Mad Munchkin Reviews 'The Swan Princess'

[@Woodsstories]

Have you seen Nostalgia Critics review? 'I shall forever miss your beauty and nothing else.'

[@MadMunchkin]

Yup, tho I did mine before his, and managed to avoid the inevitable Bart Simpson Joke. :P

[@Woodsstories]

Mad Munchkin Well both your reviews are equally good. From what you said, I gather that Black Swan with Natalie Portman is based on Swan Lake. I've seen it and it was a fairly good movie. How did it hold up in your opinion (when compared to the original)?

[@maggiesheartlove2734]

I practically grew up with this film, back then I didn't know it was based on a ballet, or much about ballet in general, so it didn't bug me. Odette, to me, was one of the first strong female role models I was introduced to at a young age (followed by Anastasia, Jasmine, Belle, Pocahontas, Esmeralda, Megara, ect). She was firm but elegant. She was fearless but humble, sure she played the damsel in distress from time to time, but her attitude always made me smile. I loved how she had a backbone when it came to the evil wizard and she didn't' settle for Derek unless he proved he loved her for more than just her looks and she had faith he would prevail, she just wanted him to show it, make him work. Well that's my viewpoint, not sure about everyone else.

[@CmR_studios104]

Exactly

[@l1s4sp1ts3]

i agree with you on that one. I really liked this movie and the songs when i was little, and i still have a weak spot for it.

[@youdom5]

Signstar Faith As with the critic and here, I can make fun of this movie very easily. But I still have an absolute soft spot for this movie and still stands as one of the most underrated animated movies I have seen.

[@phantomdragon3893]

Signstar Faith yeah I love the songs, I have a soft spot for longer than forever.

[@kiaraeijo]

That’s my opinion too! One of my favorite non-Disney Movies

[@jacks.6243]

Aw, come on. Sleeping Beauty is a fairy tale, that originated in France (traced back to Charles Perrault) and was first written down by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. The movie is not *based* on the ballet. Rather, they are based on the same source material. And yes. I did comment on this insignificent detail. You don't mess with the Grimms.

[@MadMunchkin]

It uses the music straight from the ballet and has more in common with the ballet adaption than the original Grim tale. Disney himself said it was based on the ballet.

[@jacks.6243]

I just meant to point that out. The 'sleeping beauty' ballet isn't an original story, like the 'sawn lake' one. In the end it comes back to the Grimms (Although that original story is highly disturbing and I understand that they would draw more from tamer versions. It was a family film, after all.) I'm just rather proective of the Grimms, they are an important culural heritage and they are imprtant to me specifically (I'm German.). I would imagine from the video and your response that you are protective of Tschaikovski, in a way, so you might understand that I just had to point it out.

[@MadMunchkin]

Jack S. 'Swan Lake' is based on a variety of Russian Folk tales, more specifically inspired by German author Johann Karl August Musäus, "Der geraubte Schleier" (The Stolen Veil). 'The White Duck' is another influence. I love German literature as well, so admire your passion for the Grimms. Have you read 'The Stolen Veil' or 'The White Duck' ? This is an old video and I actually make another video where I discuss why I will never make another video like this.

[@jacks.6243]

I did not know these stories, but I looked up how it goes. (Is that right? it sounds wrong.) And I can definetly see influences. I take a strong interest in Fairy tales, but more so in legends and Myths, although sometimes it is hard to tell which is which. It also helps that the Grimms were important to the first unification effort, which is dear to me in a very different way.

[@Zinervawyrm]

The ballet and the French version more than the Grimm version.

[@ztslovebird]

I . . . . enjoyed this movie as a kid. I admit it's stupid now, but some of the songs were ok ( to someone who honestly didn't know about the ballet) and the animation was pretty. Not sure why we owned the first 2 sequels, but I nearly lost my lunch when I found the Christmas special in Walmart. Why was it rebooted? The actors are all either dead or retired, the fanbase has forgotten it, and they changed mediums! And to add insult to injury, there's a FOURTH one where Birdbrains and Sir Cries A Lot adopt a poor little girl and nearly kill her!

[@louietheswan9689]

I agree

[@MadMunchkin]

5 people can't appreciate Irony.

[@sergeantpanther678]

I think that the Barbie version is worse. Yes there is one.

[@sergeantpanther678]

And I hope that you are realizing that the whole video is you manely complaining about it beeing an adaptation not a stand alone movie,since S*** will change when you make a movie about something,but maybe you should have gone more into detail.

[@caitlincrosby9969]

Alexander Walker At least the Barbie one used the score (whole reason I let my little sister watch it over and over). And the Barbie movies are purely to sell toys (and that is one of their better ones) so I never expected it to be good at all.....

[@sergeantpanther678]

Zephyr Carter It is a shame that the here reviewed one did not had the score and music of one of the most talented composers of all time,but I thought that it was not that bad,it was watchable,just like Equestria Girls is watchable (it was worse than equestria girls but still watchable).

[@caitlincrosby9969]

It is still watchable, if you pretend that the ballet doesn't exist. There was potential in it, and even a few witty lines, but they wasted so much. Even if it was an adaptation of the score, or a bit better humor, there was room for improvement that they did not use (even in the sequels unlike EG which did at least improve in the sequel). But some of its sins are not unique to it, pointless side characters, one of which blatantly doesn't belong (a puffin, really?!), dumbed down humor, watered down plot, and bad (and ill-fitting) musical numbers hurt this film even without the source material being a factor, so while watchable, not good enough for me to buy when I was growing up.

[@GamzeenMakara]

Is it sad that Barbie's version of Swan Lake is better than this??

[@therexdragonblade6821]

It is pretty sad.

[@brennicolas3093]

Gamzeenmakara how is it better than swan princess? When this film is compared to Barbie of swan lake, this film is pretty faithful to the ballet.

[@theoccasionalartist955]

No it is not, the barbie movie stayed true to the ballet and even used the music from the ballet, sure somethings were changed but that was to keep the audience interested in the film, and if you own the disk you can check the special features and one of them will tell you about the ballet and the music used.

[@finland4ever55]

They are actually equal in my opinion

[@krystalhuntress840]

Not bad, Barbie has pretty good movies.

[@Venus-oy6mw]

Aurora: OH MY GOODNESS!!! Are you copying me? Odette: No way, I'm purely original. Aurora: Then why do you have blonde hair, a confusing eye color, featured childhood, an arranged marriage, and your Prince looking like my man?!?! Odette: Well I'm purely original because I didn't use the score of the ballet I came from. Aurora: You mean you didn't...... Ohhh **faints**

[@blackninjaTM009]

Wow, I've never seen a eview of this movie so filled with hate oO But it's your opinion, and that's okay :) I just want to point out 2 things: 1. Disney's Sleeping Beauty is not based on the ballet, it is based on the fairytale. Because well, Sleeping Beauty IS a fairytale. 2. The director of the Swan Princess is Richard Rich, who worked for Disney, so this might explain some things. They based the movie very losely on the ballet, why does everything need to be so accurat to its origins. Most Disney movies are everything else than beeing explicit like the source material. By the way, the swan princess gets another sequel :D

[@Zinervawyrm]

Want to see an interesting retelling or loosely inspired version of Swan Lake, I've got two words for you…… Princess Tutu! If you haven't heard of it, I highly recommend you look it up. But maybe you have already. However, if you haven't; ballet and classical ballet music is very cleverly incorporated into the story, and beautifully done too.

[@katangel115]

Awe, princess tutu is adorable.

[@turquoisecrow4513]

Don't forget the Barbie version. Never forget the Barbie adaptations

[@technamarc1676]

TurquoiseCrow the Barbie movies aren't that bad, everyone gives them a bad rep, there actually able to be entertaining when done with effort.

[@gordieboi2340]

Techna marc1 Barbie's Swan Princess besides the animation is okay

[@avionpiscean33]

The very existence of Barbie's 12 dancing princesses makes me want to scream. The original fairy tale is one of my favorites, and it didn't get a SINGLE aspect of it right.

[@thatamericanbrunette5981]

I agree with you on all points, but in its defense, it was an INTERPRETATION of Swan Lake not a recreation of the same story. For example: The miniseries Tin Man (it's on Netflix if you want to see it) was based on the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz but is also very very different from the classic Wizard of Oz film from 1939. I give Tin Man credit for originality despite having very little to do with the original story of the book (yes, I have read it.... thrice). I think it deserves some credit for being unique in itself but I do agree with you in every other way. It was altogether a very poor movie.

[@alexischavez7086]

I haven't seen the original movies of the Swan princess but still I will always liked the barbie swan lake/ princess . even tho barbie movies are childish but even as a adult I still love them

[@KShadow]

Hey Mad Munchkin Did you know there is a Japanese animated version of Swan Lake? Its pretty old but it kinda sticks to the source material a lot better then Swan Princess

[@Oliviagarry69420]

KShadow omg are you talking about princess tutu it's one of my favorite animes

[@KShadow]

Well no but thats another good series! Im talking about the toei animated film from the 80s.

[@cameoshadowness7757]

@@Oliviagarry69420 lol that's what I thought about when I read OP's comment.

[@jackiebraile6484]

1:49, there's actually another movie coming out. It's about Derek and Odette raising a little girl named Elise after her father dies in a house fire. Meanwhile, a group of talking squirrels (Yes, squirrels) believe that Odette, as a white swan, is evil according to a certain prophecy. The movie is called: The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale. Look It Up :)

[@duckwithachainsaw2459]

Me: *Watching with headphones loudly* Maddie: "HA!" Me: *flails off headphones* "GAH! MADDIE! WHAT THE HECK!"

[@lpscookiemonster8198]

THREE BLOODY SEQUELS?!!! I lost it

[@MadMunchkin]

Well actually there's two different endings to the ballet, one where the couple die and Rothbart wins, and another where the couple die but rothbart also dies. I think there's also a version where the couple live, but I'm not sure which version that is. See, there's the Russian version, then there's a polish version and a french one I think but I could be wrong. But my point is that the movie didn't adhere to the ballet at all and just made up an ending because for some reason studios seem to

[@MadMunchkin]

think that 'kids can't handle tragedy' which just makes me want to scream at them; 'This is why most animated movies suck because a lot of studios underestimate children but also assume that animation is just for kids and make the film inaccessible for adults.

[@DTSsince2016]

There's also the Japanese animated version of Swan Lake from 1981, which involves music by Tchaikovsky, and Prince Siegfried!

[@MadMunchkin]

Hm, Disney did introduce a lot of 'scary' concepts, but still sugar coated them needlessly. 'Fox and the Hound' and 'Black Cauldron' being prime examples.

[@twilightfey3893]

I loved this movie as a child! I'm sorry but I honestly did. The squeals on the other hand? Second was okay, third... better than the second. The fourth movie left me in a coma of stupidity.

[@luxlibertas]

1:52 And actually it has four now...meaning there's Swan Princess, Swan Princess: Escape from Castle Mountain, Swan Princess: The Mystery of the Enchanted Kingdom, Swan Princess Christmas AND Swan Princess: A Family Tale. Brilliant. FIVE MOVIES IN TOTAL.

[@pennysanchez7656]

Make that 9 sequels. What is up with Splash Entertainment with releasing every sequel like how Universal treats The Land Before Time franchise?

[@chellastation]

A) I hate animated films where they insult the children's intelligence. B) I would love to see this film before Derek & Odette loved each other, keep the villain (make him better) and have the villain go after the kid version of the protagonist while keeping the Swan Lake plot.

[@Miniae_Cecilia]

Try the barbie version it's not to bad

[@nottrustworthy6361]

In my opinion its a pretty good version of swan lake

[@sarazhou2793]

Picture book or movie version?

[@wateryourhouseplants3973]

It's pretty good, at least better than this

[@ShadyDoorags]

The first ten minutes are the best part of the movie. I love the part when they're growing up, I want a movie based off of that.

[@julikumpel4375]

Personally, I think the Barbie version of Swan Lake used more of the source material. It did have actual ballet and used the music.

[@bettytejeda6552]

Irk

[@epsiloncore9772]

well actually it was revealed that the old hag is actually named Bridget, Bridget the Hag as her name is credited as. I see...I didn't know the Hag family was that well connected to the Lords of the kingdom.

[@Inspiration_Date]

Richard Rich is a hack of a director. He's like a diet Don Bluth--graduated from Disney and apes their style. At least Bluth has a few good movies under his belt. Rich has nothing to waste your time over.

[@erainmartinez8175]

I Loved this movie as a kid

[@kburley8190]

Can you send me the proper Swan Lake ballet? I've been trying to find the ballet, I saw it when I was a child and now I can't find it:( can you send me the link of the ballet that you used the pictures of of? Just so a can see if it's the one I saw. Luv ya vids!❤️🎨

[@Disney65Fan]

This was actually my fav as a kid....THERE I said it.

[@phantomdragon3893]

So is this mean you going to review princess tutu? Since it has elements of the swan princess.

[@KennedyOkami]

This Movie Is A Disgrace To The great Tchaikovsky

[@bettytejeda6552]

True that poor thicholski sorry can never spell his name

[@DoodleDabble]

As for Nest's prior work, check out its source material- the Children's Bible. The animation was pretty spot-on for that. It was designed for little kids and a low budget

[@HetemSenar]

Tchaikovsky is my favourite of the classical composers too. I was excited when I learned they'd used his original music in disney's Sleeping Beauty. When I found out they'd made a Swan Lake cartoon (swan princess, name change, whatever) I thought they might use his music there too. ....Well...guess you can't win them all. :'D

[@Takisan111]

Wait, 3!? I knew there was a sequel (had the misfortune of having seen it) but where did the other 2 come from?

[@IchiCooCoo]

Any chance you do a movie review on Disney's Great Mouse Detective? I would love to hear your thoughts about it, especially since it is a bit of a movie based in Sherlock Holmes.

[@Panthersclaw]

Now there's four sequels. "the swan princess: a royal family tale" came out this year

[@MadMunchkin]

I'm 26 and still own most of the VHS cassettes I had growing up, even though I have the DVD versions now I just can't bring myself to part with the VHS cassettes.

[@stageplay262]

munchkin, your rage was so powerful at the start of the video that it made the video crash! XD

[@QuinnParker101]

I remember seeing Anastasia and many, MANY classmates as well as myself enjoying it. May I request your opinion on that movie?

[@elltell1990]

It's a Studio Ghibli video game and so far, it hasn't disappointed me! How do you feel about RPGs or JRPGs in this case?

[@roryoh]

Mars needs Moms is worse by far and Disney made Mars needs Moms!

[@MadMunchkin]

The Black Cauldron had many firsts for Disney; it was the first Disney animated movie to feature blood, and also the first disney animated movie to receive a PG rating. It was also the first disney movie to have CGI in it. It was the studio's chance to have a more adult dark fantasy film, and although it achieved it with the villain and the plot, it failed with its lead characters.

[@ThePa1riot]

I wish I could say the same, we left our's at our old house when we moved. (22 as of the 17th of August and about to go back to school for Creative Writing.)

[@ShadyDoorags]

So... I just got the ending theme music. ... HA!

[@leshyaedawnfire]

If you want to watch a different version of the ballet that also incorporates a lot of other ballets, I highly recommend the anime Princess Tutu. It's a combination of romance, adventure, and self-discovery, with beautiful animation, well developed characters, and a good story with many twists and turns to it. Ballet is the major theme in the show, and it uses actual music from the ballets it references.

[@leshyaedawnfire]

Dreamer Rose Though I should correct myself by saying that it's not really another version of Swan Lake, but rather that Swan Lake serves as the backbone for the story to grow off of, and is the most referenced ballet in the designs of the main characters.

[@kittykat123425]

Try sitting through the Swan Lake Christmas movie

[@fernandabonilla7159]

Oh gods that IS worse

[@seirramoon388]

hmm i think i know a disney movie you might enjoy reviewing, Brave X3 also you are awesome^w^

[@siewpakes3666]

ya know....I tink in the Barbie version of this (called Barbie: Swan Lake) the prince was called Derek, they fixed this in Barbie: The Pink Shoes called Sigfread (or however you spell it)

[@Sandlot1992]

I remember the Swan Princess as a kid!

[@RivreShappire]

i'd love to see you review last airbender

[@uwu1234-i6j]

The great show or the poor movie interpretation of the great show.

[@channelinactive.seewormsqu3201]

5:41 in the good way or bad way? xD

[@AzariahMarinaStarcaster]

I'm just going to say the first song is really the only thing from this movie I truly remember, and I spent all this time thinking Rothbart wanted the kingdom for revenge against Odette's dad. XP

[@pokevideogirl]

I laughed SO HARD hearing this. This is the best review ever. No joke. This is so awesome!

[@Pcuspy]

His name is CORNELLIOUS! And he invented Long Division!

[@tieardragon4919]

Could you please review Food Fight? Please?

[@namjoonismypresident6936]

Barbie both made a Barbie version of The Nutcracker andSwan lake and I love it

[@chaoticneutral7976]

Remember when this movie only had 3 sequels? Good times

[@MadMunchkin]

I have to admit, although I love anime, I havn't seen a lot or most of what people recommend to me. Got to work on that. No I havn't played No No Kuni.

[@Morec0]

"Helloooo I'm the Nostalgia Munchkin, I remember it so YOU don't have to!"

[@holywatervodka3212]

_I Watched This When i Was Little And A Really Liked It_ _Only Because I Didnt Know It Was Supposed To Be about_

[@bluesteak9897]

+FreakyFriend I Feel you

[@holywatervodka3212]

_Ye_

[@STUP1DSP1DER]

Hey me too

[@ghenesapaulma1963]

True..

[@glassyday1242]

Same here. I loved this movie as a kid, only because I didn't know about the composer or the ballet, Swan Lake. I just thought of the movie as its own thing. =P

[@emexdizzy]

1:11 Wait, no, that was the Beginner's Bible Animated, not the Nest Animated Old & New Testaments. To be fair, Beginner's Bible is abysmal in terms of animation because all they did was make the book illustrations move a little. I don't exactly consider the stuff Nest actually did to be that great either (it's drawn in the same style as the Swan Princess movie, so for Swan Princess series they basically took TV quality animations and made movies with it) but it wasn't anywhere near as wooden as the Beginner's Bible.

[@SuperStarsLPS]

When I was in kindergarten, a girl in my class put on this movie every school day. I hated that movie, and we weren't allowed to do anything else. And the girl kept looking at me with an evil looking smile.

[@utubesucks12344321]

It has 4 sequels now...

[@avionpiscean33]

I will fight you about whether or not Swan Lake is the best ballet ever. Giselle is absolutely phenomenal, Maddy.

[@maphaliadark]

It has four sequels now.

[@eliassalazar423]

1:49 four,if you count the last one,which looks an awful lot like a rejected "Sofia the first" episode.

[@GustavoRodriguez-qr5po]

Hello my name is Gustavo and I recently subscribe to you, have you heard of the nostalgia critic he has also done the ATLA series, what are your thoughts?

[@DarknessIsTheTruth]

It's FOUR sequels, now.

[@MadMunchkin]

'I love to see you smile, smile, smile! Yes I do!'

[@darcyrianephillips5756]

It actually has four sequels.

[@toniadrury244]

I respect your opinion and your thoughts of this movie. But I grew up with this movie and I loved it and still do despite its flaws, and because of 'The Swan Princess' it made me interested in researching the original Ballet. And goodness I loved the music it was gorgeous and did make me wish the original movie had some of the music, the only song I did liked was 'Far Longer Then Forever' and I did kinda liked the other songs as a kid but not completely anymore. I also bought the entire music score of Swan Lake on iTunes. Also I loved Rogers "You should write a book: How To Offend Women In Five Syllables or Less." XD it is something I quote, also it reminds me how to not write a bad love interest. I also loved "The Nutcracker Prince" and its my guilty pleasure (But I am usually always invested in loving anything to do with 'The Nutcracker' including VHS's of two of the Ballets, 'Barbie in the Nutcracker' and until recently 'Nutcracker Fantasy' ) And lets be honest 'Sleeping Beauty' is amazing and always will be a masterpiece. But yes I see the flaws and I do agree but I still do enjoy it for nostalgic reasons. But great review and I do respect you rather give attention to things you love then things you hate.

[@icerose21]

Isn't Odile pronounced Oh - deal? not Oh - Die - L. I know the name in french is pronounced that way, but i've never heard it pronounced the way you say it.

[@GwrachSeren]

Can someone tell me what Anastasia was a rip off of? I know it was very loosely based off the real Anastasia and being a kids film, it didn't actually kill her.

[@Venus-oy6mw]

Shan Sharkyshark The only thing in Anastasia that is a rip off is probably the fact that Rasputin was a villain since in real life he's a good guy. It ripped off some Disney Princess movies though.

[@hotcharge]

In all honesty I used to think that this was a made for TV movie when I was a kid, based on its animation and the fact the only times I ever saw the movie was when some cartoon channel showed it. Even then only times I didn't immediately change the channel when it came on was when I was being looked after by my grandparents or one of my aunts. This was because my cousins actually liked it and I had nothing better to do.

[@MadMunchkin]

Why thank you good sir. XD (totally geeking out that you commented on my video btw...:P )

[@joeymadrigal9432]

I remember this movie 😦 When I was little kid 😏 it’s so beautiful 😌

[@pippo17173]

I remember watching this when young kid. I considerd them as guilty pleasures to me.

[@ThePa1riot]

Given the subject matter of ballet and opera, I must ask, are you a fan of Andrew Loyd Webber's "The Pantom of the Opera?" My mother saw it when she was pregnant with me, and I think it left some subconscious imprint on me. XD

[@BigAmericanGirlFan]

Yay someone respects my love for Tchaikovsky. I have a bignNutcracker fan and I listen to it non-stop as well as other ballets I am a ballerina after all

[@MadMunchkin]

Will do! Lot's of people have recommended it to me.

[@DarkTiger83]

uhh...four now...four sequels

[@MadMunchkin]

If you want to watch an animated film with a G rating that doesn't downplay violence, watch Watership Down, one of my fave animated movies ever. This isn't only a misinterpretation, but I can picture in my head what this film could have been, and it just breaks my heart. An animated movie inspired by the ballet would be amazing if it stayed true to the ballet and didn't butcher it like this movie did. If I didn't know the ballet so well I wonder if I would hate the film as much.

[@MadMunchkin]

'A bat...credit card...?!?'

[@melisacangele9718]

Jean Bob vs flora

[@anneaway4710]

*genuinely used to be in love with the movie*

[@chaoticneutral7976]

There are 5 sequels now...

[@musicktiten171]

I agree the barbie version did better and oh what's that it had the score?

[@elltell1990]

I know this is completely unrelated, but seeing how you're a fan of fantasy, video games and presumably anime, have you played Ni No Kuni yet?

[@fancyscout266]

I never herd of a movie called The Swan Princess

[@MadMunchkin]

Good luck with that, I'm still trying to get the lid off the Jar my brain is in.

[@StormDragon771]

Actually, FOUR sequels, as of 2015.

[@bettytejeda6552]

This is so stupid and I don't love these 4 movies and it's so stupid

[@obiraykenobi602]

there are four now 4 sequils they had kid that is adopted i think...

[@obiraykenobi602]

using my boyfriends account.. sry if i misspelled

[@ToroFox]

It's not that bad. At least Odette did something in her story, unlike Arura who only existed as a plot device.

[@cheesequeenthelordofcheese5420]

I personally think this move is breathtaking

[@coolhippilizard734]

Barbie's " Swan Lake " movie was a good one too. It has better dancing and music than Disney's version .

[@melisacangele9718]

Puffin vs merrywheather

[@julieshez387]

Well if only the Disney studio can have Thumbelina, the swan princess and anastasia as thier real disney full length animated features then it would be full of credit for the films to be rare as gold instead of the cartoon movies from non-disney studios and they could make better quality projects than outside disney for tough public critical views on them that would be something in Disney history as it never did happened oh well just exploring non-disney stuff anyway with a little ok award on them.

[@mondenkindqueen]

Not to mention that this kinds of movie insults everyone in the audience. "We need pointless visual gags and anachronistic catchy pop songs to keep the attention of goldfish brained children in our audience." That's what the thought process was in making this movie.