Anastasia (1997)

Set in 1916 Russia, an evil sorcerer (Christopher Lloyd) interrupts a ball and places a curse on the Romanov family. When the palace is under siege during the Russian Revolution, only the young Anastasia (Kirsten Dunst) and her Dowager Empress grandmother (Angela Lansbury) are able to escape but they become separated. 10 years later, the older Anastasia (now Meg Ryan) with no memory of who she is attempts to travel to Paris to find out. Directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman (THE SECRET OF NIMH), this animated musical is a historical fantasy with no attempt at placing the historical events in a realistic context. Thus the Russian mystic Rasputin is now an evil sorcerer casting spells. If you've no problem with taking an actual historical incident and turning it into a wholesome family animated musical, you should find much to enjoy here. The songs by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty are pretty good with one showstopper, the Oscar nominated Journey To The Past. I think the villainous Rasputin was a mistake and his presence is the weakest aspect of the movie. It would have worked just as well done straight without the supernatural elements. Still, it was a big hit and even spawned a hit stage musical. With John Cusack, Bernadette Peters, Kelsey Grammer and Hank Azaria.