💚 THE SQUASH - That time Randy and Kevin tried to explain how Anastasia gave Disney a run for their crown…on half the budget, against all odds.

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💜 THE STRETCH - Randy and Kevin dig into the creative whirlwind behind the making of Anastasia, where Kevin, then Fox’s VP of Production, shares the excitement of bringing the story to life outside Disney’s shadow. They break down the casting process and star-studded lineup, featuring Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer and Angela Lansbury, and discuss the rare approach of recording voice overs with actors together, live in the booth, adding chemistry to the character performances. Budgetary woes take center stage, with Anastasia pushing limits at half of Disney’s typical spend while still standing strong against the coordinated releases of The Little Mermaid and Flubber.

The two dissect Anastasia’s unique animation style, focusing on the artistic challenges and financial prudence of rotoscoping to balance realism with flair and personal improvisation. They also explore the film’s cultural impact, particularly its role in the lives of young girls who grew up with Anastasia as a beloved heroine, and consider how content ratings for family films have evolved since.

The episode wraps up with a deep dive into the soundtrack development process, examining how songs were crafted to fit the story seamlessly. Randy and Kevin highlight the close collaboration between songwriters and scriptwriters, which ensured each song captured the right emotional beat and visual enchantment for audiences.

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CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro!

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💜 Hosted by: Randy Young and Kevin Bannerman

💚 Produced and engineered by: Randy Young

💜 Squash 'n' Stretch is a Green Ghost Media Podcast