Rating: 
Summary: Disney's most inventive Film.
Review: In order to like Fantasia, you must have to have a high appreciation of film. You also must be able to embrace art and music. This movie is very different. It sometimes lacks heart that most Disney movies have, but it is definately a must see film. The movie has about nine or ten different animation segments at about ten minutes each. They are all different, and they are all beautiful to watch. The Sorcerer's Apprentice, The Night on Bald Mountain, and The Nutcracker Suite are some of the more visual highlights. In between the film are introductions by the anonymous narrator. If you love Disney it is a definate must see. It is a feast for both the eyes and the ears.
Rating: 
Summary: Classical music is wasted here....
Review: They say this is such a great movie, well I have seen it and I think it's a real piece of large garbage. The animation looks way too styled and splashes so much neon color into it that you get a headage just watching it, maybe this was what they had in mind when they invented fake CGI graphics, they saw this movie and decited to not work on it. Anyway, Mickey is not funny as the mouse trying to learn magic, he comes off more as a goofy looking barbie doll, thank goodness there was no dialoge in this film, it would have made it worse.
Rating:
Summary: Walt Disney's Masterpiece:Fantasia
Review: Fantasia(1940)really is Walt Disney's Masterpiece.It was the 3rd full-lengthed masterpiece.Swow White And The Seven Dwarfs(1938)and Pinocchio (1940) were the 2 1 hour masterpieces that came before it.The music,color and animation was great!I didn't say 'voices' because there was NOT any talking in it.The music was played by the Philladelphia Orchestra.I didn't see all the stories,I only saw the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" sequence.It was great.It featured Mickey Mouse."The Sorcerer's Apprentice" was the only short in the movie that had Mickey Mouse.I would reccomend this for any magic lover.The total running time is 120 minutes.The Sorcerer's Apprentice's music was originally wrtten by Paul Dukas.Conducted by Leopold (Luh-pold)Stowkowski.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for ages under 4
Review: Scary parts - dinos with huge teeth and a bloody battle -- with new and raw emotions, this was a bit too scary for my young child. I enjoyed the historical context and the narration, and my young child LOVES some of it
Rating:
Summary: Fantasia is art that you hear and watch.
Review: I've written past reviews of Disney movies, and I may have mentioned that Disney has a tendency to dumb things down, but after seeing this movie, I can safely say that that has only become true in recent years. There is more nudity in this film than there was in Peter Pan by close to 10 times. More, in fact, than in any non-anime movie I've seen thusfar. By today's standards, that might be indicative of a film one shouldn't put in the "Kid's" section of your video rental store, but then, they did things differently back when Walt was alive. First off, I don't think Walt was aiming "Fantasia" at kids. I think that aside from the Mickey Mouse sketch, most kids would find the movie to be largely boring. However, I think that even if a kid were to sit through this movie, they would be in no way scarred. Although this movie contains images of nudity, violence, death, demons, magic, love, and many other things normally reserved for adults, the aformentioned material is never the subject of the piece. It's used in the same way all the visual material in Fantasia is used, to help convey the mood of the music. I think this gives me a beautiful insight into the mind of Walt Disney. He saw nothing wrong with approaching such concepts, even for kids, but he knew how to approach them tastefully.
And really, that's why I gave this grade the perfect score. Fantasia is quite tasteful. You may wish to deny this. I urge you to try. But Fantasia will beat you at every turn. No one can deny the tastefulness of such segments as "The Nutcracker Suite" despite the rampant nude fairies, because it gives us a look into a world of wonder. Same with the mythical setting Walt gave to Beethoven's sixth, and possibly the most contraversial of the segments; "Night on Bald Mountain" cannot be denied to be tasteful when looked at as what it is; a depiction of evil spirits, and how they are driven back. Eventually, I totally forgot to worry about the naked centaurettes and the flaming skulls and focused on how it made me feel, and I think that's what this movie was meant to do. If it can do it for me, you can find something of yourself in this movie as well. I think that's more than enough to earn it the grade I gave it.
If you're still worried about the damage it might do to your kid's psyche, watch it first, then if you find it tasteful (you will) show it to your kid. That's the wonderful thing about young children. If they focus on the images of some of the segments, they may see it just as Walt saw it. Worlds of mystery and wonder, waiting to be discovered.
This film is not perfect, but only because it's so old. Again, large parts of it hinge on personal taste, but it won't kill you to watch it at least once. And maybe, just maybe, while in the presence of Dinosaurs, Zeus, Mickey Mouse and Chernabog, you'll learn a little something about yourself. I know I did.
Rating:
Summary: Disney's Best Boxed Set
Review: I never watched "Fantasia" as a child. It really is more of an adult film. But I now love both movies. I saw "Fantasia 2000" at the Imax, and it is just spectacular. Walt's original dream for "Fantasia" was to keep releasing it with new segments replacing older ones. "Fantasia 2000" was an attempt to continue that dream, and it worked. The picture and sound on both films is perfect. I would buy this boxed set instead of the single releases of the two films, because the special features on each film are very lacking, but this boxed set includes the extra "Fantasia Legacy" disc, which includes deleted scenes and deleted concept art. If you are a "Fantasia" fan, I highley recomend getting "Make Mine Music," a lesser known Disney movie which includes a deleted scene from "Fantasia" set to different music.
Rating:
Summary: Get Into Classical Music With Disney's Fantasia Films
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: A definite classic!
Review: 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!
Rating:
Summary: A classic
Review: Fantasia is a movie I can watch over and over again.
i will make my kids watch this till they know it of by heart.
I know that i do. The music is very beautiful. The pictures are also beautiful. This is a classic movie for every person of the family.
Rating:
Summary: Fantasia's Greatest
Review: This is the greatest release of Walt Disney's masterpiece, Fantasia. This three disc set covers it all, over 15 hours of material!! Well, we have a lot to cover here: The disc set begins with the Fantasia Anthology program. which includes a letter from Roy Disney, which then includes all the highlighted features of the set. On the back there is also a supplemenatry material menu. The first disc is the Special 60th Anniversary Edition of Walt Disney's Fantasia. This one is the 125 minute Walt Disney's uncut version. It features all the cut Deem's Taylor material, with a complete new voice so it sounds better. It also includes the original intermission. The segments of music, for those who don't know, are Toccata and Fuege in D Minor by Bach, The Nutcracker Suite by Tchicovasky, The Socerer's Apprentice by Dukas, The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky, The Pastoral Symphony by Beethoven, The Dance of the Hours by Poncelli, Night on Bald Mountain by Muggorsky, and Ave Maria by Schubert. However, that's not all. This disc itself includes a lot of features. The first feature is the Making of Fantasia Featurette, which gives an overview of each sequence, info about how fantasia came about and more all in one 50 minute documentary. Second are the two feature audio commentaries. The first one is by Roy Disney, Conductor James Levine, historian John Canemaker, and restoration expert Scott Macqueen. This spans the entire film. The second one is Spanning Three Decades-Rare Archival Interviews with Walt Disney. It has commentary by John Canemaker and Walt Disney audio interviews. This is another one that spans the entire feature. The second disc is Fantasia 2000. This is the long awaited sequel to Fantasia, and features these shorts: Symphony Number 5 by Beethoven, Pines of Rome by Resphigi, Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin, Piano Concerto Number 2 by Shastokovich, Carnival of the Animals Finale by Saint-Seans, The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Dukas, Pomp and Circumstance by Elgar, and Firebird Suite by Stravinsky. In between, there are celebrity host intros. Now, there are even more features on this one disc. First, is the intro by Roy Disney when you put the disc in. Then there is the Making of Fantasia 2000, part two of the Fantasia one, with interviews with the artists, technicians, and directors. There are two Audio Commentaries. The first one is a commentary by Executive Producer Roy Disney, Conducter James Levine, and Producer Don Ernst. Then there is an audio commentary by Segment and Art directors, along with a certain mouse and duck in their sequences. Other features include the Animated Short Melody, Academy Award Winning Short Toot Whistle, Plunk and Boom, and a showcase program showing highlights from the feature. Disc three is the Fantasia Legacy, featuring in depth exploration of the segments for both Fantasias, featuring intros, making ofs, virtual developement galleries, Walt Disney TV Show segments, Abandoned animation and musical sequences, trailers, and other great features. The final one is the Fantasia 2000 Commemorative Book, which features historical and plot detail, then activities. Five Stars disney!!
|
