Part 1 of 5.
The Making Of Anastasia.
Anastasia is an Academy Award nominated American animated feature musical film produced and directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman at Fox Animation Studios, and was released on November 14, 1997 by 20th Century Fox.
The idea for the film originates from Fox's 1956 live-action film version of the same name. Executives at Fox gave Bluth and Goldman the choice of creating an animated adaptation of either the 1956 film or the original play by Marcelle Maurette.
The film opened in New York City on November 14, 1997 and across the world from November 21, 1997 (US release) to September 5, 1998 (Japanese release). It debuted and peaked at number two at the North American box office and grossed over US$58,403,0 dollars; the worldwide gross totalled $139,801,0, making it Don Bluth's highest grossing film to date. Noted film critic Roger Ebert gave it 3 1/2 out of 4 stars calling it ".entertaining and sometimes exciting." The movie also currently stands with a 90% "fresh" rating at Rottentomatoes.com.
Due to its success, Fox Home Entertainment created a direct-to-video spin-off movie called Bartok the Magnificent (19), featuring Rasputin's albino bat crony. It also starred Kelsey Grammer, who voiced Vladimir in Anastasia; in Bartok the Magnificent he voiced Zozi the Bear.
Anastasia is Don Bluth's first successful film since The Land Before Time and last after Titan A.E. failed. It also was the first for Fox after 3 previously release animated features failed: FernGully: The Last Rainforest, Once Upon a Forest, and The Pagemaster.