It has officially been a quarter of a century since the fan-favorite animated tale The Swan Princess was released by Sony Pictures back in 1994. A classic animated sing-along with the magic you would expect from a Disney picture, the film was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for a Motion Picture for Far Longer Than Forever. Also, it managed to snag a Parents' Choice Award and the Film Advisary Board Award of Excellence.
It comes as no surprise that a movie with such success would receive a Collector's Edition, and fans are finally being rewarded after 25 years with an Anniversary Edition that brings special features along with it. Sony was nice enough to send us a copy to review, and as I had never seen the film myself prior, it was a definite treat.
The sing-along fun is something you would expect from a Disney classic, and with Disney+ now being released and those old films grabbing hold of adults and children alike, the nostalgia that comes with The Swan Princess 25th Anniversary Edition leaves no guess as to why Sony would release a special edition of this magical feature.
In addition to this Anniversary Edition, Sony also recently released a new chapter in this tale: The Swan Princess: Kingdom of Music which was available on DVD and Digital on August 6th, allowing fans of this series to delve into the fantasy even further.
The movie itself holds up, with a strong plot based on the classic fairy tale "Swan Lake", and a fun and colorful cast of characters and animals. Rated G with a runtime of around 90 minutes, The Swan Princess 25th Anniversary Edition boasts the vocal talents of Jack Palance, John Cleese, Steven Wright, Sandy Duncan, and Michelle Nicastro.
As far as the special features of the Blu Ray go, they include a documentary called Looking Back at 25 Years of The Swan Princess including the Director, Producer, Animators, and more as they look back at the classic and revisit the animation process for Puffin, the special effects process for turning Odette from a swan to a human, the search to find the voice for Princess Odette, and much more that fans of this series are going to want to experience for themselves.
There is also a feature called The Swan Princess: Making Of which discusses bringing wholesome entertainment and moral values through the film to children. It discusses how many bible stories have been animated into different features for motion pictures.
And lastly, there is a Sing Along section to go to if you are simply in the mood to celebrate the five songs featured in the film without watching the movie itself at the time.
I hadn't seen the film as a kid, but watching it as an adult, I was impressed and thoroughly enjoyed the music and the fun. For anyone who hasn't seen the film yet, now is the best time to experience the bursting color, dazzling animation, and beautiful music that this new Anniversary Edition has to offer.
The Swan Princess is the heartwarming story of the beautiful princess Odette, who is transformed into a swan by an evil sorcerer's spell. Held captive at an enchanted lake, she befriends Jean-Bob the frog, Speed the turtle and Puffin the bird. Despite their struggle to keep the princess safe, these good-natured creatures can do nothing about the sorcerer's spell, which can only be broken by a vow of everlasting love.
The 25th Anniversary collector's edition of The Swan Princess is now available on Blu-Ray.