*NOT DISNEY!!?* Anastasia (1997) | First Time Watching | (reaction/commentary/review)

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This was a really light hearted romance with some really dark moments surprisingly. Hadn't heard of this film until very recently which is so surprising since this was such a good animated film. Enjoy :)
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NOT DISNEY!!? Anastasia (1997) | First Time Watching | (reaction/commentary/review)
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[@kihyahouston387]

From a psychologist point of view, Anastasia lost her memories because not only did she have a very nasty fall and hit her head, her entire family was murdered in front of her and she lost her only connection to them. So when she woke up after however long she was out, her brain probably did its best to protect her and often times that looks like memory loss

[@star_stark99]

This can even happen to people who have something happen to them and they get told something else, there memory fights itself for what is real and not. I have had this happen to me. I had a sleepover at a family friends house, me and the son had been wrestling each other (we were about 7-9 at the time) when my pants ripped, the boyfriend (of the mom or older sister I can't remember) was also wrestling with use. My mom still clams something happened, but my dad is adamant that nothing did, I am almost certain that nothing happened but my mom saying something did made me block out the memory because its following what my mom was saying so I don't know what is real and not. I was friends with the youngest daughter who was only a year older than me and was partially deaf. My mom knew their mom from church.

[@bidishah]

I always took it to be her trauma and repressing painful memories that caused her to forget everything.

[@kihyahouston387]

@@bidishah well yes, that’s what I said but while also taking into account her fall. But her brain “protecting her” is protecting her from the trauma of that memory

[@rainbowpegacornstudios]

My favorite song in the whole movie is *Once Upon A December* Such an absolute sense of longing behind the lyrics

[@flowers4brains]

She was also pretty young when she got lost. So, she could've also just forgotten her family because she didn't see them anymore.

[@artloveranimation]

the reunion scene between Anastasia and her grandmama is so PERFECT, and her memory really came back once she could smell her peppermint oil. Smells really are strongest in memories.

[@bel410la]

Yeah, I really like how the grandma seeing her wasn't just instantly, she knew, because she was a kid at the time, there is almost no chance to be able to see someone grown up from when they were 8 and know it is the same person. So I like that even though she didn't ask a million questions like Sophie did, she did a test in her own way. As soon as she heard the Peppermint thing she knew she couldn't leave, how could anyone know that information?

[@corinna007]

My favourite aspect is that "Once Upon A December" is about memories, and the first line Anya sings when she winds up the music box is "Hear this song and remember..."

[@springdemon.w.]

Fun fact, this movie was rotoscoped! So they had the actors play out the scenes, and they animated over it which is how the animation looks so realistic and fluid!

[@applejayz1987]

The story of Anastasia was a real tragedy. During the Russian revolution, the Tsars family was overthrown, taken away, and killed. Only 3 of the daughters were found however, leaving the son Alexei and one of his sisters unaccounted for. For years people pretended they were the long lost grand duchess, until the body of Alexei and his final sister were rediscovered in 2007. Which body it was wasnt conpletely nailed down, but they were all confirmed children of the Romanov family, killed in 1918. Anastasia was 17.

[@stevenulch2764]

I'm glad you mentioned this true story cause I knew of it, not details.

[@felixhenson9926]

Yeah it's based on a conspiracy theory that Anastasia was still alive somewhere out there. Her living would've restored the monarchy to Russia so it was something anti-communists longed for and communists hoped wasn't true.

[@seansilence2697]

Yeah, they were never able to confirm if it was Anastasia or Maria because they were too close in age from a skeletal perspective

[@deliciousdelight7847]

i heard they couldnt find alexei and anastasia's bodies because the anti monarchs (i forgot what theyre called) didnt want the corpses found but they got a bit late so they could only get the 2 bodies and kept redigging and moving them. i think the family's bodies were doused in acid to help speed up the decomposition and thats how they could tell the 2 bodies found later were the missing siblings..

[@mariascott4915]

People have pretended to be a dead royal quite a bit in history to gain money and stature. They did that in even England. Were they say pretended to be the boys in the tower or other long lost people.

[@tracim3080]

This movie stuck with me as a kid. Once upon a December is one of the best songs in a movie

[@amber.ren_1995]

I sing that song all the time even just the other day lol and ‘A Journey to the Past’ and the ending song “At the Beginning”. Not counting the last song that I named but Once Upon A December is the best song from the movie it just gives me chills the sorrow the song just hits you differently on another level. It’s hard to describe but yeah it’s just a very chilling song. 🧡

[@frikkinpenguin]

And it’s not just the song, it’s the entire scene as well. How she dances with her father, like she remembers his face but not who he was to her. There are few movie songs who get to me, but „Once upon a December“ and „Test Drive“ always bring me to tears.

[@tracisr]

Aaliyah 😭😭😭😭

[@AnnekeOosterink]

Yeah, I saw Anastasia once as a kid, and the song stayed with me for a long time, I got the Bartok movie a few years later and Once Upon A December karaoke version was a bonus feature. I can't remember if it was after the credits with a few songs from the Bartok movie as karaoke songs as well on a vhs, or if it was a bonus on a dvd, but either way, I listened to that song, learning the lyrics in English, way more times than I watched Bartok.

[@bel410la]

I had seen this in middle school ONCE, legit only one time, and I rewatched it recently and I was surprised at how many of the moments I remembered, I remembered Once Upon a December, in fact I think I heard it a couple of years ago and didn't remember where I had heard it from, it's currently on my sleep playlist. So when it started playing and I realized I knew it it sparked memories from me for sure, just like it did her. XD

[@alex.bradford]

RIP to the actress who played the grandmother, Angela Lansbury, she also played Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast, along with MANY other memorable roles❤️

[@NoudlePipW]

IT WAS *ANGELA LANSBURY* ????? I'm such a dolt! Oh RIP❤

[@RealBradMiller]

Anddddd she moved her kids away who were getting dragged in to a cult... The cult being the Manson Family!

[@johnson6099]

😮💔 I'm in shock! I can't believe it!!! 😢 I'm heartbroken but she had an amazing life and presence that was so comforting.

[@songmaeri_marynguyen]

No wonder her voice sounded familiar to me! I love Miss Potts!

[@excitableanon2514]

I would HIGHLY HIGHLYYYYY recommend Treasure Planet. It’s extremelyyyy underrated, but it’s old-school disney, and my FAVORITE movie on EARTH. I would definitely appreciate seeing it recognized on a channel like this eventually!

[@starsalignedits]

oh he'd loooove treasure planet!! seriously so underrated

[@manxgirl]

​@@starsaligneditsI wish they'd made the planned sequel. A navy brat who's proud of her lineage, can't understand how the ne'er do well, John Hawkins made it to the same level as her. And John Hawkins is having a hard time handling all the rules and procedures that come with being a part of the navy.

[@lunarrampage636]

I’m pretty sure he’s already seen treasure planet he’s mentioned it in his other reactions

[@denanebergall5514]

He's already seen Treasure Planet. He said it's his favorite animation to date.

[@ElizasActiveQuest]

Yes! I completely agree!! Treasure Planet, In high school we studied alienation and belonging in english (Like every australian teen lol) and I used Treasure Planet for an essay for both subjects. 18/20. Not bad.

[@GTARanger1992]

Im honestly not surprised the grandmother found out about his plot to con her he was singing it out loud to the streets of St Petersburg 😂😂😂😂

[@AnnekeOosterink]

He was also publicly holding auditions for Anastasia lookalikes 😁

[@josefinelagerstrom2643]

The remains of the last two Romanov children were found in 2008 (the parents and 3 of the children were located in 1979). They had been burned with acid beyond recognition. 💔

[@melissasheppard6674]

So sad 😞

[@amber.ren_1995]

Holy shit that’s so sad 😞

[@artyie1172]

Holy shit wtf that's not an answer I expected...russia is something else ig

[@kayz0012]

Thats what this story is based on "The Lost Princess", as there was speculation Anastacia managed to eacape and was still alive as she was not found with the others. Ana was found yeeeears later with her younger brother Alexei. 💔

[@strawberrysoulforever8336]

The daughter whose remains weren't found actually wasn't Anastasia. It was Maria, the second youngest sister - I think she was about nineteen when they were shot. Anastasia was sixteen, and little Alexei was only thirteen. Funnily, there was once a Nostalgia Chick review of Anastasia where "Rasputin" kept calling her and complaining that he was dead before the Revolution took place and he was always in good with the Romanovs. Those are both true. There's a lot of mystery around Rasputin, but he seemed to be able to control Alexei's hemophilia.

[@ChicaFoo]

Anastasia was a real person. This story is considered the Russian Cinderella. For a long time nobody knew what happened to her hence the amnesia storyline. Eventually they did find that she was in fact killed with the rest of her family, just buried a little deeper below them.

[@victoria_m13]

i found out about these rumours from this movie, even though i’m russian and we learn our history a lot 😅 don blooth did great job searching for the theme for the movie. he actually cared, it seems. warmth spreads in my heart while i think about this ☺️

[@bel410la]

I think the flashbacks of her past being eerie and dark is because she's remembering death. All the people she's seeing in her memories are dead, she loves them and misses them, she can't quite remember who they were to her but seeing them makes her feel nostalgia. But she still can't quite remember why. I think she lost her memories not just because of the bump but because she saw something traumatic, she blocked it out, the mind is a powerful thing, if you experience something traumatic and can't fully cope with it your brain will seal it off from you, so the bump plus trauma made her brain seal off those memories to protect her. As she got older and started remembering she was in a better mind-set to deal with it and come to terms with what happened to her and her family. That's why she started remembering once she set foot in her old home, it jogged some memories.

[@Spacolittle]

I gasped when I saw this!!! Anastasia is one of my favorite animated movie ever!! Ahh can't wait to watch this I'm so excited

[@kihyahouston387]

No seriously I screamed! I love this movie so much, and even though I didn’t comment on the Lion King video I was also thinking this would be a perfect follow up. Mostly because the villain songs in both are sooo good

[@nathancruz9172]

Me too

[@twylanaythias]

The real Rasputin was a piece of work leagues beyond how he was portrayed in this movie. By most accounts he was poisoned, beaten, stabbed, and shot, then tied up, wrapped in a carpet, the carpet bound with heavy chains, and then the whole affair was tossed from a bridge into a freezing fast-flowing river. Legend has it that the carpet was found the following Spring and Rasputin had actually gotten one hand free and nearly clawed his way loose before finally dying from a combination of drowning and hypothermia.

[@amjthe_paleosquare9399]

IRL lich. Too angry to die

[@Shirley36]

Interesting, the story I read about Rasputin was that even when they dug the carpet out from the icy river that they had never found his body

[@bandotaku]

He was also highly loved by the Romanov family, and he was a big supporter of them as well. Right up until his death.

[@nicollevitorianovaisvicent8511]

@@bandotaku he helped with Alexei disease, thats way Alexandra liked him so much. If i'm not mistake, the kid probably had hemophilia and was getting the wrong treatment

[@bandotaku]

@@nicollevitorianovaisvicent8511 Yeah, but for a while, whatever he was doing was working, so Alexandra was particularly fond of him (not in any romantic sense).

[@elizaveta_kataya]

Fun fact: in Russian, Anya is short for Anna, while Anastasia is commonly shortened to Nastya😅

[@gpcheng87]

28:47 The tiara is actually based on a real one! The one Anastasia and her grandmother wear are in the traditional Russian "kokoshnik" style (like a halo). Anastasia's mother, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, had one made by Fabergé in 1900 that has 77 "fringe pieces" and over 400 diamonds; it can also be converted into a necklace. I believe the one the grandmother's is based on is the Vladimir Tiara, which has been worn by Catherine the Great but whose last Russian owner was Grand Duchess Vladimir, the wife of the Tsar’s (Anastasia's father's) uncle. She was the last royal to escape Russia after the revolution, and like many royals, she managed to smuggle jewels out and eventually sold them to support herself and her family in exile. The British royal family bought many of these pieces, and the late Queen Mary and QEII have been seen wearing it many times, as well as the Kokoshnik Tiara. Ironically, Anastasia's mom, Empress Alexandra, was one of Queen Victoria's favorite grandchildren. 👑

[@austinallemand1882]

As a kid I kind of hoped that the rumor / story was true, that Anastasia somehow escaped from death, but a couple years ago they found a skeleton that belongs to her, sad.

[@Amsayy]

"A couple of years ago" 2007 was, unfortunately, closer to two decades ago 😭😭

[@cecilie1991]

​@@AmsayyI didn't need that realization today😩

[@giuliapicchiotti]

@thecocoacouch : The actor who voiced little Anya is Kirsten Dunst, while the adult voice was provided by Meg Ryan :) , in the singing parts instead (when Anya was a child), she was voiced by : Lacey Chabert, who played Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls :) ! .

[@Loulizabeth]

Honestly the voice cast for this film is just off the charts. John Cusack (Con Air, High Fidelity, Say Anything, Better Off Dead) was Dmitri, Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown in Back to The Future) was Rasputin, and yes Angela Lansbury (Mrs Potts from Disney's animated Beauty and the Beast was the Dowager Empress. In fact I just looked up IMDB to double check some of these and it says that JK Simmons was part of the background vocals.

[@petrastein2531]

@@Loulizabeth Don't forget Kelsey Grammer!! I was actually watching Frasier right before I watched this film and was wondering whether I'm hearing things. xD

[@Loulizabeth]

@@petrastein2531 that's very true, did mean to mention him too, but clearly while putting in my answer I forgot. I really like his role on this and I actually have liked him in the version of "A Christmas Carol" he's in (not my favourite, but I still think it's really good) and also in "Jesus Revolution". Obviously know him before that from "Cheers" and "Frasier".

[@petrastein2531]

@@Loulizabeth I know him from Frasier (haven't watched the new one though, but I think he wouldn't put himself to it if it wasn't at least decent), old X-Men (even though I didn't recognize him at first) and the new show Boss where he was playing the mayor of Chicago and absolutely nailed the role. Honestly, Frasier, M.A.S.H., Monk, The Middle and 3rd Rock from the Sun (and sometimes That 70s Show) are constantly on a background in my household. xD I can't get enough. I remember that I once found out my professor loves Frasier just as much, so when I was leaving school I gave him a special mug with Crane family picture and his name (Martin) on it, which was right next to a very specific green chair... Btw, this will be so random, but I highly recommend Person of Interest. It's also a family watch and it doesn't disappoint. Ever. Written by Jonah Nolan and the entire project is just delightful. And even on point today, because it is about an AI and a silent information war. All the hacking scenes are very realistic and the creators don't shy away from making the main characters shine and have their bold moments. Plus characters have a strong moral compass, so their every loss is more meaningful. Sorry for such a long message. :) Have a good day!!

[@ChronologicalOrders]

Fun fact: This movie was directed by Don Bluth, who also directed such films as "An American Tail," "Land Before Time," "All Dogs Go To Heaven," and "Titan A.E." 😊

[@erinhaury5773]

2nd Fun Fact: Don Bluth originally worked for Disney, and after animating Robin Hood, he departed and started his own studio. That studio would go on to produce the movies above, all of which were fantastically animated. I stand by my opinion that the animated Robin Hood is still the best adaptation, and a lot of that is due to the animation by Don Bluth and his team. It's really, really beautiful work.

[@ChronologicalOrders]

@@erinhaury5773 I didn't know that, Robin Hood is an old favorite of mine!

[@coffeetailor]

You can really tell, because he has exactly two designs for male characters.

[@mirandalenore7331]

“And then I kick her, sir” is probably the thing I quote the most and no one knows what it’s from and it makes me so sad. This is probably my favourite animated movie- i always wanted to be her so bad XD

[@StoryMing]

You do say it with the accent, I assume?

[@TehBeccanator]

​@@StoryMing No other way to do it!

[@CCEnby85]

I’m only 3 minutes in and I want to explain some stuff (if he already figures this out by the end then sorry, but again. I’m only 3 minutes in). This movie takes place between 1916 at the beginning and 1926 by the end, following the Russian Revolution of 1916 during and after WWI. Where the family of the Tzar/Emperor (Nicholas II) was murdered, ending Russia’s monarchy. Anastasia was rumoured to have survived after the bodies of most of her families bodies were found, but she was also killed along with her sisters and brother as well as her parents. Rasputin was a real-life person during this time and was close to the royal family, so much where when the Tzar went to war, it was believed that Rasputin was in a secret affair with Alexandra (the Tsarina of Russia at the time), he was seen as a mystic who used magic to heal their sick son Alexi as he had Hemophilia (a blood condition that was common in Alexandra’s family because she was related to Queen Victoria of the UK). Rasputin was later killed by the people first by trying poison, but when that failed he was stabbed (I believe) and thrown in the water, hence why that’s how he died in this film at the beginning. (He did die in 1916, so that part of the movie was also accurate!) The movie is a little different as the beginning of the movie takes place in 1916 and it still would’ve been 2 years till the Romanov family were killed. But there is the similarity that many claimed to be Princess Anastasia, and one was so believed that she was treated as the princess for quite some time before being revealed as an imposter. Hope this helps somewhat ^^ 21:03 Edit: The dream sequence is meant to be Anya following her little brother to be with her sisters and her dad. I’ve been watched this movie a lot and yet I haven’t noticed that until now 😂 Edit 2: The voice actress for the dowager empress was the same as Mrs. Potts. She’s very recognizable 😂😂

[@sunrise_ea]

Revolution started in February 1917

[@victoria_m13]

rasputin was first poisoned, then shoot, then stabbed, then drowned in icy river. he was a really healthy man, true russian bear 😅

[@RachelXKnight666]

​@@victoria_m13he just didn't want to die lol

[@bidishah]

Dmitri was always my favourite character, the cutie! 😂 In the Dark of the Night is such a good villain song!

[@mariazamora6824]

I would pay an embarrassing amount of $ to watch Once Upon A December scene in theaters/IMAX lol. I love it so much! If i recall correctly, Rasputin actually told the Czar something along the lines of "if i am killed by the people, you will have a prosperous reign. If i am killed by your people, your reign will be doomed." The story of the Romanovs is FASCINATING albeit tragic.

[@nightmaremoon369]

I saw it in the cinema as a child and I can say it was overwhelming. Back then there were still film rolls and things really looked better. I remember that her dress at the opera was as dark as the night sky, with the sparkles that made it look like little stars. This film should generally be brought back to the cinema, especially because most film companies can't come up with anything anyway.

[@vigridsim]

I'm so glad you watched Anastasia! This cartoon is one of my favorites. I myself am also from Russia, and Im very impressed with the precision and love with which the creators approached the animation, songs and small details. For example, the drawing that Anastasia showed her grandmother is a drawing of the real Anastasia. Of course, there are many inaccuracies in the cartoon (Rasputin, although he was a dark figure in the history of Russia, never betrayed the royal family), but because of the song “Once Upon a Time in December” I am ready to close my eyes to everything. I love your reactions, look forward to each one 🤍

[@wattsink2009]

If you liked Anastasia’s singing voice (provided by Broadway legend Liz Callaway), you should also check out The Swan Princess (1994)! 😎 Another excellent non-Disney animated musical!

[@gaymer07]

Yaaaaaaass

[@melissasheppard6674]

The end credit song, At the Beginning - 😊 and yes, the name Anastasia means “resurrection” Movie suggestion: The Sound of Music with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer

[@RB-km4om]

Still one of my favourite songs from an animated movie. It also works really well as a stand - alone song, I think :)

[@melanie62954]

The Sound of Music is my favorite movie of all time! I hope he reacts to it eventually.

[@melissasheppard6674]

@@melanie62954 Christopher Plummer was handsome in it 😊

[@fightingfaerie]

@@RB-km4omI always hear it at my local supermarket grocery store lol

[@Demigod2NE3]

Oh yessss Sound of Music... instant CLASSIC oh my!!!

[@where_is_my_money_now]

Whenever I see this film, all I can think of is that this was based on the imposter who really pretended to be Anastasia. This is used to be my favorite princess film (recently realizing she's not a Disney Princess) so obviously I got so obsessed with it after realizing that it was based on a true story (the premise, minus the magic). When they've found the remains of the Romanov, there were 2 missing bodies and 1 of them was Anastasia's. This gave birth to the idea that she must've escaped. It is true that her family did really look for her and one prominent name who was closest to Anastasia was Grand Duchess Olga, who was actually her Aunt. With the rave about the princess being alive, there came several imposters and the one who made people believe she is the one is Anna Anderson, her account of what happened to pretty much matches how Anastasia was portrayed in the film and that honestly made me sad. But the Romanovs didn't believe any of it. And the sentiments of the Grand mother in the film where she believed that Anastasia was dead is the same sentiments of Duchess Olga. The fake Anastasia made fans and she made all of them believe that she was the missing princess 'til she died and she died of very old age. She lived a good life because of her fame and mingled with the high society. But after her death, they were able to finally do a DNA testing proving she's not a Romanov and I believe it was in the 90's that it was announced that there was another pit where the first set of bodies of the Romanov were found, and this pit contains the 2 set of bones of the missing Romanovs, so therefore, it was finally proven that Anastasia did not escape.

[@AnnekeOosterink]

Yeah, and I remember reading that they didn't know for sure who the bodies belonged to, but it turned out that the two bodies discovered later were actually Maria and Alexei. Anastasia had been in the first grave all this time, they just couldn't definitively identify which of the sisters she was.

[@terezakostacka3572]

The Dowager Duchess was indeed voiced by Angela Lansbury, the voice of Mrs. Potts! May she rest in peace.

[@AndroVWrites]

Anastasia is my favorite movie of all time, and it’s musical adaptation is my favorite musical of ALL TIME EVER- I’m a musical theatre nerd and this is genuinely my fave movie to musical pipeline. Rasputin isn’t the villain in the musical(instead of him, it’s this guy named Gleb and I love him) but they have aspects of the song “In The Dark Of The Night” in the background score of some scenes in the musical. I LOVE THIS ENTIRE STORY.

[@Hanadix]

Bartok (the white bat) has a spinoff movie called Bartok the Magnificent, it's a fun watch if you want to react to it.

[@jackieleggs9274]

Second that.☺️

[@hayleybartek8643]

Bartok was such a great little character. I'm very fond of him.

[@hallieraymond]

Others have talked about the real-life Anastasia and Rasputin. I guess I'll talk about the movie story itself. Dimitri wanted to keep his distance from Anya initially because at first, he was really planning to screw her over. He was planning to pass her off as Anastasia, take the money with Vlad, and then if she got found out later, well, sucks to be her. He never let her in on the plan, first because he could tell she was too moral to go along with it, and second, because if he did, he'd have 3.3 million rubles instead of 5. His attraction to her was really horrifically inconvenient and it was actually easier for him if he disliked her (because as his backstory shows, deep down inside he was not the man he had become but a brave and selfless person, if an ambitious one). Dimitri probably mostly wanted out of Soviet Russia. He's a capitalist by nature who prefers to work and dare for more money than everyone else gets and not to accept a government telling him what he gets and how. He would do better in Southern or Western Europe or America, and he knew it. But then Anya the orphan turned out to be Anastasia, the youngest duchess he used to have a monster crush on and actually get beat for watching. The girl he literally risked his life to help escape the revolutionaries. All those memories of inferiority, of being less-than, resurfaced. Maybe he had started to have dreams of running away with Anya when things went bad, maybe even helping her find her real family. But Dimitri-the-servant could do that with Anya, not with the actual Grand Duchess. He was in fact still loyal to the royal family, and he couldn't really imagine presuming to be with the actual Anastasia. Except, by the time they met, Anastasia was as much Anya as she was the Grand Duchess or more. She really was the orphan brat and remembered much more of that life than she did of her royal childhood. She was the same person who had fought by his side and saved his life and matched wits with him all across Europe. And what she wanted was a family-someone to belong to. By the end of the movie, Dimitri is as much Anya's family as Marie. She has what she wanted in a way she didn't expect. That's what I love most about the movie.

[@y.m.7300]

Such a beautiful comment! Spot on. I’m Italian and I’ve always loved this story. It made me want to visit Russia one day… unfortunately the times aren’t the best right now… but yeah I basically grew up watching it and it was one of my favourite cartoons back then :,) it will always hold a special place in my heart. Had a huge crush on Dimitri! And I LOVE the animation 😍 so different from what we’re used to now…

[@marijavicic3010]

"It's in your bones, in your blood." Ironically, the real Anastasia was known for being a bit of a rebel. She was mischievous and once scandalized the court because she ate chocolate while wearing opera gloves. Acting too ladylike would probably make her grandmother suspicious.

[@Brimmy21]

7:10 well....yes that's how amnesia works XD

[@veronicalamonica9185]

Hoping you watch Balto, another non-Disney animated movie that I loved as a kid

[@anabellebuenrrostro6193]

When I was a kid I was always so mad that there wasn't a part 2, because when the Grandma said "It's a perfect beginning" I always thought that ment there will be a 2nd one. It wasn't until later on that I realized it was based on the Real Anastasia, and when I learned the real story, it all made sense why there wasn't another movie 💔

[@TheRatsCast]

The Empress is the same actress at Mrs Pots. The last Angela Lansbury actress of stage, screen, and more did the voice fire both characters. Also; Christopher Lloyd, best known as Dr. Brown, did the villain, Rasputin.

[@Sailorgirl1207]

Also Jim Cummings who's voiced several characters including Pooh Bear, Ray from Princess and the Frog and did some singing for Scar in the Lion King

[@shewolfsiren]

You know, my mom actually got to meet Ana Anderson, and the impression I got is the same she got. Ana wasn’t an imposter so much as she was a case of mistaken self-identity. She genuinely believed she was Anastasia because she knew things that only someone who lived in the palace would know. But alas for everyone, she wasn’t her

[@melanie62954]

If you watch other Don Bluth films--The Secret of Nimh, An American Tail, The Land Before Time--you'll see similarities in the animation. He can get much darker and more grotesque than Disney! He worked on The Rescuers before leaving Disney, and it has the same vibe as his independent films. You could even make the argument that Don Bluth's successes in the '80s spurred the Disney Renaissance, because he was their first major competitor.

[@Lou-lu9bg]

there is a very funny tumblr post about his animation style

[@melanie62954]

@@Lou-lu9bg could you link it by chance?

[@bidishah]

The real story of the Romanovs is just so heartbreaking, I watched an amazing documentary on KZbin.

[@AshleyM]

If you liked this, you should check out The Swan Princess, Balto, and Quest for Camelot. Non Disney movies with the Disney feel.

[@amber.ren_1995]

❤❤❤😊

[@fizzysod8a]

BALTO!!!

[@Xenia-zn1uy]

So happy that you reacted to my favorite princess movie. Makes it even sadder since it's based on a real story

[@karlafm24]

One of my favorite animated movies tbh, especially the historical aspects. And Bartok! And Pucca! 🎉🎉🎉 Ps. The song at the end is iconic and timeless.

[@BiaMaSo]

I was literally thinking about how you should react to this movie lmao I absolutely love it and it's so underrated

[@eliahdayton3448]

In the Dark of the Night goes so hard. It has no right to be so good. It's my favorite villan song. Period.

[@an81angel]

Very loosely based on a true story

[@lilisview]

Never clicked so quickly on a video!!! My absolute fav ❤ If you are on a Disney marathon, Aladdin, Pocahontas and Mulan are my top 3 from the 90's.

[@rachelblanchard7431]

Oh I LOVE Anastasia!!! It is one of my favorite Don Bluth movies growing up! I can never resist singing along to the songs

[@ShayGhost02]

Anastasia was a real person and so was her family. The 7 members of the Romanov family were executed due to Czar Nicholas II's inability to rule his people properly and doing things the people didn't agree with, he even admitted that he didn't even want to become the Czar and was concerned with what would become of himself as well as Russia to an Advisor of his when he was first appointed. It all came to a head though after World War I where all together, military members & civilians, over 3 million Russians died causing a ton of problems like their food supply completely collapsing since there were no men home to farm, etc so the people revolted and he eventually stepped down and went into hiding for a while but they were eventually imprisoned by a group of the Bolshevik revolutionaries and then later executed, ending the last of the Russian Monarchy. For decades there was the rumor the youngest daughter Anastasia somehow escaped the execution and that she was still out there. However, in 1979 they found the remains of Nickolas, his wife, and three of the daughters, and then in 1991, they confirmed they did belong to them and then in 2007, they found the remains of the final daughter as well as the only son who was the heir.

[@adamdutton1609]

Another good animated 20th Fox film is FernGully the last rainforest

[@HAbarneyWK]

One of my childhood favourites.

[@xarenanotmyrealname4134]

Secret of Nimh! Secret of Nimh! Secret of Nimh! 🐀🐁🐭 Oh also if you like Treasure planet you'll probably like Titan A.E. 'It has a dark creepy undertone' hahahaha! It's Don Bluth baby!

[@zelinkxspicyramen]

@20:11 -- It's very real. I used to sleepwalk as a child, that my parents had to triple lock the door + put up an alarm system just because of me. I remember waking up in our living room or spare room at times. It's scary to think even till today. Love your reactions, by the way! It's personally refreshing to see others watch movies I grew up with, especially Anastasia + other disney movies that I used to watch again and again 🥹 keep it up! 🤍

[@SynnisterSpyder]

Bartok has a spin off movie called "Bartok the Magnificent" and it was low key my fav movie as a kid

[@Duckkis]

Mine as well! I still listen to some of the songs every now and then, especially "A Possible Hero."

[@yoko3182]

One reason Anastasia is mixed up with Disney is because it was made by Don Bluth, who worked for Disney for a while before he left the company because he didn't like the direction they were going. Some of his other films you should definitely check out are The Land Before Time, An American Tail, Rockadoodle, and All Dogs Go to Heaven.

[@swr5945]

yooo.... have you seen the BBC show "Merlin"? If not... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! :)))

[@Ashleym9963]

Can you please react to loin king 2 simba's Pride. I was so happy when you react to the first one I used to watch Lion King all the time When I was younger.

[@Meenage99]

you don't understand how badly I need you to react to The Black Cauldron. It was my favorite movie as a kid since the bad guy reminded me on Conan the Barbarian comics I read since I was like 7

[@olgabutorina4156]

PLEASE! Watch Prince of Egypt! It's a DreamWorks all time masterpiece!

[@kirara2516]

You really need to react to The Secret of NIMH. Not the sequel (because its trash) but the original. such an amazing masterpiece.

[@eliseheidbuchel3407]

yes so here for this, beste late birthday present ever :D you rock, thank you for all positive vibes you always give us.

[@manxgirl]

23:48 - Jon Bluth is a famous animator who used to work for Disney. I recommend: "The Land Before Time" Pete's Dragon" "Rock-A-Doodle" "Robin Hood" (1973) "The Secret of Nimh" "Sleeping Beauty" & "We're Back: A Dinosaur's Story" While some are weak, plot wise, they're all beautiful. And "Pete's Dragon" is one of the rare crossovers between live-action and animated.

[@hayleybartek8643]

The Land Before Time is such a precious movie to me. I view it to be a curious foil to The Lion King.

[@Sammykh87]

The reason it feels so much like Disney is because Don bluth, the guy who made the movie used to work for Disney

[@littleboffin]

I SCREAMED when I saw you upload this omg !!!!!!!!

[@selenawolf2466]

It wasn't Disney, despite everyone mistaking it for such - until Disney bought it XD

[@rydbthatsme]

Finding out the true story completely ruined my childhood! This was one of my most favorite NON Disney movies! You should also watch Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest I think you’ll love it!

[@Pfenix23]

The Dowager Empress is voiced by Angela Lansbury who was Mrs. Potts.

[@kurikuri6683]

So cool! Please watch Sinbad and the swan princess next. They are hidden gems as well

[@nightmaremoon369]

A little insider tip is also “When Marnie was there”. This is a film from the legendary Studio Ghibli. (12 year old Anna suffers from asthma and feels like an outsider. She used to be a lively child, but then she became quiet and withdrawn.) The film was even nominated for best animated film in 2016. Thanks for the reaction video to Anastasia. 😊

[@BigGator5]

Highly suggest reacting to other overlooked non-Disney animated movies: Charlotte's Web (1973) Wizards (1977) The Hobbit (1977) Heavy Metal (1981) The Last Unicorn (1982) The Flight Of Dragons (1982) The Secret Of NIMH (1982) Fire & Ice (1983) The Adventures Of Mark Twain (1985) An American Tail (1986) Kaena: The Prophecy (2003) I suggest turning on subtitles, since you might have mute all the music.

[@Tustin2121]

This movie was adapted into a Broadway musical, and in the adaption they entirely cut out Rasputin and made the story much more grounded. And honestly, I think it works better from a story standpoint, even though the movie will have a solid place in my heart forever. We used to watch this movie in the car every road trip to the beach. My dad knew the whole thing by heart but never once saw it because he was the one driving. 😅

[@AnnekeOosterink]

It kind of makes sense to keep Rasputin in though, like, he was a mystic, he was very mysterious, he survived things that should have killed him like 4 times or something... A musical generally is aimed at an older audience so it makes sense to have the story be more realistic in the sense that there isn't magic, but I don't think either version is better or worse. I kind of miss the villain song, even if they took that final bit and worked it into a ballad, it's such a powerful melody that deserves to be a loud triumphant belt.

[@coffeetailor]

They repurposed the 'come my minions' theme into "Stay I Pray You" which I just love.

[@Tustin2121]

@@coffeetailor - omg, yes, that’s my favorite song on the soundtrack.

[@Mandieats]

I JUST GOT SO INSANELY EXCITED!!!! YAAAAS BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME! Hope you love it!!

[@jlerrickson]

Don Bluth and his team have a distinct animation style that's completely gorgeous. He also tends to gravitate toward darker themes, fully believing that children can handle them. I really, really, truly hope that you'll react to The Secret of NIMH. It's breathtaking animation with a completely unique, truly courageous heroine.

[@blitzgirl6522]

Now you got to watch more Don Bluth films, particularly The Secret of N.I.M.H. and Titan A.E., some of my other top favorites next to Anastasia.

[@howlingechoes1012]

I am intrigued to see your impression of Don Bluth's Thumbelina and Rich Animation's Swan Princess. Yes they are more female targeted but as a young 90's girl growing up, with Anastasia, these were the 3 main non-Disney animated films I watched before there was a plethora of Disney princess movies available today. And they all have beautiful scores, animations, and stories

[@makinakahara7572]

Don Bluth formerly worked in Disney and left around late 1970s-early 1980s. His first full-length animated film was "The Secret of NIMH", originally based on the book "Mrs. Frisby & the Rats of NIMH". Whoever read this book around 4th or 5th grader would know this book or have watched the film during elementary school years (I know, because I did). And that film was one of the works Don Bluth out A LOT of work and devotion on. Other than "Anastasia", his another filmwork "An American Tail" is also GOOD. To recommend you some Don Bluth works: - The Secret of NIMH - An American Tail - All Dogs Go to Heaven.

[@shaylenebuckley6364]

I don't normally offer up an opinion or suggestion on what people should do/watch, but please, PLEASE consider Prince of Egypt! I feel like you would really enjoy it and appreciate the music, art, and animation. Thank you for all you do! ❤

[@EGlean-su9kr]

"Together in Paris 😊" "...We would never be together 😢" "What" Ngl I found your reaction to that hilarious

[@northshore1000]

What a pure & fun film. Stunningly gorgeous animation, too. Should’ve made a trillion dollars!!!

[@sorrystory_]

Спасибо большое за просмотр этого мультфильма!❤ Очень люблю смотреть твои реакции. Я сама русская, и этот мультик наконец-то показывает русских людей не мафиозными😂

[@nightmaremoon369]

Keine Mafia, aber sie haben Feuer 🔥 und Durchsetzungsvermögen 👍🏻

[@DarkAngel459]

This was very much inspired by a 1956 film called 'Anastasia,' which starred Ingrid Bergman in the title role (for which she won her 2nd 'Best Actress' Oscar) and Yul Brynner in the Dimitri role. Although in the 1956 film, Rasputin does not appear.

[@gibbs615]

Yeah this was made by FOX ANIMATION and DON BLUTH back in 1997! Also she didn't remember a thing because when she fell down she hit her head which caused memory loss and scrambled her memories.

[@kyraleiph]

Bartok the Albino bat has his own movie. Also, fun fact. Don Bluth used to work for Disney, and left with several animators to work else where. .... Anastasia, Bartok the magnificent, The Secret of Nimn, and something else. Also, I can't spell. XD (These are movies he's been apart of)

[@theblackestdove]

On the topic of sleepwalking, my father-in-law once got fully dressed and DROVE over to his sister's house AND BACK in his sleep. Thankfully it was the rural south and they both lived on the same street/driveway. Not right next door, but less than a mile. For this reason, my wife is never allowed (she agrees) to take Ambien because it has sleepwalking as a well known side effect and she's already done it once or twice.

[@chrisdiokno5600]

Not Rasputin, but in this verse, it's implied, as in history, the Bolsheviks executed the others

[@katyc.8663]

If I remember correctly, "pooka" means "guiding light." Yeah, Pooka guided her away from the future the matron of the orphanage arranged for her. I attribute her memory loss to a lot of trauma. The attack, trying to run, the head injury didn't help. She wasn't in a place that would encourage a return of the memories. Now I know what the next CD soundtrack I'm going to play in my car. I own the soundtrack. I got it back in the day. :D I always liked the line, "What do they teach you in the orphanage?" Fun fact, this movie hit the theaters the same year but about a month before Titanic. :)

[@danielberg7644]

Filmed in Phoenix, AZ. They also filmed "Titan AE" there. A great sci fi animated movie. I moved to Arizona to become an animator so I could work at FOX studios. They went under and I picked another career path.

[@mikaylaxn.c1d2]

I have yet to see him drink any hot-cocoa on the couch😑☕!!! Anyway, it's my birthday today(April 9th). And I'm very glad I got to see this reaction👀👍🏼!!!

[@arnold20139]

Don Bluth used to work for Disney, now most of his stuff is now owned by Disney. Mind you for Bluth this movie was his most expensive and most successful movie, by trying to copy Disney's formula.

[@mathilde9313]

Greetings from Russia✌️ Love your reactions Btw, my name is Anastasia and I live in Saint Petersburg :D What a coincidence Unfortunately, I'm not a princess but always wanted to be one😂 The movie is iconic though in reality the story is quite tragic

[@zandylovesrisk]

Love this movie! Easily one of my favorite non-Disney or Pixar films! The music vocal and score is just so amazing and each of the three leads did such a great job with the characters.

[@clomwah]

As a girl who grew up on Disney and Disney Princesses, Anastasia was a movie that I was also super obsessed with despite it not being Disney at the time. 5 year old me wanted to wear her "Once Upon a December" dress so badly! Great video and reaction! I've been watching a lot of your videos tonight, you have a new subscriber 🙌🏼

[@peterhecker1343]

If You like this style of Animation than there's also Titan A.E. and the Treasure Planet ( both Sci-Fi) that I highly recommend ;) :)

[@MsJasperr]

how you new nothing about the Russian revolution and the fall of the Russian monarchy, befuddles me. its amazing how they translated what actually happened, and how they Disney-fied it. Rasputin especially

[@naruXsasulover2]

This is my absolute favorite Don Bleuth film and Ounce Upon a December is my favorite song in the whole movie tho the other songs were wonderful its just the other song made me feel emotional, Pooka I'd adorable; tho this movie isn't exactly historically accurate it was still about the Czar of Russia & his family & that Anastasia was a real person, sadly none of the Romanov family survived

[@TopsyTriceratops]

I would love to see you watch Bartok The Magnificent. It is based on the bat character in this film, Bartok, who goes on an adventure to rescue a prince from a witch. For a sequel film (if you can call it that) it still has wonderful Bluth animation charm and charisma. The movie is even free here on KZbin!

[@saiyasha848]

I really, _really_ reccomed watching "Bartok, The Magnificent" Unlike this movie , which is (very loosely) based on history, that one is pretty much a russian fairytail. It stars Bartok, the bat in the main role and it it is an absolute feverdream in the best way possible

[@michelesonnental6577]

I highly recommend "Quest for Camelot" from 1998, it's one of my favorites

[@BillieArd]

Rasputin was a real person who was really creepy. If you read about how he was killed...that alone will give you nightmares.

[@anneh654]

I really like seeing your reactions. Would love to see you react to Pocahontas and Tarzan. Beautiful movies. 🥰

[@roberttheronin9803]

I would love for you to check out 'Titan A.E.' it has a similarish artstyle, but it's a sci fi and was a childhood favourite personally.

[@HeatherFJ4E1]

"Bro found something better than money and she found something better than family" 🤣🤣🤣🤣