Fantasia (1940)
"The ultimate in sight and sound"
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated musical movie that was produced by Walt Disney Studios. It was story directed by Joe Grant and Dick Huber, and production was supervised by Disney and Ben Sharpsteen. The film consists of eight animated segments set to classical music played by the Philadelphia Orchestra, and conducted by Leopold Stokowski.
The Introduction/Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach - The film opens with the MC, Deems Taylor talking directly to you, the viewer, introducing the film and the orchestra, as they tune their instruments in half light/half shadow.
The Nutcracker Suite by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Selections from the 1892 ballet suite underscore scenes depicting the changing of the seasons from summer to autumn to winter. A variety of dances are presented with fairies, fish, flowers, mushrooms, and leaves, including “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”, “Chinese Dance”, “Arabian Dance”, “Russian Dance”, “Dance of the Flutes” and “Waltz of the Flowers.”
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas - Mickey Mouse stars in this segment as the young apprentice to sorcerer, Yen Sid. Mickey attempts some of his master’s spells, but cannot control the army of broom people he’s created.
The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravisnky - A visual history of the Earth’s beginnings is depicted to selected sections of the ballet score. The sequence progresses from the planet’s formation to the first living creatures, followed by the reign and extinction of the dinosaurs.
INTERMISSION - We meet our hard working orchestra.
The Pastoral Symphony by Ludwig von Beethoven - A mythical Greco–Roman world of colorful centaurs and “centaurettes“, cupids, fauns and other figures from classical mythology is portrayed to Beethoven’s music. A gathering for a festival to honor Bacchus, the god of wine, is interrupted by Zeus, who creates a storm and directs Vulcan to forge lightning bolts for him to throw at the attendees.
Dance of the Hours by Amilcare Ponchielli - A comic ballet in four sections: Madame Upanova and her ostriches (Morning); Hyacinth Hippo and her servants (Afternoon); Elephanchine and her bubble-blowing elephant troupe (Evening); and Ben Ali Gator and his troop of alligators (Night). The finale finds all of the characters dancing together until their palace collapses.
Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky and Ave Maria by Franz Schubert - On Walpurgis Night, the giant devil Chernabog awakes and summons evil spirits and restless souls from their graves to Bald Mountain. The spirits dance and fly through the air until driven back by the sound of an Angelus bell as night fades into dawn. A chorus is heard singing Ave Maria as a line of robed monks is depicted walking with lighted torches through a forest and into the ruins of a cathedral.
This might come off as a contrarian take, and I might piss off some hardcore Disney fans out there, but I think Fantasia might be my favorite film in that initial run of Disney classics. There, I said it.
Surprising no one, when I first watched this at like 4 or 5 years old, my favorite part was Night on Bald Mountain. I was transfixed by the mountain demon unfolding his leathery bat wings, and playing with the fiery satyrs dancing on his hands. Now watching that segment, I can’t believe anyone animated it. It’s so CREEPY and there is so much detail in the movement. It’s what I think of when I think of the term “pure cinema.” It’s a story that can only be told through the medium of an animated film. I struggle to think of anything that even compares to it.
An amendment to last week’s post, THIS was probably the first horror movie I ever saw, technically.
The sorcerer Yen Sid is supposedly based on Walt Disney himself (it’s just ‘Disney’ spelled backwards.) The tell tale sign is the disappointing eyebrow raise.
I like throwing this on during the holidays. Maybe it’s because of the nutcracker segment, or just the memories of watching this around the holidays with my mom, but it gives me a christmasy feeling when I watch it.