FantasiaGroundbreaking on several counts, not the least of which was an innovative use of animation and stereophonic sound, this ambitious Disney feature has lost nothing to time since its release in 1940. Classical music was interpreted by Disney animators, resulting in surreal fantasy and playful escapism. Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra provided the music for eight segments by the composers Tchaikovsky, Moussorgsky, Stravinsky, Beethoven, Ponchielli, Bach, Dukas and Schubert. Not all the sequences were created equally, but a few are simply glorious,... such as "Night on Bald Mountain", "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and "The Nutcracker Suite". The animation ranges from subtly delicate to fiercely bold. The screen bursts with colour and action as creatures transmute and convention is thrust aside. The painstaking detail and saturated hues are unique to this film, unmatched even by more advanced technology. --Rochelle O'GormanFantasia 2000More ambitious in scope than any of its other animated films (before or to come), Disney's 1940 feature Fantasia was a dizzying, magical and highly enjoyable marriage of classical music and animated images. Fantasia 2000, originally made for the IMAX large-screen format, features some breathtaking animation and storytelling, and in a few spots soars to wonderful high points, but it still more often than not has the feel of walking in its predecessor's footsteps as opposed to creating its own path. A family of whales swimming and soaring to Respighi's The Pines of Rome is magical to watch, but ends all too soon; a forest sprite's dance of life, death and rebirth to Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring too clearly echoes the original Fantasia's Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria sequence. But when it's on target, Fantasia 2000 is glorious enough to make you giddy. Hans Christian Andersen's "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" is a perfect narrative set to Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2, and Donald Duck's guest appearance as the assistant to Noah (of the Ark fame) set to Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance marches is a welcome companion piece (though not an equal) to The Sorcerer's Apprentice, the one original Fantasia piece included here. The high point of Fantasia 2000, though, is a fantastic day-in-the-life sequence of 1930s New York City set to Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and animated in the style of cartoonist Al Hirschfeld; it's a perfect melding of music, story and animation style. --Mark Englehart [show more]
Even though you would not believe Blu-ray to be a medium for best representing animation from the 1940s, Disney have painstakingly restored a number of 'classic' animated films from their vault over the past few years and proved us all wrong. Fantasia and its sequel were placed in the Disney vault back in 2004, following the normal procedure of limited edition releases, so fans have been waiting impatiently since then to see one of the most famous and renowned films in Disney's 70+ year history of theatrical releases.
Fantastia, known as 'Disney's 3rd full-length animated film,' is a vastly different entity from any other Disney film release. While Disney are known for heartfelt storylines and memorable songs, Fantasia takes a different route, mixing some of the most well-known classical musical from history accompanied by visuals featuring a number of characters. Primarily the focus was on Mickey Mouse, the staple of Disney, and trying to put a new spin on him to rejuvinate his popularity with the masses. It's hard to believe but at one point Donald Duck was taking over, yet due to Walt Disney's love for his favourite mouse, he never gave up on him.
It's hard to comprehend the leap of faith that Walt Disney took with this film. Originally intended as a short, simply entitled The Sorcerer's Apprentice, his worries about profitability led to a full-length concert of sorts resulting in Fantasia. What these Disney releases provide is historical context and understanding, which turn a simple musical symphony with animation into a minor miracle in the film world. In the end, eight shorts were produced to create one of the most famous films Disney would ever create. The Sorcerer's Apprentice short, even though not enough to carry profits by itself, led to one of the iconic images in Disney's history - Mickey Mouse with his robe and hat. You only need to go on vacation to one of the numerous Disney parks around the world to see the influence - from Mickey's Philharmagic to Hollywood Studios.
Led by renowned conductor Leopold Stokowski, working with a number of high profile ochestras at the time, the team created the 9 minute short featuring Mickey Mouse based on a poem by Goethe. The story is simple at heart - the apprentice plays with magic before he knows what he's doing, A broom comes to life, and everything spirals out of control from there. The music itself is as much the story as the visuals are, presenting an eerie trepidation mixed with a playful whim. It is animated as perfectly to the music as I have ever seen any film manage. This multi-track soundtrack was a vast step in technology at the time, and stands up to any score to this day. It is certainly one soundtrack you want to have a high quality sound system at home for.
The other seven shorts, while not quite as memorable as The Sorcerer's Apprentice, still provide a stunning sense of creativity that reminds the viewer why Walt Disney will probably always be the most acclaimed talent in the history of animation. 'Toccata and Fugue in D Minor' and 'Nutcracker Suite' will be familiar to many regardless of any lack of love for the classics, while 'The Rite of Spring' brings dinosaurs to life many years before the 2000 CGI movie by the same company. 'Intermission/Meet the Soundtrack' really speaks for itself, and leads into a fascinating look into Greek mythology with 'The Pastoral Symphony.' The final two segments could not be more different, with 'Dance of the Hours' featuring numerous dancing animals, and 'Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria' wrapping up Fantasia with the horrors of witches and demons.
This Blu-ray release is by far the best I have ever seen Fantasia look and sound, which is extraordinary considering its age. The supplementary features provide a fascinating look into the time period and what effort went into the film then and now. An audio commentary with Brian Sibley, a Disney historian, is extensive to the point of over-informing, and we also get an interactive art gallery and Disney Family Museum. If there's something Disney do well, it's preserving and respecting their history, and with each Blu-ray release we learn more about the love and passion they have had for animation right from the beginning.
It would be a crime not to mention the sequel also available in this pack - Fantasia 2000. In amongst the mire of 'direct to video' Disney sequels, Fantasia 2000 was created as the 'thirty-eighth full-length animated film,' thus elevating it beyond the other cash-in sequels. The original Fantasia sadly failed at the box office, even though it has become successful in image alone since, and so it took many years for Disney to finally return to the idea of a sequel. Released in IMAX, Disney once again managed to use aural technology to its fullest, and Fantasia 2000 was received far more positively than the original ever was at the time. It is certainly one of the only Disney sequels (along with the Toy Story series amongst others) that is worth anyone's time.
This two-pack is a worthy addition to anyone's collection, and presents a high point in Disney's creativity and a reminder of the best they have to offer.
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Please note this is a region B Blu-ray and will require a region B or region free Blu-ray player in order to play. Fantasia: Walt Disney's timeless masterpiece is an extravaganza of sight and sound - now brilliantly presented in high definition with an all-new digital restoration! Blu-ray technology finally makes it possible for you to experience Fantasia the way Walt envisioned! Plus, an exploration of the new Disney Family Museum and dynamic new bonus features allow generations of moviegoers to enjoy this musical masterpiece like never before. No family's Disney Blu-ray collection is complete without Fantasia! See the music come to life, hear the pictures burst into song and experience the excitement that is Fantasia over and over again through the magic of Blu-ray! Fantasia 2000: Experience an extravaganza of sight and sound in Fantasia 2000, the triumphant classic inspired by Walt Disney's vision of Fantasia as a continuing work-in-progress, now brilliantly presented in high definition. Plus, for the first time ever on Blu-ray, experience the 2003 Academy Award® - nominated animated short D19Destino - the extraordinary collaboration between Walt Disney and legendary artist Salvador Dali! Through the magic of Blu-ray, fully immerse yourself in the wonders of this innovative blend of music and animated imagery. See the music come to life, hear the pictures burst into song and share the excitement that is Fantasia 2000 with your family again and again.
Double bill of animated features from Disney studios. The ambitious classic, 'Fantasia' (1940), contains sequences set to music by - amongst others - Bach, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Mussorgsky, Schubert and Beethoven. Also featured is the famous 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' routine, in which Mickey Mouse (voiced by Walt himself for the last time) creates magical mayhem when he tries to get his chores done with the aid of a spell or two. It's semi-sequel, 'Fantasia 2000' (2000), features seven all-new animated interpretations of classical music. Highlights include the interwoven stories of a group of 1930s New Yorkers accompanied by Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue', the volcanic eruptions which illustrate Stravinsky's 'Firebird Suite', and the story of Noah, his ark, and his assistant Donald Duck, played out to the strains of Elgar's 'Pomp and Circumstance'.
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