Directed by Don Hahn, Pixote Hunt, Hendel Butoy, Eric Goldberg, James Algar, Francis Glebas, Paul and Gaetan Brizzi
75 minutes
Rated G
Synopsis
A sequel to Disney's 1940 film featuring new animated shorts set to classical music.
Note: With the segmented films, I will be going further into plot points in my motley musings.
Before We Begin
Any Disney fan worth their salt knows how much old Walt loved the idea of setting animation to classical music but few know the original plan was for Fantasia was to be an ever evolving film, released every few years with new sections while old ones were rotated out. But, due to Fantasia being a financial flop and the fact that World War II sucked the European market dry, Disney had to concentrate on other projects. It wasn’t until the early 90’s when Roy E. Disney (Walt’s nephew who appears at the beginning of all those home video release) pushed for his uncle’s dream to be realized.
Originally, "The Nutcracker Suite" (fairies, flowers, and mushrooms), "Dance of the Hours" (ostrich and hippo ballet) and "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice" (Mickey with the wizard's hat) were the only old segments to be included in Fantasia 2000. However, the creative teams were so excited to make new shorts that all but “Apprentice” were cut…lucky for us.
I was one of the very few people to see Fantasia 2000 in theaters. It was actually at the IMAX. I was eleven or twelve and on a Girl Scout trip. I remember feeling conflicted, knowing that I didn't really care for the first Fantasia and I was also getting "too old" for Disney movies. Honestly, I don't recall having an opinion back in 2000.
Originally, "The Nutcracker Suite" (fairies, flowers, and mushrooms), "Dance of the Hours" (ostrich and hippo ballet) and "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice" (Mickey with the wizard's hat) were the only old segments to be included in Fantasia 2000. However, the creative teams were so excited to make new shorts that all but “Apprentice” were cut…lucky for us.
I was one of the very few people to see Fantasia 2000 in theaters. It was actually at the IMAX. I was eleven or twelve and on a Girl Scout trip. I remember feeling conflicted, knowing that I didn't really care for the first Fantasia and I was also getting "too old" for Disney movies. Honestly, I don't recall having an opinion back in 2000.
• No introduction, just some sound bytes and clips from the first Fantasia and straight into....
• Segment #1 -- "Symphony No. 5" written by Ludwig van Beethoven (c. 1804-08)
• This is the "Toccata and Fugue" of Fantasia 2000: abstract images put to music. Shapes resembling butterflies and bats fight with one another in a world of dark vs. light and good vs. evil. Or something.
• Hello, Steve Martin. Thanks for explaining what Fantasia is.
• Hello, Itzhak Perlman. Thanks for introducing the next segment.
• Segment #2 -- "Pines of Rome" written by Ottorino Respighi (1924)
• This one...is the most boring. 90s era CGI whales can fly. Baby whale get separated from his family and then find them again. What?
• This music isn't very memorable, is it? Why did they pick this?
• Hello, Quincy Jones.
• This one...is the most boring. 90s era CGI whales can fly. Baby whale get separated from his family and then find them again. What?
• This music isn't very memorable, is it? Why did they pick this?
• Hello, Quincy Jones.
• Segment #3 -- "Rhapsody in Blue" written by George Gershwin (1924)
• Yes! YES! This is what I'm talking about! Notable instrumental music that is catchy and has a certain style! This is fun and not stuffy!
• Four stories are told: we follow a construction worker/wannabe jazz drummer, a poor little rich girl, a sadsack unemployed man, and a henpicked husband throughout a day in Depression era New York City.
• Everything is drawn in Al Hirschfeld's style. Great color palette. It LOOKS different from any other Disney animation.
• I want a martini.
• Yes! YES! This is what I'm talking about! Notable instrumental music that is catchy and has a certain style! This is fun and not stuffy!
• Four stories are told: we follow a construction worker/wannabe jazz drummer, a poor little rich girl, a sadsack unemployed man, and a henpicked husband throughout a day in Depression era New York City.
• Everything is drawn in Al Hirschfeld's style. Great color palette. It LOOKS different from any other Disney animation.
• I want a martini.
• I don't know why the nanny is dressed like it's 1914 though.
• Hello, Bette Midler.
• Segment #4 -- "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" (Piano Concerto No. 2, Allegro, Opus No. 2) written by Dmitri Shostakovich (1957)
• All right! Fairy tales! There's a ballerina doll who is sexually harassed by a giant, evil Jack-in-the-Box and a one legged tin soldier who falls for her and protects her from Jack.
• This plasticy animation looks good since these are toys.
• Ballerina hits Jack with a ball! Active heroine!
• But tin soldier gets sent out into the rain and the sewers.
• This Jack-in-the-Box may be more aggressive than Gaston.
• But he dies a fiery death!
• Hello, James Earl Jones.
• Segment #5 -- "The Carnival of the Animals" written by Camille Saint-Saëns (1886)
• What would happen if you gave a yo-yo to a flock of flamingos? Hilarity! That's what!
• This is so short and light you can't not like it.
• Hello, Penn and Teller.
• Segment #6 -- "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" written by Paul Dukas (1896-97)
• This was the only segment from the original Fantasia to make it into this brand spanking new one. I agree with its inclusion. Mickey in wizard hat is Fantasia.
• Whoa. Mickey talking to both conductors.
• Segment #7 -- "Noah's Ark" (Pomp and Circumstance Marches 1, 2, 3, and 4) written by Edward Elgar (1901-07)
• Hey! I love "Pomp and Circumstance". Not because I love graduations, I just...Well, I can't really explain why, but I do love this piece of music and seeing it in a non-graduation setting is awesome.
• So the plot: Donald Duck is assisting Noah in gathering two of every animal onto his Ark. (Why Donald, I don't know.) He and Daisy are the ducks, but they are separated and both think they are destined to be alone once the flood subsides.
• Bible stories aren't normally Disney's forte (thankfully) so this feels odd.
• Ha. All those bunnies...Somebody was gettin' biz-zay.
• Hello, Angela Lansbury.
• Segment #8 -- "The Firebird Suite" written by Igor Stravinsky (1919)
• Elk gives life to wood sprite who brings life to the forest until she awakens an angry firebird (re: volcano) who destroys all her work.
• This is pretty and stuff.
• Circle of life, yeah, yeah. At least it's not Man's pollution causing all this damage, it is nature destroying nature.
Final Thoughts
Still...it's just...meh.
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| The Steadfast Tin Soldier |
Favorite Segment -- "Rhapsody in Blue"
Favorite Song -- "Pomp and Circumstance"
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