Walt Disney Animation Studios Part 3: Fantasia

Series Intro: Series Intro: Here is Part 3 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors. They will mostly be in release date order, save for those that are not available on DVD at Netflix. (Numbers skilled will note missing movies that will be out of order)

Some background information: (compiled from Wikipedia and imdb and my own knowledge of the movie).

Official Title: Fantasia
Release: November 13, 1940
Running Time: 121 minutes
Estimated Cost: $2 million (1940) ($30,849,857.14 (2010))
Estimated Revenue: $42,850,000 (1940) ($660,958,189.29 (2010)
Overall Rating: 1 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:

Here we go again, after enjoying non-packaged films for a few weeks, I’m back at this packaged crap.

The movie consisted of 8 classical symphonies that are represented through animation:
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" (Bach), "The Nutcracker Suite" (Tchaikowsky), "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" (Dukas), "Rite of Spring" (Stravinski), "Pastoral" (Beethoven), "Dance of the Hours" (Ponchielli), "Night on Bald Mountain" (Mussorgsky), and "Ave Maria" (Schubert).

Sorcerer’s Apprentice is the one stand out performance of the lot, and even that isn’t saying much. Mickey only makes this segment just a bit enjoyable.

Plot Rating: 1 stars out of 5

What plot? The one thing this movie has that the other package films behind it do not is some consistency. Having the orchestra in between segments was a nice bookend to each musical number. While at the same time, I loathed seeing the silhouette of the conductor every time he was on


Animation Rating: 3 out of 5

I wish I had watched this in the right order, because I think I would have given this a higher rating. This movie had some very exquisite animation, but seeing the soft edges that came with the earlier films gave it a more amateuristic feel. I would have enjoyed it more, if some of the segments (especially the pastoral) did not have the “Disney” eyes. Had they had the grainier feel of early 60’s releases, I think the animation would have been more inspiring.

The Test of Time:

I watched this movie just once as a child; and swore never to watch it again! It was boring. It just does not hold my attention. I did not enjoy it this time either. It actually took me two sittings just to get through it.

Sorcerer’s Apprentice has taken on a world of its own though. Sorcerer Mickey can be seen all over the world at Disney parks. His hat is prominently the “weenie” at Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando and Paris. Sorcerer Mickey is the protagonist on both coasts’ “Fantasmic!”

The dancing hippos and ostriches are also fun characters that make appearances in parades and as topiaries at Epcot’s Flower and Garden Show.


Through the Modern Lens

As a modern viewer, not much seemed to upset me with this movie, but I did have a lot of problems with pacing.

Next Up:

In the WDAS timeline would be: Dumbo; because of the “vault” Dumbo is also my next film. Thank you public libraries!

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