Fantasia

Seven decades after its release, Fantasia still stands out as one of the most gorgeous animated films of all-time. Despite advances in the medium, both in visual and sound techniques, it’s an instance where you can use the term ‘landmark achievement’ without hyperbole. Despite a couple of uneven parts that may try the patience of some, the whole of Fantasia is a marvel, especially when you further consider that it was only the third animated feature released by Disney.

Early on in Fantasia, narrator Deems Taylor states there’s three types of music: the kind that tells a story, the type that paints pictures and music that simply is. Fantasia showcases all three, creating a sense of magic and wonder in some and tests of patience in others. But no matter the case, all are an impressive displays of a quickly evolving art form that stretched the possibilities of the medium.

Being a fan of the story, I enjoyed the numbers the had a definite narrative such as The Sorcerer’s Aprrentice. It’s the piece that gets the most attention, no doubt in large part to the starring role for Mickey Mouse. But it’s also a well-told and imaginative story that brings forth the idea of spectacle. Another favorite of mine is Dance of the Hours highlighted by a dance routine between a tutu-wearing hippo and a debonair alligator.

Stuck in the middle are the two most disappointing numbers in the production. The Rite of Spring travels back in time to the world of dinosaurs. It’s a slow-plodding affair that had a chance to be big but never really catches on. The straight-forward animation style doesn’t stand out when held up against many of the other numbers. Add to that, it doesn’t hold up well compared to advances in animation and their ensuing take on the prehistoric creatures. Equally tedious is the post-intermission take on Mt. Olympus and its inhabitants in The Pastoral Symphony. Again, the plodding pace haunts the section, taking far too long and offering so little in return.

Despite these moments that aren’t as strong as the others, Fantasia remains a remarkable achievement. The combination of music and animation pushes the limits of technique, even when the cinematic form was in its infancy.

Fantasia Blu-ray Review

Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 both arrive on Blu-ray for the first time together in a value-pack four disc combo pack that not only includes both films in hi-def, but also on DVD.

Fantasia is shown in its original full screen format. It looks fantastic – cleaned up yet still maintaining the slightly grainy feel one would expect with its original release. Disney has also included a DisneyView option, which frames the sides of the film with different subtle graphics to help fill the screens on widescreen TVs. Audio is in English 7.1 DTS-HD MA, along with 5.1 mixes in French and Spanish. The high presentation values carry over to Fantasia 2000. The film benefits from a gorgeous widescreen picture and the same audio options.

Bonus features on the Fantasia disc kick off with a short, four-minute look at the Walt Disney Family Museum, its history and its vision. “The Schultheis Notebook: A Disney Treasure,” a bible of sorts that outlines the ground-breaking special effects of the film. An interactive art gallery offers a massive number of production stills and materials for both Fantasia and Fantasia 2000, sortable in many different ways. Finally, there’s not one, not two but three commentary tracks. The first is from Disney historian Brian Sibley. The two other commentaries have been carried over from the previous DVD release of the film. One mixes interviews and story note recreations from Walt Disney and is hosted by John Canemaker. The other sees Canemaker return alongside executive producer Roy E. Disney, conductor James Levine, and film restoration manager Scott MacQueen.

On the Fantasia 2000 disc, several additional bonus features add to the Fantasia mystique. “Musicana” is a nine-minute look at a once-proposed follow-up to Fantasia. Something that I’ve personally been looking forward to watching for sometime, the animated short Destino, a collaboration between Walt Disney and Salvadore Dali, is finally released as a bonus feature on this disc. A background on the project is highlighted in the feature-length documentary Dali & Disney: A Date With Destino. Disney’s Virtual Vault collects short bits on all of the pieces from both Fantasia and Fantasia 2000. Like the Fantasia disc, Fantasia 2000 also includes multiple commentary tracks, both of which come from the original DVD. The first is from Roy E. Disney, Levine and producer Don Ernst. The other includes the directors and art directors for each of the film’s musical segments.