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😂😊❤ hey Greg and John, I am totally loving the intros to the genre of the day. The animation and musical one is adorable. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the rest of them all week. Great job.😊
You Guys should react to Thumbelina with Jodi Benson playing her and a lot of other famous actors too. It came out in 1994. It’s a cartoon musical too.💞
Cool reaction, and I completely understand the head pain you get. I get chronic migraines, ocular migraines, and sometimes cluster headaches. Yes, the real-life story is more horrific than what has been said. The brother of the Tsar of Romanov Russia could not help his brother because of the Nazi issue might come after his own citizens. He wanted to help, but he I think thought of his own citizens he needed to protect. It is a whole horrible history.
"with Disney movies you gotta start with the family dying and we didn't get that." This movie literally starts with Anastasia's parents and siblings dying.
Yes it’s very frustrating especially almost in the entirety of movie they keep trying to figure out who voiced the characters. Like, maybe worry about that later and pay attention to the movie?
This is what stuff you missed in the dialogue: "Demitri you belong in the kitchen" "this way, out the servants quarters" "I was found wandering around when I was 8 years old - I remember very little about my past" (she hit her head and dealt with the trauma of her whole family dying around her, brains block out that stuff)
This is a great animated movie, but it's also sad to learn that the real Anastasia was killed by the Bolsheviks along with her family during the 1917 Russian Revolution.
Yeah the information has been so messy, I remember reading when they found the two bodies confirming Anastasia did in fact not make it. It was actually her sister Maria and brother in 2007. The really sad thing is Anastasia died with her mother and father, which makes the story even worse.
hearing them say the songs were not great hurts me 🤣🤣, once upon a december is still my favourite musical song ever. also this film was very popular in the uk when I was kid, used to be on tv all the time.
Even my mother, who was almost 60 at the time, fell in love with "Once Upon a December" and couldn't stop singing it for a good year! That song is so beautiful, poignant, and haunting.
I think it’s funny you’re saying how memorable the disney songs are in comparison but then don’t actually remember the songs😂 I think this relies HEAVILY on nostalgia. The disney songs have been in your ears for years- that’s why they’re more memorable. I watched this as a kid along with Ariel etc and these songs are just as memorable to me.
Yeah, growing up I didn't watch many Disney movies (I had the picture story books of them) and when I watched them as a grown up except for a couple of them, they didn't stick with me either. There's definitely the effect nostalgia & repetition with all of them, including Anastasia. Though I can't think Once Upon A December not being memorable but then again, I have the nostalgia factor.
Just the other day, I said "in the dark" and my older sister started singing "In the Dark of the Night"; I immediately joined in, and we didn't stop until we were told to stop~^.^
In the live action version, she loses her voice and her memory. Perhaps that's what he's referring to & he assumed it's the same in the animated version.
I love the soundtrack. Once Upon a December is on every single one of my Christmas playlists (I have a lot of them) and a few regular playlists. It could be a nostalgia thing though.
i don't think this movie is unpopular at all, i think it's actually pretty well known, they even made a Broadway musical based on it so you might have just missed it somehow idk
I'm curious how old you guys are because Anastasia was huge within my circles when this came out! I'm born in 1991 so it was right up my alley, looking back maybe even a little bit scary for a 6 year old! It's one of the incredible films brought to us by the animation genius that is Don Bluth. He originally worked for Disney and then struck out on his own in the early 80s. He also brought us The Land Before Time, An American Tail, The Secret of NIMH, Thumbelina, A Troll in Central Park, The Pebble and the Penguin, All Dogs Go to Heaven, etc etc. Absolutely love his work, it just brings me so much joy!! Also for this one, Rasputin's "In the Dark of the Night" is one of my favourite villain songs of all time hahaha. Such a jam.
I feel like they are actually one of those people back then who never watched non Disney movies. They are old enough to actually experience these films but maybe never get exposed to them.
I am so disappointed you didn’t like the music… this was THE soundtrack of my childhood. Journey to the past, back to December and in the dark of the night at ridiculously good and the moment that she sees the ghost of her dead family and gets to dance with her dad is so beautiful. “People always say life is full of choices but no one ever mentions fear.” “I’ll be safe and wanted finally home were I belong. Yes! Let this be a sign, let this road be mine, let it lead me to my past and bring me home at last” “It scared me out of my wits/ a corpse falling to bits/ I opened my eyes/ and the nightmare was me” “Someone holds be 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” - just some glorious lyrics and the music is such a vibe. Uhm… czar Nicholas was a leader in WWI- there was an uprising and the whole family was killed. The bodies have been found over the years. Anastasia was killed during the uprising.
Personally I don't really like the villains song but I totally agree with you that the soundtrack is at another league! Someday I will buy the music box and dance with my future husband to it ❤
@PHSDM104 agreed. I actually love that movie. The songs are nostalgic, the animal friends are hilarious, and the villain is actually threatening and a hands-on villain.
totally agree!!! Anastasia to this day is very special to me!! one of my all time favorite movies of all time!! and so is swan princess!! i remeber watching these sooo much growing up and with my grandmother!
@@PHSDM104oh my God, YES! But maybe I don't want them to react to swan princess because their reaction to Anastasia was not really.....you know. They just don't pay attention and know the pause button.....
This review really gave me the ick vibe… 💔 I’m glad it’s highly beloved worldwide. It’s also the highest grossing Don Bluth movie and received several Oscar nominations…
Its a gem like spirit, the swan princess, the sword of Camelot, the princess and the pea and balto! Not Disney made my childhood, THEY made my childhood! Since brother bear was released, Disney made it as well but those movies above will always be my heart
I usually love all of your reactions on this channel… but the constant comparisons to other movies was annoying to listen to. It’s like you couldn’t appreciative what you were watching in the moment and missed plot points due to it… maybe taking it personal cause I love this movie so much.
RIGHT? Right during the big musical number where the thrill of being in Paris was juxtaposed with Dimitri coming to term with Anya's identity and his feelings for her... and they KEPT talking about other movies they wanted to watch. 😭 Jesus. I haven't watched all their reactions, but this has to be one of the worst ones they've done.
This movie was actually very successful at the time. But a Russian story achieving legendary status in the US is a big ask. It has a bigger impact outside the US, for sure.
I was going to comment that the movie was popular according to my memory. But I suppose it makes sense what you said and also the fact that Disney re-released The Little Mermaid on the same day...I remember that in my country it was very popular, even my friends that didn't really watch movies too much were talking about it 😅
Same with Pocahontas imo. It wasn’t nearly as successful as the movies before it, especially because the Lion King wasn’t supposed to be such a big hit, Disney expected Pocahontas to be the next big movie. Sadly in the States it got a lot of criticism and controversy because of the actual story of Pocahontas. But it did perform a lot better internationally because most people didn’t know it was based on a real story
I literally stopped *EVERYTHING* just to watch this reaction 😭 THIS IS THE ONE I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR! Anastasia, in my humble opinion and quite personally, is one of the best animated musical films of all time. The cast, the animation style, the storyline, the SOUNDTRACK?! Top tier! And one of the best childhood movies of the 90’s hands down 💖🥰
One of the reasons this movie isn’t as popular is because Disney were being dicks to all competitors. Especially to Don Bluth who was a former Disney animator who took several animators with him when he left. When Anastasia released, Disney re-released The Little Mermaid on the exact same day! Hell, when An American Tail came out, Disney re-released Song of the South 😱😱😱 You know, that movie Disney wants everyone to forget exists 😂🤣🤪
Ahh, so THAT'S WHY I remember seeing part of Song of the South on Disney Channel when I was a kid. It wasn't just random and I'm not tripping. Good to know the backstory behind it.
I genuinely gasped out loud when I saw this reaction come up. It’s a shame you guys didn’t enjoy it the way I assumed you would BUT for me (in the UK) this was big when it came out so it was just as memorable and nostalgic for me as the Disney classics. It has all the same elements and works just as well imo but also stands on its own. I do imagine a lot of these feel different watching them for the first time when you’re not a kid though. I think nostalgia really does a lot too. ❤
You imagine she was 13??? She literally said she was 8 years old.....you guys missed a lot. Probably because you both kept asking and guessing who the voice actors are. 😒
The Angela Lansbury show you're thinking of is Murder, She Wrote. Ran from 1984 - 1996. I remember catching a few episodes with my grandparents when I was young.
Every time I hear this called a Disney movie, it makes the 20 Century Fox acquisition sting just a little bit more. I miss the days when Don Bluth movies were still his and not owned by the Mouse. They own enough things.
This is the first encounter I’ve had with reviewers calling it a Disney movie (haven’t seen any others react to it though, tbf), and I just about crawled out of my skin 😂 It was always one of my go-to answers for best animated movies that WEREN’T created by the mouse (aside from Dreamworks) and now I have to have a whole schpeel ready at its defense when new people discover it 😭 This merger will continue to haunt me for the rest of my life
When I was in 9th grade (so, 3ish years after it came out), I made a bet for $20 with a friend of mine, who insisted it was a Disney movie. I was like, “No, it’s 20th Century Fox.” “No, it’s Disney.” “You wanna bet? Let’s make a bet, cuz you are *so* wrong. Get ready to pay up.” We had to wait until we got home from her family’s vacation, because IMDb didn’t exist; the internet was still new and not everyone had it. We got home. I proved her wrong, since I freaking OWNED IT AND SHOVED IT IN HER FACE. She didn’t pay up. Just weaseled out of it. 😒 Silver lining, she learned that if I was willing to bet, it meant I was right.
It didn't get big?! Excuse me?! This movie was very well known. It's so known that it had a huge campaign upon the movie's release with Burger King toys and commercials. It was a big deal. Not just because of this movie but because of the mystery behind the real thing helped the movie get the attention as well. Maybe it wasn't popular in your circles
Hey you two. This is not just any Fox movie. It was done by a master of the craft. Though he did make a few bad movies, DON BLUTH is a name you should learn. He made this movie, and also The Secret of Nimh, An American Tail and Land before Time. Watch those if you haven't already!
YES!!!! This was was my first exposure to the Enemies to Lovers trope and it's held me in its toxic grip ever since. I still love this soundtrack and will randomly start singing it for no reason to this day. There's a chance it was cemented in my memory from the dozens of attempts at recording it from my TV to a cassette tape, but who's to say.
I’ve had the vhs tape. I would rewatch this a ton of times and get terrified with the family swim nightmare 🥲 HOWEVER! Once upon a December is one of the best songs from this movie 🔥🙌🏼 the serotonin increases, every time I hear someone watches this movie for their first view 🥹 I’m so enthusiastic, whenever I hear no one has seen this! Yall made an awesome choice watching this 😎 there’s a big smile on my face this morning 🤪
For those of us that grew up through the 80s and 90s, this movie was JUST AS GOOD AND MEMORABLE as any other Disney movie of the time. Heck, at that age, most of us thought it was Disney for the longest time. Not only does it have one of the greatest villain songs of any animated feature, but the music pops into my brain at least once a week in some capacity. The song “If I can learn to do it,” is one of the handful of songs I use to keep pace while running. 🏃
She hit her head on the concrete in that train scene you guyyyssssssssss. Also trauma repressed memories. But at least here in Brazil, Anastacia is SUPER popular. It used to air on TV every Christmas. But guys I gotta say, felt like you weren't really paying attention to the movie. Don't know if you talked over it or not, but the movie was giving all the information and explaining everything, so it was a little frustrating to watch you asking questions about a scene you JUST watched. :( But another fox movie (same character designer too) is called Titan A.E, I'm not sure if it aged well but I liked it when I was a kid.
Yessss!! I thought so too.. they spent more time comparing it to Disney movies and missed out on information provided. Like when Anya said she doesn't remember anything from before she was 8 and then a few seconds later they were discussing saying she was 13 when she got left behind.. I facepalmed so hard!😂🤦🏽♀️
@@besupaaa yeaah!! I started with all the joy of rewatching this beautiful movie with them and enjoying the songs ...sad that they were distracted by too many other things... *Sigh*
The popular Broadway musical version, done years later, removes Rasputin and magic and makes it entirely a human historical story and it works fine. I think both versions are suited to their medium. Broadway is more adult, cartoons are more fantastic.
The Romanov House were the rulers of imperial Russia from 1613-1917. This powerful house ended with Nicholas II (Tsar of Russia) and his family, Alexandra Feodorovna (his wife), Their 4 daughters: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and son, Alexei. As I'm sure many people have talked about how people really did believe that Anastasia survived. The reason for this belief was because when the soldiers were ordered to get rid of the bodies, they separated Alexei (Anastasia's brother) and one of the sisters (Now assumed to have been Maria) only about 50 ft away from where they buried the rest of the family, this was done to confuse anyone who might have found the other bodies. They orginally were all dumped in a mine shaft but then retrieved to be covered in acid and burned (So that they couldn't be identified) And buried in a different location. Other things were also believed to have been done to their bodies. However, Alexei's remains were discovered along with one of the sisters, they assumed to be Maria, they were discovered in 2007. They believe that because the body of the girl was probably Maria's body, they figured that Anastasia was actually buried with the rest of her family. Before the final 2 bodies were found many people tried to pretend to be Anastasia and alexei. However, sadly the story of the Romanov's was very brutal, and very likely to leave no survivors. The soldiers that carried out the assassination, shot each other during the act because of how crazy they were going, they were just shooting, not caring where the bullets flew as long as they hit someone. Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, their five children Olga (22), Tatiana (21), Maria (19), Anastasia (17), and Alexei (13), along with 4 of their remaining and loyal servants were killed during the Romanovs assassination. Also with the family were 3 dogs, Ortipo, a French bulldog, belonging to Tatiana, Jimmy/Jemmy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, belonging to Anastasia, and Joy, a King Charles spaniel, belonging to Alexei. Two of the dogs were killed because of their howling but Joy survived because he wasn't making any noise. Yes, Nicholas II was not a good ruler, but his children did not deserve to die especially as brutally as they did, for his actions. Edit: Nicholas II abdicated in 1917, the family was killed in 1918
Fun fact: Tara Lipinski won the gold medal in figure skating at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano with her routine to Journey To The Past. She was also the youngest to ever win individual gold.
I don't understand how yall do this for a living, yall do NOT watch movies well... Dmitri is "revealed" as the kitchen boy literally in the first scenes, his whole name and position - there's no reason yall spent most of the movie trying to "prove" that was him. Or Anya's age or how she lost her memories or whether she even had a brother or THAT HER WHOLE FAMILY WAS MURDERED BY THE VILLAIN'S CURSE IN THE FIRST FEW SCENES like wow, watch the movie maybe?
**Sees beginning of how she fell trying to catch the train and passed out meaning she knocked her head** Anastasia: I was found wandering around when I was eight years old Them: she wasn’t that young? Did she hit her head, idk? Also them: I have to imagine she was like 13 Me: reactors really just let info whoosh right past them 😂
I don’t know why, but it still hurts my heart to know Don Bluth went through all of that shit with Disney just to have one of his best movies be called “a Disney movie” 😭
The soundtrack was certified Gold. It was a pretty good hit. I bought it the day it hit Sam Goody. “Once Upon A December” was probably the biggest hit and then “A Journey To The Past.”
I've seen another reactor say the same thing about not having Rasputin's relationship to the Romanov's explained and it throws me, we were taught that in school, we didn't need it to be explained when it came out. They were historical figures and this was a fairy tale told around the myths and mysteries surrounding them. This film was Disney's competition and at the time it, and Don Bluth's other movies were huge, I find it very sad that they're now owned by Disney.
The style of art in the Paris scene is Impressionism, made popular by French artists like Monet, Manet, Renoir, Seurat, etc. The art and animation in this movie is gorgeous too. Edit: also most of the film was rotoscoped (animation traced from footage of an actor filming the scene on film), which was a common way of animating movies back in the day like Cinderella. Probably another reason it felt like it had Cinderella vibes. A lot of the things mentioned were pretty common tropes through many animated films though, not like ideas were being stolen from other movies.
I never understood why you guys dont pause the film to look up the voice actors name instead of repeatedly asking and guessing while the film is playing. You miss moments that way. And the young boy wasnt the brother. He was a servants child, hence why hes seen eating an apple and dressed in servants clothing. 😂😂
@@karmarmaleficent4594 there are way more important things to learn about history than this family. They taught us those things. Good thing about life is you can go research things if you’re interested in them and this movie probably intrigued a lot of people who hadn’t heard of these royals before. No matter how inaccurate the whole story is..still interesting but in no way vital information to have to live your life. To pretend otherwise is silly.
She bumped her head HARD falling off the train. That’s why she has amnesia. -and she was 8 years old. She tells Dimitri she was found wandering around when she was 8 and can’t remember much of anything before that. Hence ten years later, she is now 18. MURDER SHE WROTE was the Angela Lansbury show.
This movie is so stacked with the voice cast. Angela Lansbury, Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammar, Christopher Lloyd, Bernadette Peters, a young Kiersten Dunst and Hank Azaria. Also all the songs!! I saw this movie opening night. One of my favorite movies.
I love that the casting people were talking to Kelsey Grammer and were like don't worry we'll find someone to do your singing parts and he was like ok...but you know I got my start singing on the stage right? Like I can do it... And they were like oh shit we totally forgot yeah let's do that instead.
22:01 this movie takes place in what could be assumed is 1920s-1930s Russia (which at that point was the Soviet Union). The beginning of the movie is when Anastasia was young, so it’s basically fact that it was Imperial Russia and then the revolution happens, hence why the grandmother tries to flee with Anastasia. This movie was piggybacking off of the mystery of the lost duchess, Anastasia. Science wasn’t all that too advanced, especially forensic science. And since the Romanov’s were all killed and buried in a shared grave, it was hard to tell if Anastasia and the young prince (I believe his name was Nikolai) survived. The theory went Anastasia and Nikolai hid gems in their corset/vest to deflect bullets shot by the then Soviet troops. Then escaped under the cover of night to America. This has since been proven as just a story, as forensic science was able to prove Nikolai was buried with the family. I believe recently, Anastasia’s DNA was also confirmed. Back in the 90s, the fall of the Soviet Union prompted a lot of conspiracy regarding the royals. Anastasia’s “missing bones” made for a lot of tall tales, hence this movie. It was kinda disappointing to discover she passed with her family, I really hoped she had escaped
also I know there’s a lot of comparisons to the classic disney movies (there’s certain tropes for children’s movies everywhere for sure, the animal sidekick, etc) but I feel like choosing this story and doing this take on it is so original!!
It's hilarious to me that you said no family members died when Anastasia lost her parents AND all her siblings😆😆And they show up to haunt her a few times. The dream obviously. But also, when she first goes to the palace and all those ghostly memory people are dancing around her, the girls who come up to her and put that necklace on her before her clothes turn into that gown, those are her sisters. The man who approaches her at the end of the song, that's her father. It's weird that her mom never made an appearance, though. I didn't notice that for a long time, but even her brother makes an appearance (the kid who led her to the cliff in her dream), so why not her mom?
Back then, the Soviets had just gained power from killing the Romanovs. The family was brutally murdered in a room under the palace(or something) but they couldn't find Anastasia's body. That's how the rumor of her survival started.
I know you see similarities to some of the Disney movies, but I think much of the basic story of this comes from a much earlier live action film (1956) about this same story with Yul Brynner as the Dimitri character and Ingrid Bergman as Anastasia, just without the Rasputin revenge story. I don't think I've seen the whole story, but I caught the last half of it on the TV once. Others may have mentioned this too, but it's become a major Broadway musical now, but again without the inclusion of the Rasputin revenge story. Also fun fact Lacey Chabert (Gretchen Weiner from 'Mean Girls) was the singing voice for the young Anastasia. And the singing voice for Rasputin is Jim Cummings (current voice of Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, and sang quite a bit for Scar in the animated version of the Lion King) The cast really is incredible. Edit: just went and watched the 1956 film more fully and I think it's not exactly the same story, but there are some of the same story beats along with other elements of the history of the Romanovs connection with Rasputin. But put into a format that works better for a children's story.
he uh.. he cursed the entire family and they got slaughtered because of that. also i think they kind of expect you to link rasputin to the real one and have a preconceived notion of how creepy the whole story with him was
Coming from a Anastasia super fan who was also a disney fan it stands up and is better than alot of disney in my oppinion. Also this was a 20th century fox film originally . I'm sad you both didn't get the shivers and the first time experience so many of us had.
This movie made a lot of success in some countries of latin-america because one of the most popular singers in Mexico at the time, Thalia, did the soundtrack in spanish for "Journey to the Past", she performed her version in television shows, including one here in Brazil (where i'm from) and I think because of her being so famous around here, people went to see the movie and then we would rent it in blockbusters and all that, so it became a classic for us.
I grew up on this movie! I was obsessed,so obsessed that I had the song "Life is a Road" playing, at our wedding, during the candle lighting ceremony, as a slide show of my hubby and me the years before we knew each other, to the times we were friends, to the times we started dating. Then just 2 years ago my hubby took me to see the Broadway musical of Anastasia when it came to New Orleans! Such a great experience❤😊❤ This movie will always be special to me!
When this movie was made, the Romanov family skeletons had been dug up missing 2: a girl and the boy. Not long, a woman in a hospital said she was the missing Anastasia and thus this movie was created. Years after, the bones of Anastasia and her brother was found 😢 in a different hole. Rasputin was made the villain due to his mystery and personality but he helped heal the family in a weird way and because he had influence with the family, those close to the royals tried assassinating him many times.
Rasputin indeed is a mysterious character that has fascinated historians and people over time. And it's very likely he wasn't exactly a positive figure. Rasputin first came into the picture because he was a popular "wise man" and "healer" who had performed some apparent miracles for different aristocrat and peasant families (although he was also famous for using these "powers" to get in the beds of many aristocrat and peasant ladies that seeked his help). Alexandra, queen of Russia, decided to try Rasputin's help anyway due to the constant painful side effects of Alexei's hemophilia (Alexei was Anastasia's younger brother and heir to the throne). It's still debated how, but it seems Rasputin really helped Alexei with his bleedings and pains; making Alexandra trust him and back him up almost in everything. This led to several people around the family to believe (or spread the rumors) that Rasputin was Alexandra's lover and he was the one taking several political choices, not Nikolas (who was inclined to follow his wife's advice a bit too much, according to gossips of the time). The gossip got even worse, as the popularity of the Romanov's declined thanks to many impopular choices (like entering World War I, hosting balls while the country suffered a famine and trying to ban vodka nation wide): nannies of the duchesses apparently indicated to trusted friends Zarina Alexandra allowed Rasputin to freely enter in the rooms of the duchesses at any time, almost at any moment. The film portrays a rift between the Romanov family and Rasputin, but in reality they stayed loyal to its figure until the end: even after his murder, they payed for his funeral and burial. The curse the film uses at the start of the film comes from folklore: Rasputin, apparently, had predicted that if any aristocrat killed him, the Romanov family would be dead within a year; if he really said that as a protective measure (considering the Romanovs were already in his power) or it was later added to the legend, that's unknown.
This was my favorite movie growing up. I listen to a lot of it on repeat. Once Upon a December, is easily my favorite. Little bummed that you got so wrapped up in other movie trivia, that you lost what you were watching. Am glad you have one of my favorites a watch. Hope you take another look without a camera some time, cuz i suspect it will grow on you over time.
Um, Anastasia WAS a huge hit, thank you. 150 mil on a 50 mil budget. Just because it hasnt been on your radar doesn’t mean it was a failure. Most of us Gen X’rs who have every Disney movie known to man also have a much loved Don Bluth collection too. Don Bluth made a string of hit animated movies you may not have heard of. The Secret of Nimh, An American Tale, The Land Before Time and one of my personal faves Titan A.E. (Not a big hit but I loved it and it has a huge following) . Interestingly, another non-Disney animated blockbuster was released the same year as Anastasia. It failed spectacularly and strangely. Cats Dont Dance had a voice cast that included Scott Bakula, Kathy Najimy, John Rhys-Davies, it was the last film Gene Kelly was involved with and had an animation style that was as fantastic as any Disney film. Critics loved it as did audiences who saw it. It may have been a casualty of Hercules and Flubber.
Cats don't dance is incredible!!! It and Anastasia were my absolute favorites growing up, it's incredible it isn't more well known and appreciated. Especially with how well it depicts a problem that is, honestly, still a problem to this day.
I remember seeing this movie in theaters (I was 6) and I went with a friend of the family. I distinctly remember when I got home I told my mom I wanted this movie. Which I have on VHS but I cannot currently watch it. For the longest time I thought this was a Disney movie because, as a kid, I thought every animated movie was a Disney movie. But no, its not. It has some of my favorite songs. Once Upon a December, always hits me in the heart. The animation is just so pretty. I really hope you two enjoy it.
😊 in my humble opinion, two of the great animated artist of the 20th century are Don Bluth and Ralph Bakshi. I grew up watching their beauty and artistry and still to this day being a tired old man and makes me feel like a little kid again when I see their stuff😊
its so funny hearing them say "the villain really hasnt been a part of this whole story".... HES TRIED TO KILL HER THREE TIMES ALREADY lol, "all they did so far was the butterflies" they literally caused an entire train to crash in an attempt to murder her 😭😭 and then they tried to trick her into drowning herself
So happy you guys are reacting to this. LOVED this movie since i was a kid and helped pique my interest in russsia as well as Rasputin and etc. Also lol for years i swore Anastasia was a Disney princess not knowing her movie as well as other beloved Don Bluth films was seperate.
I totally think that this movie was more popular in Europe/outside of the US. This was such a huge part of my childhood & I grew up with this alongside Disney movies. It definitely wasn't as popular as the Disney movies but I think it's largely due to the fact that Disney has been soooo huge for such a long time.
It’s very muddled now since Disney bought Fox so many won’t care about the distinction. But yeah it wasn’t Disney made for all the good and bad that comes from that. A lot of the good prob would not have been okayed under Michael Eisner but some of the stuff that fails might have been fixed by the Disney process.
This movie is a classic and Aaliyah sang the end credit and her version and attachment to the movie was heavily advertised. The biggesy critique of the movie was that it was too scary for younger audiences but Disney had been killing mothers in every movie 90s kids just saw cartoons 😂
Anastasia was a nostalgic 90s movie for me 🙈 I had an Anastasia Barbie and I loved her and her yellow and blue dress Also don’t want iron giant unless you wanna cry
I LOVED this movie growing up! I was totally obsessed with the love story and Anastasia's personality. The general "surprise you're a princess" story got me mostly because of how tragic her story was and the feeling of not belonging. My crush on John Cusack started here and I had NO IDEA it was him until I was much older.
Anastasia was not originally a Disney movie. In the 90s, Disney was at the peak of success starting with the Little Mermaid and continuing with hit after hit. Because of this, other film companies were creating their own full length animated films to desperately compete with Disney’s success (even though they couldn’t). Anastasia was one of those films created by Fox. This is why you’ll see a lot of similarities to the movies Disney was coming out with at the time. Disney was such savage they were even re-releasing their animated films at the same time other companies released theirs. Other underrated Non-Disney animated films from the 90s included Thumbelina, The Swan Princess, Quest for Camelot, Cats don’t Dance, the Iron Giant and others.
thank you SO MUCH for reacting to this. i watched this so many times when I was kid, that I still sing Once Upon a December sometimes now (i'm in my 30s lol) it's such a lovely movie. and the songs are so memorable
It's so weird to hear this called a Disney movie now as it was always emphasized as the best non-Disney princess movie growing up. Also loved Bartok the Magnificent which is kind of its own story but worth a watch. ❤
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😂😊❤ hey Greg and John, I am totally loving the intros to the genre of the day. The animation and musical one is adorable. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the rest of them all week. Great job.😊
I suggest Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island.
You Guys should react to Thumbelina with Jodi Benson playing her and a lot of other famous actors too.
It came out in 1994.
It’s a cartoon musical too.💞
Cool reaction, and I completely understand the head pain you get. I get chronic migraines, ocular migraines, and sometimes cluster headaches.
Yes, the real-life story is more horrific than what has been said.
The brother of the Tsar of Romanov Russia could not help his brother because of the Nazi issue might come after his own citizens.
He wanted to help, but he I think thought of his own citizens he needed to protect.
It is a whole horrible history.
I might be a little late but I think it’s Murder She Wrote.😊
"with Disney movies you gotta start with the family dying and we didn't get that."
This movie literally starts with Anastasia's parents and siblings dying.
Literally, her mother, father, 3 older sisters, and her younger brother, all at once.
It's funny hearing your comments about why this wasn't as popular as 90s Disney films because every girl I grew up with had a crush on Dimitri 😂
I was one of those girls 🙈
@@tomasinamichele 🤣🥰
Facts 🤦♀️ I won’t even deny it
I know riiiiiiight
I was one of those boys. 😜
This is so frustrating. "Why does she have no memory? Did she hit her head?" YES WE SAW HER FALL AND HIT HER HEAD WHEN SHE MISSED THE TRAIN.
So many reactors just don't bother to pay attention. It's so annoying when they miss very obvious key moments and dialogue
@@RavinDunkthis! I hate when they don’t pay attention.
And the whole 'her older brother' thing right after the dude was like YOU BELONG IN THE KITCHEN to tiny Dimitri. The prince belongs in the kitchen?
Yes it’s very frustrating especially almost in the entirety of movie they keep trying to figure out who voiced the characters. Like, maybe worry about that later and pay attention to the movie?
I hate to say this but I literally felt like I was losing brain cells with each question that was easily answered if they payed attention-
This is what stuff you missed in the dialogue:
"Demitri you belong in the kitchen"
"this way, out the servants quarters"
"I was found wandering around when I was 8 years old - I remember very little about my past" (she hit her head and dealt with the trauma of her whole family dying around her, brains block out that stuff)
This is a great animated movie, but it's also sad to learn that the real Anastasia was killed by the Bolsheviks along with her family during the 1917 Russian Revolution.
Yeah the information has been so messy, I remember reading when they found the two bodies confirming Anastasia did in fact not make it. It was actually her sister Maria and brother in 2007. The really sad thing is Anastasia died with her mother and father, which makes the story even worse.
Depressing but neat thank you
Yeah the romanovs were assassinated by their own guards in the basement
@@RS-bn1ty it's wild how many people know nothing about this family
@@papercitadel4221they didn’t just kill them, they destroyed them, it was brutal.
hearing them say the songs were not great hurts me 🤣🤣, once upon a december is still my favourite musical song ever. also this film was very popular in the uk when I was kid, used to be on tv all the time.
its a classic!!!!
The music is still on my phone. I love this movie ❤
I love the soundtrack! All the songs are great. Maybe not so much the villain song lol. And Once Upon A December is so beautiful.
Even my mother, who was almost 60 at the time, fell in love with "Once Upon a December" and couldn't stop singing it for a good year! That song is so beautiful, poignant, and haunting.
I think it’s funny you’re saying how memorable the disney songs are in comparison but then don’t actually remember the songs😂
I think this relies HEAVILY on nostalgia. The disney songs have been in your ears for years- that’s why they’re more memorable. I watched this as a kid along with Ariel etc and these songs are just as memorable to me.
Yeah, growing up I didn't watch many Disney movies (I had the picture story books of them) and when I watched them as a grown up except for a couple of them, they didn't stick with me either. There's definitely the effect nostalgia & repetition with all of them, including Anastasia. Though I can't think Once Upon A December not being memorable but then again, I have the nostalgia factor.
Just the other day, I said "in the dark" and my older sister started singing "In the Dark of the Night"; I immediately joined in, and we didn't stop until we were told to stop~^.^
Little mermaid didn't lose her memory, she lost her voice
In the live action version, she loses her voice and her memory. Perhaps that's what he's referring to & he assumed it's the same in the animated version.
Anya is one of the best-animated princesses. Her and Mulan were always my favorites.
Same, and Kida from Atlantis.
Those are my top 2 also!!
Same
Actually, her name is Nastya. Anastasia is the full name of Nastya.
I heartily disagree with you about the music. I LOVE this soundtrack, even bought a music box that plays Once upon a December. It speaks to my heart.
I love the soundtrack. Once Upon a December is on every single one of my Christmas playlists (I have a lot of them) and a few regular playlists. It could be a nostalgia thing though.
definitely classic!! for all of us who grew up with it!
Yes and multiple Oscar nominations for music!
i don't think this movie is unpopular at all, i think it's actually pretty well known, they even made a Broadway musical based on it so you might have just missed it somehow idk
I'm curious how old you guys are because Anastasia was huge within my circles when this came out! I'm born in 1991 so it was right up my alley, looking back maybe even a little bit scary for a 6 year old! It's one of the incredible films brought to us by the animation genius that is Don Bluth. He originally worked for Disney and then struck out on his own in the early 80s. He also brought us The Land Before Time, An American Tail, The Secret of NIMH, Thumbelina, A Troll in Central Park, The Pebble and the Penguin, All Dogs Go to Heaven, etc etc. Absolutely love his work, it just brings me so much joy!!
Also for this one, Rasputin's "In the Dark of the Night" is one of my favourite villain songs of all time hahaha. Such a jam.
I adore all these films, and are more nostalgic for me than Disney princess films. 💖
I loved this movie, but it scared me so much as child. This reaction is my rewatch after twenty years xD
I feel like they are actually one of those people back then who never watched non Disney movies. They are old enough to actually experience these films but maybe never get exposed to them.
91er here and same. Don Bluth films were my jam.
Yep, I'm a '95 baby and I grew up on this movie moreso than anything Disney put out (along with the Lion King 2 and Little Mermaid 2).
I am so disappointed you didn’t like the music… this was THE soundtrack of my childhood. Journey to the past, back to December and in the dark of the night at ridiculously good and the moment that she sees the ghost of her dead family and gets to dance with her dad is so beautiful.
“People always say life is full of choices but no one ever mentions fear.”
“I’ll be safe and wanted finally home were I belong. Yes! Let this be a sign, let this road be mine, let it lead me to my past and bring me home at last”
“It scared me out of my wits/ a corpse falling to bits/ I opened my eyes/ and the nightmare was me”
“Someone holds be 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” - just some glorious lyrics and the music is such a vibe.
Uhm… czar Nicholas was a leader in WWI- there was an uprising and the whole family was killed. The bodies have been found over the years. Anastasia was killed during the uprising.
Personally I don't really like the villains song but I totally agree with you that the soundtrack is at another league! Someday I will buy the music box and dance with my future husband to it ❤
This and the The Swan Princess are two of the most underrated animated movies. Just because they are not Disney, they just don't get the recognition.
We need a reaction to that one.
"What else is there?" 🤣
@PHSDM104 agreed. I actually love that movie. The songs are nostalgic, the animal friends are hilarious, and the villain is actually threatening and a hands-on villain.
totally agree!!! Anastasia to this day is very special to me!! one of my all time favorite movies of all time!! and so is swan princess!! i remeber watching these sooo much growing up and with my grandmother!
The Swan Princess was my favourite cartoon in my childhood. And I love it from now on.
Yeah, Derek is a kinda stupid, but…I can accept it
@@PHSDM104oh my God, YES! But maybe I don't want them to react to swan princess because their reaction to Anastasia was not really.....you know. They just don't pay attention and know the pause button.....
Next time you see an animation wich isn't Disney, try not to compare and appretiate for what it is on it's own. It's tiresome..
This review really gave me the ick vibe… 💔
I’m glad it’s highly beloved worldwide. It’s also the highest grossing Don Bluth movie and received several Oscar nominations…
Its a gem like spirit, the swan princess, the sword of Camelot, the princess and the pea and balto! Not Disney made my childhood, THEY made my childhood! Since brother bear was released, Disney made it as well but those movies above will always be my heart
She was eight and lost her memory. So a decade later, she was eighteen years old.
I usually love all of your reactions on this channel… but the constant comparisons to other movies was annoying to listen to. It’s like you couldn’t appreciative what you were watching in the moment and missed plot points due to it… maybe taking it personal cause I love this movie so much.
RIGHT? Right during the big musical number where the thrill of being in Paris was juxtaposed with Dimitri coming to term with Anya's identity and his feelings for her... and they KEPT talking about other movies they wanted to watch. 😭 Jesus. I haven't watched all their reactions, but this has to be one of the worst ones they've done.
This movie was actually very successful at the time. But a Russian story achieving legendary status in the US is a big ask. It has a bigger impact outside the US, for sure.
I was going to comment that the movie was popular according to my memory. But I suppose it makes sense what you said and also the fact that Disney re-released The Little Mermaid on the same day...I remember that in my country it was very popular, even my friends that didn't really watch movies too much were talking about it 😅
Same with Pocahontas imo. It wasn’t nearly as successful as the movies before it, especially because the Lion King wasn’t supposed to be such a big hit, Disney expected Pocahontas to be the next big movie. Sadly in the States it got a lot of criticism and controversy because of the actual story of Pocahontas. But it did perform a lot better internationally because most people didn’t know it was based on a real story
I literally stopped *EVERYTHING* just to watch this reaction 😭 THIS IS THE ONE I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR! Anastasia, in my humble opinion and quite personally, is one of the best animated musical films of all time. The cast, the animation style, the storyline, the SOUNDTRACK?! Top tier! And one of the best childhood movies of the 90’s hands down 💖🥰
110% agree with you! Was one of my favourites growing up and love seeing others discovering this movie.
I infinitely agree, it is my absolute favorite movie
I usually save their reactions for the weekend but love that they are reacting to this and have to watch it! 🥰😭
I back this. One of my favorites as a kid
one of my fav movies of all time!!! a Dimitri lover through and through!! best princess!!
One of the reasons this movie isn’t as popular is because Disney were being dicks to all competitors. Especially to Don Bluth who was a former Disney animator who took several animators with him when he left. When Anastasia released, Disney re-released The Little Mermaid on the exact same day! Hell, when An American Tail came out, Disney re-released Song of the South 😱😱😱 You know, that movie Disney wants everyone to forget exists 😂🤣🤪
It had Burger King behind them...
Ahh, so THAT'S WHY I remember seeing part of Song of the South on Disney Channel when I was a kid. It wasn't just random and I'm not tripping. Good to know the backstory behind it.
I genuinely gasped out loud when I saw this reaction come up. It’s a shame you guys didn’t enjoy it the way I assumed you would BUT for me (in the UK) this was big when it came out so it was just as memorable and nostalgic for me as the Disney classics. It has all the same elements and works just as well imo but also stands on its own. I do imagine a lot of these feel different watching them for the first time when you’re not a kid though. I think nostalgia really does a lot too. ❤
Also I think ‘Hoped you would’ rather than ‘assumed you would’ is more the correct phrasing for what I meant. ❤
You imagine she was 13??? She literally said she was 8 years old.....you guys missed a lot. Probably because you both kept asking and guessing who the voice actors are. 😒
That's literally what I was going to say like 😒
It’s not that serious
When I was a kid I rewatched this movie and I named my dog pooka just like her dog
Grandma not dying? Uhh the parents died in the beginning…a palace full of people died….
They're not the brightest
😂😂
literally their entire family was wiped out lol
My favorite Don Bluth movie, and one of the best and more believable romance storylines in any animated movie. It was Tangled before Tangled.
yesss that explains why i liked Tangled so much when I saw that, too!
OMFG!
It truly is!
Tangled is fun, but Anastasia has my heart.
Your tangled line made my day!!! Never thought of it
The Angela Lansbury show you're thinking of is Murder, She Wrote. Ran from 1984 - 1996. I remember catching a few episodes with my grandparents when I was young.
I think I watched every episode cuz of my mom. AL is the goat
I love that show❤
Girl, Tara literally remembered the name of the show while thinking about it lol
@@ninipookie and I commented before she did. Obviously.
Every time I hear this called a Disney movie, it makes the 20 Century Fox acquisition sting just a little bit more. I miss the days when Don Bluth movies were still his and not owned by the Mouse. They own enough things.
This is the first encounter I’ve had with reviewers calling it a Disney movie (haven’t seen any others react to it though, tbf), and I just about crawled out of my skin 😂 It was always one of my go-to answers for best animated movies that WEREN’T created by the mouse (aside from Dreamworks) and now I have to have a whole schpeel ready at its defense when new people discover it 😭
This merger will continue to haunt me for the rest of my life
When I was in 9th grade (so, 3ish years after it came out), I made a bet for $20 with a friend of mine, who insisted it was a Disney movie. I was like, “No, it’s 20th Century Fox.”
“No, it’s Disney.”
“You wanna bet? Let’s make a bet, cuz you are *so* wrong. Get ready to pay up.”
We had to wait until we got home from her family’s vacation, because IMDb didn’t exist; the internet was still new and not everyone had it.
We got home. I proved her wrong, since I freaking OWNED IT AND SHOVED IT IN HER FACE. She didn’t pay up. Just weaseled out of it. 😒
Silver lining, she learned that if I was willing to bet, it meant I was right.
It didn't get big?! Excuse me?! This movie was very well known. It's so known that it had a huge campaign upon the movie's release with Burger King toys and commercials. It was a big deal. Not just because of this movie but because of the mystery behind the real thing helped the movie get the attention as well. Maybe it wasn't popular in your circles
I had dolls of the couple and wanted to date a dimitri lol!!!
I love that Dimitri is rocking the 90s heartthrob hair even though it's set in 1920s Russia.
Hey you two. This is not just any Fox movie. It was done by a master of the craft. Though he did make a few bad movies, DON BLUTH is a name you should learn. He made this movie, and also The Secret of Nimh, An American Tail and Land before Time. Watch those if you haven't already!
YES!!!! This was was my first exposure to the Enemies to Lovers trope and it's held me in its toxic grip ever since. I still love this soundtrack and will randomly start singing it for no reason to this day. There's a chance it was cemented in my memory from the dozens of attempts at recording it from my TV to a cassette tape, but who's to say.
I’ve had the vhs tape. I would rewatch this a ton of times and get terrified with the family swim nightmare 🥲 HOWEVER! Once upon a December is one of the best songs from this movie 🔥🙌🏼 the serotonin increases, every time I hear someone watches this movie for their first view 🥹 I’m so enthusiastic, whenever I hear no one has seen this! Yall made an awesome choice watching this 😎 there’s a big smile on my face this morning 🤪
For those of us that grew up through the 80s and 90s, this movie was JUST AS GOOD AND MEMORABLE as any other Disney movie of the time. Heck, at that age, most of us thought it was Disney for the longest time. Not only does it have one of the greatest villain songs of any animated feature, but the music pops into my brain at least once a week in some capacity. The song “If I can learn to do it,” is one of the handful of songs I use to keep pace while running. 🏃
She hit her head on the concrete in that train scene you guyyyssssssssss. Also trauma repressed memories. But at least here in Brazil, Anastacia is SUPER popular. It used to air on TV every Christmas.
But guys I gotta say, felt like you weren't really paying attention to the movie. Don't know if you talked over it or not, but the movie was giving all the information and explaining everything, so it was a little frustrating to watch you asking questions about a scene you JUST watched. :(
But another fox movie (same character designer too) is called Titan A.E, I'm not sure if it aged well but I liked it when I was a kid.
Yessss!! I thought so too.. they spent more time comparing it to Disney movies and missed out on information provided. Like when Anya said she doesn't remember anything from before she was 8 and then a few seconds later they were discussing saying she was 13 when she got left behind.. I facepalmed so hard!😂🤦🏽♀️
@@nmf831 and for a segment called musical Monday I just thought they were gonna be more focused on the songs too.
OMG yesss!! Thank you for this comment. This is by far the WORST reaction video I've seen.. which says a lot. Lol
@@besupaaa yeaah!! I started with all the joy of rewatching this beautiful movie with them and enjoying the songs ...sad that they were distracted by too many other things... *Sigh*
They didn’t realize they said Dimitri’s name in the beginning either and were like omg is that him. Like guys they said his name at the beginning 😂
She hit her head when she fell trying to get on the train
Anastasia- I was found wandering around when I was eight
“I think she was 13 when it first happened so she must be 23 now”
Excuse me, sir ?
The popular Broadway musical version, done years later, removes Rasputin and magic and makes it entirely a human historical story and it works fine. I think both versions are suited to their medium. Broadway is more adult, cartoons are more fantastic.
I love the Broadway show!
The Romanov House were the rulers of imperial Russia from 1613-1917. This powerful house ended with Nicholas II (Tsar of Russia) and his family, Alexandra Feodorovna (his wife), Their 4 daughters: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and son, Alexei.
As I'm sure many people have talked about how people really did believe that Anastasia survived. The reason for this belief was because when the soldiers were ordered to get rid of the bodies, they separated Alexei (Anastasia's brother) and one of the sisters (Now assumed to have been Maria) only about 50 ft away from where they buried the rest of the family, this was done to confuse anyone who might have found the other bodies. They orginally were all dumped in a mine shaft but then retrieved to be covered in acid and burned (So that they couldn't be identified) And buried in a different location. Other things were also believed to have been done to their bodies. However, Alexei's remains were discovered along with one of the sisters, they assumed to be Maria, they were discovered in 2007. They believe that because the body of the girl was probably Maria's body, they figured that Anastasia was actually buried with the rest of her family. Before the final 2 bodies were found many people tried to pretend to be Anastasia and alexei.
However, sadly the story of the Romanov's was very brutal, and very likely to leave no survivors. The soldiers that carried out the assassination, shot each other during the act because of how crazy they were going, they were just shooting, not caring where the bullets flew as long as they hit someone. Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, their five children Olga (22), Tatiana (21), Maria (19), Anastasia (17), and Alexei (13), along with 4 of their remaining and loyal servants were killed during the Romanovs assassination. Also with the family were 3 dogs, Ortipo, a French bulldog, belonging to Tatiana, Jimmy/Jemmy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, belonging to Anastasia, and Joy, a King Charles spaniel, belonging to Alexei. Two of the dogs were killed because of their howling but Joy survived because he wasn't making any noise. Yes, Nicholas II was not a good ruler, but his children did not deserve to die especially as brutally as they did, for his actions.
Edit: Nicholas II abdicated in 1917, the family was killed in 1918
I used to watch this movie so much as a kid. Such an underrated film.
Fun fact: Tara Lipinski won the gold medal in figure skating at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano with her routine to Journey To The Past. She was also the youngest to ever win individual gold.
i was born in 97 and this was one of my fav childhood animated movies! “once upon a december” is such a nostalgic tear jerker
I don't understand how yall do this for a living, yall do NOT watch movies well... Dmitri is "revealed" as the kitchen boy literally in the first scenes, his whole name and position - there's no reason yall spent most of the movie trying to "prove" that was him. Or Anya's age or how she lost her memories or whether she even had a brother or THAT HER WHOLE FAMILY WAS MURDERED BY THE VILLAIN'S CURSE IN THE FIRST FEW SCENES like wow, watch the movie maybe?
**Sees beginning of how she fell trying to catch the train and passed out meaning she knocked her head**
Anastasia: I was found wandering around when I was eight years old
Them: she wasn’t that young? Did she hit her head, idk?
Also them: I have to imagine she was like 13
Me: reactors really just let info whoosh right past them 😂
Aw... I've seen much better reaction channels out there 😂 There are many who actually make an effort to pay attention to the story.
I don’t know why, but it still hurts my heart to know Don Bluth went through all of that shit with Disney just to have one of his best movies be called “a Disney movie” 😭
You’re correct, the voice actor for Anastasia is Meg Ryan
Anastasia is such a criminally underrated gem by Don Bluth. 💎 Hank Azaria as Bartok was great. A far cry from the brutality of the true life events.
The soundtrack was certified Gold. It was a pretty good hit. I bought it the day it hit Sam Goody. “Once Upon A December” was probably the biggest hit and then “A Journey To The Past.”
What's your all-time FAVORITE Hand-Drawn / 2-D Animated Movie??
Most 90s Disney Movies
Paprika (Japanese animation)
Land Before Time 😊
The Last Unicorn
@@Ziong-s5mIt’s not
I've seen another reactor say the same thing about not having Rasputin's relationship to the Romanov's explained and it throws me, we were taught that in school, we didn't need it to be explained when it came out. They were historical figures and this was a fairy tale told around the myths and mysteries surrounding them.
This film was Disney's competition and at the time it, and Don Bluth's other movies were huge, I find it very sad that they're now owned by Disney.
Unfortunately not everyone gets taught Russian history in school, especially in depth.
The style of art in the Paris scene is Impressionism, made popular by French artists like Monet, Manet, Renoir, Seurat, etc. The art and animation in this movie is gorgeous too.
Edit: also most of the film was rotoscoped (animation traced from footage of an actor filming the scene on film), which was a common way of animating movies back in the day like Cinderella. Probably another reason it felt like it had Cinderella vibes. A lot of the things mentioned were pretty common tropes through many animated films though, not like ideas were being stolen from other movies.
I never understood why you guys dont pause the film to look up the voice actors name instead of repeatedly asking and guessing while the film is playing. You miss moments that way. And the young boy wasnt the brother. He was a servants child, hence why hes seen eating an apple and dressed in servants clothing. 😂😂
It hurts my soul that you didn't know Anastasia was real. And the history of it all. American education system is laughably bad
Because they didn’t teach us about a random Russian royal family? 🤨
Random? 🤣 Thank you for proving my point 🙌
@@karmarmaleficent4594 there are way more important things to learn about history than this family. They taught us those things. Good thing about life is you can go research things if you’re interested in them and this movie probably intrigued a lot of people who hadn’t heard of these royals before. No matter how inaccurate the whole story is..still interesting but in no way vital information to have to live your life. To pretend otherwise is silly.
They briefly touch on it in World War 1 history units but it's not really something regarded as essential for learning.
Do not blame the American educational system because I definitely learned it in middle school during the 90s.
She bumped her head HARD falling off the train. That’s why she has amnesia.
-and she was 8 years old. She tells Dimitri she was found wandering around when she was 8 and can’t remember much of anything before that. Hence ten years later, she is now 18.
MURDER SHE WROTE was the Angela Lansbury show.
This movie is so stacked with the voice cast. Angela Lansbury, Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammar, Christopher Lloyd, Bernadette Peters, a young Kiersten Dunst and Hank Azaria. Also all the songs!! I saw this movie opening night. One of my favorite movies.
I love that the casting people were talking to Kelsey Grammer and were like don't worry we'll find someone to do your singing parts and he was like ok...but you know I got my start singing on the stage right? Like I can do it... And they were like oh shit we totally forgot yeah let's do that instead.
I love how you guys missed every plot exposition
😊 hey that’s Angela Lansbury doing the intro to the movie. I totally did not realize she was in it.
22:01 this movie takes place in what could be assumed is 1920s-1930s Russia (which at that point was the Soviet Union). The beginning of the movie is when Anastasia was young, so it’s basically fact that it was Imperial Russia and then the revolution happens, hence why the grandmother tries to flee with Anastasia.
This movie was piggybacking off of the mystery of the lost duchess, Anastasia. Science wasn’t all that too advanced, especially forensic science. And since the Romanov’s were all killed and buried in a shared grave, it was hard to tell if Anastasia and the young prince (I believe his name was Nikolai) survived. The theory went Anastasia and Nikolai hid gems in their corset/vest to deflect bullets shot by the then Soviet troops. Then escaped under the cover of night to America. This has since been proven as just a story, as forensic science was able to prove Nikolai was buried with the family. I believe recently, Anastasia’s DNA was also confirmed.
Back in the 90s, the fall of the Soviet Union prompted a lot of conspiracy regarding the royals. Anastasia’s “missing bones” made for a lot of tall tales, hence this movie. It was kinda disappointing to discover she passed with her family, I really hoped she had escaped
also I know there’s a lot of comparisons to the classic disney movies (there’s certain tropes for children’s movies everywhere for sure, the animal sidekick, etc) but I feel like choosing this story and doing this take on it is so original!!
It's hilarious to me that you said no family members died when Anastasia lost her parents AND all her siblings😆😆And they show up to haunt her a few times. The dream obviously. But also, when she first goes to the palace and all those ghostly memory people are dancing around her, the girls who come up to her and put that necklace on her before her clothes turn into that gown, those are her sisters. The man who approaches her at the end of the song, that's her father. It's weird that her mom never made an appearance, though. I didn't notice that for a long time, but even her brother makes an appearance (the kid who led her to the cliff in her dream), so why not her mom?
the domino effect of me watching this movie as a kid to me now studying history in college. this movie helped to change my life!
Back then, the Soviets had just gained power from killing the Romanovs. The family was brutally murdered in a room under the palace(or something) but they couldn't find Anastasia's body. That's how the rumor of her survival started.
I know you see similarities to some of the Disney movies, but I think much of the basic story of this comes from a much earlier live action film (1956) about this same story with Yul Brynner as the Dimitri character and Ingrid Bergman as Anastasia, just without the Rasputin revenge story. I don't think I've seen the whole story, but I caught the last half of it on the TV once.
Others may have mentioned this too, but it's become a major Broadway musical now, but again without the inclusion of the Rasputin revenge story.
Also fun fact Lacey Chabert (Gretchen Weiner from 'Mean Girls) was the singing voice for the young Anastasia. And the singing voice for Rasputin is Jim Cummings (current voice of Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, and sang quite a bit for Scar in the animated version of the Lion King) The cast really is incredible.
Edit: just went and watched the 1956 film more fully and I think it's not exactly the same story, but there are some of the same story beats along with other elements of the history of the Romanovs connection with Rasputin. But put into a format that works better for a children's story.
I'm SO happy you guys are reacting to this! This movie is my childhood, couldn't tell you how many times I've watched Anastasia 😊❤
he uh.. he cursed the entire family and they got slaughtered because of that. also i think they kind of expect you to link rasputin to the real one and have a preconceived notion of how creepy the whole story with him was
Coming from a Anastasia super fan who was also a disney fan it stands up and is better than alot of disney in my oppinion. Also this was a 20th century fox film originally .
I'm sad you both didn't get the shivers and the first time experience so many of us had.
This movie made a lot of success in some countries of latin-america because one of the most popular singers in Mexico at the time, Thalia, did the soundtrack in spanish for "Journey to the Past", she performed her version in television shows, including one here in Brazil (where i'm from) and I think because of her being so famous around here, people went to see the movie and then we would rent it in blockbusters and all that, so it became a classic for us.
I grew up on this movie! I was obsessed,so obsessed that I had the song "Life is a Road" playing, at our wedding, during the candle lighting ceremony, as a slide show of my hubby and me the years before we knew each other, to the times we were friends, to the times we started dating.
Then just 2 years ago my hubby took me to see the Broadway musical of Anastasia when it came to New Orleans!
Such a great experience❤😊❤
This movie will always be special to me!
When this movie was made, the Romanov family skeletons had been dug up missing 2: a girl and the boy. Not long, a woman in a hospital said she was the missing Anastasia and thus this movie was created. Years after, the bones of Anastasia and her brother was found 😢 in a different hole.
Rasputin was made the villain due to his mystery and personality but he helped heal the family in a weird way and because he had influence with the family, those close to the royals tried assassinating him many times.
The Anna Anderson story. That was the inspiration for the 1956 Anastasia movie.
Rasputin indeed is a mysterious character that has fascinated historians and people over time. And it's very likely he wasn't exactly a positive figure.
Rasputin first came into the picture because he was a popular "wise man" and "healer" who had performed some apparent miracles for different aristocrat and peasant families (although he was also famous for using these "powers" to get in the beds of many aristocrat and peasant ladies that seeked his help). Alexandra, queen of Russia, decided to try Rasputin's help anyway due to the constant painful side effects of Alexei's hemophilia (Alexei was Anastasia's younger brother and heir to the throne). It's still debated how, but it seems Rasputin really helped Alexei with his bleedings and pains; making Alexandra trust him and back him up almost in everything.
This led to several people around the family to believe (or spread the rumors) that Rasputin was Alexandra's lover and he was the one taking several political choices, not Nikolas (who was inclined to follow his wife's advice a bit too much, according to gossips of the time).
The gossip got even worse, as the popularity of the Romanov's declined thanks to many impopular choices (like entering World War I, hosting balls while the country suffered a famine and trying to ban vodka nation wide): nannies of the duchesses apparently indicated to trusted friends Zarina Alexandra allowed Rasputin to freely enter in the rooms of the duchesses at any time, almost at any moment.
The film portrays a rift between the Romanov family and Rasputin, but in reality they stayed loyal to its figure until the end: even after his murder, they payed for his funeral and burial. The curse the film uses at the start of the film comes from folklore: Rasputin, apparently, had predicted that if any aristocrat killed him, the Romanov family would be dead within a year; if he really said that as a protective measure (considering the Romanovs were already in his power) or it was later added to the legend, that's unknown.
I miss this movie.I also miss Aaliyah's rendition of "Journey to the past". RIP!
Good job recognizing the voices! 😄 This movie is one of my favs, brings back so much nostalgia for me haha
This was my favorite movie growing up.
I listen to a lot of it on repeat. Once Upon a December, is easily my favorite.
Little bummed that you got so wrapped up in other movie trivia, that you lost what you were watching.
Am glad you have one of my favorites a watch. Hope you take another look without a camera some time, cuz i suspect it will grow on you over time.
I can tell they don’t read the comments cause reactors on this channel always miss simple main plot points somehow lol it’s almost funny
Looking at these comments makes me weary. This was my favorite movie growing up. I don't think I want them hating on it. Pass.
Um, Anastasia WAS a huge hit, thank you. 150 mil on a 50 mil budget. Just because it hasnt been on your radar doesn’t mean it was a failure. Most of us Gen X’rs who have every Disney movie known to man also have a much loved Don Bluth collection too.
Don Bluth made a string of hit animated movies you may not have heard of. The Secret of Nimh, An American Tale, The Land Before Time and one of my personal faves Titan A.E. (Not a big hit but I loved it and it has a huge following) .
Interestingly, another non-Disney animated blockbuster was released the same year as Anastasia. It failed spectacularly and strangely. Cats Dont Dance had a voice cast that included Scott Bakula, Kathy Najimy, John Rhys-Davies, it was the last film Gene Kelly was involved with and had an animation style that was as fantastic as any Disney film. Critics loved it as did audiences who saw it. It may have been a casualty of Hercules and Flubber.
How did I never realize this? The Land Before Time series were my early childhood favorites right next to Anastasia and Brother Bear!
Land before time will always have place In. My heart
Yes. They sometime come across as uncultured ppl lol
Cats don't dance is incredible!!! It and Anastasia were my absolute favorites growing up, it's incredible it isn't more well known and appreciated. Especially with how well it depicts a problem that is, honestly, still a problem to this day.
I used to love Land Before Time and Titan AE.
such an underrated classic. love this movie!
Ikr ? Loved it since i was a kid
I remember seeing this movie in theaters (I was 6) and I went with a friend of the family. I distinctly remember when I got home I told my mom I wanted this movie. Which I have on VHS but I cannot currently watch it. For the longest time I thought this was a Disney movie because, as a kid, I thought every animated movie was a Disney movie. But no, its not. It has some of my favorite songs. Once Upon a December, always hits me in the heart. The animation is just so pretty. I really hope you two enjoy it.
The dark of the night is one of the top villain songs
Ironically, the singing voice for Rasputin is Jim Cummings... That banger of a villain song was sung by Winnie the Pooh 😂
pretty sure you would have liked it more if you actually paid attention since you missed so many basic facts...
OMG I haven't seen Anastasia in 25 years. When I heard her mom and grandma sing Once upon a December in the beginning it all came back to me 🥹🥹🥹
OMG YES! Literally one of all time fave animated childhood movies! So criminally underrated 🙌🏼🙌🏼
😊 in my humble opinion, two of the great animated artist of the 20th century are Don Bluth and Ralph Bakshi. I grew up watching their beauty and artistry and still to this day being a tired old man and makes me feel like a little kid again when I see their stuff😊
its so funny hearing them say "the villain really hasnt been a part of this whole story".... HES TRIED TO KILL HER THREE TIMES ALREADY lol, "all they did so far was the butterflies" they literally caused an entire train to crash in an attempt to murder her 😭😭 and then they tried to trick her into drowning herself
This is one of my favourite ever animated movies. I still have some of the songs in my happy playlist!!
So happy you guys are reacting to this. LOVED this movie since i was a kid and helped pique my interest in russsia as well as Rasputin and etc.
Also lol for years i swore Anastasia was a Disney princess not knowing her movie as well as other beloved Don Bluth films was seperate.
I totally think that this movie was more popular in Europe/outside of the US. This was such a huge part of my childhood & I grew up with this alongside Disney movies. It definitely wasn't as popular as the Disney movies but I think it's largely due to the fact that Disney has been soooo huge for such a long time.
Anastasia is not a disney movie, Tara. It's 20th Century Fox. It's commonly mistaken as a Disney movie though.
They said that like 3 minutes after she mentioned it
It’s very muddled now since Disney bought Fox so many won’t care about the distinction.
But yeah it wasn’t Disney made for all the good and bad that comes from that.
A lot of the good prob would not have been okayed under Michael Eisner but some of the stuff that fails might have been fixed by the Disney process.
@@Orquis I realized that. I had commented this during the second she said it.
This movie is a classic and Aaliyah sang the end credit and her version and attachment to the movie was heavily advertised. The biggesy critique of the movie was that it was too scary for younger audiences but Disney had been killing mothers in every movie 90s kids just saw cartoons 😂
I kind of wish they didn't just keep trying to compare this to other Disney movies the whole time… got kind of annoying
Omg, I've never realized how much Chris Pine and John Cusack sound alike until you mentioned it...but you're 100% right!!!
SO underrated!! so happy you’re watching this, absolutely a childhood favorite for me. i was terrified of rasputin, his villain song haunted me😂
Impressive How Much of the movie they talked over & missed trying to compare it to Old Disney movies😮. Wild
Anastasia was a nostalgic 90s movie for me 🙈 I had an Anastasia Barbie and I loved her and her yellow and blue dress
Also don’t want iron giant unless you wanna cry
I LOVED this movie growing up! I was totally obsessed with the love story and Anastasia's personality. The general "surprise you're a princess" story got me mostly because of how tragic her story was and the feeling of not belonging. My crush on John Cusack started here and I had NO IDEA it was him until I was much older.
Anastasia was not originally a Disney movie. In the 90s, Disney was at the peak of success starting with the Little Mermaid and continuing with hit after hit. Because of this, other film companies were creating their own full length animated films to desperately compete with Disney’s success (even though they couldn’t). Anastasia was one of those films created by Fox. This is why you’ll see a lot of similarities to the movies Disney was coming out with at the time. Disney was such savage they were even re-releasing their animated films at the same time other companies released theirs.
Other underrated Non-Disney animated films from the 90s included Thumbelina, The Swan Princess, Quest for Camelot, Cats don’t Dance, the Iron Giant and others.
thank you SO MUCH for reacting to this. i watched this so many times when I was kid, that I still sing Once Upon a December sometimes now (i'm in my 30s lol) it's such a lovely movie. and the songs are so memorable
not them thinking Dimitri was her brother :/
i love you guys and i love this film, but the constant comparisons to disney movies got a little frustrating to watch :/
It's so weird to hear this called a Disney movie now as it was always emphasized as the best non-Disney princess movie growing up. Also loved Bartok the Magnificent which is kind of its own story but worth a watch. ❤