Well, the first thing I have to say about this film is don't be put off by the cover!   It's not a film full of altered main characters like NIMH 2, thankfully!   It doesn't quite add up though - there's something strange about Bartok trying to save the American-accented Prince Ivan in this film, then helping to do away with the royal family in "Anastasia", with no explanation of how he came to change his mind! :-)   I think Disney did that better with Iago the parrot in Aladdin.

The story is that of Bartok, (of course!) a street entertainer, who tells fraudulent stories of his acts of bravery around the world, such as putting out city fires by eating the flames and drinking lakes, and defeating dragons with Kung Fu!   The stories and songs are heard by Prince Ivan, who throws Bartok his royal ring as a gift, to the great displeasure of Ludmilla, who seems to be Prince Ivan's protector.   A real fan!

Bartok is dragged into proving his stories one day when Prince Ivan disappears from the palace, and a clue is found implicating the evil witch Baba Yaga. Ludmilla sends out troops to find Bartok in order to find the prince.   When the troops find him, Bartok does his best to deny he's the Bartok the Magnificent they're looking for, crossing the "A" out of his name on "Bartok the Magnificent" sign written on a sail over his cart.   The troops are unconvinced!   He appears before Ludmilla, and through a combination of offers of large amounts of treasure, and the lilting-voiced pleadings of one of the children in the crowd, he agrees to help.

Bartok finds the home of the witch Baba Yaga.   There is a skull guarding the entrance which seems to let anyone in if they can answer a riddle.   Zozi, Bartok's actor companion, is able to give the answer, and the skull spits out a key which Bartok uses to get inside.   Once inside however, he finds that the Prince is not there... but Baba Yaga is!   She finds him intruding in her house, and knows at once he's come looking for the Prince!   She tells Bartok she will show him where the Prince is if he completes three tasks for her, the first of which is to bring back this strange stretchy pink snake (Piloff) who is trapped in a boulder on top of a tall tower.   Bartok takes notes - especially on the fact that Zozi cannot help him, otherwise they'll both die!   "That's the kind of thing I really aught to be writing down! Its the little things..." Bartok journeys to the distant place where he must complete his task, and as he does it begins to snow.   He and Zozi finally find Piloff, stuck in her tower.   Bartok tries and tries to get her loose, but whenever he pulls she just stretches, and stays firmly stuck! He has to free her somehow though, otherwise the Prince is Doomed!......

As can probably be expected, this direct-to-video release lacks much of the detail to be found in "Anastasia".   Everything is well-drawn and animated, as you would expect from a film made by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, and the film contains lots of computer animation which lifts the level of detail a bit, but in a way that just contrasts even more against the hand drawn material... there isn't the skin texture suggested in this film though as it was in "Anastasia", and many of the backgrounds lack the detail you normally see in a Bluth/Goldman film.   I get the feeling that this is probably one of those features used to train apprentice animators, as the old "Winnie the Pooh" films (combined later to become "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh") were to Disney.   I'm not sure about that, it's just my own opinion! :-)

This is a film I think fans of Anastasia - especially Bartok! will really like though! If you are a fan watch this video!   Bartok gives himself some great lines! :-)