Match 16923 Rasputin (1997 Movie) vs. The Grand Duke Of Owls

[broadwaybeyonder]

The Grand Duke of Owls flapped his shrunken wings as fast as they could carry him over the barren landscape.  He darted past tombstones and crypts with the sound of his nephew Hunch giggling behind him.  “Come ‘ere, ‘Uncle Dukie’!  Hoo hoo!  Time for some more aggravation!  Animation!  Annihilation!  Abomination!”  The Duke gasped for breath and launched himself up the side of the ruins of a stone tower.  He landed on a window sill with a thud as Hunch readied his fly swatter to strike again.  “Hoo hoo!  You aren’t so tough, are ya, ya little twerp!” 

The Duke pushed himself over the sill and landed on the cracked floor.  The walls were lined with shelves full of cobweb covered books, and in the center of the room was a black cauldron filled with green, glowing liquid.  The Duke nervously backed up to the cauldron as Hunch landed in front of him, grinning mischievously.  “Hunch!  Please!”  the Duke begged in a squeaky voice.  “We’re family!  I’m your uncle!”  Hunch advanced on what remained of the Grand Duke of Owls.  “Family?  Hoo hoo!  All I did for you!  Anything you asked!  And what did I get?!  Alienation!  Aggravation!  Accusation!  Amputation!”  He swung with the swatter and the Duke took to the air again.  Hunch quickly followed suit and readied for another swat.  “Oh!  The anticipation!  Hoo hoo!”  The swatter collided with the Duke with a downward stroke, sending the once feared owl tumbling into the cauldron.  He cried out in alarm, and tried to flap his wings but it was no use.  The Grand Duke of Owls slipped under the surface, causing bubbles to rise where he had sunk.  Until finally the surface became still again.  Hunch landed on the edge of the cauldron, his face a picture of shock.  He hadn’t meant to really hurt his uncle.  He was just having some fun after all those years of abuse he had suffered. 

Then Hunch shrugged and turned away from the green goo in the cauldron.  There was no need to be too depressed, though.  The other owls would need someone to lead them now that his uncle had kicked the bucket.  Or cauldron in this case.  Grand Duke Hunch.  That did have a nice ring to it. 

Suddenly the green liquid began to steam and bubble in the cauldron.  Green flame shot out and hit Hunch’s tailfeathers.  He yowled in pain and flew up on to a bookcase.  He stared at the cauldron as it continued to boil.  Then Hunch heard a familiar cackle.  The disembodied laughter seemed to be coming from the cauldron itself.  Then, a shape broke the surface of the cauldron, obscured by green ooze covering it’s features.  As the liquid washed off, it revealed the restored body of the Grand Duke of Owls, growing taller and larger until the cauldron broke apart, spilling the green liquid on the floor.  Within seconds the Grand Duke of Owls’ frame filled the entire room, and he glared down on Hunch with hungry eyes.  “Ah.  Now that’s much better,” the Duke chuckled evilly.  Hunch hid his fly swatter behind his back, his eyes filled with fear.  “Uncle Dukie!  Uh, sir!  You’re big again!  I’m so glad, sir!  I really am!”  The Duke grabbed Hunch in a feathered hand and tightened his grip around his throat.  “Oh, really?  You don’t prefer me being a, now what was it you said?  Oh yes.  A ‘little twerp’?” 

“Oh please, Uncle Dukie!  Sir!  Sir Uncle Dukie!  Don’t hurt me!” Hunch begged.  “I didn’t mean it!  Honest I didn’t!”  The Duke raised up Hunch so his face looked right into his eyes.  “There, there, nephew.  Don’t worry.  It will only hurt for a moment.  Then you won’t feel a thing!”  The Duke opened his beak and was just about swallow Hunch whole when he heard another voice approaching.  It drew closer and closer until the owner of the voice, a small albino bat, flew through an archway into the room.  “Just relax, sir!  I did tell you not to leave the stove on while we’re out.  I’m sure your little potion thing is o…”  The bat stopped midflight at the sight of the giant owl about to eat it’s nephew.  “Ok.  So I guess I should have closed the windows around here.  Or maybe we could put in some windows.  Nothing too flashy, just something on the conservative side of th…”  The Duke grabbed the bat with  his other wing and dropped Hunch.  “And just who, pray tell, are you?” he sneered.  The bat tried to break free.  “Great.  Another grabby one.  Why do I always get stuck with the violent types?  The name’s Bartok.  And if I were you, I’d call myself ‘dasvidaniya’ and fly on outta here!” 

“A mouthy little pest, aren’t you?” chuckled the Duke.  “Perhaps I’ll pass on my nephew and make a meal of you instead.  I’ve had such a long flight, and I’m just sooo hungry!”  Suddenly a bearded man in a brown robe burst through the archway.  “Bartok!  What is the meaning of this?”  Bartok waved a wing at the enraged man.  “Oh hi, sir!  Just a heads up!  We got company!”  The man stared defiantly up at the Duke.  “What manner of creature are you?  You dare to trespass in the home of the great Rasptuin?!”  The Duke rolled his eyes.  “Oh please.  The Duke goes wherever he wishes.  I’ll forgive your rudeness since whatever you had in that pot restored me.   But if you would excuse me, I don’t like to be interrupted when I’m eating.”  The Duke raised Bartok to his beak and Rasputin held his reliquary high.  “You may have ruined my potion, but you will no longer desecrate my domain!”  A blast of green fire shot out of the reliquary and sent the Duke crashing through a wall and out of the tower.  Bartok squirmed out his grip and flew back to the window sill.  “So long, pal!  Let’s meet up in Siberia some time next never!”  The Duke flapped his great wings and headed full speed back to the tower.  “You will pay for that, human!  You think you know power?!  I’ll show you power!”  The Grand Duke of Owls exhaled a magical breath that caused the remnants of the tower to burst into flame.  Bartok and Hunch flew to a safe distance and watched as the Grand Duke of Owls swooped down towards Rasputin as he summoned a swarm of spirits with the reliquary.  “Oh boy.  This one is definitely gonna end in tears,” Bartok moaned.  “Wow!” squealed Hunch.  “Acceleration!  Animation!  Annihilation!  Hoo hoo!”  Bartok gave Hunch a look.  “You talk kind of weird, fella.  You know that right?” 

OK:

Both Rasputin and the Grand Duke of Owls are at full strength.  Whoever destroys the other, wins. 

Game On! 

[Callisto]

Learn More About
Rasputin (1997 Movie)
Read more about Rasputin (1997 Movie) at Wikipedia
Official Site: 20th Century Fox Links: Wikipedia Villains Wiki Don Bluth Wiki

The Grand Duke Of Owls
Read more about The Grand Duke Of Owls at Wikipedia
Official Site: Sullivan Bluth Studios Links: Wikipedia Don Bluth Wiki Villains Wiki

[broadwaybeyonder]

Anastasia - Final Battle - YouTube

Rock-a-Doodle clip scene - Chanticleer vs The Grand Duke - YouTube

[Mercenaryblade]

Fantastic match up using Don Bluth characters! Everyone was in character, especially Bartok. 

I got to go with Ra-ra-Rasputin. He's basically Koschi the deathless at this point and I doubt the Duke will know to go for the reliquary  

 

 

[leroypowell3]

I remember seeing the commercials for Rock a doodle when it came out and to this day have never seen this movie. Good thinking putting clips of the two. I say Rasputin too. The Owl's magic was pretty impressive but Rasputin seems to have him trumped.

[Pizzaguy2995]

Gotta side with Rasputin! All he’s have to do to win is create an illusion of it being daytime and Duke would be finished.

[RakaiThwei]

Mmmm.. Ra-Ra-Rasputin, lover of the Russian Queen, there's a cat that really was gone!

Yeah... I'm going with Rasputin here!

[JohnnyChany]

You never cease to amaze with your electic choice of characters, and I just want to state again it's very much appreciated. I have never seen Anastasia and I think I have seen Rock-A-Doodle, but it has been so long. The videos were appreciated and I am going to go against the consensus so far and cast my lot with the Duke and his magic breath.

[Callisto]

Match Final Results

Member Ratings:
4.50 - JohnnyChany
5.00 - patrickthekid
4.00 - Pizzaguy2995
4.90 - Yukimuraster90
5.00 - leroypowell3

FPA Calculation:
5 Total Votes cast
23.40 Total Combined Score
23.40 / 5 = 4.68 Final Rating on the match

MATCH SCORE
Rasputin (1997 Movie): 8
The Grand Duke Of Owls: 1

[broadwaybeyonder]

THE BOTTOM LINE

The evening sky was lit up by a fiery display as stars, planets, and musical notes collided with green lightning, and demons tore into phantom owls.  The Duke used his breath to summon claws that crushed a statue that Rasputin’s magic had brought to life, while marble soldiers rose from the tops of their crypts to shoot stone bullets at the giant bird.  “HUNCH!” he howled to his nephew.  “Get the reliquary!”  Hunch started to speed toward the tower before stopping mid-flight.  “Um, Uncle Dukie?  What’s the reliquary?”  The Duke groaned and pointed toward Rasputin on the ruins of his tower.  “The glowing, green tube!  Take it and bring it to me!” 

“Yes, sir!  Right away, sir!” said Hunch, and he flew off again, only to get stopped by Bartok grabbing a hold of his satchel.  “Take it easy, there, fella.  Not a good idea to interrupt to people doing the whole ‘wizards duel’ thing.”  Hunch kicked with his talons at Bartok, forcing him to let go.  He took off after the bat as he flew back into the graveyard.  “Come back here, you little runt!  Hoo hoo!  Abomination!  Amplification!  Assassination!  I’ll get you for that!” 

“GET BACK HERE, HUNCH, YOU IMBECILE!”  The Duke roared as the two creatures disappeared amongst the crypts.  Rasputin pointed the reliquary at the Duke, and blast of green energy struck him square in the chest.  The owl hooted in pain and began to shrink down to the size of a normal owl, flapping his wings desperately to steady himself.  “Now, my servants!  Bring him to me!”  The green demons flew around the Duke.  They took hold of his wings and carried him to Rasputin.  The Duke fought as hard as he could, but could not break their grip.  The Duke looked into the face of Rasputin, and chuckled nervously.  “Oh.  Heh heh.  Can’t we settle this like gentlemen?  One wizard to another?”  Rasputin grinned dangerously.  “Oh, I already have something I want to settle for myself.  Now, my children.  Around and around and around…”  The demons took a hold of the Grand Duke of Owls’ head.  To the sound of the Duke’s cries for mercy, they forced his head to turn around.  Further and further and further until finally… a snapping sound filled the air. 

Green light began surrounding the now lifeless body of the Grand Duke of Owls.  In a matter of moments, the light had faded, and the remains of the Duke was gone.  Rasputin sneered.  “Well, well.  I guess they can’t turn all the way around.”  Bartok flew out of the darkness and hid behind Rasputin.  Hunch flew in seconds behind, and stopped when he saw that his uncle was gone.  He looked around the room in confusion.  “Uncle Dukie?  Uncle Dukie?  Sir?  Where are you?”  Hunch then noticed Rasputin with Bartok sitting on his shoulder.  Hunch gulped and landed with a thud on the floor.  “Hoo hoo.  Altercation.  Adaptation.  Amputation.   What are you gonna d d do to me?”  Rasputin raised the reliquary to the sky.  “Don’t worry, creature.  I’ll be merciful.  I’ll send you to meet your ‘uncle’!” 

Bartok quickly flew off Rasputin’s shoulder and landed on his hand holding the reliquary.  “Um, sir?  Don’t mean to intrude.  I mean, I know this little guy messed up your potion and everything.  But it sure looked to me that he and big bird over there weren’t on good terms either.  Maybe we could work something out?”  Rasputin moved his hand and Bartok closer to his face.  “Like what, fool?”  Bartok cleared his throat nervously.  “Well, I’m just saying it wouldn’t hurt to have a little help around here.  I mean, hey, two henchmen is better than one, right?  And I could keep an eye on him, show him the ropes.  What do you think?”  Rasputin’s grip tightened on the reliquary, but then it started to stop glowing and he let go of it and let it hand from his belt.  “Very well, Bartok.  You are responsible for this owl.  But if any trouble comes of it, I’ll have your wings!”  Bartok gave a salute.  “You got it, sir!  Loud and clear!” 

Bartok flew down to Hunch, and gave a kick to his backside.  “Okay, buster.  First thing we gonna do is to clean up the mess you made.  So let’s move it already!”  Hunch scrambled over to a pile of books and started to pick up as many as he could.  “Right away, sir!  I’ll get this place looking good as new!  Hoo hoo!”  Hunch launched himself into the air and collided with the bookcase headfirst.  Hunch and his books tumbled back to the floor on top of Bartok, followed by the bookcase.  Rasputin put his hand to his face and groaned.  “Sometimes I wish I was back in limbo!” 

[broadwaybeyonder]

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