Anastasia - 1997

I like this animated movie well enough. I'm not very fond of Rasputin's songs, or of him for that matter; I think the film could have done without him coming back from the dead, it was useless and annoying. I like the story of this young girl in search for her family, though. And I very much like the "once upon a December" song. I immediately recognised Angela Lansbury's voice as soon as the Dowager Empress Marie started the narration at the beginning! She was great, of course, and of course she did her own singing. All the other characters had one person for the voice and another one for the singing part. Anastasia was Meg Ryan, but Liz Callaway was the singer, so she's the one I like so much singing "dancing bears, painted wings, things I almost remember; and a song someone sings once upon a december. Someone holds me safe and warm, horses prance through a silver storm, figures dancing gracefully, across my memory. Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember, things my heart used to know, things it yearns to remember. And a song someone sings once upon a december." :-)
Dimitri was John Cusack, but his songs had the voice of Jonathan Dokuchitz. Rasputin was Christopher Lloyd, songs by Jim Cummings, although as I have said I could have done without Rasputin and his green magic and his dead body falling to pieces and his songs too. Vladimir was Kelsey Grammer :-) Bartok was Hank Azaria: I liked him and the voice, but every scene with Bartok is a scene with Rasputin, so please, no more! Kirsten Dunst was the voice of young Anastasia, but she has a very small role. Dimitri and Anya were funny and sweet together, all their scenes were very nice :-) but I don't agree with the ending. It's unacceptable that she would elope with her Dimitri leaving the old grandmother alone, after so many years of separation, right after have finally met each other again. Why did she had to choose one or the other? She could have tried to keep a low profile and seeing her man without abandoning grandma!
Still, what I love most is the song: "on the wind, 'cross the sea, hear this song and remember, soon you'll be home with me, once upon a december" ...    :-)