Bartok the Magnificent
Bartok the Magnificent
G | 07 September 1999 (USA)
Bartok the Magnificent Trailers

Albino bat Bartok – former sidekick to the wicked Grigori Rasputin – ventures to prove his true worth on a new quest to defeat the legendary Russian witch Baba Yaga.

Reviews
Konterr Brilliant and touching
Maidexpl Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast
InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.
Freeman This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.
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.
zsofikam I had seen Bartok The Magnificent several years ago and I recently re-watched it. Along with The Pebble And The Penguin and A Troll In Central Park, Bartok The Magnificent is not as good as An American Tail, All Dogs Go To Heaven, The Land Before Time, and especially The Secret Of NIMH. While re-watching it, I expected to be really corny but it's by no means awful and there are actually some good things about it. The animation is quite nice and there are some pretty cool characters. Baba Yaga is suitably menacing, Pilaf is adorable, and Zozi and the skull crack me up. On the flip side, the script/story suffered from being somewhat predictable and I don't care for the songs. Also, Bartok is kind of annoying but is actually less annoying here than he is in Anastasia. Not the best movie ever but nowhere near as bad as it could have been. PS: The way Baba Yaga reacts to being hugged is absolutely hilarious.
ridiculionius As a sequel/prequel to "Anastasia", Don Bluth's infamous Disney rip-off and one of my personal favourite animated flics, "Bartok the Magnificent" *does* fall short, but it still stands on its own with its own sentimental qualities; cute humour, great voice acting, and endearing (albiet childish) animation. Even though Bartok is a pseudo-villain in Anastasia (he faithfully assists Rasputin without really seeming evil), he makes a great hero.The plot flows thusly - Bartok (played once more by the incomparable Hank Azaria) has a road-side, travelling show, in which he portrays himself and sings about his (completely made-up) heroic doings, while staging the dramatic killing of a vicious bear (portrayed by Bartok's partner-in-crime, Zozi - played by Kelsey Grammar). Through these antics the little white bat gains quite a fan-base, including the young Czar-to-be, Prince Ivan. And so, it is no surprise to anyone (except perhaps Bartok himself) when he is begged to rescue the Prince from the evil witch of Russian folklore, Baba Yaga (Andrea Martin). In his journey, Bartok meets a wonderful cast of characters, including a snake-thing called Piloff (Jennifer Tilly) and a riddling skull (Tim Currey), and discovers the hero in him he never knew.While the ending leaves a few things unanswered (for example; if Bartok becomes a beloved hero in Moscow, as he does, how did he end up falling in with the wicked Rasputin?), "Bartok the Magnificent" gives for good fun for the whole family - kids will laugh at the corny jokes (maybe their parents too) and the talking animals. Adults will enjoy the use of great voice actors like Azaria, Grammar, Martin, Tilly and Currey, as well as Catherine O'Hara, cast as the voice of diabolical Regent Ludmilla (a character so hilariously over-the-top that she becomes just as "magnificent" as the title character).All in all, yes, "Bartok the Magnificent" fails to live up to the very high standard set by its predecessor, but it remains a cut and entertaining addition to Don Bluth's resume.
Mightyzebra This film, about a circus bat in Russia, off to save the prince from the "evil" Baba Yaga, will no doubt have a great appeal on children. It is sure to entertain them and they will be likely to sing and dance along with it as soon as they know the words of the songs.As an older person, such as a grown-up or teenager, this film may fall flat on its face. It is quite babyish and the animation - including the backgrounds, could possibly do with a little bit more work. However, this film is likely to entertain the older anyway. The songs are very charming and so is the plot. The characters are also very lovable. One thing that can be said happily, is that they use a very English actor to voice - not a baddie - but a goodie, a thing which many American films do not have (including "The Lion King")! The other voices are good too. So, enjoy "Bartok The Magnificent", who is the specifically, terrifically magnificent!