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As a member of one of the few classical music List-forums on the internet I was informed (a few months after Anastasia's release) that Hungary had filed a formal complaint against the release of this film because it used their nationally revered composer Bartok's name for an evil bat. Americans should not wonder why many Europeans view us condescendingly with regard to our lack of education and respect for culture, especially music culture. This issue brings new light to the idea that freedom of expression should be paramount in all affairs. Does freedom to influence children to be ignorant of their heritage count as part of freedom of expression in advertising and other mindless media products? In America, we "Don't care much about history" as the popular song goes.
This silly film's worst weakness was in the musical soundtrack. I mean, a Disney-styled animation film is going to be low-brow so it's for kids. This is a poor excuse for ignorant film making. But it's a fact of life. But that granted, the film falls on its face because it's supposed to be about Russia and there's not a single note of scored music that sounds Russian. No Tchaikovsky. Nothing. Only new-Broadway pop-rock ballads, and old-Broadway up tempo numbers. Most Broadway music is American-Jazz (or English) styled. But not all of it. Music such as found in Fiddler on the Roof would have been a nice starting point. At least something resembling a harmonic minor scale! As it turned out, we see eastern European landscapes while the music is constantly dragging us west, west, west. I felt ashamed to be an American and couldn't wait for this anticipated (I have a young son) film to end.
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