Rating: 
Summary: The reviewer from Oz stole my thunder
Review: It is precisely as he stated. I hope to avoid a dubbed version but if not its OK since only the Fellini like "live" interludes have speech ,the animations are non speaking - When they do speak it is though a musical phrase or clever instrumentation. Once you see it you will carry 1 or 2 of theses works with you for a lifetime. MUCH BETTER THAN A DISNEY CLASSIC> and unlike Disney , it is not deliberately out of production .
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant animation, pretty good satire
Review: It's okay to like Fantasia and Allegro non troppo too. But they're not the same, which makes the satire of Disney so funny, especially after 20 years of massive Disney expansionism.Animating music, which is inherently abstract, is always a risk. However, if you aren't too worried about everything being pretty (like in Fantasia), this film will work for you. How can you tell? If you're still dry-eyed after watching the Sibelius Walse triste sequence, there's something wrong with you.
Rating:
Summary: Allegro Non Troppo - Shines!!!
Review: Many many years ago, I saw this film and I was absolutely transfixed. This film cannot helped be compared to Fantasia because they mention this themselves. But what sets this film apart is it's absolutely brilliant interpetations, in animated form, of these wonderful classical pieces that don't get as much attention as the ones Fantasia made popular amongst the general public. And there is one classical piece, above all, that was so brilliantly interpeted that it STILL stands out as one of the most moving pieces ever to be put on screen and that is the "Valse Triste" segment set to the music of Sibelius. Don't get me wrong, Disney's "clean" animation of Fantasia is a wonderful film, but none of it's segment moved me as much as Valse Triste. And I think it's free form, scruby, it's understated color use and none heavy handed animation fits BRILLIANTLY here. You don't feel you are watching an animation, you feel as you are watching a painter, with each stroke, visualize the musical note of this wonderful classical piece. You get to see the abandon cat go from fantasy, reality, fantasy, that you wish you could adopt the poor cartoon kitty. If you are a teacher of music, especially classical, get this film and show it to your students, if they are not moved, then nothing will moved them. This is the type of stuff that stays with you for YEARS and I guarantee you will be the better for it.
Rating:
Summary: Allegro Non Troppo - Shines!!!
Review: Many many years ago, I saw this film and I was absolutely transfixed. This film cannot helped be compared to Fantasia because they mention this themselves. But what sets this film apart is it's absolutely brilliant interpetations, in animated form, of these wonderful classical pieces that don't get as much attention as the ones Fantasia made popular amongst the general public. And there is one classical piece, above all, that was so brilliantly interpeted that it STILL stands out as one of the most moving pieces ever to be put on screen and that is the "Valse Triste" segment set to the music of Sibelius. Don't get me wrong, Disney's "clean" animation of Fantasia is a wonderful film, but none of it's segment moved me as much as Valse Triste. And I think it's free form, scruby, it's understated color use and none heavy handed animation fits BRILLIANTLY here. You don't feel you are watching an animation, you feel as you are watching a painter, with each stroke, visualize the musical note of this wonderful classical piece. You get to see the abandon cat go from fantasy, reality, fantasy, that you wish you could adopt the poor cartoon kitty. If you are a teacher of music, especially classical, get this film and show it to your students, if they are not moved, then nothing will moved them. This is the type of stuff that stays with you for YEARS and I guarantee you will be the better for it.
Rating:
Summary: Hurry, but don't run
Review: OK, I will provide a little different insight to this masterpiece and will *not* compare it to Disney's Fantasia. Sure, the Fantasia is great. But this is different! The experience takes you to a totally different genre. It is so much food for thought and a fest for the senses. And I think the bits in between are also quire witty. The so irritating presenter is one of the sharpest allegories of the modern media. You share so much of the feelings with the artist. And it is impossible for me to not to fall in love with the innocent, tender, playful and beautiful cleaner. This is definitely amongs my most favourite films. I only wish a VHS or preferrably, DVD version was available.
Rating: 
Summary: Stop the Fantasia comparison!
Review: There is only one way this movie is similar to Fantasia - it's animated visualisation of classical music. That's all! In every other way this movie is unique and wonderful! It's definitely aimed at a "Mature" audience, and not meant for kids. Be prepared to be shocked down to your funny bone!
Rating:
Summary: The Italian "Fantasia"
Review: This movie excels in combining art and classical music. It shows the "suffering artist" in chains and how he, his "domestic slave" girlfriend and the elderly female orchestra members are manipulated by powerful rich men. As the wife of an artist, I could really relate to this depiction. The artist overcomes the slave drivers by painting over his and his slave girl's black-and-white realistic images with colorful, cartoon caricatures and then flies away with her. In other words, he escapes the boundaries set for him by the "business world" and creates his own reality. This is a wonderful movie for anyone who feels strongly about classical music, art, and freedom. I first saw it at the Valley Art Theatre in Tempe, Arizona in the 1970s. I never forgot it and finally bought the video. See it. Its scenes and themes will haunt you for a lifetime. One previous reviewer made negative comments about the black-and-white connecting scenes with the inane human actors. They are there for a purpose. Like light and dark, this movie has opposites, too. Life is sometimes very ugly and painful, but seeing Creative Fantasy and Painful Reality arranged side-by-side sometimes helps us appreciate beauty and creativity all the more.
Rating:
Summary: The Italian "Fantasia"
Review: This movie excels in combining art and classical music. It shows the "suffering artist" in chains and how he, his "domestic slave" girlfriend and the elderly female orchestra members are manipulated by powerful rich men. As the wife of an artist, I could really relate to this depiction. The artist overcomes the slave drivers by painting over his and his slave girl's black-and-white realistic images with colorful, cartoon caricatures and then flies away with her. In other words, he escapes the boundaries set for him by the "business world" and creates his own reality. This is a wonderful movie for anyone who feels strongly about classical music, art, and freedom. I first saw it at the Valley Art Theatre in Tempe, Arizona in the 1970s. I never forgot it and finally bought the video. See it. Its scenes and themes will haunt you for a lifetime. One previous reviewer made negative comments about the black-and-white connecting scenes with the inane human actors. They are there for a purpose. Like light and dark, this movie has opposites, too. Life is sometimes very ugly and painful, but seeing Creative Fantasy and Painful Reality arranged side-by-side sometimes helps us appreciate beauty and creativity all the more.
Rating:
Summary: a true masterpiece!
Review: this musical-animation amalgam is one of the top examples of it's kind. it surpasses Disney's "Fantasia" in some areas, such as emotional coherence and adult themes - each segment has a moral, an emotional impact, and memorable images. the interwoven "frame story" is as important and has it's own moral issues and emotional impact.
this is not animation for children, but rather what Fantasia's creators could've done if left to their own choice of musical pieces and evoking any subject that came to mind, not censured for young audiences.
I truly enjoyed this on TV and from VHS, and look forward to watching it again in the DVD version.
Rating:
Summary: Superb!
Review: This really is a wonder to behold. The animation is breath taking and the stories are straight from the heart. Much better than Fantasia. Also, the bonus footage on the DVD is wonderful. Buy this DVD!
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