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The Wild Swans (1977 film)
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Wikipedia article
is a 1977 Japanese anime fantasy film produced by Toei Animation, based on the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale 'The Six Swans', and on Hans Christian Andersen's variation 'The Wild Swans'. The film was first shown in Japan on 19 March 1977 in the 'Toei Manga Matsuri' ('Toei Cartoon Festival').
It represents the first entry in Toei's 'World Masterpiece Fairy Tales' movie series, followed by 'Thumbelina' (1978), 'Twelve Months' (1980), 'Swan Lake' (1981) and 'Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp' (1982).
Plot
King Hildebrand is hunting in the woods when, after getting lost, he asks for help from an old woman who tells him that she would lead him out only if he marries her daughter Greta. Hildebrand accepts and returns with her to the castle. The king has seven children, six boys and a girl named Eliza, who at the behest of their late mother, live in a castle in the woods, reachable only with an enchanted ball of yarn. After discovering the king's secret, Greta steals the magic ball of yarn and go into the woods instead of her husband. The stepmother then throws six haunted white shirts at the six male brothers, that turn into swans and fly away. On the other hand, one of Eliza's swan-brothers took away the shirt away from her, because if he can't save her in time, She will become a Swan too, which will she have an abillty to speak with animals. After a moment of despair, the child regains courage thanks to her own tears that can take the form of small pixies, and sets out in search of her brothers.
One evening she finally finds them near a cave at the edge of the woods. They explain to her that they are able to turn human again only by night. Eliza spends some time living merrily in the cave with her brother, until the arrival of spring when they have to migrate. Before leaving, the princes reveal to Eliza that to break the spell she would not have to speak for six years, and would have to sew six nettle shirts for them. Determined to free her brothers, Eliza begins to sew the shirts with the help of her tears. On the return of her brothers she decides to run away, out of fear of not being able to remain silent. Eliza settles in a hollow tree where she keep on sewing the shirts in the company of the animals. One day, after six years has almost passed, she is found alone in the tree by King Friedrich and his hunters, who take her at court.
The king is impressed by the girl and wants to marry her. Meanwhile Greta was expelled from the castle by King Hildebrand after he found out what she had done to his children. After a disease hits the land, Greta and her mother convince the king that Eliza herself is a witch who had cast a spell on the kingdom. Greta hopes to conquer in this way the young king's heart. Eliza is tried and found guilty after being caught gathering nettles in a cemetery at night. So the young king is forced to make her loved one burn alive. When she is led to the stake she takes with her the shirts she had just finished sewing. Her brothers suddenly arrive and circle around her, so that she can throw the shirts at them and free them from her curse. Then the brothers turn to the king, who is amazed, and tell him about the two witches' falseness. Thus Eliza can finally speak again and forgive her stepmother's wickedness. She marries the king and lives happily ever after with her six brothers and their father.
Voice Cast
Additional Voices
* Original: Midori Goto (), Noriko Kanzaki (), Haiyuza Theater Company (), Aoni Production ()
* English: Earl Hammond
International releases
The film was dubbed in English in 1983 by Sound Shop Inc. in New York under the direction of Peter Fernandez, and released by Turner Program Services. The movie was later released on VHS in 1984 by RCA Columbia Pictures Home Video.
In Italy the movie was theatrically released in 1978 under the title 'Heidi diventa principessa' "Heidi Becomes Princess". This was done to capitalize on a vague likeness between Eliza and Heidi from 'Heidi, Girl of the Alps', that had gained a huge popularity in Italy that same year. Eliza's name was also changed to Heidi in the movie, and even Heidi's Italian child voice actress was hired to dub the character. The Italian version is a few minutes shorter, and a narration provided by the Italian narrator of the 'Heidi' series was also added.
The film was also dubbed in Spanish, French, German, Hungarian, Russian, Greek, Korean and Arabic.
Music
The songs were composed by Akihiro Komori and performed by Columbia Orchestra. The lyrics were written by actress Yasuko Miyazaki under the nickname Takaba, who also wrote the screenplay.
# "The Swan Princes" (, 'Hakuch no ji') (Singers: Eiko Masuyama and The Chirps)
# "I'm Sorry" (, 'Namida to ne nen'ne') (Singers: Kumiko sugi and The Chirps)
References
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