Anastasia (with Diana McCallum)

·1 hr 7 min·5 clips

Kat Angus admits she'd never seen Anastasia before and found it did nothing for her, while Diana McCallum reveals her weird relationship with the movie.

The episode begins with the hosts introducing the week's topic, Anastasia, as part of Listener Request Month, and welcoming guest Diana McCallum, co-host of Talk From Superheroes and author of Sex Lives of Superheroes. They read a listener submission from Erica, who loves the music and Christopher Lloyd's performance but has questions about accents and dialogue. Kat Angus admits she'd never seen the film before and found it did nothing for her, criticizing Rasputin as an afterthought and the lack of suspense. Diana McCallum shares her weird relationship with the movie, having seen it once as a kid and enjoying Bartok the bat, but finding the songs forgettable and the faces poorly animated. Jocelyn Geddie feels mixed, praising some animation but noting the score is at odds with the plot. The hosts delve into the historical inaccuracies, with Jocelyn expressing an icky feeling due to the real events of the Russian Revolution and the Romanovs' deaths. They discuss the structural issues, such as the audience knowing Anya is Anastasia early on and the poorly integrated musical numbers. Behind-the-scenes details are revealed, including Don Bluth's need to teach animators in the Philippines and shoot a live-action version first, and Carrie Fisher's uncredited rewrite. The hosts critique Rasputin's incompetence as a villain and the disconnect between Anya's characterization and the songs. They also touch on the uncredited singing voices, with Liz Calloway performing for Meg Ryan, who pretended it was her. The episode concludes with recommendations: avoid if over 40 and never seen it, but it's fine for kids on Disney+. The hosts then share their loves and hates of the week, including Diana's new book, and promote their Patreon and upcoming episode on The First Wives Club.

As heard by us

A precise, funny read on Anastasia's uncanny animation and the comparisons that make its wrongness visible.

Anastasia gives I Hate It But I Love It a clean critical lane: animation where faces, props, and bodies keep drifting out of believable space.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want to know why Anastasia's animation can look weirdly lifeless even when the movie is familiar.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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