Anastasia (1997)

ANASTASIA (U)

D: Don Bluth & Gary Goldman

20th Century Fox (Don Bluth & Gary Goldman)

USA 🇺🇸 1997

94 mins

Animated

W: Susan Gautheir, Bruce Graham, Bob Tzudiker & Noni White [based on the play by Marcelle Maurette & Guy Bolton]

Mus: David Newman; Stephen Flaherty & Lynn Ahrens

voices of: Meg Ryan (Anya/Anastasia), John Cusack (Dimitri), Kelsey Grammer (Vladimir), Christopher Lloyd (Rasputin), Angela Lansbury (Grand Duchess Marie), Hank Azaria (Bartok), Bernadette Peters (Sophie), Kirsten Dunst (Young Anastasia)

Jumbled animated version of the story of a young girl claiming to be the long-lost daughter of Tsar Nicholas.

The story is a bit of a mess, combining elements and characters from other stories (the villain in this is Rasputin for some reason) and making it all a bit incoherent, but youngsters will find the anachronisms easy to ignore. The songs can be a little too twee on occasion, but there's a couple of decent ones which fit in with the general theme of the film.

My biggest criticism is that, the main character is animated so much to look like main voice star Meg Ryan, why didn't they just make a child-friendly live action movie?

Good entertainment for kids with a leaning towards historical facts, but it's unlikely to be appreciated too much by anyone over 13.

6/10

Did You Know:

The music box in this movie existed. It was given to Anastasia by Marie Feoderovna for her thirteenth birthday, but was silver, with a ballerina on top.

Award Wins & Nominations:

MILSTEAD MOVIE AWARDS:

Wins: none

Nominations: 3 (Best Animated Film; Best Original Musical or Comedy Score; Best Original Song)

OSCARS:

Wins: none

Nominations: 2 (Best Original Musical or Comedy Score; Best Original Song)

BAFTAS

Wins: none

Nominations: none

OTHER WINS:

Annies (Outstanding Voice Acting by a Male Performer); Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (Favourite Animated Family Movie); Casting Society of America (Best Casting for Animated Voiceover); Critics Choice Awards (Best Family Film); Dallas Fort Worth Film Critics (Best Animated Film); Golden Reels (Best Sound Editing - Animated Film); OFTA (Best Animated Film); Young Artist Awards (Best Family Film - Animated)

See Also:

Anastasia (1956)