The World of Hans Christian Andersen
American theatrical poster
アンデルセン物語
Directed byKimio Yabuki
Written byHisashi Inoue
Morihisa Yamamoto
Music bySeichiro Uno
Production
company
Distributed byToei Company (Japan)
United Artists (United States)
Release dates
  • March 19, 1968 (1968-03-19) (Japan)
  • March 1, 1971 (1971-03-01) (United States)
Running time
80 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguagesJapanese
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.[1][2]

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.[1][3] 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;[3] this was one of his last efforts before his studio closed down.[4] In February 1971, United Artists announced its partnership with Hal Roach Studios to distribute this edit,[5][6] which opened in theaters on March 1.[3] 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
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."[2] 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."[3]

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

References

  1. 1 2 Clements, Jonathan; McCarthy, Helen (2006). "Tales of Hans Christian Andersen*". The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917 (Revised & Expanded ed.). Stone Bridge Press. p. 641. ISBN 1-933330-10-4.
  2. 1 2 Herx, Henry (1988). "The World of Hans Christian Andersen". The Family Guide to Movies on Video. The Crossroad Publishing Company. pp. 304–305 (pre–release version). ISBN 0-8245-0816-5.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Beck, Jerry (2005). "The World of Hans Christian Andersen". The Animated Movie Guide. Chicago Reader Press. pp. 318–319. ISBN 1-55652-591-5.
  4. ↑ "Hal Roach Studios Agrees On Selling Its Film Assets". The New York Times. February 1, 1971. p. 48. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Hal Roach Films Andersen Story". Hartford Courant. February 7, 1971. p. 10F.
  6. ↑ Peacock, Bruce (February 8, 1971). "Stage and Screen". The Leader-Post. Postmedia Network. p. 7 (Entertainment). Retrieved August 8, 2011.
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