dgordon-40939 If you take this film outside of the world of Anastasia (cause they're only connected through one character) - you'll get a good impression out of it.Is it a great animation for today? Maybe not so much. BUT: it has a very pleasant, unique magical atmosphere that makes you want to watch this movie with a sense of lightness, like you have nothing in the world to worry about. It puts you right into your childhood mode, and especially if you've seen it before.AND, the music is simply amazing!!! I would definitely recommend watching it, but just try not to expect a masterpiece or it being connected to Anastasia too much. Treat is a light piece of entertainment, which it is.

ComedyFan2010 I didn't expect to like the movie as much as I did Anastasia and I was right. They chose the character I didn't care much for, but as I said in my Anastasia review he was very appealing to the kids. So when it comes to Bartok the magnificent, this cartoon is more for just children. So the drawing is not as beautiful, there are less details of Russia and songs are not as great.Also, as somebody who grew up over there and had a lot of Baba Yaga in my childhood, I really didn't like the portrayal of her or her house, was so different from what it was in my childhood. This of course wouldn't make a difference for most viewers and kids but this is where movie lost some points with me. I wish it was her old house with chicken legs in the middle of a beautiful Russian forest.It is still not a bad movie for kids. And I personally liked to have more of Kelsey Grammar in it who now had a bigger part as Bartok's friend the bear.

Angels_Review Well, I never thought for once that they would make a show about the little white bat from Anastasia but they did it and I have to say, it was a little bit annoying but overall OK. The story seems to take place many years before Anastasia happens which makes me wonder how old Bartok really is. He seemed the same age as when he was in Anastasia but yet we see Ivan Romanov as a little boy. This boy pretty much has a knack for having bad advisors. Both advisors he had were trying to overtake the thrown. I know that it's a simple thing to want to fall on advisors overthrowing the thrown as the bad guy but they could have done something else. Ludmilla just seems like she is over charismatic and has no real potential as a enemy. It's only near middle of the movie that she seems to have something going for her. The bear Zozi pretty much has no real character but to push Bartok into doing what he's doing and spout play quotes. He had nothing more then to be a layed back side character with no real meaning.The artwork was rather disappointing. I would have thought that it would be better coming from Don Bluth and how nice Anastasia was compared. It just felt like it was rushed to get out the studio with its sort of odd scenery. Sometimes it was well done with lots of detail but other times, it felt like they used the wrong colors for some things and took way little time with them. The world outside the city of Moscow was very disappointing because it looked like a fantasy land rather then the landscape of Russia.The voices were pretty well done though seem to be rather downcast next to the artwork. Each character was what I would imagine them to sound like. Sadly, Bartok, the very center of the movie, was really annoying. He was good as a sidekick for a villain but when he gets his own show, the whole movie suffers from his raspy voice. I don't have anything against the voice actor but just like Iago from Aladdin, this was one of those characters that shouldn't be singing. The songs and music were sub standard and not really memorable so it doesn't even feel like I should bring them up.

profgandalf As an earlier commentator noted, "Bartok the Magnificent" is a prequel to "Anastasia". I guess animated bats live for a REALLY long time. But if you are going to quibble about dates then just what will you say about the existence of talking bears, musical witches and a huge animated riddle asking skull—just go with it. For all the sequential fuzziness, I find this film a real joy.The voice talents of Kelsey Grammar as the Russian Dancing (and classical theater loving) bear Zozi is wonderful as are also Tim Curry's, as the Huge Talking Skul and Jennifer Tilly's role as Piloff. I have no idea what Piloff is, She looks life a living fur boa some women might wear around their necks. Whatever she is, Tilly's voice makes her seems gentle and funny (and a little ditsy but in an attractive kind of way) while also being impervious to whatever Bartok does to get her off the bolder (and a strange looking bolder it is too—looks more like a construction girder) as demanded by Baba Yaga. Indestructible gentle femininity is a good thing. Of course Bartok (voiced by Hank Azaria) is himself a hoot. Also Kelsey Grammar's voice in song is as full of life and warm as is his speaking voice. I love to listen to him even when he's the bad guy as in "Toy Story 2" as Stinky Pete. This film is one of the straight to video ones which should have been given a shot as a theatrical run. Both the video and the DVD comes with the songs separate with sing along lyrics--nice touch.