Genres

Visitors Review

George Mussman 2012-05-25 03:37:21

I Keep Thinking About It...

Obviously, the original "Fantasia" was the state of the art when it wasreleased in 1940. In fact, it remained there for many years. From ananimation standpoint, I think Disney finally topped it when they released"Sleeping Beauty" in 1959. Still, as an accomplishment, I believe that"Fantasia" was Walt Disney's finest achievement.He certainly wanted the idea of "Fantasia" to continue, but as time went on,it seemed that it would never happen. Our tastes in animation became moreand more sophisticated along with the greater advancements we have seen inanimation in the last decade. When Disney released the original "Fantasia"on video in 1991, many who had seen it criticized the film as being tooarty, with long segments that would not appeal to children.Perhaps many people thought that the word "Disney" always should beassociated with kids. That is unfair, for Walt would have wanted all ages ofpeople to enjoy his films. When Roy Disney announced a few years ago that Disney was making a new"Fantasia", I was surprised and excited. In the time that movies like "TheLion King", "Aladdin", "Toy Story", and "A Bug's Life" were taking in hugesums of cash, it seemed that Disney was willing to take the risk again andmake the film anyway.What a treat it is! Most of the segments of the film stayed in my memory fordays, as did the music. There is true genius in "Fantasia 2000" in theconnections of imagery to music. For example, the combination of Gershwin's"Rhapsody In Blue" the Al Hirschfeld-style caricatures was so perfect thatthe music seemed written for that type of visual presentation."Fantasia 2000" left me breathless and practically speechless. I evenenjoyed the celebrity introductions throughout the picture.Using my preferred four-star rating system, I would give "Fantasia 2000"this: ****-The minus is there for the only criticism I have of it: Too short! Theoriginal "Fantasia" was a two-hour event, while "Fantasia 2000" was only 74minutes. That is the same length as most other Disney animated features. Was74 minutes determined by: a. Expense of the budget, or b. The expected length of children's attention spans?From the depth of my heart, I recommend "Fantasia 2000". It left me wantingmore.George

2012-05-24 09:09:19

Finally Fantasia at its Finest

Walt Disney's highly ambitious venture into the marriage of animation and classical music is part acid-trip, and part experimental indie-film (long before either term was coined). Though flawed with a questionable format echoing a concert presentation and often tedious narrative by Deems Taylor, this often misunderstood film truly shines in DVD format as the crown jewel in the crown of the golden age of animation. Watching with commentary by John Canemaker, Roy Disney, and James Levine provides for a new 'insider' understanding of the film as well as placing each selection within historical context in regards of what was happening in art, film, culture, and music at the time. There is also a seperate commentary of quips from Walt Disney compiled by Canemaker which, while a good idea to put in such a feature, seems a little too patched together. The 'Making of' Featurette provides little new produciton material or drawings outside of what already exists in books and other similar 'making of' films but is interesting nonetheless. The film itself never looked better. Each stipple of drybrush and airbrush reads clearly and the often bold, crisp lines of the cel animation are like no other previous version. The sound, while muffled at times by the 'Fantasound' development of the studio in the late 1930's is the most pristine version of the recording that I have heard. With the additional Deems footage, and the inclusion an actual intermission, it would seem that this is THE version of Fantasia. Get your frame-by-frame button ready.An interesting footnote: Although the box reads "Uncut", it is apparent in the Pastoral sequence that some editing was done in the sequence where the "Centaurettes" parade for their suitors. This is due to the appearance of a stereotypical pickaninny female Centaur who tends to the others. In one scene in particular as Bacchus struggles up some stairs, it seems as though she was digitally removed altogether having seen the film before when the same scene was tightly cropped. Whether the elimination of the character by the current studio is sensativity to Black audiences or over-political correctness and a white-washing of history is for the viewer to decide.

2012-05-24 01:32:49

Can't wait to get it.

This review is from: Fantasia (Special 60th Anniversary Edition) (DVD) I ordered this classic for use in a music appreciation class. I hope to have it in.before school begins.

2012-05-23 18:54:02

Classic, Classic, Classic

When I was a kid, I didn't like this movie. I just didn't understand it. It was boring.As I grew older though, I realized the power this movie had. It expresses so much feeling and really gets you to appreciate the arts.Still, I don't really care much for the dancing hippo or drunken Nero animated sequences, even though they're decent. I like the sequences that don't really tell a story, or only tell parts of stories, much better.The first musical sequence has very random animation that I really love. It matches the music so closely and it's just great to watch and hear. Who would have thought you'd have so much fun just seeing specks of light flicker? The rolling hills leave a lasting impression in my mind too.During the Nutcracker sequence, I only REALLY like the part with the dancing mushrooms. I'm just amazed at how much the animation matches the music here.The Night on Bald Mountain sequence is absolutely dark and fantastic. It's rare to see something like this from Disney. Very, very watchable.My favorite sequence is the one showing the creation of the earth. The music really gets powerful as the dinosaurs are shown dying of thirst. It leaves an unforgettable impression in your mind of what it must have felt like to be a poor dinosaur at that time. I don't think the film makers meant for me to get such an impression, or maybe they did. In either case, I enjoyed it. It was very powerful.I don't think a six year old kid will enjoy this very much, but if you like music and art, you can't go wrong with this movie.

Sarah 2012-05-22 20:50:09

Longing for the old Disney quality...

One boring afternoon I decided to dust off my old videos and sit down andwatch "Fantasia". I was overjoyed to see my favourite scenes once again -the fairies, mushrooms, and centaurs to name a few. This inspired me to hire"Fantasia 2000", as I wanted to see more of what I loved in the firstFantasia.Unfortunately, I was bitterly disappointed. This just wasn't as nice. Toname a few bad points: The opening scene with the butterflies made menauseous. And although Rhapsody in Blue was cleverly done, I still found itvisually unattractive. Oh, and the addition of the Sorceror's Apprentice waswhat almost made me shut off the tape. I was never fond of this piece in theoriginal, so to add it again was like a double slap in the face. (Although Iended up stopping the tape prematurely anyway further on). And heck, how canI forget the pointless celebrity cameos which took away even more of the"flow" of the movie?Now, there WERE a few good points, namely...uh...well, the Tin Soldier I didenjoy. The whale sequence I came close to liking, but the 3D + cellintegration just didn't do it for me. I never saw the last few end bits so I can't say what they were like, andsomehow I don't think I'll be hiring it again to watch themeither.Give me the old one over 2000 anyday.

2012-05-22 07:26:32

Get Into Classical Music With Disney's Fantasia Films

In 1940, Walt Disney released his most ambitious art-house project: Fantasia. With World War II barely beginning to rage in Europe, Disney sought to entertain as well as educate audiences. Never before had audiences seen such a miracle. Fantasia combined aesthetic animation with classical music. Disneu had already released "Snow White" in the 30's to people who had never seen animation on the big screen before. Generations would be enchanted by Fantasia for decades. It spawned a second installment in 2000. This DVD gives us both the 1940 Fantasia, restored with greater sound and color and Fantasia 2000. The first Fantasia features behind-the-scenes look on its making. We see how a brainy Disney gathered the best and most talented animators to create fantastical imagery. He was fortunate enough to employ the great conductor Leopold Stokowski, who arranged Bach's "Toccata And Fugue In D Minor" from organ work to full orchestra. Stokowski was one of the greats, right along such legends as Toscanini and Karajan. Look also for Mickey Mouse attempting to imitate Stokowski's conducting. The bonus features for Fantasia 2000 gives us never-before-seen segments that never made it to the final version. They include animated sequences set to Debussy's "Claire De Lune" and Richard Wagner's "Ride Of The Valkyries". They should have at least shown us Ride Of The Valkyries in the final version!!!This DVD is a must have for hardcore fans of Disney and of Fantasia. It is the perfect introduction to classical music. It's how I got hooked into classical music in the first place. I watched Fantasia of 1940 when I was seven and the memories of the music and the imagery remained a lifetime.1940's Fantasia begins with Bach's Toccata And Fugue. Originally an organ work, it's orchestral arrangement is far more dramatic to listen to, with its dark D minor chords. It's the famous theme most people associate with Dracula. The sequence is nothing more than a chaotic swirl of indistinct figures and abstractions like an early 20th century abstract painting floating in the air. The second feature is Tchaikovsky's Waltz Of The Flowers from his ballet The Nutcracker. It's breathtakingly beautiful to behold -the nocturnal fairies playing with flowers in an orgy of color. Impressive is how the waltz closes with the ice-skating fairies and falling snowflakes. The French composer Dukas' "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" tells the story of a mischievous apprentice who gets himself into trouble when he casts a spell that goes wrong. Mickey Mouse plays the apprentice. Fondly remembered are the living brooms that Mickey had hoped would obediently do his chores for him. Perhaps the most controversial sequence is Stravinski's "Rite Of Spring" sequence, taken from the jazz ballet which at its premiere caused a riot. Stravinski's harsh, dramatic and violent-sounding music was not well-received at first but is now thought to be extremely innovative. Disney perhaps meant to shock and to tread new frontier with animating a sequence depicting the Evolution Theory. The primitive earth, nothing more than lava and pangea terrain, becomes the fertile breeding ground of the dinosaurs. Violent raptors and vicious tyrannasaurus rex rule supreme. We also get the theory of how they were wiped out possibly though changes in climate. The most famous moment is the Dance Of The Hours. Who does'nt remember the fat hippo ladies in ballet tutus being chased by the lusty red-cloaked alligators ? The Pastoral Symphony by Beethoven is beautifully presented against a backdrop of mythological and bucolic Greece. It's gorgeous to look at the variety of creatures, both earth-bound and heavenly- Pegasus and his family of winged horses, the seductive nymphs, centaurs and centaurettes, satyrs, Bacchus the drunken wine-god and his entourage as well as the imperious Zeus who hurls thunderbolt from the clouds during the storm portion. The closing scene is the moon goddess Diana with her hunting bow as she shoots the night skies with stars. The scariest moment is of course Night On Bald Mountain. The towering Devil and his ghouls and goblins dance during the night and are driven away at the first light of dawn. I remember being horrified by the Devil in that sequence. But at least it got me into Mussorgky's Night On Bald Mountain. The music is incredible.Fantasia 2000 begins with Beethoven's first movement from his 5th Symphony. The famous music is not hard to forget, the four powerful notes Pa-pa-ra-ra! is supposed to represent Fate knocking at someone's door according to Beethoven. This sequence, like the 1940 Fantasia opening sequence, is abstract triangles and circles imitating butterflies and bats in a shapeless background. Respighi's Pines Of Rome follows the life of whales swimming at night, Rhapsody In Blue portrays New York City in a very jazzy and comic style, the Carnival Of The Animals is hilarious and the concluding Firebird Suite is by far the most beautiful depiction of nature as holy as anything.

2012-05-18 09:58:16

A beautiful film

A very beautiful film which has not lost its merit through the years. My children (2.5 and 5 years old) love it.

2012-05-17 14:27:20

Disney's famous flop

This review is from: Fantasia (Special 60th Anniversary Edition) (DVD) Fantasia is two hours and five minutes long and was released on November 13, 1940. Fantasia is by far the longest Disney animated movie and the only one to day is two hours long. This was Disney's third animated film and by some Disney's famous flop. Fantasia did not earn a profit till 1969 when it was released for its fourth time. Fantasia is a mixture of eight animated shorts set to music with no dialog. The only person talking in the film is Deems Taylor during the introduction of each program description. This version of Fantasia is the roadshow version which included a fifteen intermission. The only thing missing in this "uncut version" is the Sunflower character; that is a centaur depicted as an African-American girl in the Pastoral Symphony segment. Also as with the original version there is no opening and closing credits; there are closing credits in the VHS version. The eight animated shorts are:Toccata and Fugue in D MinorNutcracker SuiteThe Sorcerer's ApprenticeThe Rite of SpringIntermission/Meet the SoundtrackThe Pastoral SymphonyDance of the HoursNight on Bald Mountain/Ave MariaOne of the reasons for its failure was due to the critics; the newspaper did not know who to send to view the film. Some sent a movie critic and some sent a music critic while some newspapers sent both. The film critics loved Fantasia and the music critics hated the movie. Another reason was not all movie theaters were equipped to handle the amount of audio equipment required for the movie. Still Fantasia is an enjoyable movie to watch and gets an A+ in my book.DVD EXTRASChapter SelectionSet UpBonus MaterialA)The Making of FantasiaB)Audio CommentaryPlay

himark-2 2012-05-14 02:25:21

Some fantastic animation

I was very pleasantly suprised by the high quality of this movie. Some ofthe pieces, particularly "Pines of Rome" and "Firebird Suite" were visuallypowerful. I especially liked the interpretation of the music into story,thebest of which was "Rhapsody in Blue", even though this particular piece waspulled from the Disney archive at the last minute to be used in the movie.The movie has a broad appeal, from adults to children. The later wouldenjoy"Pomp and Circumstance", a piece starring Donald Duck as well as "TheSorcerer's Apprentice" featured in the original "Fantasia". I was a littledisappointed with the interstitials, the area of the film that introducesthe audience to each successive piece. Each interstitials was delivered byadifferent celebrity, some funny, some not. I feel this could have been moresuccessful with one person throughout the film. The design of the orchestraarea transitioned well into each of the pieces and the music choices shouldappeal to a wide range of people. Overall, I was quite impressed and wouldlike to see it again once it is officially released.

2012-05-13 15:55:18

Animation is NOT. . .

just for children! It has developed that way in the US because of Disney and Hanna-Barbara, but it was not originally just for kids, and as it has developed in Asia and Europe it still isn't. Look at the old 'Loony Toons', for example; a lot of the humor goes right over children's heads, but can be appreciated by adults.To the people who say that children don't like this because there is no story line, as a child I loved it. Of course, I grew up in a home filled with classical music--my late Mother was an Eastman-trained musician--so perhaps I was different.As for the censorship of the black centaurette, Disney is in a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation. Back when the film was first released, people didn't think anything of such 'humor'. It was a different time, and it is wrong to judge other cultures by our culture's standards. Now, of course, it is totally unacceptable. If Disney were to release it in the original, they'd be called racist; if in the edited version, they are called censors.Some have objected to the 'Night on Bald [or BEAR] Mountain' sequence as evil and Satanic; well, it is supposed to be. There IS evil in the world, and the sooner children discover this the better. And Disney does not leave us there; the demons are stopped in thir revelry by the Angelus bell, and we close with the vision of the Schubert 'Ave Maria'.'Allegro non Troppo' and 'Opera Imaginaire' give us some idea of other possibilities of combining good music with animation; more along those lines should be done.

Craig Gustafson 2012-05-13 00:05:02

Ok, so I'm a heretic...

I don't feel like getting into a long discussion of the music; my heresy issuccinct: I enjoyed Fantasia/2000 far more than the original.The Pomp and Circumstance segment was cute, the Steadfast Tin Soldier wasshort but engaging (with a very scary Jack in the Box), and the Whalesegment prompted a friend to say, "Ok... when the whales started flying, Iwas thinking, 'Where's the bong when you need it?'"For me, the standout sequence was Rhapsody in Blue, based on the drawingsofAl Hirschfeld. It was brilliantly done, funny and moving.GO SEE THIS MOVIE!

2012-05-12 06:45:16

Perfect marriage of animation and music...

This is truly a match made in Heaven; beautiful classic music and incredible animation, and now on DVD...I saw this as a child, only five years old, but I remember it vividly, and how fascinated I was throughout the entire movie. Of course, the dinosaur segment scared me (oddly enough, "Night on Bald Mountain" did not...)at the end of the movie, during the "Ave Maria" sequence, dazed and infused with the powerul, haunting images and sound, I asked my mother "What happened then?" And she said "The World was born, and then you were born, and everything was all right." I have had more than one occasion to remember those words, with a terrible longing to go back in time. I loved the "Dance of the Hours", the ballerina hippos, the Centaurs, and Bacchus being set upon by Thor, Zeus, the various gods, and the beauty of Night coming, after the storm, after the sunset, and the Goddess of Hunting, Diana, shooting her arrow into the sky and thousands of stars appearing; and she (Night) was a wonderfully soothing image, and also reminded me of my own bedtime and my mother tucking me in, safe for the night and safe from the storm; would that that were still true today!!!! This is the essential Disney DVD; along with Snow White and Dumbo and Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty and 101 Dalmatians...a must for your DVD library.

2012-05-12 09:07:01

Fantasia will Amazia !

The two-fold achievement of the 1940 film Fantasia -- breaking new ground in the art of film-making while evoking the essence of another art form (music) -- was profound and unparalleled. This groundbreaking Disney feature comprises of eight individual animation sequences, each with an abstract or concrete theme and accompanied with a well-known piece of music -- with the music often seemingly having little in common with the animation. The Nutcracker Suite, for instance, is paired with images of the passing of the four seasons, and Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony is used for depicting mythological creatures. The result may upset music purists, but it shows vividly and effectively how pictures and music can enhance one another -- how pictures can offer interpretation (or re-interpretation) of a piece of music, and how existing music can be used to enhance a film with a totally different context (such as in 2001: A Space Odyssey, Brief Encounter, and the many films that make use of Wagner's Rides of the Valkries).Fantasia 2000, the "sequel" made in 1999, only manages one animation segment that is close to achieving the lofty goal set by the original film. In the "Rhapsody in Blue" segment, the Al Hirshfield-style animation is a perfect fit for the jazzy Gershwin's tune, with one capturing the spirit of the other almost note for note, frame by frame. The rest of the segments are pretty unexceptional, with the exquisitely drawn "Firebird Suite" segment perhaps the best, and the nonsensical interpretation of Beethoven's 5th Symphony perhaps the worst. The 3-disc DVD collection THE FANTASIA ANTHOLOGY includes Fantasia and Fantasia 2000, as well as an enormous amount of extra material that reveals the history, craftsmanship, and artistic achievements of the two films (and also of Disney animation itself).The first disc, the Fantasia DVD, contains what Disney claims to be the uncut, original theatrical version of the 125-minute film, but it isn't exactly so. Although the introductions that begin each segment have been restored in full on this disc (5 minutes of Deems Taylor's introductions have been restored since the 1990 re-release version), their soundtracks couldn't be fully recovered. So Taylor's voice has been re-dubbed entirely with someone else's. Also, some footage was cut from the Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony segment in the 1960s due to its stereotypical depiction of African Americans. It remains cut on this disc. Hence, this is "almost" the uncut, original 1940 version. The disc contains both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.0 audio. The restored Taylor introductions describe each segment more fully, both in terms of the underlying story of the animation and the significance of the music. Extras on the Fantasia disc include a 30-minute featurette "The Making of Fantasia" that recounts production history and provides technical and artistic insights on all 8 animation segments, and an audio track of Walt Disney's comments on the film, either straight from his mouth from old recordings, or read by others.On the Fantasia 2000 disc, all the music is extraordinarily recorded with Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 sound. The 74-minute movie was originally shown in IMAX theaters, so the picture quality (depending on the monitor you see it on) is startling clear and sharp. The disc also includes 2 cartoon shorts from the 50s that teach kids the basic principals of music.It is the third disc, titled "The Fantasia Legacy", that should please animation fans. Its main attraction is the hundreds of still-frame concept arts, storyboards, cel drawings for all 15 segments in the 2 movies. All the images were scanned at a very high quality, and many of them almost full screen. The images are well-organized into sections: "Visual Development", "Character Designs", "Abandoned Concepts", etc. None of the images is captioned, but their artistry and purpose pretty much speak for themselves. Other noteworthy material on the disc include: a film clip demonstrating that music from one segment could easily be made to fit another segment (hence, the subjectiveness of music), a tongue-in-cheek segment showing artists studying a ballerina's movements while sketching elephants and hippos on their drawing pads, a still-frame comparison of Al Hirschfeld's original cartoons and the animation used in the "Rhapsody in Blue" segment, a fully-animated but never used segment from Fantasia titled "Clare de Lune", a chronology of theatrical showings of Fantasia from 1940 to 2000 that also notes how the film was altered for each release. The original "Roadshow Program" for Fantasia is also reproduced in the still-frame section, but unfortunately the words are too tiny to be legible. Also present are the usual supplements such as trailers, TV commercials, posters, filmmakers' bios.

2012-05-11 17:18:27

Classic, Classic, Classic.

Classic, Classic, Classic. Those three words seem destined forever to describe this movie, and it's tempting to over-rely on them when reviewing it. However if we look beyond the fun and games of the promotions department at Disney, we see an intelligent and caringly crafted piece of art, which is probably as relevant to-day as the updated version made for its 50thanniversary.The music used is mainly well-known, and is as timeless in its own way as the various animations used as an accompaniment. This is a wonderful way to present orchestral music to the children of the Nintendo generation, and a perfect film to sit round and watch with all the family. I recommend buying the restored original version which is available on DVD for any Britishviewers who have only seen the Wizard's Apprentice clip time after time on Screen Test!

Linda-22 2012-05-04 14:33:54

Ooooh-Aaah Spectacle!

Quick! Find me a thesaurus! I need to know how many ways there are to say"Wonderful." I was lucky enough to be invited to an advance screening ofFantasia 2000 and can't say enough good things about it. Yes, it's amust-see for any fan of animation and yes, you really should see it at anIMAX if at all possible. The sights and sounds are spectacular.Following the pattern set by the original Fantasia, the film opens with anabstract piece exploring color and movement, this time accompanied byBeethoven's Fifth. Did you like the ostrich ballerinas in the first film? Wait till you see the hilarious yo-yo playing flamingo! There's abreath-taking sequence set to Respighi's "Fountains of Rome" about a pod ofwhales with a baby who rivals Newborn Dumbo in cuteness. (Actually, I havemixed feelings about this sequence: I was totally caught up in it bothbecause of the beauty of the artwork and the emotional impact of the babyseparated from its parents. Then it became, well..., strange. I don't wantto spoil it for you. Suffice it to say, the symbolism was lost onme.)The low point for me was the Noah's Ark sequence, set to Elgar'sprocessional (You know, that thing you marched to to get your diploma). Cute concept, but didn't have any place to go. The high point, as far asI'm concerned, was "Rhapsody in Blue", a tribute to Gershwin, New York, andthe art of Hirschfield.What can I say? Wonderful! Totally wonderful!

sburke 2012-05-04 04:45:39

Not Bad, But Not As Great As I Expected

I saw "Fantasia 2000" in Irvine on January 1. And I really, really hate tosay this, but I left the theater mildly disappointed.Was it the animation quality? No way! The animation was superb. Was it the IMAX presentation? No, except for the poor transfer of "TheSorcerer's Apprentice" to the format. I realize that Disney went to greatlengths to restore the original print of this segment, and even processed itto remove a great deal of the "graininess," but it still didn't cut it. Perhaps it was simply asking far too much to transfer a sixty-year-old pieceof film to IMAX. Otherwise, seeing such images on such a gigantic screenwas wonderful.Was it the IMAX sound? Certainly not! I would say that if you are unableto hear a live symphony perform these pieces live in an actual concert hall,then this would be the best alternative.Was it the interstitial segments where celebrities introduced each piece? No. I found nothing wrong with a little break between each musical segment. And most of them were quite entertaining, in my opinion.So was it the music pieces themselves? Well, the performances of the pieceswere quite good (although Kathleen Battle's shrill soprano near the end ofthe "Pomp and Circumstance" segment was needless excess, and sounded awful),and the selection of music was wonderful. But having listened to many ofthese pieces prior to this film, it really annoys me that they were severelycut in length and presentation. Okay, I understand that you can't animatethe entirety of "The Firebird." But when you have a piece such as"Beethoven's 5th, 1st Movement," it simply seems ridiculous to me that a5-minute music piece needed to be cut to 4 minutes. How much more would itcost to present an animated segment that last the entire duration of thispiece?So how about the segments themselves? Well, going in order:"Beethoven's 5th": Terrible. I would assume that the filmmakers wanted tobegin this version of "Fantasia" in a manner similar to the original--anabstract interpretation of a piece of "Absolute Music." However, the imagespresented in the original made sense when matched to Bach's "Toccata andFugue," while the Beethoven segment made no sense whatsoever."Pines of Rome": Absolutely incredible. I would pay money to watch andlisten to this segment alone. The idea of whales flying might seemfarfetched, but the way the story matched the music wasphenomenal."Rhapsody in Blue": This segment underwhelmed me when I saw it, but nowthat I've thought about it, it's not bad. It's incredible the way a storywas created to match the highs and lows of the musical piece. The animationstyle takes some getting used to, though."Steadfast Tin Soldier": I've heard this segment called "Toy Story's uglystepsister." They're right. I guess it's a decent story, but I wantedsomething spectacular and grand, and for me, it was "just there," offeringnothing special."Carnival of the Animals": I would compare this to the "Dance of the Hours"segment in the original, and it's Wonderful stuff! Absolutely tremendous! So why was it SO DAMN SHORT! That's my only objection to this segment--it'sTOO DAMN SHORT!"The Sorcerer's Apprentice": In the original movie, this was a highlightamong highlights. But its inclusion here on an IMAX screen just destroyedit, no matter how much labor and love went into its restoration."Pomp and Circumstance": Great stuff. Donald Duck gets to show off hisunique personality and talent for physical comedy in the epic story ofNoah's Ark. SO WHY WAS IT SO DAMN SHORT!"Firebird": Excellent work here, but the close of this phenomenal segmentwas just a bit flat. This musical piece is widely regarded as a primeclosing number for a concert, so it would seem that its place at the end of"Fantasia 2000" would be a foregone conclusion. But for some reason, theend of the piece just didn't have the emotional impact I was expecting,especially after the chills I experienced at the end of the "Pines of Rome"segment. So, I guess I was disappointed because two of the segments were absoluteTurkeys, one should have been left alone in the original version, and two ofthe remaining 5 segments left me hungry for more, since they were too darnshort. "Fantasia" (1940) was two hours long, while "Fantasia 2000 was amere 75 minutes. Why? What would it have hurt to develop a few of thesegments' stories a bit more, and increase the film's length just a bit? Ibelieve doing so would have enriched the experience. But in examining thefive new "Good" segments on their own, I would have to say that they wereexcellent.So, in short, I was disappointed because of the film's brevity, disappointedwith at least 1/3 of the movie, and disappointed that I had to pay nearlydouble the admission for a normal movie. However, because I loved such alarge part of the movie so much, I can't give it a bad review. Maybe myattitude will change when I can scrounge up the extraordinary amount ofmoney it costs to see it again.

2012-05-01 21:42:32

Disney's True Masterpiece

Never a big fan of Disney animation, this reviewer has always made Fantasia a major exception in his catalogue. And it's safe to assume that most people in the same boat (those who favor Kubrick and Scorsese over Cinderella and Snow White) will feel the same way. Sure, Fantasia has its share of cute, furry animals and ferries to boot. But the animation / classical score combo is simply awe-inspiring. How many features start things off with a series of brilliant abstract images matched to Bach's "Tocata and Fugue in D Minor"? Mickey Mouse has rarely been as enchanting as he is in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", and "The Rites of Spring" sequence is as close to naturalism as classic animation has ever reached on film. But it's the film's finale, the "Night on Bald Mountain"/"Ave Maria" sequence, that is truly breathtaking. Never has evil been personified in motion picture history as it is here, and it is unlike anything Disney has attempted before or since. Forget every other Disney "masterpiece"; this is the real deal!

2012-05-01 10:30:25

Fantasia is Brilliant, But 3 Disk Set is Overrated

Walt Disney's 1942 FANTASIA was a groundbreaking film and remains a landmark to this day, a brilliant series of animated sequences set to notable concert music conducted by Leopold Stokowski of The Philadelphia Orchestra. The three disk FANTASIA ANTHOLOGY, however, is extremely overrated.The first disk is the original FANTASIA, which Disney describes as restored. This is not strictly true. First and foremost, the restoration of visual elements is sloppy at best, with the film plagued by streaks and blips, and at least one sequence ("Dance of the Hours") appears to be slightly cropped. That aside, portions of the Deems Taylor narration have been completely lost, and these have been rerecorded by Tim Matheson--and Matheson's voice is not a good match for Taylor and the sychronization is poorly done. Lastly, one selection ("Pastoral") has been censored: a brief image, which would be considered racist by today's standards, has been deleted from the sequence.Even so, it is still FANTASIA, and it overcomes all of these liabilities. The animation, which was created by hand and photographed through a number of laborious processes, shows Disney Studios at the height of its powers. Every one is certain to have their favorites among the selections (mine are "Dance of the Hours" and "Night on Bald Mountain"), but every selection is brilliantly conceived and executed, and although the content varies from sequence to sequence the overall style of the film hangs together in a most remarkable way. FANTASIA was, is, and will no doubt will forever remain a touchstone in animation art.Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the second disk, FANTASIA 2000. This particular film is extremely uneven, the sequences lack the same cohesive style that held the original FANTASIA together, and the entire film is beset by a series of often obnoxious "celebrity" introductions that give the film the feel of a made-for-TV variety show. Still, some of the visual ideas are very impressive, and while they are too few to offset the portions of the film that do not work, they still make FANTASIA 2000 mildly entertaining.Both the FANTASIA and FANTASIA 2000 disks include documentaries and commentary tracks on each film. The third disk, called "The Fantasia Legacy," is a bonus packed with interviews, archieval footage, and sketches that show how each sequence in both films was developed and then filmed. Some of this material is redundant, for it is included on the documentaries on the first two disks, but most of it is unique to this disk alone. Disney originally saw FANTASIA as a film that could be re-released with a mix of old and new selections every few years, and the most interesting material on the "Legacy" disk is a restored "Clair de Lune" (made for and then cut from the original FANTASIA) and various storyboard ideas for future sequences.The only way one can obtain the "Legacy" disk is to purchase this three disk package--and therein lies the rub. The original FANTASIA is brilliant, and even in its so-so state it is worthy of a place in any DVD library. FANTASIA 2000, however, is trivial, occasionally interesting but not greatly memorable and not a piece that one would normally go out of the way to purchase. And the price for the three disk package is quite steep.If you are a Disney fan who must have every scrap of material available, I would recommend the investment this package requires. But if your primary interest is the original FANTASIA, you are much better off simply purchasing a DVD of that film alone--the other two disks are simply not worth the expense. Purchasers should alos remember that the original FANTASIA does not often appeal to very young children, and if the purchase is being made for a child you are likely to be disappointed in their response. Final thought: the original FANTASIA is brilliant, FANTASIA 2000 is so-so, and the bonus disk is for hardcore fans. This pricey package is recommended to the latter only.

2012-04-26 23:58:18

A definite classic!

This is the movie that started it all, it's Walt Disney's animated crowning achievement. It's a collection of stories composed with the classic music of Beethoven to Shubert all with the help of Leon Kopolsky.A stunning and beautiful animated movie that is the first of it's kind to be like a concert feature using beautiful animation, well designed characters, some hot centaurettes for the guys, Mickey Mouse made famous on his "Sorcerer's Apprentience" short and it's a visual movie for the senses.Highly recommended!

joliefille411 2012-04-26 09:38:34

An Enduring Legacy

The first time I heard about it, I was a little skeptical about anotherFantasia, as I am shy of sequels. However, I learned that it was theoriginal intention of Disney to make Fantasia an ongoing project, so Idecided to give it a try. I am so glad I did.Beethoven's 5th Symphony- Probably his most famous work due to theiconic dun dun dun dun's, the opening sequence does not fail to excite.The abstract imagery set against a powerful composition echoes theoriginal Fantasia's opening number. It's simple, it's fun and it whetsmy appetite for what's coming up.Pines of Rome- I did not like this one very much at first. The flyingwhales were just a bit strange to me, and I didn't quite understand thepoint of the segment. The 3D and traditional animation didn't mix verywell either. However, it has grown on me, especially the latter half.The music is quite beautiful and stirring.Rhapsody in Blue- I love this one so much. The amount of developmenteach character gets for only having a 10 min time slot is staggering. Iwas able to empathize with each one. The clever beginning with a singleline shaping the New York skyline is fun to watch. The quirkycaricatures compliment the jazz style very well.Piano concerto No 2- This is a beautiful treatment of the Tin Soldierby Hans Christian Anderson. The computer animated characters look a bitsimplistic, but it helps emphasize they are children's toys: thecomplexity is in your imagination. The computer and traditionalanimation mesh much better in this short. As for the "Disneyfied"ending, I thought the original was depressing anyways. If you are stillmourning the obligatory happy ending in every single Disney film, youreally should have stopped watching years ago.Carnival of the Animals, Finale- Zany, colorful and quick enough thatit doesn't have a chance to get old. The bright watercolors offer arefreshing POP to the program.The Sorcerer's Apprentice- I'm kind of sad they chose to put this shortinto the new version. Yeah, I get that mixing old with new was part ofthe original concept, but it was never my favourite. If you want myopinion on it, check out my review of the original. I usually skip itin Fantasia 2000 anyways.Pomp and Circumstance-Yay for Donald Duck! A secular company tellingthe story of the Ark is a tricky thing, but the animators blended inhumor without being irreverent. Pomp and Circumstance is a wonderfulpiece of music, not just for graduations. Despite the usual gags, thesubplot of Donald losing Daisy was quite tender.Firebird Suite- hands down, this is my favourite. Music: superb, theme:classic, animation; beautiful. The cycle of life, death and rebirththrough the eyes of a sprite and an elk is poignantly portrayed withthe eruption of a volcano. It also echoes the ending of the originalFantasia. LOVELY!As a whole, I really loved this movie. All the music is truly beautifuland every segment has it's outstanding points. What really annoyed mewere the celebrity skits. They got old after the first viewing. I wouldhave preferred much more straightforward, streamlined information.Overall, though, great! I hope to see more someday soon.