Princess dresses, songs worthy of a musical, a beautiful love story, extremely careful animation and a very nasty villain…
At first glance, Anastasia seems to combine all the main characteristics of Disney from the 90s. So much so that the day we discover it, it seems almost impossible that it was not invented by the famous artists of the studios.
- Idea taken: Darth Vader doesn’t say “Luke, I am your father” in Star Wars
It’s like Disney…
Released in 1998, the same year as Mulan, Anastasia follows the adventures of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, heir to the Romanov family and daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, whose dynasty was overthrown by the Russian Revolution. While he is trying to escape from the Bolsheviks, a young girl gets amnesia after a blow to the head and tries to go to Paris to be reunited with her loved ones, also hoping to find traces of her origins.
With a great soundtrack, an epic story and a first-time animation, Anastasia really has everything that is great Disney and seems to be right in line with movies like Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas or The Hunchback of Notre Dame (released a few years earlier).
…but it’s not Disney!
However, contrary to what we often hear everywhere, Anastasia is in no way a work of the Disney studio, as it was produced by the subsidiary animation company of 20th Century Fox and was directed by the famous Don Bluth.
The genius of this cartoon, after actually working for Disney in the 80s and after a major artistic disagreement with the managers at the time, left Mickey’s house to develop his own profession.
His collaboration with other talented animators and the famous Steven Spielberg (as a producer) allowed Don Bluth to create several animated feature films in the 80s and 90s, the quality and popularity of which sometimes rivaled Disney’s productions.
Among his most notable works we find Fyvel and the New World, Little Dinosaur and Wonderland, Thumbelina and therefore… Anastasia.
The next time you’re told about Don Bluth’s film as a quintessential Disney studio classic, you’ll know that it’s not, and that Anastasia is actually the heiress of a rival company.
(Re)discover Don Bluth’s Top 5 Movies…
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
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