The Swan Princess 720p (2 version) - (1994 Lang: English)

This was my favorite sage of movies when I was 3. I still love them to this day when I am 15. This movie tells the timeless tale of two lovers who are drawn apart by one shallow prince who eventually learns that there is more to love than looks and beauty. When Derek goes on his quest to find Odette, he realizes how much he really does love her and his kingdom gets sick of hearing about here. The music is spectacular as well. I love the songs "Far Longer Than Forever" and "This Is My Idea". "This Is My Idea" shows Derek and Odette growing up and you notice that every year their relationship grows until one summer when they realize how much they really do love each other. When they are pulled apart by Rothbart and how shallow Derek is, they sing the duet "Far Longer Than Forever" about their everlasting love for each other. Anyone who does not like even the first movie has a real issue. Even though the saga got kind of lame as the years went by, they still hit me close to home.

The Swan Princess is a 1994 American animated musical fantasy film based on the ballet "Swan Lake". Starring the voice talents of Jack Palance, John Cleese, Steven Wright, and Sandy Duncan, the film is directed by a former Disney animation director, Richard Rich, with a music score by Lex de Azevedo. It was released theatrically on November 18, 1994, where it received mixed reviews from critics. The film was followed by five direct-to-video sequels: The Swan Princess: Escape from Castle Mountain (1997), The Swan Princess: The Mystery of the Enchanted Kingdom (1998), The Swan Princess Christmas (2012), The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale (2014), and The Swan Princess: Princess Tomorrow, Pirate Today (2016). A seventh film is also in production.

The theme song Far Longer than Forever is performed by Regina Belle and Jeffrey Osborne. The song was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1995 for Best Original Song.

King William (Dakin Matthews), widowed father of newborn Princess Odette, and Queen Uberta (Sandy Duncan), widowed mother of young Prince Derek, decide to betroth their children in the hopes of uniting their kingdoms. Rothbart (Jack Palance) is an evil sorcerer who wishes to take William's kingdom for himself, by mastering a type of dark magic known as The Forbidden Arts. But before he can make his move, he is attacked by William's men. Although banished from the kingdom, Rothbart vows to get his revenge.

William and Uberta have Odette and Derek meet every summer, hoping they'll fall in love. As children, this fails miserably, but when the years pass and the two reach adulthood, they do fall in love. Derek (Howard McGillin) declares that the wedding preparations begins, but when he expresses his wish to marry Odette (Michelle Nicastro) only for her beauty, she rejects him. Odette and William leave, but they are ambushed by Rothbart, who transforms into a "Great Animal", kidnaps Odette, and fatally injures William. Upon being tipped off by the arrival of King William's captain, Derek arrives on the scene, where William tells him with his dying breath that they were attacked by a "Great Animal", and that Odette is "gone". Believing that Odette is dead, Uberta encourages her son to find another princess. But Derek is determined to find Odette, believing that she can still be alive. He and his best friend Bromley (Joel McKinnon Miller) practice hunting every day in preparation for facing the Great Animal.

Elsewhere, Rothbart is keeping Odette at his castle lair at Swan Lake. He has cast a powerful spell that turns Odette into a swan during the day, and she is able to temporarily turn human at night if she is on the lake under moonlight. Every night Rothbart asks Odette to marry him so he can rule William's kingdom, but she refuses. During her captivity, she befriends a turtle named Speed (Steven Wright), a French frog named Jean-Bob (John Cleese), who dreams of being human, and an Irish puffin (Steve Vinovich).

Puffin and Odette, in her swan form, fly together to find Derek. By chance they stumble upon Derek in the woods, for he is searching for the Great Animal. Derek mistakes Odette for the Great Animal, (Derek having deduced that the creature is a shapeshifter), and tries to kill her. The ensuing chase leads Derek to Swan Lake, where he witnesses Odette's change from swan to human when the moon rises. The two share a loving reunion, and Odette tells Derek that the spell can only be broken by a vow of everlasting love. Derek invites Odette to his mother's ball the following night, hoping to declare to the world of his love for her. Derek leaves just as Rothbart arrives. The enchanter has heard the whole conversation and imprisons Odette as a swan in the castle dungeon, along with Bromley, whom he had found in the woods. Furthermore, because there is a new moon on the night of the ball, Odette remains a swan that night.

Fearing that Derek's vow would ruin his plans, Rothbart sends Bridget, his hag sidekick, to the ball disguised as Odette. Odette's friends manage to free her from the dungeon and she flies to Uberta's castle, but she is unable to warn Derek in time. Derek makes the vow of everlasting love to the wrong girl. Rothbart enters and shows Derek the fake Odette's true form, Bridget. Upon realizing his mistake, Derek races after Odette back to Swan Lake, where Odette transforms back into a princess. Odette dies in Derek's arms, but not before telling him that she loves him. A furious Derek confronts Rothbart, ordering him to revive Odette. Rothbart transforms into the Great Animal. A battle ensues with Rothbart overpowering Derek. Odette's animal friends return Derek's bow to him, and Bromley, who has escaped the dungeon, provides Derek with a single arrow. Derek catches and fires the arrow into the Great Animal's heart, destroying him.

Derek confesses to Odette that he loves her for her kindness and courage, and Odette returns to life; the spell on her is broken. The two are married and they moved into Rothbart's former castle, and they lived happily ever after.

I was very young when this movie came out, so I grew up watching it. I have ALWAYS loved this movie. I just barely watched it over again (because now I'm in high-school and I hadn't watched it in a long time), and I still love it! It's true that it does have it's flaws, but they're nothing huge. It's still better than most Disney movies that I've seen (but then again, that's just my personal opinion).

I agree with those who say that the sidekicks are the best; but Derek's sidekicks are just as amusing as Odette's. I love Brom and Queen Uberta; but Rodgers remains my favorite character of the movie. I love his sarcastic humor- "You should write a book; How to offend women in 5 syllables or less." Come on- that's hilarious! I also like that Chamberlain guy. He has my favorite line of the whole film; "Oh! the milkman- it must be the milkman!....... Well... it's not the milkman."

I think that the biggest flaw in the whole play was Princess Odette; she is supposed to be the heroine, and she never does anything! OK, she finds Derek and gets him to come to the lake, but she couldn't have even done that without Puffin, Speed and Jean-Bob. No offense, but when Derek said, "What else is there?" He was kind of on to something.

And contrary to what most people say, I loved all the music- even "No More Mr. Nice Guy." My favorite song is "This is My Idea," simply because it's funny, and I don't mind it getting stuck in my head (which it tends to do a lot).

I just think that there's something in the Swan Princess for every age (though keep in mind that I can only attest to 15). It's a movie that every girl would enjoy seeing at least once.