East of the Sun and West of the Moon

***East of the Sun and West of the Moon*** is a 1989 American animated fantasy-adventure film produced by Paramount Feature Animation and released by Paramount Pictures. It is the 31st feature film produced by the studio, the film was directed by Penny Fleischer, it was based on the Norwegian fairy tale of the same name. It featured the voice talents of Melissa Fahn, Richard Dreyfuss, Paul Kreppel, Sally Field, Linda Hamilton, and Billy Crystal.

*East of the Sun and West of the Moon* was released theatrically in the United States on March 17, 1989. The film received critical acclaim from critics who praised its animation, music, and plot. It was also a commercial success, garnering $74 million at the domestic box office during its initial release, and $229 million in total lifetime gross worldwide. It also marked the start of the era known as the Paramount Animation Legacy.

In 2015, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

## Cast

* Melissa Fahn as Princess Arabella
* Paul Kreppel as Prince Carter

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## Production

### Development

Plans for an adaptation of the Norwegian fairy tale *East of the Sun and West of the Moon* dated back in the early 1980s, when Don Bluth Productions began work on an adaptation of the fairy tale. Ultimately, the film was never made due to a loss of financial backing, even though the film was heavily into production at the time of its cancellation.

In 1985, the proposal was revised by Paramount Pictures animation producers Nancy Farwell, George Burke and Lana Ponce, who bought out the rights to the original *East of the Sun and West of the Moon* story. Production immediately started in 1986.

*More coming soon!*

### Music

The film's score is composed by Patrick Doyle.

*More coming soon!*

### Home media

*East of the Sun and West of the Moon* was released on VHS and LaserDisc on September 7, 1989. The VHS version was made available once more on October 1, 1996, under the Paramount Family Favorites label. The film was released on DVD for the first time on December 15, 1998, which was reprinted numerous times in the ensuing years, both as a stand-alone release or bundled with other animated movies from Paramount.

The film was also released on VHS and DVD under the Paramount Animation Collection label on August 5, 2003. It included special features such as audio commentary from both individuals and an interview featurette. On June 16, 2009, a two-disc DVD was released for the film's twenty anniversary, featuring much of the bonus material from the 2000 DVD as well as newer features including a sneak preview of the 2009 Paramount Animation film *Virtual Journey*.

A 30th anniversary edition of the film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 12, 2019, as part of the Paramount Signature Collection.

On March 4, 2021, *East of the Sun and West of the Moon*, along with other Paramount Animation films, was available on Paramount+.

## Transcript

### Main transcript

To see the transcript of the film, click here.

### Trailer transcripts

To see the transcripts for the trailers of the film, click here.