The World of Hans Christian Andersen
The World of Hans Christian Andersen | |
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アンデルセン物語 | |
Directed by | Kimio Yabuki |
Written by | Hisashi Inoue Morihisa Yamamoto |
Music by | Seichiro Uno |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Toei Company (Japan) United Artists (United States) |
Release dates |
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Running time | 80 minutes |
Country | Japan |
Languages | Japanese English |
The World of Hans Christian Andersen (アンデルセン物語, Anderusen Monogatari, lit. 'Andersen Stories'; also known as: アンデルセン物語 マッチ売りの少女 (Anderusen Monogatari: Matchi uri no shōjo, lit. 'Andersen Stories: The Little Match Girl')) is a 1968 Japanese animated fantasy film produced by Toei Doga, based on the works of Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Theatrically released in Japan on March 19, 1968, the film was licensed in North America by United Artists in 1971.
Synopsis
A young Hans Christian Andersen, while seeking an opera ticket, suddenly discovers the inspirations and talents he will later have for his fairy tales.
Release
The World of Hans Christian Andersen was released by Toei on March 19, 1968, three years prior to Andersen Stories (Anderusen Monogatari, 1971), an eponymous and thematically similar series produced by Zuiyo Enterprise and Mushi Production. The film and the series also have in common composer Seiichirō Uno, screenwriters Hisashi Inoue and Morihisa Yamamoto, and voice actress Eiko Masuyama. The film was dubbed for U.S. audiences by Hal Roach, who hired Chuck McCann and Al Kilgore to assist him; this was one of his last efforts before his studio closed down. In February 1971, United Artists announced its partnership with Hal Roach Studios to distribute this edit, which opened in theaters on March 1. Toei will continue to adapt Andersen's works in feature length movies such as: Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid (1975), The Wild Swans (1977) and Thumbelina (1978), and in the TV series World Fairy Tale Series.
Cast
Character | Original | English |
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Uncle Oley | Tadao Takashima | Chuck McCann |
Hans | Toshiko Fujita | Hetty Galen |
Elisa | Kazuko Sugiyama | Corinne Orr |
Kitty Kat | Katsue Miwa | |
Little Boy | Unknown | |
Match Girl | ||
Karen | Eiko Masuyama | Sidney Filson |
Kaspar Kat | Yasushi Suzuki | Jim MacGeorge |
Governor | Arihiro Fujimura | |
Hans's Father | Kōsei Tomita | |
Hannibal Mouse | Chiharu Kuri | Lionel Wilson |
Mayor | Ryōichi Tamagawa | |
Watchdog | Shinsuke Minami | |
Mice | Unknown | Corinne Orr Frances Russell Jim Yoham |
Grandmother | Ruth Bailew | |
Ducks | Earl Hammond | |
Theater Manager |
Reception
In his Family Guide to Movies on Video, Henry Herx wrote that "the animation is colorful and creative, though stylistically comparable to Saturday morning TV shows. It provides a wonderful world of fantasy to absorb the small fry at a matinee." The writers of Jerry Beck's Animated Movie Guide gave it three stars out of four; as contributor Fred Patten commented, the film "is pleasant children's fare; a stereotypical and clichéd 'fun for the whole family' animated feature."
Home media
The World of Hans Christian Andersen was first released to VHS by RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video in the 1980s. In 2004, Digiview Productions released it on DVD
- 1968 films
- 1971 films
- 1968 anime films
- 1960s fantasy films
- United Artists animated films
- 1960s children's fantasy films
- Animated films based on works by Hans Christian Andersen
- Films based on The Little Match Girl
- Toei Animation films
- Toei Company films
- Anime and manga based on fairy tales
- Historical fantasy anime and manga
- Japanese animated fantasy films
- United Artists films
- 1960s children's animated films
- Films directed by Kimio Yabuki
- 1960s American films
- 1970s American films
- Animated films set in Denmark
- Animated films set in the 19th century
- Cultural depictions of Hans Christian Andersen
- Animated films based on short fiction