-poly sidekick into a warm and strong supporting character.

The biggest drawback is Bluth/Goldman's insistence on having a typical villain. Surprisingly, the story would be strong enough without one, and the undead corpse of Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd) is unneeded and unoriginal. --Doug Thomas

When the Russian empire falls (in a fortnight due to Rasputin's curse), young Anastasia escapes with her life but not her memory. An old member of the court and an old member of the palace staff look for a girl they can pose as Anastasia in order to collect a reward. The girl they pick turns out to be the genuine article. After some harrowing adventures made more difficult by the efforts of Rasputin from beyond the grave, Anastasia is reunited with her grandmother. Then, just as all obstacles and plot complications are out of the way of romance the final showdown with Rasputin occurs.

One of the main reasons I had wanted to see this film was that it was the first true challenge to Disney's animation empire. I was very surprised to find out that Don Bluth (All Dogs Go To Heaven and other dogs) was behind the film. Bluth seems to have finally figured out how to make a good film and Anastasia will hopefully not be the last.

There are a few faults (of course) with the overall plot and the dealings with history but if one accepts this as alternate history they are not a real problem. For one, Rasputin dies by accident (although he does drown). Anastasia is found and reunited with her family. The Russian Empire is likened to Camelot where all is good for everyone. Rubles seem to have worth outside of Russia. But if you can handle that, you should have no problem with the story. The only real problems I had with the production involved the musical numbers and the animation. There was some good music but it just wasn't as clear as it should be. Oftentimes one had to guess what the song was about. The problem with the animation stems from to jarring an interface between the computer animation and the cell animation. Hopefully these small problems can be eliminated in future projects.

So, overall I really enjoyed the movie. It was a fun story with some old cliches eliminated (Tracy thinks they too a close look at the success of Buffy The Vampire Slayer). The animation was beautiful, if jarring in a few spots. The characters were likeable and believable and were backed by some excellent voice talents. If you get a chance to see this one on a big screen you should take that opportunity; it's worth it. If not, get the DVD.

On the ship to France, curses were being thrown Anya's way by Rasputian. She feels like she is falling apart. A waif for many years, she is hoping to find her family and her destiny. At the Effiel Tower, we saw a beautiful dancing water show similar to that at the downtown park in Chicago in summer.

The elderly Empress with her white hair has reached the point of despair and will no longer interview any of the many girls who claim to be Anastasia. She had a cat with a fluffy tail. Her maid Sophia, the blonde bombshell with Dolly Parton attributes, informs them of the Soviet ballet and takes them on a fantastic shopping spree.

Dimitri had been a servant lad in the palace and had led the group to safety during the revolution. Now he has turned into a conman to find the heiress. He is pictured with my son Geoffrey's hair and even his smile. There is a model in Chicago who is Jeff's 'double' so it could have been based on him.

Out in the streets of Paris, there is dancing as in HAVANA NIGHTS cartoon style. At the Moulin Rouge shaped like a windmill we see the can can dancers' show.

On the way to the ballet, we saw a huge statue of Rodin's THE THINKER. Cinderella was the ending of the ballet; we did not see the beginning. When confronted with Anya, she wearily inquires, "How much pain will you inflict on an old woman?" Now, she had decided to end her days with a lonely life in peace. Dimitri carjacked the Empress to explain how and why he knows for sure this is the right Anastasia. "I know you've been hurt," he says, by his search for the young girl he had fallen in love with.

Anya had prayed, "Please let her remember me." It was the thing she wore around her neck which opened the music box which was the deciding factor. As we watched the music box dancers, we hear a lovely song, "Once Upon a December."

She had become bitter toward Dimitri when learning of his con game. "From the beginning, you lied," she'd proclaimed thinking he was just after the reward money. Upon learning that he had refused the fortune due to a 'change of heart,' we see a bittersweet "goodbye."

The mutt was a good mood-changer. He was so cute, as was the bat which Rasputian had who wished he would just 'get a life.' He got his own at the end of this movie.

Anya was lured into a maze built around a beautiful fountain by evil forces. She told Rasputain, the mad monk, "I'm not afraid of you." He'd declared, "What goes around comes around." She is saved by Dimitri who had returned to claim her as his own and they destroyed his evil by tearing up the lighted skull. Rasputain is turned into ashes after Dimitri had an encounter with a destructive Pegasus.

After she tells him that 'all men are babies,' they eloped. Isn't that romantic?! A perfect ending to a perfect beginning.

The short documentary, Anastasia: A Magical Journey, aided the viewer not schooled in Russian literature to understand what the whole thing was about. Long live the Romanovs.

• Genres > Kids & Family
• Genres > Animation
• Genres > En français

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