Anastasia (1997)
There have been a lot of film and television adaptations about the tragic Romanoff family, but if you’re looking for one that will actually make you feel good, you’ve got to stick with the cartoon. Yes, the scenes with Rasputin are creepy, and even to this day, there are a couple of parts where I hide my eyes, but it’s still delightful and uplifting.
Meg Ryan is as cute as it gets as the poor, orphaned heroine. Without relying on her adored, adorable face and unique expressions, she puts her heart into her voice delivery. Usually, I’m one to criticize American accents in a foreign-set story, but in this case, I didn’t mind at all. Meg and John Cusack were charming and able to reach the kids in the audience. And let’s face it, even though there are some scary parts and an overall creepy premise, this cartoon is aimed for children. The grown-ups in the audience will recognize Kelsey Grammar’s voice through his thick accent, and they’ll appreciate Bernadette Peters’s cameo. Christopher Lloyd as Rasputin might scare the pants off the babies, but Hank Azaria’s funky, white bat perpetually cracking jokes will hopefully make them feel better.
When I watched this movie in the theaters, I was swept away by the beautiful animation. The costumes, Russian landscapes, and cleverly directed musical numbers all elevated Anastasia above the average cartoon. I ended up getting my parents to buy me all three Barbie dolls to play with because the clothes were so pretty. The lovely songs (written by the composers of Ragtime), aimed for the mature music connoisseurs in the audience, also captivated me. I can’t count how many times I listened to my cassette tape soundtrack!
This Don Bluth and Gary Goldman cartoon is iconic and nostalgic for me, from the opening sequence of the Romanov’s last part to the final scene. With the very recognizable voice of Mrs. Potts – I mean, Angela Lansbury – as Anastasia’s grandmother, it feels like a Disney movie. It isn’t, though, and ironically, my two favorite cartoons growing up were non-Disney: Anastasia and The Swan Princess. I guess I’m a sucker for beautiful music. Speaking of the songs, Liz Calloway does a wonderful job dubbing the singing for Meg Ryan. It was so realistic, I wondered if Meg had done her own singing! In the beginning, Lacey Chabert does the singing for Kirsten Dunst, both child actresses at the time. And Jim Cummings, a masterful voice artist, dubs in for Christopher Lloyd. Fantastic!
More Kirsten Dunst movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1956's Anastasia here!
Meg Ryan is as cute as it gets as the poor, orphaned heroine. Without relying on her adored, adorable face and unique expressions, she puts her heart into her voice delivery. Usually, I’m one to criticize American accents in a foreign-set story, but in this case, I didn’t mind at all. Meg and John Cusack were charming and able to reach the kids in the audience. And let’s face it, even though there are some scary parts and an overall creepy premise, this cartoon is aimed for children. The grown-ups in the audience will recognize Kelsey Grammar’s voice through his thick accent, and they’ll appreciate Bernadette Peters’s cameo. Christopher Lloyd as Rasputin might scare the pants off the babies, but Hank Azaria’s funky, white bat perpetually cracking jokes will hopefully make them feel better.
When I watched this movie in the theaters, I was swept away by the beautiful animation. The costumes, Russian landscapes, and cleverly directed musical numbers all elevated Anastasia above the average cartoon. I ended up getting my parents to buy me all three Barbie dolls to play with because the clothes were so pretty. The lovely songs (written by the composers of Ragtime), aimed for the mature music connoisseurs in the audience, also captivated me. I can’t count how many times I listened to my cassette tape soundtrack!
This Don Bluth and Gary Goldman cartoon is iconic and nostalgic for me, from the opening sequence of the Romanov’s last part to the final scene. With the very recognizable voice of Mrs. Potts – I mean, Angela Lansbury – as Anastasia’s grandmother, it feels like a Disney movie. It isn’t, though, and ironically, my two favorite cartoons growing up were non-Disney: Anastasia and The Swan Princess. I guess I’m a sucker for beautiful music. Speaking of the songs, Liz Calloway does a wonderful job dubbing the singing for Meg Ryan. It was so realistic, I wondered if Meg had done her own singing! In the beginning, Lacey Chabert does the singing for Kirsten Dunst, both child actresses at the time. And Jim Cummings, a masterful voice artist, dubs in for Christopher Lloyd. Fantastic!
More Kirsten Dunst movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1956's Anastasia here!