Did Anastasia Work?

Dedicated to my friend ‪@CedricGegel1‬ who is killing it in the musical right now
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One of the most notable non-Disney princess films of the 90s...
NOTE: I recorded the voiceover while recovering from a headache, so I messed up and pronounced Alexei's name wrong a couple of times
If anyone wants to check out the documentary Russia's Lost Princesses:
• Russia's Lost Princess...
And the National Geographic special on the missing bodies:
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#anastasia #disneyprincess #animatedmovie

[@jessedellross3245]

Once Upon A December remains one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever made

[@BetterWithBob]

Agreed!

[@abandonedfragmentofhope5415]

@@BetterWithBobWould you ever do a video essay on any Irish movies or television shows Bob?

[@QueenY-co7es]

I know

[@Mo3zito]

Mine was Journey to the Past

[@lovetolovefairytales]

@@jessedellross3245 yes! Have you heard the duet cover version the Hound + the fox did???? So haunting and beautiful!

[@RandomJayne]

Fun Fact: Carrie Fisher was the script doctor for Anastasia and "Journey to the Past" was her idea. She was also the mind behind much of the snarky banter between Anya and Dimitri.

[@nathancruz9172]

I didn’t know Carrie Fisher was a script doctor.

[@BetterWithBob]

Wow that's awesome

[@lovetolovefairytales]

@@RandomJayne aw, I love Carrie Fisher. She was Thumbelina on Faerie Tale Theatre.

[@prophetessoftroy]

Even if this is one of those things that ends up being anecdotal, it feels 100% true to form for Carrie so I’m going with it.

[@Shrilaraune]

WHATTTT

[@malyciousapple]

God the FASHION of this movie was always my favorite part, even beyond Anya's snark, everything was just so *gorgeous*

[@ten-ze1pq]

Yes!! Anya alone has so many outfits, many more than any of the actual Disney Princesses at that time

[@jackyex]

And it's actually historic accurate too

[@odapunkt]

Same! As a little girl she was my fashion role model, beyond any other princesses

[@emmanuel7489]

18:45 I would also mention the poignant ending to this number, when she's caught and suddenly the whole fantasy disappears (unlike Disney films where the musical number actually takes place in the world). The sparkle, the dress, the dancers and her family, all gone. She looks up and she's back in the cold darkness of the dilapidated palace. Which shows the whole number was just a mix of memories and wishes. This represents her journey so well, because Anya is pretending to be something she's not (though she actually is) and at the same time she's trying to recover something she lost. Despite all her efforts, she'll never be able to bring the Romanov dynasty back to life, she can only ever wish to recover her memories.

[@BetterWithBob]

@@emmanuel7489 ooh excellent analysis

[@prophetessoftroy]

Beautifully said

[@kristenkillen]

My son was born in december and i often sing him "once upon a december" as a lullaby. It's one of his favorites along with "go to sleep little baby."

[@alexanderthesixth]

That is so sweet.

[@BetterWithBob]

Awww

[@SamuelKristopher]

"Nepo baby having an acid trip about getting his inheritance" - was not expecting this holy shit. 18:06 beware, don't have coffee in your mouth at this moment lol

[@BetterWithBob]

@@SamuelKristopher *in Mr Burns voice* excellent

[@leoreth2179]

I am Russian, and it was my favourite animated movie in my childhood. It had been fully doubled in Russian, which was a rare case for a foreign musical at the time - most of them just had a one-voice voice over. So you can tell, Anastasia had been an important release with a good adaptation budget.

[@BetterWithBob]

How does the Russian dub compare?

[@leoreth2179]

​@@BetterWithBob I think it's very accurate to the original, they also went an extra mile with trying to sync translation with characters lip movement. I don't think there were any big celebrities in the dub cast, but voice actors/singers did good. You can find some clips on youtube, I believe.

[@bigpunchline]

Согласна ❤

[@fidanguliyeva519]

I'm not Russian but i lived there as a kid, and i was gifted a cassette of Anastasia - it was my favourite animated film ever on par with Atlantis, especially that the dubbing was awesome. I think it kind of kicked off full dubbing of foreign media in Russia, because Anastasia had such a success

[@theladyprincess]

meg ryan and john cusack, if i'm not mistaken actually recorded a portion of their dialogue in the same booth to make the delivery come across as more 'seamless' and natural

[@BetterWithBob]

I'd believe it

[@somewhereonlyweknow2814]

I say this with my whole chest: Anastasia is an absolute masterpiece from beginning to end. I watched it at first when I was a child in the 90s and this movie got imprinted on my brain for the rest of eternity. I can say it shaped me as a person. I have now watched it hundreds of times over the years, and made sure to hunt down and buy the DVD of it, plus the digital version on KZbin. All of this to make sure I will always have access to it forever, one way or another. It truly is incredible. The soundtrack is flawless, the acting performances, the storylines, the costumes, the backgrounds, the animation style. The 90s really were the most magical decade for animation in general, and Anastasia is the crown jewel.

[@lachancla3723]

As much as I would love for Disney to revive this IP (now that it owns Fox), I don't want them to mess it up either, which would most likely be the latter. Anastasia is up there with Mulan, Hercules and Tarzan as my favorite movies. One of the best soundtracks and art style.

[@OpticalSorcerer]

I doubt they would, tbh. They mainly focus on their own stuff, which is their right--the only reason Merida became a Disney princess was because Disney already owned Pixar beforehand (though both companies have kinda ignored her, so I don't think it was a good idea to add her).

[@BetterWithBob]

It would be very weird to do a live action remake, because the film is already a remake. An adaptation of the stage musical might work, since they are different enough to give it a chance to stand on its own

[@lachancla3723]

@@OpticalSorcerer Also, Disney is only focusing on movies that use CGI for their animation/art style, so even if there was a slight change of a revival, it would have a complete overhaul and would lose it's charm just because of the 2D hand drawn to CGI animation change. So, I think that's why they are also only reviving 90's and pre 90's stories in live action rather than reviving/continuing their stories in their original animation. Also also, I think that's why they are reviving Pixar IPs because they were CGI in the first place so it's easier to just polish them and churn them out. Also also, it deals with Russian history, sooo, I don't think they would want to deal with any Russian shenanigans given the current political climate.

[@OpticalSorcerer]

@@lachancla3723 TBH, I think they realized they shouldn't touch the 90s stuff with theatrical sequels; they're only doing it for recent projects while there's still hype.

[@lovetolovefairytales]

If they remake it as live action it needs to be a movie based on the Broadway show not the animated version.

[@MirZee]

Once Upon a December hits so hard in my two native tongues (of which one is Russian) and I'm glad how you mention what a stab in the heart the song truly is. The entire film is so, so tragic, as it's based on a senseless, heartbreaking murder of a family (not to say anything about the revolution and its consequences), and I love the film immensely, but it's a little bit hard to watch if you let yourself think about it too much. Also, a fact: along with Disney's fox Robin Hood, Dimitri was the crush of every young girl, based on a case study: me. Also, the Finnish dub of the film is exquisite, you should watch it. I wonder if Treasure Planet is something you'd make a video about. It's one of my absolute favourites along with Atlantis. Thanks for sharing this video!

[@BetterWithBob]

Treasure Planet is fun. I don't have nostalgia for it but I enjoyed it the two times I watched

[@prophetessoftroy]

Can attest to the Robin Hood/Dimitri crush confluence 😂

[@BetterWithBob]

Anna Kendrick admitted to crushing on Robin herself so the data backs you up 😉

[@MirZee]

@@BetterWithBob That's right! It's definitely part of the universal female experience. 😂

[@lovetolovefairytales]

Anastasia was such an important movie to me. Both as a Don Bluth film, because i loved all of those, and because it was my introduction to The Romanovs with whom I'm still obsessed to this day. My mom bought me a book about the real Anastasia a couple years after the movie came out.

[@lovetolovefairytales]

Per my understanding in 2007 a whole body is not what they found, just burned bone fragments, but DNA DID prove they were Romanovs thereby ending the mystery. Still it would be generous to call it a found "body".

[@BetterWithBob]

Fair enough

[@PeonyBrine]

The bone fragments had been burned and soaked in acid. They really tried to get rid of the evidence and the person who discovered the two other children's remains was silenced for a long time if I remember correctly.

[@ianesgrecia8568]

It still breaks my heart how they found the real Anastasia. That's why films like those called "Historical Fairy Tales" are importante. They can aliviate the hurt with the 'what could be'.

[@BetterWithBob]

Oh very good point. As Tom Hanks says in Saving Mr Banks "we restore order with imagination"

[@kaydenevideo]

The way you describe “Once Upon A December” is so heart wrenching. I never thought of it that way before, but your synopsis really tracks. Damn. What a song. What a moment.

[@eway44]

In The Dark Of The Night is just...one of my favorite villain songs. Ever. But everything else I agree with. Also, this is the first video on your channel I've seen, but I notice you ALSO like Pocahontas, which is one of my favorite Disney movies which is an unpopular opinion. So yeah, you got a sub

[@BetterWithBob]

*virtual high five to fellow Pocahontas fan!

[@williamhanekom9882]

You can have your "adorkable" Anna's and Moana's all you like, but Anya still beats out most Disney princess's in terms of sheer personality and snark power imo. She's that excellent balance of a healthy cynic combined with adventurous dreamer, plus the sass between her and Dimitri is immensely watchable.

[@prophetessoftroy]

This was one of the few films my dad knew about before we did and he thought it was important to take his two girls to it and then to teach us the history. It didn’t ruin the magic, instead it made both of us double down on storytelling. Years later, we’re both writers who love taking a kernel of history and growing it into something else.

[@Hi-jw7oq]

Gaslight is so good. I didn't know Angela Landsbury got a nominee for that! Fun that both Angela Landsbury and Ingrid Bergman, both in Gaslight, were in Anastasia movies.

[@BetterWithBob]

Ah I was hoping someone would make that connection 😄

[@lovetolovefairytales]

For the musical "Dark of the Night" is slowed down to be a completely different song, Stay I Pray You.

[@annahks]

and the substitute villain for Rasputin, Gleb, has two songs (Still and The Neva Flows) that are sooooo good. Ramin’s voice gives me chills every time

[@lovetolovefairytales]

The Broadway play is perfect in my opinion. I saw it when it went on tour with Lila Coogan as Anya, i even got her autograph.

[@carlosalejandroalvarenga4913]

I saw Kyra Stone. She was easily the best cast member of the production and moved me to tears with her portrayal of Anya.

[@lovetolovefairytales]

@@carlosalejandroalvarenga4913 oh I don't think I'm familiar with Kyra! I've heard Recordings of Molly Rushing, seen bootlegs with Christy, and of course saw Lila in person, but I don't think I saw/heard anything of Kyra. What I liked about Lila was she had a fun softness a lot of the Anya's didn't. It was really cute. Like she looked genuinely hurt when Dimitri wouldn't help her get an exit visa and in the scene where she fights with the street thugs, it was adorable because it looked like she barely hit them before they fell down.

[@lovetolovefairytales]

Revisiting Anastasia (ironically right at the time the Musical came out) as an adult assisted in bringing me out of a year long depression and a writing dry spell, when i wrote my fifty plus chapter fanfiction on it in 2017. (I had begun it in 2014, but had to stop and return to it two years later.)

[@BetterWithBob]

💙💙💙💙

[@mtylor7274]

omg I think I read this - was it anastasia with more historical accuracy and less magic? It was a fantastic fanfic!!

[@lovetolovefairytales]

@@mtylor7274 you might be thinking of someone else's fanfic. Because I also read one similar to what you described and was awed. Mine was called "White Fabergé Lilies". In it, Dimitri was a closer servant to the family and went with them into exile, as an adult rather than a child. I've gotten some lovely comments on it, but I've also heard some readers found it traumatizing especially because I gave it a sad ending.

[@mtylor7274]

@@lovetolovefairytales I READ THAT ONE TOO!!!!!!!! I don't remember finding it traumatizing!! Anybody writing fanfic for this small fandom is automatically a hero in my eyes lol

[@lovetolovefairytales]

@@mtylor7274 aw, thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it. Anastasia is one of my all time favorite fandoms.

[@liarozen8309]

Once Upon a December has actually become a typical graduation dance tune in Russia! I adored Anastasia when I was a kid (maybe because I'm also named Anastasia and the film itself is gorgeous with such great songs) and when I graduated from high school I was ecstatic to dance waltz to my favourite childhood song. So yes, it did well in Russia and still remembered by many)

[@BetterWithBob]

Oh wow that's awesome lol. I wish my school did that

[@ellinooridashwood]

Didn’t realize that Thumbelina was considered a flop. As a kid, I totally aspired to having a Thumbelina style ponytail.

[@emilyrln]

Understandable! But did you also aspire to having her triangle bangs?

[@blaah9999]

I unironically love love love Rockadoodle and Thumbelina 😩🤭

[@gingercatqueen4368]

Same 🤗

[@prophetessoftroy]

Rockadoodle is absolutely slept on!

[@lovetolovefairytales]

@@blaah9999 yes! Me too!

[@natsohigh5552]

I watched Thumbelina on here the other day 😂

[@gingercatqueen4368]

@@natsohigh5552 my husband reintroduced me to rockadoodle. I forgot about that movie until we saw it on here and watched it. 😂

[@BrianZatzke]

I absolutely loved this movie growing up. Singing Once Upon A December and Dark of the Night. Obsessed with pretending I was summoning minions lol. But I get what you mean about a tonal shift that it creates.

[@BetterWithBob]

Eh who hasn't wanted to summon minions once in a while aha

[@jenniferv5148]

Parts of „the dark of the night“ were reused in the musical for „stay I pray you“, which is a heatwrenching song about the people who love their homecountry but have to leave because everything went downhill.

[@lovetolovefairytales]

I actually have three music boxes that play Once Upon a December. My favorite is the one that looks like the one in the movie with a dancing Nicholas and Alexandra.

[@BetterWithBob]

Ooh that would have been a cool bit of merch to have

[@lovetolovefairytales]

@@BetterWithBob yeah, the first one was a gift from my mom when I was a little girl, it was a plastic toy and had a mirror and spinning Anastasia in her Once Upon a December dress. The second was blue and has Anastasia and Dimitri dancing (based on their characterizations from the Broadway version) and the third (my favorite) was the Nicholas and Alexandra one, both bought in 2017 as a treat for myself.

[@erica9443]

I loved Thumbelina as a kid, I’m feeling attacked 😅 but ofc as an adult I can see the flaws. I still can’t get enough of Jodie Benson’s beautiful voice though!

[@reginaprince3020]

Love that I finally found someone who's favourite Disney movie is also Sleeping Beauty, but a little disappointed that you don't like In the Dark of the Night because it might just be my favourite villain song

[@user-pk6qq1rg1q]

I totally agree. I was surprised how little fans that amazing movie has. And how it is cool to basically shit on the movie and Aurora

[@BetterWithBob]

Ah to each their own ^_^

[@daitigris3473]

3:34 Beauty and the Beast is in France because it's a French fairytale written by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, later adapted by many into shorter formats and collections. (Sorry, nerd in me couldn't let that slide as it's my favorite Fairy tale.)

[@BetterWithBob]

Yes I know. What I was getting at is that the Thumbelina movie seemed to be set in France for no reason besides Beauty & the Beast being set there

[@daitigris3473]

@@BetterWithBob Ah, sorry about that. Flew over my head on what it was being directed at.

[@sarahveness1073]

I always thought the Can Can was general knowledge because of this film, and then last months, as a 30 year old, I was talking to a friend from high school and I had to send her a link to the dance because she had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. I appreciate that Moulin Rouge (the film) probably helped spread the knowledge, but I didn’t see that film until about two years ago.

[@kaydenevideo]

Ugh, this breakdown is just so good. From the history portion, to your Disney renaissance music comparisons, and the high praise for Liz Calloway and her incredible performances. I loved hearing your opinions, and I agree, Anastasia (1997) really was glorious. A tremendous feat for Don Bluth for sure.

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you for your lovely comment :)

[@lukasmiller486]

I would argue Colors of the Wind is a showstopper. It’s the scene where Poca and Smith connect as individuals and he learns to love the Tsenomach tribe instead of seeing them as savages to fear and conquer because she taught him a lesson in respecting the earth through the concept of every rock and tree and creature bearing the fingerprints of God. Also, Bernadette Peters was in another animated film-Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas.

[@BetterWithBob]

I suppose it is technically, as it is spectacular, but I was thinking more in the sense of a big dance-y number like all the others

[@bridgettelair370]

I used to replay the Once Upon a December sequence over and over on my VCR, it's fantastic!!! I still have the VHS, covered in dust but I still have it. I know Thumbelina isn't the best but I still love Let Me Be Your Wings, it's so cute and romantic, plus I really love the way they animated Thumbelina herself. The movie gets too much hate in my opinion, but I kind of have a soft spot for some of those older unpopular/rare animated movies, like The Scarecrow movie.

[@BetterWithBob]

I agree the song itself is good, and Cornelius's actor knocks it out of the park

[@lovetolovefairytales]

If you like Anastasia, you might also enjoy the New Zealand 1995 tv series Mirror Mirror (Anastasia's brother Alexei is a character on that show, and oddly enough it also features a train jumping scene).

[@andrear4954]

I actually recognise you from a comment you made on one of the Mirror Mirror episodes on yt 😅 love your profile pic ❤

[@lovetolovefairytales]

@@andrear4954 😂 oh, yes, I'm a shameless Mirror Mirror fangirl. Thanks for noticing my profile pic ❤️. I use it as my profile pic on Ao3 and FFN as well 😅.

[@Jordyb33123]

Omg, I just had a flash back to having an Anastasia doll growing up…. I have watched this film at least every 2 years since I was a child as I love everything about it and I have only just remembered that with the ads you showed at the start…

[@ViridianCrisis7]

Having seen the stage production, dropping the more supernatural bits for more historical aspects and Gleb taking the antagonist role works very well. He provides another view of a child of the revolution contrasting with Anastasia and Dimitri. Plus his songs are really good

[@Nyctm91]

It’s so cool how much research you’ve clearly done. You should make documentaries or something cause you’re great at keeping it interesting and fun

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you so much! I did documentary for a bit in college and they were fun to make. I've often been tempted to get back into that sort of thing :)

[@lovetolovefairytales]

Thumbelina IS a good movie! I will die on that hill.

[@alliecat1019]

I will die on this hill as well

[@cherdidi88]

I'm with you, I'll camp on this hill with you

[@lovetolovefairytales]

@@cherdidi88 YES, Thumbelina fans unite!

[@orangeslash1667]

@@lovetolovefairytales Don Bluth admitted then making Thumbelina, he hated the original script he was given. So he and his tried to rewrite the whole script in a week. He then admitted that you can't write a script in a week, which became the final film. Thats how rushed it was.

[@lovetolovefairytales]

@@orangeslash1667 I literally don't care. I still think it's good.

[@nicklundy9965]

I hope one day he can review Ella Enchanted. I just watched after a decade and it still holds up extremely well. A lot better than what Disney has put out recently and certainly better than that Amazon Cinderella.

[@BetterWithBob]

I actually never saw that lol

[@lachancla3723]

a lot better than it's sequel too. They really fumbled the ball with Enchanted 2.

[@nicklundy9965]

@@lachancla3723 I meant Ella Enchanted staring Anne Hathaway. But I also love Enchanted as well probably my first exposure to Disney being meta without shoving it in your face . Haven't seen the sequel but it being from Disney and released DTS (Direct to streaming) I figured it wouldn't be as good. Maya Rudolph was a highlight tho.

[@BetterWithBob]

@@nicklundy9965 part of the sequel was filmed a few miles away from me and a couple of friends worked on it :)

[@nicklundy9965]

@@BetterWithBob wow that's awesome.

[@mtverv]

I really enjoy Anastasia. Watching it as both a child and an adult gives you different perspectives on the movie but in both perspectives this is a very good movie

[@BetterWithBob]

How so?

[@satyasyasatyasya5746]

I lowkey adore this movie. Its not perfect and a bit clunky at times, but the music is so good :3

[@frozen_blondy2076]

once upon a december is the song that always stood out to me

[@BetterWithBob]

For good reason lol

[@khlover001]

As far as the stage musical goes I actually love the fact that they took Rasputin out if only for what they did to his song. Stay, I Pray you is an absolute masterpiece.

[@BetterWithBob]

I've heard mixed things on the lack of Rasputin

[@khlover001]

@@BetterWithBob which is fair! As much as I appreciated the dynamic as a kid of having him as a supernatural evil bad guy, that doesnt exactly translate well to the stage. From a history perspective too, it's not like he was running around in the 1920's and it's not exactly like he would be searching for revenge against the family. Alexandra was was devestated when he was killed and even had him buried on the palace grounds (until he was exhumed by revolutionaries). I think it makes more sense to ground the "live action" version in more reality than the animated.

[@marnenotmarnie259]

i love anastasia so much 😭😭 i HIGHLY recommend seeing the stage musical if you ever get the chance

[@ladycarys3008]

This and Swan Princess were my absolutely favorite movies as a young girl. Both for the beauty of the music, and for the characters. I still adore them and sharing them with my daughter has been so much fun ❤ Realizing that the same actress voiced both of them for their singing, that may be why I loved them both so much 😅

[@lydiah12]

I loved this movie enough to have an Anastasia-themed birthday party in second grade, and it holds up so well revisiting it as an adult - the music, the voice performances, and especially the animation. And you've got me tearing up at that summary of Dimitri's character arc :' )

[@Peh-heeeeeggy-Hill]

Thumbelina was my favorite for a while!

[@henrymockingbird9645]

Anastasia is of my favorite non Disney animated films

[@yasminemeddah1303]

Anastasia is my favourite movie of all time. I watch it every year (sometimes twice a year). The music is just so good, the romance and chemistry between the two characters is also amazing

[@BetterWithBob]

I might start rewatching it more often lol

[@yasminemeddah1303]

@@BetterWithBob definitely should, it’s just a great comfort movie especially during fall or christmas

[@LenaLawliet]

Crazy that you post this now since I became obsessed with Anastasia again 3 days ago when I found the musical on KZbin 😭

[@BetterWithBob]

Aha we'll add that to the list of instances that make me think I'm psychic

[@Saltysaltire97]

I love that they incorporated parts of the bridge of In the Dark of the Night into the song "Stay, I pray you" for the stage version of Anastasia. It works and is very sentimental, heartbreaking and, hopeful as Anya Dimitri and Vlad, and tbe other passengers board the train from Russia forever

[@charlotte-op4vz]

even though the musical eliminates all the supernatural elements when i saw the production live i felt they had taken everything that is so lovable and unique about the film and turned it into the most milquetoast princess story i’d ever seen onstage. i actually hadn’t seen the original film when i saw the stage version so assumed that everyone only liked it because of nostalgia, but once i finally saw the movie i realized a poorly translated adaptation was at fault

[@BetterWithBob]

Oh really? That's interesting

[@mistymarshall5438]

@@BetterWithBob What in the world is she talking about a "poorly translated adaptation"? The musical was written by the late Terrence McNallly and is just as much inspired by the '50s version of Anastasia (and Marcel Maurette's play) as the animated film. Sure Anya isn't as snarky as her animated counterpart, but that's because she's being hunted down by the soviets, who, if you think about it, wouldn't take too kindly to the idea of a Tsar's daughter surviving her execution, which the animated film never had her experience. But the musical did have a scene where Anya fights off a gang of toughs. Oh and Sophie (renamed Lily in the musical) and Vlad get a hilarious musical number. The animated film was an historical fairy tale, the Broadway musical is alternate history.

[@micshork]

While a lot of people may prefer the stage adaptation (which removes the supernatural elements like Rasputin) I still think this is a great attempt at replicating the Disney Renaissance style. To this day I still meet people who didn’t know it wasn’t made by Disney. Also not many people know it was technically a remake either.

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah I'm more surprised when people do know it's a remake

[@micshork]

@@BetterWithBob I wrote an article on different Disney knock-off type of movies from that era and I like researching as many details as I can to get the whole story. One movie they considered doing a remake of was The King and I, however they passed on that and WB ended up remaking that in 1999 as an animated musical instead (and it was pretty bad). Maybe you should talk about that in the future.

[@yundorphin]

I love the musical! I think Derek Klena was a great casting choice for Dimitri.

[@JeffreyDeCristofaro]

I regret having missed seeing this in theaters when it first came out!!! I was 12 and thought that I was getting too old for "animated kids films." Then in 2022, on the film's 25th anniversary, I watched it for the first time (someone uploaded it to YT, so I watched it for free)... and automatically fell in LOVE with it!!! Next time it comes back to the big screen, I SWEAR I won't miss it!!! Apart from Disney, Don Bluth was for me the only other big name in animation whose movies in my very early childhood during the 90's were like dreams come true. THE LAND BEFORE TIME is my Top Favorite Film of his and in my Top 💯 Favorite Films of All Time, but THE SECRET OF NIMH is close behind and ANASTASIA comes a very respectable 3rd - all three films are in my Top 15 Animated Films of All Time! Even ROCK A DOODLE is a guilty pleasure. What I love most about ANASTASIA - and Don Bluth's work in general - is how he goes for a darker, edgier, more adult vibe even when he's clearly following the Disney mold. I always admire when certain animated films and their creators go their own way instead of directly imitating a giant, not only in format & styles but also appealing to more than kids, which is especially true for animated adult film favorites of mine like AKIRA, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT (which I strongly prefer to THE TEN COMMANDMENTS), WATERSHIP DOWN, FANTASTIC PLANET, HEAVY METAL, THE WIND RISES and FIRE AND ICE. The characters and situations here are relatable to both children and adults - if you pardon the talking animals and supernatural elements, which are still taken very seriously - the animation styles, the music, the voice talent, the visual depictions of the Bolshevik Revolution and Roaring 20's Paris (Roaring 20's going centennial, baby!!!), even the technical ambitions like shooting using actual CinemaScope lenses (2.55:1) for the first time in decades!!! That, and elements of David Lean's DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (which I first saw on the big screen in 2003 screened from a 65mm negative during a summer filmmaking course for high school students at NC-School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, where I made my first short film) and Lerner & Lowes musicals thrown in for more than just good measure! (Just as a side note, I also missed seeing TITANIC in theaters in '97, but managed to see it for the first time back on the big screen from a 65mm negative at NC-School of the Arts during 2003 - unsurprisingly, the only teenage boy among a handful of girls studying under the same department & others during the arts summer program for high school students.) And yeah, I know it's historically inaccurate - confound it all, I love it though!!! Personally, "In the Dark of the Night" is my favorite evil villain song (how can you NOT love a evil villain song that has the lyric "Terror's the LEAST I can do!"?). Even "Once Upon A December" has become a Christmas favorite - they play the instrumental version as part of the accompanying music at the annual Winter Lights exhibit every November to December at the NC Arboretum here in my hometown of Asheville, North Carolina!!!

[@BetterWithBob]

I think Don Bluth's philosophy was that children could handle darker films - he grew up with Snow White, Pinocchio and Bambi, which are very scary in places - as long as you gave them a happy ending. And I respect that

[@odapunkt]

I love Anastasia so much. The way her dresses were made was absolutely mesmerizing to me as a little girl and I actually did love Rasputin, I had some collectibles with Rasputin's magical objects and they were so cool, I wish I still had them, some of them used optical illusions and so it was like real magic!

[@BetterWithBob]

Ooh that sounds fun

[@LennyPepper]

I enjoyed this video so much I watched it twice! I’m excited to have found your channel and happily subbed :)

[@PHSDM104]

Calling the song about Anya's amnesia "the song that everyone remembers" is crazy! 🤣

[@BetterWithBob]

errr...yes...I meant to do that

[@deterlanglytone]

From what I recall of the Troll, Thumbelina, and Penguin films of Don's. He actually didn't finish those scripts himself. From what I recall, they were struggling financially so sold the film rights to those ones to a Hong Kong group, who then rushed them all to accomplishing, while also forcing elements to be added to them. I don't think Rockadoddile is one of those films that were sold, but it could be. Bluth is a producer/director/whatever, that needed alot of time to work out his material. Otherwise those are the results. But when he has the time, you get his greats, the American Tail, the Secret of Nimh, a adaption so liked that the author wrote in elements they added to his sequels to the original book from what I understand. Or the author's children did, I can't recall. From a certain standpoint, Anastasia is a rare success of his during this time period, where he appeared to have some interference but nothing more than you'd expect from a company giving millions to the productions and owns them too. Titan A.E on the other hand. It isn't bad, but it feels much less a bluth film at all.

[@orangeslash1667]

Fun Fact: the funny bat got his own film called Bartok the Magnificent.

[@deterlanglytone]

@@orangeslash1667 I was never able to watch that from the beginning. Does it actually relate to Anastasia? Or is Bartok the only thing from it. Fun Irish Fact; Super Macs had Anastasia theme'd meals for a while before and after the release of this film. And this is was their first and only such branding for the next ten years. It lasted long enough, that I recall getting the VHS for the film while the promotion was still made.

[@orangeslash1667]

@@deterlanglytone Bartok is the only character, however there is a new character in film voiced by Kelsey Grammar.

[@tonialston1968]

I love this movie. In elementary school, I normally brought the VHS on movie day and would sing along lol And I actually like Rasputin's "In the Dark of the Night"

[@BetterWithBob]

I think I might have done that once but can't remember lol

[@jimanyon8143]

Thoughts on The Swan Princess? While we are on the topic of Disney Princess knock offs.

[@BetterWithBob]

Next video lol

[@casper_z1259]

Me rediscovering this movie every couple of years: ''Across my meh-mo-ryyyyyy...''

[@BetterWithBob]

I should do the same ha

[@lisnavora]

Wait, so what they did to Rasputin in "The King's Man" was actually historically accurate? I thought that was the insane fantasy of the movie...

[@regeneratedwitch]

Anastasia has to be if not my favorite, in the top 3. I think I watched in the distant 2004 when I was like 7. Good old times 😭 And dude, I think Thumbelina has scarred you with PTSD. Make a “Thumbelina Mention Video” haha

[@BetterWithBob]

Mrs Toad...the horror...the horror

[@thisismaribethe]

I was one of the random outliers who had a copy of the soundtrack on cd and had that memorized before seeing the film. I remember as a kid feeling underwhelmed and still to this day think the soundtrack is better! But the entire story really captivated me and jump started my life long interest in the Romanovs. This review was immaculate!

[@estadoagridulce]

me and my sister were obsessed with “Anastasia” growing up, we used to sing “Once Upon A December” all the time, even performed the song. This is still my favorite princess animation film.

[@sammimo7984]

As a child, I had the biggest crush on Dimitri. LOL Also the costumes in this movie had me fascinated I loved everything from her imaginary dresses to her Paris visit

[@blacksailsfan4life]

❤ thank you for covering this! ❤

[@olived9560]

oo amazing video! I really need to watch it, I've been wanting to for a while...

[@triassicpark947]

You get so many points from me for the very casual and very correct referencing of Miss Aaliyah

[@BetterWithBob]

What an icon

[@triassicpark947]

I have to go with 'I miss you'. a super sad one but it really is such a incredibly emotional and moving piece. Honestly, I just wish she could have stayed with us longer so there could be so much more to choose from. Could u imagine??

[@triassicpark947]

oh and i forgot to mention most importantly about how lovely it is to see her appeal reach far and wide

[@BetterWithBob]

@@triassicpark947 She would have been so big. She'd filmed scenes for The Matrix Reloaded, and Janet Jackson wanted to collaborate with her

[@marztehgoddess2726]

I liked Rasputins song in the movie. It felt more funny to me when I was a kid, and I remember my brother enjoying the tonal shift from the “boring” stuff. My favorites are still Once Upon a December and Journey to the past, no doubt.

[@blaah9999]

Excuse me… in the dark of the night is one of my favorites!!

[@jenniferhiemstra5228]

We DO NOT malign Thumbelina here, how dare you! Ok, not really I actually do see why it's flawed and your scrolling list as to why made me cackle! Either way, that film was my literal go to rental film from Blockbuster during that era, no joke...it was Thumbelina and another similar film that I can't recall offhand, so it's a massive part of my growing up that I can never knock it. But now I want to see you go through Swan Princess...another flawed film but still has so much charm and a huge part of many a 90's childhood!

[@BetterWithBob]

Aha The Swan Princess is my next video

[@jenniferhiemstra5228]

@@BetterWithBob Praise be! Can’t wait!

[@natsohigh5552]

I loved this film. Great animation, great voice cast, great songs. And an added bonus for me was Aaliyah singing on the soundtrack.

[@BrokeBech]

Omg, nooooo! I didn't think anybody could hate Thumbelina! That was one of my childhood favorites!

[@arnesahlen2704]

20:08 HOW *DID* YOU KNOW!?? ☺️😅🤪😂 Yes, it jumped unbidden into my smutty little brain, and I was just shooing it out when you did the task for me. Thanks!!

[@BetterWithBob]

Probably because my mind would also go there lol

[@bivium6874]

Thanks this was fun 😊 To put on the recommendations to someday cover I submit Titan AE

[@arnold20139]

I will always love Anastasia. Once Upon a December will always make me cry. Don Bluth really went all out on this movie, and I cant help but admire it.

[@Cynic-Retired]

My favorite animated movie of all time, absolutely LOVE it to death! I remember this movie always stuck out to me as a kid because of the fantastic but heartbreaking opening. Princess Anastasia is a rather recent example of how history becomes legend.

[@BetterWithBob]

Agreed!

[@cindilouwho8681]

The musical was amazing, even my husband loved it. The villain’s song “Still” is a great song. Once Upon a December made us all cry, even muy husband teared up.

[@caseyvann230]

I love the musical! Gleb is an interesting change and gives the villain more of a realistic reason for hunting her. You should give it a listen, but I have one beef with it. They changed the opening lullaby to be just a piece of Once Upon a December and it changes the emphasis of the scene later. By making the lullaby the same song, its not as impactful to me. In the original, she's not remembering the actual lullaby, just the melody; and the lyrics she's singing are other vague memories coming to the surface because she's in the palace for the first time in years. Now, in the Broadway musical, she's just remembering that earlier scene, and it speeds up the plot which is totally unnecessary considering the musical is longer than the movie. Still I love it :)

[@Jordyb33123]

I will restart once an upon a December several times when watching, it is iconic and beyond comparison. I continue watching because you are correct, this is a musical and the other songs hold up

[@chelseabray7565]

I love in the dark of the night 😅

[@josemolina8956]

You always make me cry

[@BetterWithBob]

oh dear

[@Nakiami]

This movie will always have a special place in my heart. I remember wanting to watch it whenever I went to my aunts house and I think it's one of the things that kickstarted my love in learning history. I watched it a few months back and I agree that I didn't really enjoy the Rasputin parts, but the things the movie does well, it does pretty good!

[@cordeliacullen2621]

My grandma loved Don Bluth films, she bought them all on VHS so all the cousins would watch them together at her house.

[@michaelbrent1536]

I always always love all don Bluth movies All Dog go to Heaven,American Tail,Land before Time,Secret of NIMH,Rock a Doodle,Thumbelina,Anastasia,Titan A.and Bardock the Magnificent! I really liked Anastasia. I really thought it was a Disney movie until I looked it up It was created by Don Bluth!

[@BetterWithBob]

Understandable mix up lol

[@kelfincher5232]

I LOVE THIS MOVIE. I still have my VHS of it. I actually like ’In the Dark of the Night’. It is kind of crazy you didn’t know Kelsey Grammer sings when he sings every chance he can in Frasier, including the theme song. 😂

[@sirwolfnsuch]

Revenge of the Sith was the first to get me hyped, partly because it was the first pg-13 film I watched at the cinema

[@Hi-jw7oq]

I remember seeing that in the theaters as well. :)

[@loopyvirgo]

Anastasia is an amazing film… and I really love the In the Dark of the Night. I admit, it’s not the best villain song, but my god do I love it

[@BetterWithBob]

To each their own XD

[@acousticmonkey2209]

Thanks Bob. I really like this movie. I developed a weird obsession about the true story and refused to watch it until I was prepared for the differences. There's a good episode on the podcast "You're Wrong About" with guest Dana Schwartz that really goes into the history, and it's so sad, but presented really well. When you know the full story,"Once Upon a December" takes on new levels of heartbreak. Like you, I don't care for the Rasputin parts as actually he was an interesting person boiled down into evil villain status. At points, I forgot he was even in it and sighed when he came back. Meg Ryan is the GOAT of rom-coms and she was well cast. As was Kirsten Dunst.

[@bespectacledheroine7292]

I'd highly recommend the 1956 film with Ingrid Bergman as the lead. It plays around with the idea of whether she actually is Anastasia or not and most important if it even matters, which to me is more interesting than this movie's approach of just making it true. I still love its songs and its vibe, but I really wish they'd taken more cues from that version in this way.

[@Hi-jw7oq]

I love Ingrid Bergman

[@alexl.7668]

Yes, I love that movie!!

[@bespectacledheroine7292]

@@alexl.7668 It's so raw in portraying Anna's poverty and disorientation being made up to be something she probably isn't. It also happens to feel like a true fairytale. Beautiful watch.

[@alexl.7668]

@@bespectacledheroine7292 yes! It’s so good

[@HamanKarn567]

I always liked this movie as a kid. Had it on VHS.

[@Rathdrgnknight]

I personally do like the Broadway version better, but I have to comment on the change they made on the song Anya and her Grandmother sing at the beginning (that shares a melody with Once Upon a December)--Instead of it being like in the animated movie where the song is talking about them being in Paris, they took the lyrics from the version Anya sings while trying to remember who she is, which is a WILDLY weird change to me. Why would the song she sings together as a child with her grandmother be about trying to remember something when they have perfectly good lyrics from the movie right there that make more sense? As for the rest of the songs from the movie, they rearranged the order of the existing songs, but in a way that still makes sense. They also turned "In the Dark of the Night" from a Disney villain song to a ballad called "Stay, I Pray You" about being sad to leave your homeland which I think works very well. I also think Paris Holds the Key got a great update, though I do miss the small solo they gave Dimitri from the movie, but since he gets more development in the stage musical it's not a huge loss. The new songs are also really catchy. In particular, I love My Petersburg and the Quartet at the Ballet, and while I'm not as much a fan of the new villain, I do like his confrontation with Anastasia in Still/The Neva Flows (Reprise). We'll Go From There is fun, though it is a bit jarring because out of context on the album, it's pretty peppy and happy, but seeing the musical, it is immediately proceeded by an execution of someone who doesn't have the correct papers in a very dark way.

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah sounds like a mixed bag from the way you described it

[@lovetolovefairytales]

The doll with the cassette tape! I ALMOST had one as a kid, but ended up buying the Anya doll in orphan rags instead because she came with a toy necklace I wanted. I sort of regretted it afterwards. My cousin had the doll with the blue dress.

[@Elora445]

When first watching this movie, I already was very familiar with the Romanov family's story. Their horror story. Did you know that the poor girls (or if it was all women) survived the first round of bullets? Apparently because they had sewn their valuables into their clothes. Pure horror. Despite that, I love this film. It's a lovely "What if..." version of history. You are right in how the Rasputin bits always feel a bit off. If they had skipped the supernatural and gone with a more human villain it would probably have worked out better. I do happen to like the villain song, though. The film is so very close to perfect, so I'll just have to forgive it for treating the bastard Rasputin like that. "Once Upon a December" is probably one of my most favorite Disney songs, period. All in all I think Anastasia most definitely work.

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah I read all about it. It's horrific

[@Grace_Reads]

The stage musical was really good!

[@BetterWithBob]

@@Grace_Reads oh cool, hopefully it comes here at some point

[@Grace_Reads]

@@BetterWithBob, hopefully!

[@nope-p5x]

god I LOVED Anastasia, I had VHS and the book in late 90s and was the biggest fan, as were all my girlfriends in daycare. such an impactful movie for millennial russian girls, for sure. never saw it in English though, now I definitely will