Anastasia
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Movie Reviews of Anastasia
Movie Review: MYTHIC HOLLYWOOD FABLE - BEAUTIFUL STORYTELLING
Summary: 4 Stars
The 1956 version of ?Anastasia? is the rapturous fairytale that attempts to answer the question surrounding the mystery of what became of the youngest daughter belonging to Tsar Nicholas II, the last Imperial ruler of Russia. Arthur Lawrence happily distances his screenplay from anything even remotely associated with the tragic historical record to focus instead on a troupe of militant loyalist exiles wallowing in their pasts in Paris. Ingrid Bergman stars as the mysterious woman with no past who is plucked from obscurity by con man, General Bounine (Yul Brynner). Bounine wants to get his hands on Anastasia?s ten million dollar inheritance. Engaging two former masters from Russia?s imperial court, the conniving Chernov (Akim Tamaroff) and the nervous Petrovan (Sasha Pitoeff) Bounine begins to educate his find in a crash course of social graces and royal protocol. However, somewhere between the lesson and the past, the prot?g? begins to recall places and people that she hasn?t been taught about, leaving Bounine with more curiosity and questions than ever before. Can it be that the woman with no past is in fact the actual heir to the Russian throne? Helen Hayes costars as the impeccable Dowager Empress. Her initial reaction to Bounine is one of bitter disdain. But when the woman being groomed as Anastasia suddenly recalls for the Empress a memory that no one but she could have known, the Dowager?s heart melts and she accepts the woman as her grand daughter. As a mere supporting player, Martita Hunt, as the Baroness Von Livenbaum, is a genuine scene stealer. This is a film of immense emotional undercurrents made all the more poignant by a stellar cast of performers. Fox DVD has done a very nice job remastering this film for DVD. Previous editions on laserdisc and VHS had been plagued by orangy flesh tones and excessive amounts of film grain. This DVD corrects and properly balances the colors. Though at times flesh tones can appear a little on the pasty side, over all the color, black levels and fine detail are impeccably rendered. A slight amount of edge enhancement and some very minute aliasing crops up in a few scenes but nothing that will distract. The audio is a 4.0 remastering effort that brings back the early grandeur of Cinemascope stereophonic recording to its original glory.
Extras include a Biography Special on the real Anastasia, a Movie-tones trailer, a restoration comparison and the film's original theatrical trailer - plus an insightful audio commentary running throughout the film's presentation.
This is a handsomely mounted production that really lives up to its subject matter. What became of the real Anastasia remains secret to this day. The film, rather than offer closure, presents more questions than answers - a fitting end to one of the 20th century's most tragic and compelling vanishing acts.
Movie Review: The Royal Pretender
Summary: 4 Stars
"Anastasia," with its Oscar winning performance by Ingrid Bergman, and lavish, meticulous direction by Anatole Litvak, is a wonder to look at, but is ruined in this DVD release by an abysmal sound transfer. It is so poor, that the only way to watch it is with subtitles. The film is loosely based on the true story of eccentric amnesiac Anna Anderson, and the play by Marcelle Maurette, and it recounts in mythical fashion how this royal pretender was thought by some to be the survivor of the massacre of the Romanov family by the Soviets in 1918.
The story begins in 1928, with General Sergei Bounine, who escaped the Russian revolution and opened a restaurant in Paris. He finds Anna, and transforms her into the princess, rather in the manner of Henry and Eliza in "Pygmalion," in order to convince the Romanov family scattered throughout Europe that Anna is their long lost beloved Anastasia, and consequently to inherit the money left in the Bank of England.
Yul Brynner is brilliant as Bounine, a part that gives his swaggering screen presence and natural elegance full range to shine. Brynner was also to receive an Oscar in 1956, not for this film, but for "The King and I." Also marvelous is Helen Hayes as the Dowager Empress Maria, who in a moving scene is brought to believe that Anna is truly Anastasia. Others of note in the cast include Akim Tamiroff and Martita Hunt. The Alfred Newman score has a theme that stays with you days after viewing the film, and the cinematography by Jack Hildyard is a visual treat.
The DVD extras are excellent, and include commentary by film historian Sylvia Stoddard, Arthur Laurents, who wrote the screenplay, Helen Hayes' son, actor James MacArthur, and writer Jon Burlingame. Most interesting is the A&E Biography of Anna and Anastasia, with remarkable archival footage. The DVD should be re-released with improved sound, because it is unacceptable as is, and it is a pity such a lovely film has been marred by an unintelligible voice track (which incidentally, sounds fine in the portions with the commentary that one can hear).
Movie Review: RESTORATION AND EXTRAS MAKE IT GREAT..ER!!!!
Summary: 4 Stars
It's already a great movie but the extras make it greater! Either before viewing or after watching the movie you have the chance to see the Biography channels story on the real Anastasia. I believe this gave me so much more satisfaction because I was able to learn and also to compare it to the fictional story that the movie was. I wont even waste space describing the actors performances except to say ..Magnificant!!!!Movie Review: classic Bergman
Summary: 4 Stars
Bergman is excellent as the tragic Russian figure in the "urban legend" of a surviving princess. The recording quality in the beginning of the DVD is out of balance. The musical score overwhelms the voices but eventually that is corrected. Definitely a popular addition to my collection.Movie Review: anastasia
Summary: 4 Stars
the dvd is a 3 star movie with 5 star special feautures.the special feautures has 44 minuet a&e doctomentary on Anastasia.annd more and the movie is good too. it is wort a rental not a purchase unless you are a die hard anastasia fan.