‘Anastasia’ entertaining> Film echoes Disney

“Anastasia”

An animated film produced and directed by Don Bluth. Written by Bruce Graham, Bob Tzudkier, Noni White and Susan Gauthier. Running time: 94 minutes. Rated G. Currently playing at Hoyt’s Cinema, Bangor.

Throw away your history book — 20th Century Fox’s first animated feature to be pitted against the powers at Disney is based so loosely on the legend of Anastasia, you’d think we were dealing with caricatures of the Romanov family — which of course we are.

To expect anything more from this film would be a mistake. “Anastasia” is good, careful entertainment that succeeds on almost every level. Gorgeously animated and at times genuinely gripping, it proves itself an excellent student of Walt Disney by being nothing less than what we have come to expect from that studio: a gaudy, romantic musical ripe with overblown adventure, cute sidekicks, and moments of true evil.

In all of its 94 minutes, “Anastasia” takes only one significant risk: It is a musical about the Russian Revolution, which, you can imagine, might seem a bit heavy-handed for its intended audience. Wisely, director Bluth (who worked on Disney’s “The Land Before Time” and on Spielberg’s “An American Tail”) dispenses with the revolution within 10 minutes — but not before using it to propel his film forward.

Opening in 1916 with a young Anastasia Romanov (Kirsten Dunst) dancing at a lively ball with her parents and grandmother, the Dowager Empress Marie (Angela Lansbury), evil quickly descends in the form of Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd), a rotting, maniacal magician who puts a curse on the Romanovs that is so powerful, it causes a revloution that separates Anastasia from her family and ultimately leaves her an orphan.

A decade later, Anastasia (now voiced by Meg Ryan) has no memory of her royal past and leaves the “Peoples Orphanage” to set off on her own. Almost immediately, she falls in the clutches of two likeable con men — handsome Dimitri (John Cusack) and bumbling Vladimir (Kelsey Grammer), both of whom worked for the Romanovs and have since crafted a simple scheme: fool the Dowager Empress into believing they have found her beloved granddaughter, and they will split a large reward.

Ironically — and unwittingly — the men have stumbled upon the Empress’ real granddaughter, but they will have a difficult time in bringing her safely home as Rasputin rises from the dead to make certain their efforts fail.

“Anastasia” may suffer from a rushed beginning and from songs that fall short of being memorable, but the film is great fun nonetheless and matches anyhing Disney has done with animation.

Still, where will studios go from here? With “Pocahontas,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” and “Hercules” already in the can, is Fox starting a new trend with “Anastasia”? If they are, and animated legends are now to be plucked from the world of politics, Seymour Hersh’s “Jack & Jackie, OH!” can’t be far behind.

Grade: B plus

Video of the Week “Breakdown”

Directed by Jonathan Mostow. Written by Mostow and Sam Montgomery. Running time: 96 minutes. Rated R (for language and violence).

When “Breakdown” hit theaters earlier this year, it was being sold as a thriller that “could happen to you.” Let’s hope that isn’t true.

The film follows Jeff and Amy Taylor (Kurt Russell and Kathleen Quinlan), a husband and wife who have left Massachusetts for new jobs in California. But when they reach the deserts of the Southwest, things go terribly wrong — they nearly smash into a pickup truck driven by a gun-wielding maniac, their Jeep breaks down, and suddenly they find themselves victimized by a group of rednecks who will do anything to get their hands on the Taylors’ money.

This tense and unforgettable thriller will remind some of George Sluizer’s 1988 French-Dutch film, “The Vanishing,” and others of Stephen Spielberg’s first film, “Duel,” but to reveal more of its plot is unthinkable: The film’s suspense depends on its audience knowing as little about its premise as possible. Don’t read the video jacket, but do rent the film.

Grade: B plus

Christopher Smith, a writer and critic who lives in Brewer, reviews films each Monday in the NEWS.