What if Richard Rich moved to Vestron (later Lionsgate)?/The Swan Princess

The Swan Princess is a 1994 American animated musical fantasy film based on the ballet Swan Lake. Featuring the voice talents of Michelle Nicastro, Howard McGillin, Jack Palance, John Cleese, Steven Wright, Sandy Duncan, and Steve Vinovich, the film is directed by former Disney animation director, Richard Rich, with a music score by Lex de Azevedo. The film was distributed by Live Pictures and is currently owned by Lionsgate via Artisan Entertainment. It was released theatrically on November 18, 1994, where it received mixed reviews from critics. The film has been followed by eight direct-to-video sequels and is the only film of the series to be theatrical.

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.

Plot
The evil sorcerer Rothbart (Jack Palance) is planning to take King William's (Dakin Matthews) kingdom for himself by mastering a type of dark magic known as The Forbidden Arts. Before he can strike, Rothbart is arrested. Despite calls for his death, King William spares Rothbart's life and banishes him. A hateful Rothbart swears to King William that he will one day get his power back and take everything William owns and loves. King William and Queen Uberta (Sandy Duncan) make their children, Odette and Derek, meet every summer, hoping that they will fall in love and marry, uniting their two kingdoms. When they meet for the first time, the royal children take an immediate dislike for each other, but as the years pass they somehow reformed themselves and gradually fall in love.

In the present time, Derek (Howard McGillin) only expresses love for Odette's (Michelle Nicastro) beauty, and she and her father leave disappointed. On their journey home, they are ambushed by the vengeful Rothbart, who transforms into a "Great Animal" with his new powers, kidnapping Odette and fatally injuring William. Derek arrives on the scene and William tells him about the Great Animal ("It's not what it seems"), and that Odette is gone. After searching and finding no sign of Odette, the entire kingdom assumes that she is dead. Uberta encourages her son to find another princess, but Derek is determined to find Odette, believing that she is still alive. Derek and his best friend Bromley (Joel McKinnon Miller) practice hunting every day in preparation to face the Great Animal. Elsewhere, Rothbart is keeping Odette captive at Swan Lake. He has cast a powerful spell that turns Odette into a swan during the day. At night, she can become human temporarily if she is on the lake when the moonlight touches it. Every night, Rothbart asks Odette to marry him so he can rule William's kingdom legally, but she refuses, then the moonlight leaves the lake, and she turns back into a swan. During her captivity, she befriends a turtle named Speed (Steven Wright), a French frog named Jean-Bob (John Cleese), who claims to be a prince, and an Irish puffin named Puffin (Steve Vinovich).

Puffin and Odette (in her swan form) fly together to find Derek. By chance, they stumble upon Derek in the woods as he is searching for the Great Animal. Derek mistakes Odette for the Great Animal (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 the ball at the castle the following night, hoping to declare to the world of his love for her. Derek leaves just as Rothbart arrives and doesn't know the enchanter heard the whole conversation. Rothbart tells Odette that she will never make it to the ball, for there will be "no moon" on that night, much to her dismay and sorrow. Fearing that Derek's vow would ruin his plans, Rothbart decides to transform his hag sidekick, Bridget, to the point that she appears to be Odette, ensuring that if Derek made the vow to her as the wrong woman, Odette will die. On the night of the ball, Rothbart imprisons Odette (in swan form) in the dungeon of his castle, along with Bromley, whom he had found in the woods the other night. Bridget, in the form of human Odette, arrives at the ball where she dances with Derek, who is unaware of her true identity.

At Swan Lake, Puffin, Speed and Jean-Bob manage to free Odette from the dungeon through a duel with two hungry alligators and she flies to the castle, but is too late. Derek makes the vow of everlasting love to the wrong girl and Rothbart bursts in, revealing to Derek the fake's true form. Realizing his mistake, Derek races after Odette back to Swan Lake, where she finally transforms back into her human form. As Derek holds a dying Odette in his arms, she tells him she loves him before succumbing. A furious Derek confronts Rothbart, demanding him to undo the spell. Rothbart transforms into the Great Animal, and a battle ensues with Rothbart overpowering Derek. Odette's animal friends return Derek's bow to him, and Bromley, who has also escaped the dungeon, provides Derek with a single arrow. Derek catches and fires the arrow into the Great Animal's heart, killing him.

A heart-broken Derek confesses his love to Odette, and she revives; the spell on her is broken. Derek and Odette get married and they, Uberta, King William's servants, Bromley, and the animals move into Rothbart's former castle, where they live happily ever after.

Cast

 * Michelle Nicastro as Princess Odette
 * Liz Callaway as Princess Odette (singing voice)
 * Adrian Zahiri as Young Princess Odette (voice)
 * Howard McGillin as Prince Derek
 * Adam Wylie as Young Prince Derek
 * Jack Palance as Lord Rothbart
 * Lex de Azevedo as Lord Rothbart (singing voice)
 * Sandy Duncan as Queen Uberta
 * James Arrington as Chamberlain
 * Davis Gaines as Chamberlain (singing voice)
 * John Cleese as Jean-Bob
 * David Zippel as Jean-Bob (singing voice)
 * Steven Wright as Speed
 * Jonathan Hadary as Speed (singing voice)
 * Steve Vinovich as Puffin
 * Dakin Matthews as King William
 * Mark Harelik as Lord Rogers
 * Joel McKinnon Miller as Bromley
 * Brian Nissen as the Narrator