A story
Story
Now, story is a bit difficult because the film was made when the Anastasia legend was still around as a source of mystery and intrigue for people. So what did Don Bluth decide to do with a politically complex tale about a royal family who wasn't really well liked despite their horrendous execution and arguably worse political aftermath for Russia? Turn it into part Disney princess flick (because Disney Renaissance) and part My Fair Lady (which Don Bluth had to choose between doing an animated adaptation of with Anastasia). On paper, it sounds like a plan for disaster, but it oddly works. The writers know the urban legend is somewhat of a real life fairytale, so why not turn it into a full blown rags to riches fairytale devoid of history? What makes the plot engaging is how character driven it is, with not only the obligatory romance working well (even if it resorts to some 90s rom-com cliches), but also the relationships between the side characters and family. However, I do have a big criticism with the story: because it follows a formula similar to Disney, it ends up feeling a bit too paint by numbers. It's also a detriment because some of it ends up feeling inappropriate for the story it's trying to tell, with the biggest problems being the villain and comic relief sidekicks. I'll expand on this more when I look at the villains, but it can hurt the narrative when the main plot of Anya finding her family was fine on its own because it carries the emotional weight the film needs.
With recent history on its side, the show takes the basic concept of Dimitri and Vlad passing an amnesic Anya off as the Grand Duchess and taking her to Paris while the villain is out to kill her. However, there are two massive differences: the tone and villain. It instead takes a historical route by diving deep into the politics as Communist Russia wouldn't have been too kind to a royal still being alive. This immediately means the conflict fits seamlessly into the narrative compared to Rasputin's intrusive attempts to thwart Anya which stop the film's plot dead. However, it's still easy to follow because it focuses on the universal themes of identity and family, still meaning the characters are worth caring about. It blends its humour, emotion and suspense without feeling jarring, making it feel less formulaic than the film. However, the best element to the urban legend it's based on is the ending. It's aware that the show's events aren't what actually happened, but it understands why the Anastasia legend lasted for decades: it was a symbol of hope during a tragic event and for many, a real life fairytale. This honestly is why I consider the musical's story a bit better than the movie. I'm definitely not saying the film's story is bad, but the show's shift in tone makes it feel a bit less cliched and predictable, while the magical aspects feel more intrusive for the film. Point goes to the musical!
Winner: Musical
With Stephen Aherns and Lynn Flaherty composing both the film and musical's songs (which must've been a blessing for them given their disappointment at the fairytale shift for the film), their hauntingly beautiful tunes still remain close to many people's hearts. But can the musical's songs live up to them? This is Best Music/Songs!
Music/Songs
Now, this is also hard because the film and show feature the same composing team and songs, so this will mostly be about the show's musical numbers and whether or not they work well with the movie's. This is often a massive risk in screen to stage musicals because new songs are either written around the film's script and end up pointless (*coughs* Shrek, Legally Blonde, Ghost, Aladdin, Frozen *coughs*) or don't fit with the rest of the score (again, looking at you Shrek). The songs which are kept have seamless lyrical changes to fit the historically grounded tone (Rumour is St Petersburg probably does that the best) while remaining fun, engaging and emotional, even when switched around to better fit the narrative. The most notable switch would be Learn To Do It (taking full advantage of the My Fair Lady set-up with hilarious results) and Journey to the Past, now as the act one finale when Anya is at her most determined to discover her past when finally reaching Paris. The biggest omission is In The Dark of the Night for obvious reasons, but it's still weaved into the score through Stay I Pray You in one of the show's most emotional scenes as everyone prepares to leave Russia while knowing they can't return.
Thankfully, the new songs stand well with the film's. They can either be fun like We'll Go From There (God, that's been stuck in my head every time I've been on a train) and Land of Yesterday or reveal more about the characters like My Petersberg, In My Dreams (which admittedly got me teary eyed), The Neva Flows, Close The Door and In A Crowd of Thousands. However, the Quartet at the Swan Lake ballet is where the score is at its most creative, seamlessly shifting from Tchaikovsky's diagetic score with the non-diagetic Once Upon A December melody as the characters express their inner conflicts leading to the climax. The only songs I'd have to criticize in the show would probably be Cross the Bridge and Everything To Win as filler, but they're infinitely better than distracting. However,. I'd be lying if I didn't say that the musical's songs have more impact for me on top of the classics. Believe me when I say listening to the Broadway soundtrack while writing this long-winded post was the best motivator. Point goes to the musical!
Winner: Musical
No fairytale musical can do without a villain to sweeten the stakes. But who holds the biggest threat to Anastasia? The biggest change in adaptations, and the person who hinges on which version is better, this is the Best Villain!
Villain
Rasputin, voiced by the ever hammy Christopher Lloyd, is a sorcerer who wanted revenge on the Romanovs after Tsar Nicolas accused him of being a traitor...except that was true which means he's just unwilling to swallow his ego. Besides his admittedly creepy design and animation, I don't think there's much to him. The times he appears onscreen feel intrusive when the main plot of Anya finding her family was fine on its own, with the Russian government and Dimitri's con being enough conflict. This is especially noticeable because he's never mentioned by any of the other characters, so his influence feels more like an afterthought than a real threat. While the writers try to imply that he caused the revolution at the beginning, it still doesn't convince me that he's a lasting threat because later scenes also indicate the Communist rule have caused discord to Russia, and his minions are the ones who actually do his dirty work until the climax (not the best idea when he's easily defeated by an 18 year old woman stomping on his magic relic).
In the musical, we have officer Gleb (Max von Essen in the performance I watched who is definitely a worthy successor to Ramin Karimloo), who is actually a smart change in hindsight because a police officer pursuing Anastasia was the original plan for the film. While he seems like a copy of Javert from Les Miserables, I have to admit that I find his morally grey persona more interesting than Rasputin. His inner conflict of wanting to live up to his Bolshevik father's legacy while growing feelings for Anya can lead to moments where his intimidating persona breaks down in his attempts to comfort her due to the danger of posing as Anastasia could do to her and his cause. He feels more like a villain who believes the Bolshevik cause he follows will unite people despite the pain it's actually causing who call out on the hypocrisy surrounding it. Even if he's still running a turbulent communist Russia by the end, his redemption and compromise with Anya is ultimately what saves him from becoming a monster.
I think it's without a doubt that I prefer Gleb. Rapsutin just feels too weak and ineffective as a villain for me to have any impact. Oh, and any morally grey character previously played by Ramin Karimloo immediately wins in my books. Point goes to Gleb!
Winner: Musical
Possibly one of the memorable elements of the film is Don Bluth's signature animation. But can the musical live up to, or even exceed them? This is Best Visuals!
Visuals
Don Bluth's signature animation is possibly at its most stunning in Anastasia (and most likely why it's often confused for a Disney film). The vibrant colours and attention to detail in the backgrounds give Russia and Paris a whimsical edge while large in scale and historically accurate. The smooth rotoscoped character animation gives them a grounded edge while the characters have that signature Don Bluth look where they're more realistic looking while still being expressive. However, the musical numbers are where Bluth's animation shines, from the ghosts dancing around the ballroom in Once Upon a December to the shift into Van Gough painting backgrounds and overall 20's glitz of Paris Holds the Key to Your Heart. Other sequences help provide a mix of action and suspense like the whimsically macabre nightmare sequence and the battle at Pont Alexandre III (oh, that's why the musical uses it as a plot point!). While the CGI looks dated by today's standards and the squash and stretch on Rasputin can feel out of place compared to the more restrained human characters, the effort put into the animation is nothing short of incredible.
The musical on the other hand decides not to replicate the film, with a few exceptions in the costumes. Not only does this help create its own identity outside of the film, but it also provides a new experience for the audience. From the ghostly dancers projected around the theatre in Once Upon a December, the malevolent red lighting when the soldiers invade the palace and the train revolving with the video background, the transition from screen to stage is really impressive. The projected backgrounds give the show a cinematic quality. However, my biggest praise must be the costumes, capturing the opulence and elegance of the royal family, while subtly showing the oppressive post-revolution Russia and free spirited Paris in the colour pallette. The choreography also helps with this, especially during the aforementioned Swan Lake ballet metaphorically indicating Anya, Dmitry and Gleb's pseudo-love triangle during the quartet (and is honestly so beautiful to watch, that it would make an amazing Swan Lake production on its own). Seeing the changes made from the Hartford tryouts to Broadway prove that the production team are more than willing to give the material the grand scale and beauty it deserves, so I must commend them for their efforts. This is honestly such a difficult decision, but I'd be lying if I didn't say the film's magical visuals stick with me more. The efforts put into the musical are undoubtedly amazing, but when watching a stage performance is mostly a once in a lifetime experience (for God's sake, bring it to London!), the film you've probably seen many times is going to have more impact. Again, I want to avoid a tie in this post, so the point goes to the film by a margin.
Winner: Film
Both versions of Anastasia/ Anya (I'll just call her Anya for the next section as it's much quicker to say & that's what she's called for a majority of the show) remain the same: an amnesic women wishing to find their family through going to Paris and discovering they're the Grand Duchess Anastasia. But whose journey to the past is worth following more? This is the best Anastasia!
Anastasia
Meg Ryan and Liz Callaway's speaking and singing performances as Anya bring the sass and determination she needs to be engaging. What makes Anya a good role model is her independence and determination to discover her family, with nothing stopping her to reach that goal. Not Rapsutin's numerous murder attempts, Dimitri and Vlad's con, the Dowager Empress' cold heart, or even herself. And when she is one of the only princess characters to actively defeat the villain without any fear, you know she's a force not to be reckoned with. Seriously, for 1997, she was pretty cutting edge for animated heroines. I guess my only criticism with Anya is the times where she can feel too perfect (the Learn To Do It sequence, anyone?). What doesn't help this is the movie never shows or explains her time in the orphanage, leading question her capability to look after herself. However, these are admittedly nitpicks because Anya is still worth caring about, and her non-romantic goal is pretty relateable.
Because every stage actor's performance is going to be different, my opinion on the musical's version will be based on personality and development (even if Broadway Anastasia Christy Altomore is still in the show as of 2018 and was in the performance I watched, who is perfection). Anya still has the same spunk and sass from the film, but the show expands on something which the film briefly acknowledges: her PTSD from her family's execution. This adds a complexity to Anya as despite her optimism to find her family, these flashes throw her off to almost deadly consequences. The show also gives us moments where she gets overwhelmed while learning decades of information about her family gives her a vulnerability unlike her film counterpart where she picked everything up almost immediately. Further helping this is the fact she remembers her identity before meeting the Dowager Empress, which adds to her determination when the time finally comes. Her decision to remain in hiding with Dmitry feels less like abandoning her family for a man, but keeping them safe from the potential dangers and pressures in a turbulent Russia.
It goes down to devlopment and for me. While both versions mostly remain the same , the musical's version of Anya feels like she's evolving, partly thanks to the psychological issues the film mostly ignores. Point goes to the musical!
Winner: Musical
Overall winner: Musical
I like both versions in their own rights, rather it be the fantastical elements of the film or the musical's more serious set-up but still mystical aspects. While it may be too Disney-esque at point, there's clearly a reason why the film's gained a cult classic over the years. Whether you can afford a ticket on your next trip to New York or need to sneakily find a bootleg online (which I admittedly did with the Hartford tryout before seeing it on Broadway), I recommend you check the musical out if you love the film. Or just wait until the US tour and German and Spanish productions are in your area, and hopefully a London production!
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