Anastasia is a Dingo Pictures movie that was released in 1998.
Summary[]
Ascha, a little girl, is standing confused in front of the destroyed Czar palace in Russia. None the Czar-Family seems to have survived. An old man has compassion on the little girl, who can remember nothing, not even her name. He decides to take Ascha with him to his home. Many years later, when Ascha has grown up to a pretty young girl, she meets Boris, a young, charming chiseler. At the first glance he recognizes Arischas necklace as part of the czar’s jewelries. And when he found out that Ascha was found in front of the Czars Palace, he immediately assumes that Ascha is the dead believed daughter of the Czar.
Plot[]
The movie opens on shots of the ground and a large palace. A horse-drawn carriage pulls up to the palace. Grand Duchess Olga prepares to leave the palace to go to Paris for the winter, while Vladimir, a palace assistant packs her belongings. The Czar appears to be relieved that Grand Duchess Olga is leaving for Paris. Anastasia laughs, and Grand Duchess Olga scolds her for doing so. Anastasia refers to Grand Duchess Olga "Granny," which leads Olga to scold her again.
Olga offers to take the Czar with her to Paris, but he refuses, as he believes the people of Moscow are planning to revolt against him. Olga tells the Czar he needs a trustworthy advisor and calls Rasputin, who is apparently the Czar's current advisor, a traitor. Rasputin laughs at this. The Czar comes to Rasputin's defense, calling him "faithful." This causes Anastasia to laugh again.
Olga calls for Vladimir. Vladimir presents Olga with a jewellery box. Olga calls Anastasia over to her, and presents Anastasia with a pendant to remember her by. Anastasia says she could not forget Olga without the pendant, to which the Czar responds by quipping that "none of us would." Vladimir laughs at this. Olga gets into the carriage outside and reminds Anastasia and the Czar of their responsibilities around the palace while riding away into the snow. The screen fades to black.
The palace fades back in, and the shot zooms in on one particular room. Inside, Vladimir, a round man, and a palace chef congregate. The round man is dismayed that the Czar did not go with his mother to Paris and calls Rasputin's authority into question. Vladimir complains about and mocks Grand Duchess Olga. The chef is amused by this. All three men discuss how privileged and wasteful the Czar is, and complain about how powerless and useless Rasputin is. Rasputin then enters the room. The round man scolds Rasputin for not getting rid of the Czar, to which Rasputin responds by telling him to wait a little bit and promises that tonight, they'll be rid of the Czar. The screen fades to black again.
A shot of Rasputin walking quietly around in the dark while holding a bomb fades in. He laughs to himself while still tiptoeing around with the bomb. He then throws the bomb off-screen. A close-up of the bomb rolling on the floor fills the screen, and the bomb then explodes. Rasputin laughs diabolically as the palace ignites. The screen fades to black for a third time, and a shot of the flaming palace wreckage quickly fades back in. The citizens of Moscow gawk at the flaming palace, and discuss the fate of the royal family. A tattered Anastasia emerges from the flaming wreckage, crying. No one in the crowd recognises Anastasia, assuming she must be a servant. Rasputin watches from the distance, and is angered Anastasia is still alive. A large man with a bushy moustache approaches Anastasia, and asks for her name, to which she responds that she doesn't know her name, or anything else for that matter. Rasputin is joyous that Anastasia can't remember who she is, and that no one recognises her. The large man offers to give Anastasia a place to stay, to which she agrees.
The shot cuts to Anastasia and the man on a horse-drawn carriage, Meanwhile, Rasputin approaches Vladimir, the chef, and the round man from earlier. The three men seem disappointed by Rasputin's presence. Rasputin announces that the Czar is dead, to which Vladimir replies that Rasputin blowing up the palace could have killed them all. The round man says they are finished with Rasputin. Rasputin replies that since he has disposed of the Czar, they must make sure he is elected as leader of Russia, as they apparently agreed upon at an earlier time. The round man says the people will elect who they like, and Vladimir once again scorns Rasputin for almost killing them. Rasputin says they will pay for deserting him.
The next morning, the large man asks Anastasia if she slept well. A dog approaches Anastasia, and begins sniffing her. Anastasia asks what the dog's name is. The large man tells her the dog's name is Sasha. Anastasia begins to cry once again, disheartened that she can't remember her own name. The man tells her not to cry, to which she replies that "everybody has a name, but [she doesn't] have one." She is disappointed that she doesn't know who she is. The man replies that she has probably lost her memory from the explosion. Anastasia panics, worried she may never get her memory back. Sasha begins barking. The man tells Anastasia that means Sasha would like her to stay in their home. Anastasia agrees to live with the man until she gets her memory back. The man agrees that Anastasia can stay in his home, but tells her she needs a name and asks her what name she wants. She asks him to call her Asha until she can remember her name. He agrees, and offers to make breakfast. Sasha begins running around joyously.
A screen with the text "6 Jahre später" (which translates to "6 years later") appears. Then it cuts to a shot of Rasputin walking in a snowy forest with a rat on his shoulder. Rasputin is furious that he has still not been elected leader of Russia. The rat suggests revolution. Rasputin calls the idea "rubbish," and mentions the previous revolution. The rat suggests a "new revolution." Rasputin then summons a witch named Babushka. Wolves begin running around as Babushka appears. Babushka knows about Rasputin's failure to be elected, and says he blew up the palace for nothing. Rasputin blames Babushka for telling him to do so. Babushka replies that the plan didn't work because Anastasia survived the explosion and advises Rasputin to kill Anastasia. Rasputin rejects the idea, as Anastasia will be hard to find after 6 years. Babushka says it's Rasputin's problem, and laughs maniacally while fading away. Rasputin growls while the rat giggles.
In a small Russian town, a missing poster for Anastasia is hanging on a post, while a group of citizens chatter. They discuss the reward Duchess Olga has offered for finding Anastasia. A young man comments that many fake granddaughters will be presented to Duchess Olga. A bearded man calls the young man that made the comment a thief and says he must be stopped. The young man is chagrined and begins running away. The bearded man is disappointed that the young man got away, and laments that the young man cheated him out of two thousand Rubles. The other citizens bemoan that the young man has cheated them out of large sums of money too. The young man continues running until he reaches Anastasia/Asha's house. Inside the house, Sasha sits in a chair and barks. The young man knocks on and opens the door. Asha's father answers and tells the young man he doesn't want to buy any products. The young man replies that he is not selling anything, and asks to take shelter in the house. Asha's father asks for the young man's name. The young man says his name is Boris Klovaki. Asha's father agrees to let Boris stay in the house overnight, but tells Boris to be quiet, as Anastasia/Asha is already sleeping. Sasha continues barking.
The next morning, Anastasia/Asha watches a bird perch on her hand, while Sasha sits beside her. Boris approaches her. Anastasia/Asha asks Boris how he slept. Sasha jumps on Boris and barks at him, at which, Anastasia/Asha laughs. Boris asks Anastasia/Asha to tie Sasha up. She teases Boris for being afraid of Sasha. Asha's father calls for her and tells her to make breakfast for Boris. Sasha barks. Anastasia/Asha asks Boris to play with Sasha. Her pendant falls off of her neck, unbeknownst to her. Boris agrees to play with Sasha, while secretly eyeing the pendant on the ground. While Anastasia/Asha and her father go inside, Boris picks the pendant up, causing Sasha to bark and growl angrily at him. Boris wonders how many Rubles he can sell it for. Sasha continues barking and growling. Boris yells at her to be quiet and contemplates ways to use the money he can get from selling the pendant. Anastasia/Asha comes back outside looking for her pendant. She asks Boris if he's seen it. He shoves it in his pocket and lies to her. Sasha begins barking angrily and jumping on Boris again. Anastasia/Asha asks Boris again if he's seen it. He lies again, telling her he hasn't seen it, and suddenly says he has to leave and runs away. Anastasia/Asha notices that something is amiss.
Boris returns to the town he came from and approaches two merchants. He lies to the merchants as well, telling them an old man gave him the pendant as a reward for chopping firewood for him. Boris asks how many Rubles he'll get for selling them the pendant. One of the merchants notes that the pendant resembles the one Duchess Olga gave Anastasia. The other begins grumbling angrily. Boris puts two and two together, coming to the conclusion that "Asha" is Anastasia. He begins running back to Anastasia/Asha's house. One of the merchants tries to offer Boris one hundred Rubles for the pendant, but Boris decides to go to Anastasia/Asha and turn her over to Duchess Olga in order to collect the reward money. The merchants argue, with one saying they could've collected the reward themselves with the pendant.
Boris eventually reaches the house, where Anastasia/Asha and Sasha are pacing around. Boris calls Anastasia/Asha's name. She is outraged at him for stealing the pendant and shouts insults at him. He lies to her again, saying that it had fallen into his boot and he didn't notice until he had gotten home. Asha's father is also outside, and calls Boris an "old vagabond." Boris demands that he is not a vagabond. Anastasia/Asha and Sasha start to walk away. Boris follows them and asks Asha where she got the pendant. She replies that she's always had it, Boris then tells her that it matches the one the Czar's daughter owned. Asha's father confirms Asha always had the pendant, ever since he found her at the palace. Boris asks Asha's "father" if he is really her father, to which he replies that she is now, but notes that he found her at the palace when it was blown up. Boris aska Asha about her real parents. Asha says she can't remember anything before the night the palace blew up. Boris concludes that Asha is really Anastasia, and shows her the newspaper about the pendant and its' connection to the royal family. Asha's father grabs the newspaper and begins pacing around next to Sasha. Boris reiterates that the pendants are identical, and the pendant was gifted by Duchess Olga to Anastasia, therefore Asha and Anastasia must be the same person. Asha is in disbelief, but her father calls her over and compares her to a photo of Anastasia, pointing out how similar they look. Boris says they must go to Paris to see Duchess Olga, but Asha refuses. Her father encourages her to go, saying that maybe meeting with Olga will bring back her memories, like she's always wanted. They all agree to make the trip to Paris (and to take Sasha with them.)
Back in the small town, Rasputin approaches the merchants to inquire about Boris and the pendant. One of the merchants confirms Boris has the pendant and has taken it to a girl. Rasputin asks who the girl is. The merchant tells Rasputin the girl's name is Asha, but says he knows nothing else about her, and that Boris has probably already whisked her off to Paris. Rasputin decides to get on a coarch and go to Paris too. Rasputin's rat jumps on the other merchant, The first merchant asks Rasputin for one hundred Rubles. Rasputin walks off grumbling angrily.
Boris, Anastasia, her father, and Sasha travel in a horse-drawn carriage. They travel to a land (presumably in the Austria-Hungary area) where it is already springtime. Meanwhile, Rasputin follows close behind them in his own carriage, harshly beating his horse to keep it moving. Anastasia asks if they can make a stop, to which her father agrees. Sasha runs around, their horse eats hay, Boris offers to make borscht, which Anastasia's father is hesitant about, doubting Boris' skill level. Anastasia takes Sasha for a walk. Nearby, Rasputin's horse gasps for breath, forcing Rasputin to make a stop. Rasputin's rat finds Sasha, causing Sasha to chase it all the way to Rasputin. Rasputin shouts insults at Sasha. Sasha backs away from Rasputin. Rasputin scolds his rat for running away. Anastasia castigates Rasputin for insulting Sasha. Rasputin begins insulting Anastasia too. Anastasia tells Sasha that they will go back to her father and Boris instead of staying and listening to Rasputin's insults. Rasputin notices that Anastasia mentioned Boris, which lets Rasputin know she's Anastasia.
Anastasia returns with Sasha, and finds her father and Boris sitting around a big pot. Her father says that the borscht smells delicious and begins to think a bit more highly of Boris. Sasha barks angrily. Anastasia tells her father about Rasputin insulting Sasha after she unwittingly chased his pet rat. Upon hearing the mention of a rat, Boris asks about the man's features. Anastasia confirms that the man fits Boris' descriptors. Boris concludes that it's none other than Rasputin, and wonders why Boris is looking for Anastasia. Anastasia's father mentions that Rasputin was suspected to have blown up the palace, and that it's been said Rasputin wants to kill Anastasia. Anastasia gasps and exclaims that she doesn't want Rasputin to kill her, and begs Boris to do something about it. Boris says that he has had a lot of practice at such things. He notes that Rasputin has pursued them all that time, and to protect Anastasia, they should instead pursue Rasputin. Anastasia's father is confused, Anastasia says that they will hide somewhere and wait for Rasputin to pass them. Boris says they can finally eat the borscht and then drive peacefully to Paris.
The group hides in the shrubbery, and watch Rasputin ride past them. Anastasia's father says they can eat now. Anastasia and Boris stand near each other while watching her father and Sasha finish their borscht. Rasputin rides all the way down to France, where he is stopped and persecuted by the French police. Anastasia and company reach France just minutes after Rasputin. Rasputin sees Anastasia, and pulls out a sword and waves it around in her direction. She cries out. The police grab Rasputin and confiscate his sword. They declare Rasputin a madman, and confirm they will lock him up so he can't hurt Anastasia again. Anastasia thanks them. Rasputin grumbles angrily.
Anastasia, her father, Boris, and Sasha continue driving through the streets of Paris while stereotypical French music plays in the background. Anastasia's father declares he never thought he'd go to Paris in his lifetime. Anastasia is stunned by how vast Paris is, and wonders how they will find the Grand Duchess. Boris wanders into a designer clothing store, thinking they'll surely know where the Grand Duchess is. Boris leaves the shop a few minutes later, and confirms that the Grand Duchess lives right around the corner. The group pulls up outside the Duchess' house in their carriage. They are greeted by a short man wearing spectacles. The short man asks if they are presenting a girl that is potentially Anastasia to the Duchess. Boris responds that this one is the real Anastasia, The short man asks for evidence. Anastasia's father says they will only present their evidence to the Duchess. The short man says that they will not be granted entry without presenting evidence first. Anastasia's father begins to get snippy with the short man. Anastasia stops him and presents the short man with the pendant the Grand Duchess gave her as a child. The short man scoffs and says it could be a forgery. Boris commands Sasha to attack the short man, and she bites his leg.
Anastasia and company enter the living room of the house. Duchess Olga is sitting on the sofa with a white cat. She calls them peasants and asks what they want. Anastasia's father tells her to be brave, and Boris encourages Anastasia to approach Olga. Anastasia presents Olga with the pendant. Olga recognises the pendant and prepares to embrace Anastasia. Rasputin suddenly enters the room. Olga exclaims in surprise, declaring that she was right about Rasputin being a traitor and yelling in French. Rasputin proclaims he made a mistake by not killing Anastasia all those years ago, and only when Anastasia dies can he become the Czar of Russia. Rasputin throws a bomb on the floor. Sasha pushes the bomb around with her nose. Anastasia yells at her to stop. Sasha rolls the bomb toward Rasputin, and it detonates, presumably killing him. Boris proclaims they were lucky. Anastasia becomes angry, saying that Sasha is dead, that Boris is a heartless man, and she can't believe Boris wanted to go to America with her. Sasha emerges, covered in soot. Anastasia's father asks about America. Boris says since the reward for finding Anastasia was so large, Boris and Anastasia will use the money to go to America. Olga claims they are crazy, but Anastasia's father agrees that they should go to America. Olga exclaims that Anastasia cannot just leave her again after they've finally been reunited. Boris hopes Olga doesn't want to go to America with them.
Anastasia, her father, Sasha, and Boris stand on the deck of a ship and look outward into the ocean. Olga calls her servant Dimitri (the short man from earlier) to have him make sure she has all of her hat boxes. He gripes that she's already asked about luggage multiple times, and Olga repeats some of her quotes from the beginning of the movie. Anastasia declares that her memory is restored, and the 5 of them sail off to new horizons.
Cast[]
See also: Anastasia/Credits
- Armin Drogat
- Simone Greiss
- Bernt Möhrle
- Alexander Stoll
- Pascal Drogat
Trivia[]
General[]
- The newspaper has a reference to Glasnost, a political reform made by Russian Communist politician Mikhail Gorbachev.
- Boris Klovaki looks very similar to Don Bluth's version of Anastasia.
