FANTASIA
dir: James Algar; Samuel Armstrong; Ford Beebe; Norman Ferguson; Jim Handley; T. Hee; Wilfred Jackson; Hamilton Luske; Bill Roberts; Paul Satterfield
Brief Synopsis
A series of short animations accompanied by classical music. "Toccata and Fugue D Minor" is abstract animation relating to the band playing; "Nutcracker Suite" depicts a group of fairies spreading their magic upon the wilderness. "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" involves Mickey as an apprentice who loses control of his magic power. "The Rite of Spring" tells the story of the evolution of life on Earth from nothing to the life and death of the dinosaurs. "The Pastoral Symphony" is about mythological creatures gathering for a great ceremony. "Dance of the Hours" includes a series of animals performing a ballet depicting different times of the day. "Night on Bald Mountain" shows the demon Chernabog summoning spirits and demons until the church bell drives him away.
Why It's Here
A milestone in filmmaking unlike anything else before it, Walt Disney's concept film changed animation once again, forming a more mature and psychadelic presentation. Initially a huge failure, Fantasia has grown to be widely recognized as a classic in animation and filmmaking alike.
A film from my own childhood, it has such power it doesn't use a single word (besides the original narrator) and is still able to captivate the audience, including young children. It is fierce in it's imagery, both frightening and pleasant. Created at a time where Disney didn't need to fear the censorship of the MPAA and was able to create the film with ultimate freedom. The film is no stranger to criticisms where over time have grown from complaints of the orchestra changing song segments to allegations of racism, nudity, and elements far too frightening for children. However, I grew up with it, and it hasn't twisted me. Indeed, "Bald Mountain"'s Chernabog demon is frightening but with such evil that Disney once called him "Satan himself", it's the kind of Disney that was Walt's original vision, not the fluffed-up modern day Disney that reeks of mediocrity.
The animations are amazing, especially for 1940. They are a breakthrough in both animation and sound. The vivid colours brought the art to life in what you might be able to call one of the finest pieces of animation. Designed by the ambitious Walt Disney to incorporate revolutionary sound quality, dubbed "Fantasound", "Fantasia" sounds as good as it looks (now with once again remastered sound). It is unfortuante that this film is the only one to carry the "Fantasound" logo as the technology was so far ahead of its time that most theatres didn't have the necessary equipment to play the sound as Walt envisioned, forcing some theatres to upgrade or others to disregard the technology, causing it to die with "Fantasia".
It's "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" that always gets the most fame, everyone knows the scene with the brooms carrying buckets of water in a single-file line and Mickey wearing his wizard cap casting the waves in to the air. But, it's "The Rite of Spring" and "Night on Bald Mountain" that really deserve all the praise. Rite shows the steady, slow but highly rewarding evolution of Earth from the volcanic crust to the creation of life and the destruction of the dinosaurs. This was always my favorite segment, it's very powerful and exciting. "Night on Bald Mountain" is a close second with it's unsettling imagery and religious overtones and theme of light vs. dark, followed by the enjoyable and more light and pleasant "Nutcracker Suite".
A film from my own childhood, it has such power it doesn't use a single word (besides the original narrator) and is still able to captivate the audience, including young children. It is fierce in it's imagery, both frightening and pleasant. Created at a time where Disney didn't need to fear the censorship of the MPAA and was able to create the film with ultimate freedom. The film is no stranger to criticisms where over time have grown from complaints of the orchestra changing song segments to allegations of racism, nudity, and elements far too frightening for children. However, I grew up with it, and it hasn't twisted me. Indeed, "Bald Mountain"'s Chernabog demon is frightening but with such evil that Disney once called him "Satan himself", it's the kind of Disney that was Walt's original vision, not the fluffed-up modern day Disney that reeks of mediocrity.
The animations are amazing, especially for 1940. They are a breakthrough in both animation and sound. The vivid colours brought the art to life in what you might be able to call one of the finest pieces of animation. Designed by the ambitious Walt Disney to incorporate revolutionary sound quality, dubbed "Fantasound", "Fantasia" sounds as good as it looks (now with once again remastered sound). It is unfortuante that this film is the only one to carry the "Fantasound" logo as the technology was so far ahead of its time that most theatres didn't have the necessary equipment to play the sound as Walt envisioned, forcing some theatres to upgrade or others to disregard the technology, causing it to die with "Fantasia".
It's "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" that always gets the most fame, everyone knows the scene with the brooms carrying buckets of water in a single-file line and Mickey wearing his wizard cap casting the waves in to the air. But, it's "The Rite of Spring" and "Night on Bald Mountain" that really deserve all the praise. Rite shows the steady, slow but highly rewarding evolution of Earth from the volcanic crust to the creation of life and the destruction of the dinosaurs. This was always my favorite segment, it's very powerful and exciting. "Night on Bald Mountain" is a close second with it's unsettling imagery and religious overtones and theme of light vs. dark, followed by the enjoyable and more light and pleasant "Nutcracker Suite".
