... All except Anastasia and her grandmother, who escape, but get seperated.
So, Anastasia is a Russian Princess. Of course, she doesn't know that. She calls herself Anya and she's grown up in an orphanage, dreaming of who her real family could be and gleaning what comfort she can from a necklace ... Read review
Stomping out their usual cuteness and carbon copying Disney's grand animation style to a ... more
tee, directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman (An American Tail) create a successful musical comedy from the story of the lost Russian princess. Adapting the story of ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Stomping out their usual cuteness and carbon copying Disney's grand animation style to a ... more
tee, directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman (An American Tail) create a successful musical comedy from the story of the lost Russian princess. Adapting the story of ...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Based on a true story and brought to life with stunning animation and the voices of Meg ... more
Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Hank Azaria, Christopher Lloyd and Angela Lansbury, Anastasia is an epic tale of breathtaking action and intrigue certain to capt...
The lost Russian Princess Anastasia and her incredible quest to find her true identity. ... more
When the shadow of revolution falls across Russia Anastasia the royal family's youngest daughter barely escapes with her life. Years later joined by a band of h...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
The most amazing conspiracy the world has ever known and love as it never happened to a ... more
man and woman before! The world will never know if the real Russian princess Anastasia met her death at the hands of red Russian rebels or if she lived on. Based on fact this story is set against the mystery surrounding this elusive puzzle. Ingrid Bergman portrays the destitute woman who remarkably resembles the true Princess Anastasia. She is chosen by two Russian courtiers to masquerade as the princess in order to gain ten million pounds. Meeting scepticism originally from the family Anastasia wins her way into the hearts of the family and film lovers alike.
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:3-5 working days
Advantages: More real and less 'Disney' than some animated films, good songs, excellent animation. Disadvantages: Not long enough!!
...and kill them. All except Anastasia and her grandmother, who escape, but get seperated.
So, Anastasia is a Russian Princess. Of course, she doesn't know that. She calls herself Anya and she's grown up in an orphanage, dreaming of who her real family could be and gleaning what comfort she can from a necklace that was found with her when she was taken to the orphanage. It has on it an engraving which mentions Paris.
Therefore, ... ...find out if she does have a family after all accompanied by her dog as her only companion.
Meanwhile, Dimitri is trying to find a girl who looks like the lost princess. The Dowager Empress (Anastasia's grandmother) is trying to find her granddaughter, and is offering a substancial reward to whoever finds her. Along with his friend Vladimir (voiced by Kelsey Grammer) they go through audition after audition, and are about to give up, ... more
Okay, okay, so the first thing I thought when I received this last christmas from a relative who obviously thought I was in fact 8 and not 16 was "Oh Dear." I am not the consummate Disney fan, as I find most of it too twee for words. This is not a Disney movie, but the style is pretty similar. However, the first thing I noticed about this DVD was the cover.
Althugh the images are not lifelike, and are indeed, not meant to be, there's something about the confused face of Anatasia (voiced by Meg Ryan) and the cheeky look of Dimitri (voiced by John Cusack) that made me just think "What the hell."
So, I opened it up, played it, and was drawn into a world of fantasy.
The film begins with the scene where Rasputin aids a rebellion to gain entry into the palace and, although for obvious reasons it is not know in the film, capture and kill them. All except Anastasia and her grandmother, who escape, but get seperated.
So, Anastasia is a Russian Princess. Of course, she doesn't know that. She calls herself Anya and she's grown up in an orphanage, dreaming of who her real family could be and gleaning what comfort she can from a necklace that was found with her when she was taken to the orphanage. It has on it an engraving which mentions Paris.
Therefore, when she's old enough, she sets off to try and find out if she does have a family after all accompanied by her dog as her only companion.
Meanwhile, Dimitri is trying to find a girl who looks like the lost princess. The Dowager Empress (Anastasia's grandmother) is trying to find her granddaughter, and is offering a substancial reward to whoever finds her. Along with his friend Vladimir (voiced by Kelsey Grammer) they go through audition after audition, and are about to give up, when they accidentally come across Anya.
They persuade her to come with them, offering her a ticket to Paris, where she believes her family is, and they set off.
However, Rasputin is not dead as many think, but is very much alive. He sold his soul for the power to destroy the Romanovs and he will do anything to finish the last one - Anastasia.
This involves a train crash, a suicide attempt whilst asleep and many other problems for Anastasia. However, she comes to like Vlad and even the cheeky, money grabbing Dimitri (although she would never let him know that) and by the time they get to Paris, Dimitri is convinved Anya is no imitation princess. She's the real thing.
This is also a musical, and the whole story is accompanied by songs, some fun, others beautiful, but all heart warming.
This is definately a film for the whole family. Despite my reservations, the only bad thing I could find in this movie is the fact it isn't long enough! Throughout I willed Dimitri and Anya to get together, and was overjoyed when they did so. Vlad is a heartwarming, father like character who everyone likes, and Rasputin with his comical bat sidekick Bartok make the perfet baddies.
Visually, the DVD is great. The colour is sharp and rich and although it's animated and so I can't say whether it was natural or not, it definately was captivating. Sound was also excellent, I was never left disappointed after missing or mishearing a word.
I can't wait to see the sequel and would most definately recommend this movie.
Language - Infreqeunt & Mild. Sex/Nudity - None. Violence - Infrequent & Mild. Animated. Other - Infrequent & Mild Threat.
Advantages: Some familiar voices! Disadvantages: None that I can see!
Hello fellow Ciaoers! I've been away for a while and have missed not doing my reviews so I thought that I'd give you another film review!
I have always been a great lover of Russian history, particularly the legend of Anastasia and the Romanov family. Naturally all I've read is in books, so when this film came out I was dying to get hold of it! I knew that this animated film would be nowhere near as accurate to the true events surrounding the Romanov family, but I was curious none the less.
I'll start of in the usual fashion by giving a quote!
"This entertaining animated feature is a dream-catcher, tapping into the universal yearning for home and love".
FREDERIC AND MARY ANN BRUSSAT - SPIRITUALITY AND HEALTH
I think that this quote is bang on target for this film!
I will be talking about the 1 disc DVD version of this ...
Advantages: Um... well... let me think... Oh, yes... Its not a DISNEY film, so they don't have to be ashamed of it. Disadvantages: Give me a break, there are way too many to put into this little box! 20th Century FOX should hang their heads in shame that they produced this lemon.
't entertained. And if I recall correctly, at the time, my kids weren?t all that thrilled with it either. You know a film isn?t up to snuff if you don?t hear your kids asking for a copy of the movie for their own about four million times until you give in. Just before my kids forced me to take them to this movie, there was a revival of the original ?101 Dalmatians? which I took them to see. You can bet your boots that I have a copy of that video in my home library, and even as my kids get older (and we now have a DVD player), they still love watching it. Anastasia? Long forgotten and not missed in the least.
In sum, I wouldn't recommend this movie for either adults or children. There is nothing to recommend it. The story is badly distorted, the music doesn't grab your ears, the animation is third rate and it neither entertains nor teaches us ...
through in the whole film. There is a good chemistry between John Cusack and Meg Ryan, which helps with the love interest in the film.
Kelsey Grammer's deep voice is most suitable for the big fun character of Vladimir. Christopher Lloyd is at his best when he is being evil and the evil Rasputin is the perfect character for him and his sidekick bat Bartok, Hank Azaria is hilarious.
How many people out there watch "Murder She Wrote", come on own up. Angela Lansbury was that star in that show and her voice is able to give the character such regal qualities in this performance.
Extras
I love the children DVD because there are loads of fun extras included.
Anastasia: A Magical Journey - gives details of the research and work that went into producing the film
Featurette - Making of Anastasia - very similar to the one above but ...
A young orphan attempts to search for her past life and family.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; Deluxe Video Service - Fox
Release date
19/07/2004
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
02764 DVD
Barcode
5039036006590
Screenwriter
David Newman, John Cusack, Don Bluth, Gary Goldman
Animation
Don Bluth
Author
David Newman
Host
Angela Lansbury
Voice
Jim Cummings, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters, Kelsey Grammer, Andrea Martin, Hank Azaria, Liz Callaway, John Cusack, Meg Ryan, Christopher Lloyd, Debra Mooney, Arthur Malet, Lacey Chabert, Kirsten Dunst
Czech, Danish, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish
Hearing Impaired Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
The Magical Journey Of Anastasia Featurette, Making Of Anastasia, Sing Along 1 Once Upon A December, Sing Along 2 Learn To Do It, 3 Interactive Puzzles, Clip Reel Including 2 Songs, Interactive Menus, Screen Access
Aspect Ratio
2.35 Wide Screen, 16:9 Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Animated
Animated
Professional reviews
Review
"...[An] enchanting fairy-tale....Pure family entertainment..." (Box Office, p.46, 01/01/1998)
"...It is sumptuous to look at, and it never stands still.....[The filmmakers] have given the story a lilting rhythm and glittering surface of the most jewel-encrusted fairy tale..." (New York Times, p.E22, 14/11/1997)
"...Finely executed animation....A charming film..." (Sight and Sound, p.41, 01/05/1998)
"...Sumptuous....ANASTASIA is richly illustrated, a tony storybook..." -- 3 out of 4 stars (USA Today, p.6D, 14/11/1997)
DVD Description
Based on the legend of the real-life daugher of the last Russian czar, ANASTASIA combines imaginative animation and lively songs to tell the story of a princess who escapes a horrible execution and mysteriously reappears after being thought dead. When a team of swindlers, Dimitri (John Cusack) and Vladimir (Kelsey Grammer), recruit Anya (Meg Ryan), a spunky amnesiac orphan, in their plot to defraud the Dowager Empress (Angela Lansbury) with a faux Romanov heir, little do they know their carefully coached fake is the real thing. But the resurgence of the long-lost Anastasia also attracts the attention of the scary Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd), who, with his hilarious sidekick, Bartok the bat (Hank Azaria), schemes to do in the last Romanov. Though much lighter (thankfully for children) than the 1956 Anatole Litvak-directed ANASTASIA adapted from Marcelle Maurette's play, this movie is still packed with thrills, chills, and romance. The first animated feature from 20th Century Fox, the film is directed by longtime collaborators Don Bluth and Gary Goldman.
![Anastasia [DVD] [1998]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78529364.jpg)
![Anastasia [Special Edition]-DVD](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/97812287.jpg)
![Anastasia [Animated]-DVD](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/103254715.jpg "Anastasia [Animated]-DVD")
![Anastasia [Princess Special Edition]-DVD](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/100127212.jpg "Anastasia [Princess Special Edition]-DVD")
