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IMDbPro

Swan Lake

Original title: Sekai meisaku dôwa: Hakuchô no mizûmi
  • 1981
  • G
  • 1h 15m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
Christopher Atkins, Pam Dawber, Robert Axelrod, Lara Cody, and David Hemmings in Swan Lake (1981)
AnimeAdventureAnimationFamilyFantasyMusicalRomance

A prince falls in love with a princess cursed to change into a swan by day, but their love is threatened by the sorcerer who keeps her imprisoned.A prince falls in love with a princess cursed to change into a swan by day, but their love is threatened by the sorcerer who keeps her imprisoned.A prince falls in love with a princess cursed to change into a swan by day, but their love is threatened by the sorcerer who keeps her imprisoned.

  • Director
    • Kimio Yabuki
  • Writer
    • Hirokazu Fuse
  • Stars
    • Keiko Takeshita
    • Tarô Shigaki
    • Asao Koike
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    1.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Kimio Yabuki
    • Writer
      • Hirokazu Fuse
    • Stars
      • Keiko Takeshita
      • Tarô Shigaki
      • Asao Koike
    • 25User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos52

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    Top cast38

    Edit
    Keiko Takeshita
    • Princess Odette
    • (voice)
    Tarô Shigaki
    • Prince Siegfried
    • (voice)
    Asao Koike
    Asao Koike
    • Rothbart
    • (voice)
    Yôko Asagami
    Yôko Asagami
    • Odille
    • (voice)
    Yoneko Matsukane
    Yoneko Matsukane
    • Hans
    • (voice)
    Fuyumi Shiraishi
    Fuyumi Shiraishi
    • Margarita
    • (voice)
    Taeko Nakanishi
    • Queen Mother
    • (voice)
    Akira Murayama
    • Benno
    • (voice)
    Mugihito
    • Adolf
    • (voice)
    Jôji Yanami
    Jôji Yanami
    • Minister
    • (voice)
    Chiyoko Kawashima
    • Catherina
    • (voice)
    • …
    Seiko Nakano
    • Francine
    • (voice)
    Takuo Nody
      Christopher Atkins
      Christopher Atkins
      • Prince Siegfried
      • (English version)
      • (voice)
      Pam Dawber
      Pam Dawber
      • Princess Odette
      • (English version)
      • (voice)
      Kay Lenz
      Kay Lenz
      • Odille
      • (English version)
      • (voice)
      David Hemmings
      David Hemmings
      • Rothbart
      • (English version)
      • (voice)
      Nancy Link
      • Odette (English version)
      • (voice)
      • Director
        • Kimio Yabuki
      • Writer
        • Hirokazu Fuse
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

      User reviews25

      7.61K
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      Featured reviews

      yuushin

      forgotten treasure...

      this movie was one of my most favourite movies as a child. sadly i haven't seen it in many years and can not find a copy of it even though i have been looking for a long time. someone should really put this on dvd it was beautifully done and quite a wonderful story. ...if by any chance anyone does know where to get a copy please contact me? thanks thanks.
      Eridanah

      After So Many Years!

      I am thrilled to find one of my all-time favorite pieces of anime! This is an excellent education in the story and music of "Swan Lake" for those with short attention spans and/or an adversity to ballet/orchestral music. After all, we're talking about one of the fundamentals of Western cultural literacy. This movie tells the story with all of the adventure of anime while incorporating the rich historical feel of the piece as well as the breathtaking score. I remember back when I first saw this, my mother, who is a musician and music teacher, watched it with me and went on for days about how wonderful it was as a means of introducing new generations to "Swan Lake". True!
      7antirrana_burgos

      A lovely Japanese picture

      Although the animation is very poor, the script is quite good and the drawings are very imaginative. It´s a fairy tale like any other; a prince and a cursed princess fall in love, but their love is impossible.

      I especially liked that wonderful soundtrack from Piotr Tchaickovsky´s "Swan Lake", an extraordinary waltz that provides the perfect mood for the movie. The screenplay is better than in most Japaneese animated features, and you´ll think it´s one of the movies your children should see. Very good film.
      8kittyangel2

      my childhood favorite

      I saw this when I was in grade school in China. I don't even remember what language it was when I first saw it, probably Chinese. And it has been at least 15 years until I saw it again in the US. I didn't even think it was possible to get a copy of it to watch but to my surprise this chain video store in my area TLA has it so I rented it. It is of course a beautifully done animation, not bad considering it is quiet old. People who think the animation quality is poor is comparing it to today's animation, but it really isn't fair to do that if you take in the fact that it is so old. I love the music, it is one of the reasons I remembered this animation so well. and because of this animation, I fell in love with the music of Swan Lake. I didn't give it 9 or 10 stars is because the English dubbing is terrible. I know it is old and maybe back then it is the standard, but still it would be better if they don't dub it and just have subtitle. Well I love this piece, and in recent years there has not been many animation that has surpassed it other than things like spirited away or the Incredibles etc. But I love this animation and I always will as it not only reminds me of my childhood, it relaxes your body and mind as you listen to its beautiful music and see how love is born.
      embla_03

      The greatest anime ever made!

      In September last year I had a lot of luck. I checked on ebay and there it was Swan Lake so i bid on the item and finally I had won it. And the film was sent to me only a week after thanks to a fast money order. I was very amazed after seeing this film again. It was good and romantic and beautiful. If I am bored I can just watch Swan Lake to forget about why I am bored. Swan Lake is truly a very amusing anime.

      I was 19 when I bought Swan Lake at ebay last year. And it was about 13 years ago I last saw it but then it was in Swedish. Now this is in English and i understand it very well so that is not a problem.

      Swan Lake or "Svansjön" as it is called in Swedish was very rare to find and I had almost given up the hope about it until I saw it on ebay. I am so glad that I can watch it over and over again without getting bored.

      The plot is very well done and easy to follow and the main characters a also very beautiful. Swan Lake is about prince Siegfried who is looking for a future bride to be queen when he becomes king. I am so thankful I finally bought Swan Lake because it wasn't easy to find. And finally I found it. This is my favourite film so I can only say: Swan Lake is the greatest anime ever made.

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      Related interests

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      Animation
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      Family
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      Fantasy
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      Musical
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      Romance

      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        Has two different existing English-translated versions. On DVD, both are only available for purchase online in bootleg-copy formats, as there was never an official American DVD release for either. On VHS, one of the English-translated versions was released in America officially, but still has a reputation for being very hard to find, at least in its original form (not a bootleg copy.)
      • Quotes

        Prince Siegfried: Are you a swan that turned into a human being, or you're a human being that turned into a swan?

        Princess Odette: I'm really a human being. But, an evil sorcerer put me under a magic spell and turned me into a swan.

        Prince Siegfried: An evil sorcerer?

        Princess Odette: Yes. I can only turn back into a human girl, after the sun goes down and the moon comes out.

        Prince Siegfried: Then, the spell that turned my friend Adolph into a statue.

        Princess Odette: Yes. That was Rothbart's doing.

      • Alternate versions
        The original English dub version by Frontier Enterprises utilizes the original end credit sequence, featuring the English-translated credits against a still of Odette's crown inter-cut with key moments from the movie in a gold frame (as seen at the beginning of the movie). The second English dub version by Sync, Ltd. omitted the end credit sequence completely, instead opting to place a THE END title over the final shot of Odette's crown sparkling in the grass (along with The Samuel Goldwyn Company credit).
      • Connections
        Referenced in Final Fantasy II (1988)
      • Soundtracks
        Swan Lake
        Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

        Conducted by Stefan Soltesz

        Performed by Wiener Symphoniker

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      FAQ15

      • How long is Swan Lake?Powered by Alexa

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • July 23, 1981 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • Japan
      • Official site
        • Movie Circus (Japan)
      • Language
        • Japanese
      • Also known as
        • Schwanensee
      • Production companies
        • Toei Company
        • Toei Animation
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Tech specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        • 1h 15m(75 min)
      • Color
        • Color
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.85 : 1

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