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Fantasia (60th Anniversary Special Edition)

Fantasia (60th Anniversary Special Edition)

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: love it!
Review: Great movie. Good music, great drawing. Just wish they hadnt put in naked girl centaurs and half woman, half birds.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent collector's edition for Disney fans
Review: The Fantasia Anthology contains material that every Disney fan/collector will enjoy. It's worth the extra money to upgrade to this edition of Fantasia and Fantasia 2000.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A MUST HAVE!
Review: You MUST own this set if you are a lover of Fantasia, Disney or animation in general. I have never seen a more complete DVD, or one that so embraces the format as this. There are extras spilling out all over the place. I watched this for 5 hours straight, and didn't even scratch the surface of what surprises were included. It may be months before I even get to the films themselves!

The boxed set includes both Fantasia films & a DVD of just extras. Each of the DVDs for the individual films not only include extras themselves, but 2 commentary tracks each. On Fantasia the commentary is by Disney himself, taken from audio interviews and reading of transcripts from story meetings. It's incredible! The extras disc breaks down all of the individual parts of the films with discussion, unused animation, story boards or whatever else may have been available for that particular film.

You will not be sorry if you invest in this!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Fantasia a 5/ Fantasia 2000 a 3
Review: The original is fantastic and having on it DVD is wonderful. Fantasia 2000 just did not have the same spark that the original had. The musical performance by the Chicago Symphony was excellent as it should have been. The creativeness behind the animation was not there. Only the flamingos in "The Carnival of Animals" segment resembled the genius of the first feature. What in the world do whales have to do with "The Pines of Rome." I would much rather have looked at artists renderings of the locations described by the music in "Pines of Rome." "Pomp and Circumstance" with Noah's Ark? The "Firebird" segment was close and would have worked if they had not cut pieces out of the music. It sounds great and it is visually stunning. I just expected a little more creativity.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fantasia: A Film Unlike Any Other
Review: Review 1 of 7 set reviews: "The Fantasia Anthology" was released in 2000. This set is probally the one with the greatest legnth for one of the greatest motion pictures of all time. When you order or buy this set, it comes with three discs in a cardboard box and a letter from Roy Disney. The clef on the cover changes it's color at angles. The letter includes a list of all the features on the third disc. The set's three discs are the original "Fantasia", "Fantasia 2000", and the "Fantasia Legacy." The original "Fantasia" has great things. Including the 1940 "Roadshow" version of the film. Over the years, it has been cut. This is the original 125 minute "Fantasia." Complete with intermission and narration. There are two audio commentaries. One with Roy Disney, James Levine, John Canemaker, and Scott MacQueen. The second one is an audio commentary with Walt Disney! It is gathered from interviews spanning three decades. They are all hosted by John Canemaker. The final feature is "The Making of Fantasia" featurette. It is a great way to see the making of the film. The technical features are two captions, english and french. There is DTS 5.1 digital sound and Dolby Digital 5.1 digital surround sound. Final thing is the THX Optimode. The second disc is "Fantasia 2000," the long awaited sequel to "Fantasia." Walt wanted "Fantasia" to be a work in progress, with new segments replacing existing segments over years of continual release. His idea never happend for 60 years until "Fantasia 2000" was released. This movie contains "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and seven new segments. The hosts are celebrities. There are also two audio commentaries. The first one contains Roy Disney, James Levine, and Don Ernst. The second one features the segment directors, art directors, Roy Disney, Mickey Mouse, and Donald Duck. There are two musical shorts: "Melody" and the Academy Award winnning short "Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom." There is a showcase program featuring highlights from the feature, a Roy Disney introduction, a "Fantasia 2000" booklet, a french language track in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, and finally "The Making of Fantasia 2000" featurette. There are also these technical features: THX Optimode, Dolby Digital Surround 5.1 sound, captions for english and french, and DTS Digital 5.1 sound. The final disc is the "Fantasia Legacy Supplemental Disc." It is the crown jewel of the set. It is the detailed making of both of the movies. There is an introduction. Then you go to Fantasia. The eight segments feature introductions, deleted scenes, "Disneyland T.V." excerpts, and about the music. In the more features, there is the "Fantasia That Never Was." Featuring an introduction and the following suggested pieces for the future "Fantasias:" "Clair De Lune." This has a visual developement gallery. This piece was scheduled to open the original "Fantasia" but was cut out because of "Fantasia's" excessive legnth. There were previous attempts to restore this but were disabled. In 1993, they found the complete thing. This piece was used in the late 1940s in "Make Mine Music." "The Ride of the Valkyries" was a piece that only got to the story reel. At the time it was being considered because the war didn't have America in it but it was raging in Europe. So they thought it would be too dramatic a piece to be inserted into any future "Fantasia." "The Swan of Tuonela" was cut because it never came to frution. It is a lovely, moody, slow piece. Another piece is "The Invitation To The Dance." Walt put Peter Pegasus from the "Pastoral Symphony" in the original "Fantasia." The final piece is "Adventures in a Perambulator." This piece is in an elaborate story reel made in the 1940s. There is art for other concepts. These are for "The Flight of The Bumblebee," "Baby Ballet," and "Mosquito." Also at the more section, there is "The Special Effects of Fantasia" featurette, a publicity section, and the biographies. Then there is the Fantasia 2000 section featuring the making of every segment, there is deleted segments, alternate concepts, about the music, production progression demonstrations, galleries, story reels, storyboard to film comarisons, and other featurettes. At the more section, you mix your own music for Betthoven's Symphony #5, the biographies, and the trailors.

What a set this is. This movie is better than a lot of the new stuff that they make today. There is another "Fantasia" coming out soon. So we want this to be a set to cherish for generations. Order now from any store DVDs are sold.

Also read these other reviews:

1. The Fantasia Anthology
2. Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs Platinum Edition
3. The Funny World Of Lucy Gift set
4. Walt Disney Treasures: Silly Symphonies
5. Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Living Color
6. Walt Disney Treasures: Davy Crockett
7. Walt Disney Treasures: Disneyland USA
8. Coming Soon! Walt Disney Treasures: The Best of The Mickey Mouse Club

I hope this review was helpful and you enjoyed it.
Milan Louis Brandon II

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Finally Fantasia at its Finest
Review: 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.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fantasia Goes 3
Review: The Walt Disney's largest set with the most features is now avaible from Disney DVD, The Fantasia Anthology. Included on 3 discs, it includes the original "Fantasia" and the long awaited sequel "Fantasia 2000." I would like to now give you a brief tour of the entire set. I will give you each individual feature. Disc 1 includes the original Fantasia complete with an intermission and full narration by Deems Taylor. These have not been included in the film since it's debut. There are also two audio commentaries. One by Roy Disney, Conductor James Levine, John Canemaker, and Scott McQueen. the second commentary is by the person who made this movie a possibility, Walt Disney himself. This commentary is assembled from rare archival recordings by Walt himself. Each recording is presented by Canemaker. There is also a Making of Walt Disney's Fantasia featurette and is 46 min. in legnth. In set up, you will find in audio options, DTS and Dolby Digital. In Subtitles, you will find French and English. The second disc in the set includes Fantasia 2000. The sequel that Walt wanted to make all his life but didn't. So they made it and it made it's theatrical debut last year. There is the new Fantasia with celebrity host introductions. They have a beautiful opening sequence. And there are seven entirely new pieces and one classic returning favorite. There are also two audio commentaries. The first one includes Executive Producer Roy Disney, Producer Don Ernst, and Conductor James Levine. The second features the art and sequence directors on the film. It also includes guest apperances with Mickey and Donald. There is a Making of Disney's Fantasia 2000 featurette, 48 minutes, which you could learn the history of Fantasia 2000. More than that. There is a Roy Disney intro, Animated Short "Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom," animated short "Melody," and showcase program featuring highlights from the film. For set up, there is French Dolby Digital, English Dolby Digital, and English DTS. For subtitles, there is French and English. The final disc includes the making of both Fantasia films. A striking introduction and beautiful menus decorate. In the Fantasia section, they take you to each of the eight sequences: Toccata and Fuege, Nutcracker Suite, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Rite of Spring, The Pastoral Symphony, Dance of the Hours, Night on Bald Mountain, and Ave Maria plus the Interstials. Each section includes an Introduction, still galleries, and about the music. Some have the Walt Disney T.V. show excerpts from the show named "Disneyland." There are unused concepts and clips from the film too. In more features at Fantasia, you will find publicity, with posters, trailers, and the programs. At biographies, you may read about the filmakers. A featurette named "Special Effects of Fantasia" is avaible there. There is finally "The Fantasia That Never Was" section. It included in introduction and had sequences Walt was going to put in a future Fantasia. Each includes a still gallery. At each of the eight sequences of Fantasia 2000, we have a featurette on the making, a couple of galleries, and about the music. Most of them have other featurettes, production progression demos, split screen comparisons, and deleted sequences of concepts. The sequences are The Interstials, Symphony #5, Pines of Rome, Rhapsody in Blue, Piano Concerto #2 Allegro Opus 102 The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Carnival of the Animals finale, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Pomp and Circumstance Marches 1,2,3, and 4, and Firebird Suite 1919 version. At more features, there are biographies, a mixing demonstration, and theatrical trailers, posters, and T.V. spots. Also, there is a letter by Roy Disney in the package. Get this set and I assure you will not be dissapointed. I hope you enjoy "The Fantasia Anthology Collector's Set."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Classic, Classic, Classic.
Review: 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 50th
anniversary.

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 British
viewers who have only seen the Wizard's Apprentice clip time after time on Screen Test!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Watch Out for Balleting Pachyderms and Marching Brooms...
Review: Like I've said elsewhere...

Why God Created DVD. The greatest animated feature ever done holds up quite well after all this time. And, I'm sorry! It ain't
just for the kids!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Disney's True Masterpiece
Review: 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!


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