Anastasia

Plot

The only surviving child of the Russian Royal Family hooks up with two con men while the undead Rasputin seeks her death.

Release Year: 1997

Rating: 6.7/10 (30,090 voted)

Critic's Score: 59/100

Director:
Don Bluth

Stars: Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd

Storyline
The daughter of last Russian Tsar, Anastasia, is found by two Russian men, Dimitri and Vladimir, who seek the reward that her grandmother, Marie, promised to the ones who'll find her. But the evil mystic of the Tsar family, Rasputin, who for some reason survived in this film, still wants the Romanov family to be destroyed forever.

Writers: Susan Gauthier, Bruce Graham

Cast:

Meg Ryan
–

Anastasia

(voice)

John Cusack
–

Dimitri

(voice)

Kelsey Grammer
–

Vladimir

(voice)

Christopher Lloyd
–

Rasputin

(voice)

Hank Azaria
–

Bartok

(voice)

Bernadette Peters
–

Sophie

(voice)

Kirsten Dunst
–

Young Anastasia

(voice)

Angela Lansbury
–

The Dowager Empress Marie

(voice)

Rick Jones
–

Czar Nicholas
/
Servant
/
Revolutionary Soldier
/
Ticket Agent

(voice)

Andrea Martin
–

Phlegmenkoff
/
Old Woman

(voice)

Glenn Walker Harris Jr.
–

Young Dimitri

(voice)

Debra Mooney
–

Actress

(voice)

Arthur Malet
–

Travelling Man
/
Major Domo

(voice)

Charity James
–

Anastasia Impostor

(voice)

Liz Callaway
–

Anastasia

(singing voice)

Taglines:
Discover the Adventure Behind the Greatest Mystery of Our Time

Details

Official Website:
Fox Home Video [United States] (with movies & RealAudio) |

Release Date: 21 November 1997

Filming Locations: Fox Animation Studios – 2747 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $53,000,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $120,541
(USA)
(16 November 1997)
(1 Screen)

Gross: $64,900,000
(Worldwide)
(3 May 1998)
(except USA)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

The real Anastasia once wore a dress almost exactly like the one Anya wears in the last scenes of the movie. This same dress was seen in
Anastasia.

Goofs:

Continuity:
When Dimitri gives the blue dress to Anya on the boat, it has white ruffles around the collar and the bottom, however when she has it on, there is no white trim on the collar or bottom.

Quotes:

[first lines]

Dowager Empress Marie:
There was a time, not very long ago, where we lived in an enchanted world of elegant palaces and grand parties. The year was 1916, and my son, Nicholas, was the czar of Imperial Russia.

User Review

Based on a true story, but fictional…

Rating:


I first saw "Anastasia" in the theatre the last day of November, 1997,
the year it came out. I was eight, the year she is in the prolouge.
Ever since, I have been interested in the story of Anastasia Nikolaevna
Romanov, her life, and her untimely death.

While I know the movie is not historically accurate, I don't care! The
movie is fiction after all- based on a true story (of Anastasia's
rumored escape and women who claimed to be her), loosely, mind you- but
perhaps it is not as unlikely as it seems: when the remains of the
Romanovs were discovered back in 1991, Alexei (her brother,the
Czarvitch) and one of the Grand Duchesses were missing. And with age
analysis of the bones, scientists believe that the missing daughter is
in fact Anastasia, and not one of her sisters, Olga, Tatiana, or Maria.
But who really knows what happened?

My opinion of the movie is that it is wonderful. It draws you into the
world of the lost Russian Princess, to a time that is "far away, long
ago", that doesn't exist anymore.

The music and animation are stunning, and the photo research of St.
Petersburg is amazing! Take the Catherine Palace and the magnificent
gate you see, as well as the city itself. The 3-D animation is amazing;
you look like you could reach out and touch it! The music is truly
magical; "Once Upon a December" (especially Deana Carter's version)

is haunting yet beautiful. I own the soundtrack- I listen to it
frequently

to help me relax.

But what I love best about the movie is the romance that occurs between
Anya(Anastasia) and Dimitri. It starts out as a con, a trick for money,
and turns into a love story. I think it shows that people really do
have good in them, and that true love really exists. It's also
heartwarming to think that a young boy who saved the girl he liked
(princess or not) later helps her restore her identity and find a true
place (in this case, happily together with him).

"Anastasia" is really my favourite movie of all time, even though now
I'm almost 15. I'd recommend it to anyone, and advise historical
literialists to look beyond the fiction and let yourself be taken on a
"Journey to the Past" with the romance, comedy, and magic of this
story.