Fantasia (1940)

The animation studio only just started becoming popular back in 1940, and so did the medium of film. Moving pictures edited sequentially to create a cohesive story, it was an art form that remained questionable as to whether or not people would leave their houses. Walt Disney himself decided to push the boundaries by making Fantasia. Typically music accompany film however the "House of Mouse" decided to reverse it by crafting film to accompany music. Six short animations providing imagery for the orchestral pieces of music that power these pictures. Safe to say this was incredibly experiment. There's no dialogue (aside from Deems Taylor introducing each segment), just a symphony or classic pieces conducted by Leopold Stokowski. The concept immediately had me hooked for the first few segments. One consisting of a montage of famous pieces from Tchaikovsky's 'The Nutcracker', Mickey Mouse returning in arguably the most memorable segment of the program titled 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' and from there we have multiple tonal changes with each segment. It's certainly something I've not seen before, and for that I have to give it credit. It truly does deserve the critical acclaim that is has garnered throughout the years. However, I found Fantasia to have a slight novelty factor that made the "film" repetitive. After the intermission, you start to realise that you have another three segments to go through which nothing new will be introduced. I became numb to the revolutionary concept. The animated shorts are pleasant to watch that both entranced and enthralled me, yet I just felt like something was missing. It wasn't a "film" more so just an experiment to prove that the idea works. It's clear it does, so the next step would be to create a fully fledged story that involves classical music where there is emotional investment and a sense of wonderment. Experimentalism at its finest that evokes whimsical magic boasted by a euphoric selection of classical pieces and beautifully hand drawn animation.

I will review this movie and all the segments.1. Toccata and Fugue in D minor. This is a great way to introduce the audience to Fantasia, with abstract art. However it is one of my lesser favorite segments, since some of the visuals could have been done better. However this is just nitpicking. Not much to say about this segment, other than it's a great way to introduce the audience to Fantasia. 8/10.2. The Nutcracker Suite. This one i will have to say is my favorite segment from this entire movie. I find myself stoning to this segment everytime i watch it. And the visuals are just amazing. I mean, you just feel like your in the forest or in a garden throughout this entire segment. Probably my favorite scene is when Autumn comes and these fairies turn the green leaves orange or brown. Not much more to say other than, just perfect. 10/10.3. The Sorcerer's Apprentice. This one i love like everyone else, and i think it's a classic. However, i still think it is overrated. That is because this is most people's or at least alot of people's favorite segment, the reason is probably that it's the most famous segment. And i disagree with that, since there are many superior segments in this movie. But i still think it's creative, fun and well drawn. 9/10.4. The Rite of Spring. This i will have to say is my second favorite segment in Fantasia. Although science not art wrote the story of this segment, they create something artistic out of something scientific, and i love that. This segment is very need and original. This is what Disney's Dinosaur or Walking with Dinosaurs should have been. Sadly though this is some people's least favorite segment, since some people feel it's too long. Come on the Pastoral Symphony was just as long, and no one is complaining about that. And Dinosaur experts also complain about Jurassic Period Dinosaurs and Cretaceous Period Dinosaurs living together, and the fact that it wasn't a meteor but climate change that caused the extinction of the Dinosaurs. Now i'm not a Dinosuar expert, but from what i can gather from my research, this was pretty scientifically accurate for it's time. It wasn't generally accepted in the 1940s that a meteor caused the extinction of the Dinosaurs, and there were many theories as to why they became extinct. And as for the Jurassic and Cretaceous Dinosaurs living together, most Dinosaurs were at the time thought to have lived at the same time. Even Stravinsky didn't like this segment for some reason. Either way, this segment is a classic. I especially love the scene where the Prehistoric Bacteria are acting like cute Disney animals. That is just genius and adds alot of personality to the segment. And who can forget the famous fight scene between the Tyrannosaurus and the Stegosaurus. An absolute classic. 10/10.5. The Pastoral Symphony. This is another great segment. I love the idea of it, and the artstyle is great. Although it may be a little too cute for some people, the scene with Zeus makes up for that. Not much more to say about it. 9/10.6. The Dance of the Hours. This i will have to say is my least favorite segment of this entire movie. It's not bad, and it does fit the movie. And it is fitting to have a more comedic segment. However i for some reason didn't find it all that funny. However there were scenes that made me chuckle, and it is well drawn. 7/10.7. The Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria. This is my third favorite segment in this movie. I love the design of Chernobog and the depiction of hell. And the Ave Maria is just one of the most beautiful moment made by Disney. A great way to end the movie. Not much more to say about this segment that people haven't said before. 10/10.Other than a few of the segments not being that good, this movie does have a few other flaws. I really didn't think the movie needed the scenes with the host. I know Fantasia was suppose to become a film series, and this movie was meant to just be an introduction to that, and they were probably going to leave the host out for the other movies. But i still thought the host was boring to sit through. But this is just nitpicking.This movie is a true classic and one of my favorite Disney movies. 10/10

Walt Disney Studios set the standard for animation and sound with this film. Every aspect from the amount of detail, to the changes of theme show the capabilities of the technology. Every part of this film resonates with the young and old. Although the stories foretold are non canonical, they on their own right are drop dead gorgeous pieces of works individually. If anyone was planning to become an animator and needed advice, I would recommend this film. The design team keeps the themes diverse enough and the music synonymous with its animated counterparts extremely well. It really goes to show that time, money and effort is all it takes to create a masterpiece. No wonder it was remastered in the year 2000!

I had never seen the original Fantasia before, and dove into this unsure of what exactly to expect. However, for a very well known Walt Disney original movie, I went in with high expectations. Not only were those expectations met, but they were greatly exceeded. I had always been fond of the idea of translating sound and music into art, and Walt Disney mastered it. The animation was nostalgic to watch, as it had become a lost art in the current world of CGI, and it was relieving. The scenes were creative and represented the music to each and every instrument. It was exciting and relaxing, the music flowed, and the animation flowed with it. The music burst, and the animation burst as well. Both the music and the animation had the magic touch of Walt Disney and it was phenomenal to see again.