"Fantasia" - The Artistic Concert Feature Which Truly Made Animation an Artform

Hi folks! Welcome to my My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analysis blog. A blog where I'm analyzing several Disney films, Disney or Animation in general! These entries are just meant to be my analyses. Not reviews or statements. Just fun analyses! Though I'll make some personal remarks now and then, the content of these entries are meant to be depicted objectively. They're made for entertainment purpose only and the pictures/clips are copyright Disney or other companies. 

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I love being a wizard :) Being able to control everything :) Lucky me :)

I`m trying to ignore
you, Satan :) Duuh :)

After two conventional and traditionally storyoriented films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio, Walt wanted to do something truly special with his upcoming film. A movie which was going to be a blend of animation and classical music. It certainly was a huge risk for the ever ambitious Walt. But we`ll have to remember that Walt was an innovator, nonetheless. So coming up with something like Fantasia was right up his alley.

Hey, what are you
doing up there? We`re
having a show here :)

Released 13th November, 1940, Fantasia happened to be Walt`s Third animated feature. Being his second animated release of 1940, just nine months after Piniocchio. Fantasia happens to belong to Walt`s famous first pantheon of his first Golden Era. However, just as it`s counterparts of that time, Fantasia happened to be flop at it`s release. His biggest flop to date. But it gained momentum afterwards by both audiences and Disney historians. Several people have labeled Fantasia as the pinnacle of Disney animation. Which is completely understandable. Fantasia happens to be the 24th highest-grossing film of all time in the U.S. Finally having turned 80 in the fall of 2020, Fantasia happens to be an oddity among Disney`s lineup. But also because it`s simply a departure from it`s counterparts. But Walt truly wanted Fantasia to be an event that the World had never been seen before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fantasia`s Trademarks and Innovations 

In many ways, the idea of Fantasia (originally titled The Concert Feature) is genius, purely genius. As hackneyed as it sounds, it`s truly a concept which lends itself to animation. Blending classical music pieces to inventive and abstract bits of animation. While such a concept may seem blasphemic and annoyed some purists (which it did), at least it`s still something that is genuniely inspired. While movies comes in various forms and genres, it`s fair to say that Fantasia truly belongs in a genre that is distinctive on it`s own. Since it`s not cohesive and rather a depiction of mini-stories.

Yes, just like Jafar,
I`m able to control
the universe :)

The Goodfairies from
Sleeping Beauty have put
this spell on us :)

And sure, as aforementioned Fantasia is truly a departure from it`s counterparts. But since Walt`s earliest features were known for incorporating both darkness and levity, Fantasia truly fills the bill of doing both. By having a lot of ethos and pathos. Yet technically, Fantasia isn`t just an animated movie, but also partly a live action movie. While Walt would definitively make animated features which had a good deal of live action, at least Fantasia delineates both mediums and doesn`t blend them as following movies would`ve done. 

And since Fantasia

Don`t listen to this
tagline :) It
should`ve come with
a warning :)

is somewhat of a compilation, it would be tempting to compare it`s execution to Walt`s following package features (where some of the deleted ideas actually survived in. As well as in Fantasia 2000, based from notes of Walt and Stokowski that the studio found). Yet it would`ve been outrageous to even do that comparison, since Fantasia has been elevated to classic status. But one thing that differentiates Fantasia from it`s counterparts is it`s sheer length. It`s pretty long for an animated movie, which has turned some people off. Fantasia happens also to be one of Doug Walker`s (a.k.a. Nostalgia Critic) favorite movies and also one of Glenn Close`s favorite movies from her childhood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fantasia`s Appeal Towards an Mainstream Audience & My Own Personal Memories With It

We`re deleted characters from
Robin Hood :)

Since Fantasia stretches the boundaries of full-length animation in more ways than one, it`s tempting to call it an acquired taste. Since in reality, it`s not something that is as commercial towards a mainstream audience. In that case, it`s tempting to call Fantasia as either fish or fowl. Since it`s something that would appeal to a mature, sophisticated audience. 

Tantor from Tarzan told it
looked rather slimming on
me :)

As for my personal experience, I can agree with those theories. I remember renting Fantasia during my childhood, and finding the film too scary,
tedious and off-putting. But watching it again as an older child (who was even more Disney obsessed than ever), I started to appreciate it`s sheer beauty and sophistication more. Yet seeing it again as an Disney loving adult, Fantasia just happens to be both for me: Being delightful, yet also too long at times. 

Yes, I`m trying to spy on the
invisible amazones :)

I`m a Satanist :) Nuff
said :)

But at least Fantasia shall have credit for tackling various genres: From dinosaurs (preceding 2000`s Dinosaur), Greek Mythology (preceding Hercules) and even religion. Which truly is something that Disney are rarely known for. Fantasia has been often compared to Sleeping Beauty, for marrying intricate animation with classical music. And I guess that comparison is after all fair, which makes it a reason for Disney fans to link them together. But while most of Walt`s earliest production had a classical flair to the scores (in my opinion), it was more evident in both Fantasia and Sleeping Beauty. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Fantasia`s Iconic Moments

 

We`ve recently been to Pixie
Hollow :)

Fantasia is known for it`s various, iconic moments. Especially with the Chinese mushrooms on The Nutcracker Suite, Pastoral Symphony (both of them being my personal favorites), Dance of the Hours, A Night on a Bald Mountain and Ave Maria. But it`s no secret that Fantasia has broken some PC-boundaries for an animated feature with certain segments. Of course I`m talking about the parts in Pastoral Symphony, where some boobs are shown. And sure, those boobs were graphic and created controversy (and got some warnings by Hays Code). But hey, it`s not as every Disney movie includes graphic boobs. And Disney are still regarded for their family-friendly fare, nonethless (originally the centaurettes were going to be lazy and sultry nymphs, but Walt wanted something more upbeat. And Pastoral Symphony was originally going to be set to Gabriel Pierné`s Cydalise et le Chevre-Pied, but that piece was too busy. So therefore they went with Ludwig van Beethoven`s piece, despite how composer Leopold Stokowski didn`t like it. Since it went against everything the piece stood for). Yet Pastoral wasn`t only criticzed for it`s nudity, as it was also picked for it`s racial depictions. Which were edited out in re-releases.

Many have labeled The Rite of Spring segment as being the most
disturbing piece (despite that it`s a radical departure from the original story, which was about a sacrifice to a prehistoric, Russian God). Walt wanted the segment to include dinosaurs on Fantasia. It was Stokowski who suggested the piece of Spring (which was controversial at the time), which was originally being set to cavemen rituals. Animator Dick Huemer suggested that the music should be set to a fight and survival.

No, I`m not going to
heaven. I`m
dreaming :)

I`m giving ya my welcome,
Slave :) Because you`re doing
the work for me :)

But probably the sequence Fantasia is mostly well known for, is the The Sorcerer`s Apprentice with Mickey Mouse. Adapted from the famous Greek tale set to Paul Dukas` 1897 piece. In reality, it`s not strange that it`s the most promoted entry, hence the iconic position of Mickey Mouse. And yeah, having Mickey within it may seem like a vanity choice. Yet there is a deliberate irony to it, since Fantasia was actually build upon the idea of the Mickey short. The whole project started as a short feature with Mickey, as his popularity was declining. So Walt wanted to increase his popularity again (and nobody ever argued the choice). Walt had heard the original piece in Hollyoood Bowl (when he was schooling himself in classical music). Disney purchased the rights to the music in July 1937. And yes, some Disney staff consider it to be Mickey`s most iconic role ever. And the segment was finished before the rest of the pieces were done.

Behind the Scenes Information

 

I`m trying to be a blend of a
snake and The Great Wall of
China :)

The idea of Fantasia began in 1937, when Walt had Stokowski for a dinner to discuss his plans for The Sorcerer`s Apprentice. Disney wanted to use a well-known conductor for Fantasia for added prestige. Stokowski himself loved the idea and offered to conduct the piece at no cost. However, the costs of Apprentice turned out to be more expensive than a regular Silly Symphony short ($ 125,000). So therefore it was decided that it would be better suited for a full-length feature. And Deems Taylor, a respected and famous musical critic, professor and composer, joined in as an advisor.

Hades and Maleficent, I`m
mightier than both of you ;)

A contest was hold for the title of the picture. Out of 2,000
suggestions, Fantasia was chosen for it`s double meaning: A composition in which the composer strays from accepted form and a potpourri of familiar arts. The crew listened to the music first and came up with the ideas afterwards. Afterwards the music was edited to fill the animation. Several pieces of music were suggested for Fantasia, but were discarded. Johann Sebastian Bach`s Toccata and Fugue was chosen to work with abstract pictures (and yes, believe it or not, Walt was considering to have 3D effects on that scene).

Yes, I put my light on them :)
By magic, not electricity ;)

As for Peter Tchaikovsky`s The Nutcracker Suite, Disney didn`t include new characters from the original ballet and created new ones. Modeste Moussorgsky`s A Night on a Bald Mountain was chosen to close Fantasia for it`s bigger than life-theme and Disney actually used the original ideas of the composer. But it was agreed that both Mountain and Franz Shubert`s Ave Maria should be blended into each other by a musical bridge. And it`s lyrics were especially written for Fantasia (despite that the song was not an orthodox).

Yes, I`m turning my boobs
away :) For obvious reasons :)
Duuh :)

I`m pretending to be
Zeus at this moment :)

Seven of the pieces were performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra for the ideal acoustics (with the exception of Apprentice). Walt wanted to have a wider screen for Fantasia (which was impossible at the time). However, what was innovative with Fantasia was the invention of Fantasound, which as the first stereophonic sound system. Fantasound was recorded with several microphones and broadcasted on an equal numbers of speakers. Which was meant to surround the audience. The problem was that most theaters would have to be specifically equipped at great expense. To optimize the acoustics for the Fantasound recording, the Disney engineers set up their equipment in the Philadelphia Academy of Music.  

Both Walt and the crew wanted to spray perfume during several moments in the film and Stokowski suggested gunpowder to the Apprentice sequence. Walt also wanted to have a projector to project 180 degrees around the theater so the audiences could feel the shadows during that scene. But despite their intentions, Walt and his staff were not intending to make their versions the definite versions of the plays. Yet Fantasia was criticized at it`s release, nonetheless. For the lack of continuity, not having enough screentime for each character, for the long interludes with Taylor. And for how each character yawns (yes, believe it or not). And for it`s length. The dancing hippos and elephants were criticized for mocking overweight people. And Igor Stravinsky himself criticzed everything about The Rite of Spring and never forgave Disney for tampering with the score.

I guess sneaking
away from the Devil
wasn`t as easy :)
Even with my divine
powers :)

The American Film Institute ranked Fantasia the 58th greatest American film in their 100 Years. In 1990, Fantasia was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". But yeah, believe it or not, Fantasia proved to be a cult hit in 1969 among students who looked for hallucinogenic experiences. Hippies liked to sit in the front row, even on top of each other, smoking pot and giving advide to Mickey. That`s why Disney urged the theaters to promote Fantasia in an unusual way for an adult audience (and yes, it was advertised as a head classic and words as STD, LSD and THC were used). Due to the limitations of the resources, Fantasia had a limited release. But since the foreign markets were cut off, it didn`t recoup it`s budget at first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fantasia 2000

 

It`s going to be a heckuva
party :) Don`t be fooled by
this simple banner :)

Walt was originally planning to re-release Fantasia with new upcoming segments that traded the old ones. Which was also mainly due to having it feel like a moving concert. Unfortunately the underperformance of Fantasia hampered the chances of re-imagining that way. Yet the crew at Disney were considering to fulfill Walt`s wishes. So it would take almost six decades before a continuation would ever grace the screen. Yet the 1990 VHS-release made the studio confident enough to pursue a sequel. Still it would take eight years before the continuation of Fantasia would ever see the day.

It was Roy Disney who believed in the project from the get-go. He mentioned the idea for Michael Eisner during a lunch, who liked the idea. Hendel Butoy (director of The Rescuers Down Under) was the supervising director for the entire movie. Don Ernst (producer of Roger Rabbit`s Roller Coaster Rabbit and Homeward Bound) was the producer. And since Walt had big plans for the first Fantasia, Roy`s plans for the sequel wasn`t smaller. Since it was intended for IMAX (in order to be experimental). 

This is our way of Jungle
Boogie :)

Originally called Fantasia Continued, Fantasia 2000 was Disney`s second big release in 1999, just six months after Tarzan. Premiering December 1999 (being the first animated feature to do so) before premiering on a regular screen. Many have labeled Fantasia 2000 as a sequel and while I guess it`s fair, since it`s somewhat of a continuation. It was early decided that each segment would have it`s different style and visual look. Their choices were narrowed down to three or four pieces, asked by conductor James Levine. But most of the pieces were chosen by Roy Disney. Even Joe Grant was a part of the crew. With the exception of The Sorcerer`s Apprentice, the segments were original ones (yet both Dance of the Hours and The Nutcracker Suite were originally going to be included). But more so than the original Fantasia, 2000 was more lent to adapting well known stories.  

Rhapsody in Blue is an oddity among the piece, for it`s stylistic departure. Supervised by Genie`s animator, Eric Goldberg and his wife, who dreamt about doing the piece based for over 15 years. Al Hirschfeld was asked about it, who actualy knew George Gershwin and loved the original piece. And he was happy that Disney adapted it. While it was originally green-lighted as a stand alone piece by itself, Roy said it would belong in Fantasia. And the piece was chosen for it`s American composer and it`s distinctive art style.

This will be a new dance trend:
The Duck Jig :)

Just as it`s predecessor, it opens with an abstract piece of animation. To Beethoven`s Symphony Nr. 5.  It was chosen for to it`s familiarity. And Roy`s wanted it to look hand made (even though computers were used for it). But one synergy with Mickey, is that Donald Duck has gotten his own piece as well, in Pomp and Circumstance. It may be perceived just as cynical, but hey, sometimes you`ll have to have an attraction (and it was decided that Daisy should be in there, as well). And was chosen by Eisner, who had been to a graduation and thought the piece was familiar enough (and for it representing joy). The crew thought it was fun to show how difficult it would`ve been to get the animals on the ship. Yet it was Eisner who suggested the Sleepless in Seattle angle. 

No, you`re not seeing sights :)
I`m actually real :)

Celebrities like Steve Martin,

I may not be Taylor
Hawkins. But hey, I can
still drum, can`t I? :)

Quincy Jones, James Earl Jones, Bette Middler, Angela Landsbury, Penn & Teller introducing the parts (the reason for having so many presenters was because of the difficulty of having one for all the parts). And also to keep it fresh. As for Mickey touching Stokowski at the end of Apprentice, Don Hahn (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King) wanted to take the concept further, as a visual way of connecting the two movies. And Hahn was recruited to direct the live action segments.

We`re the Whales From The
Dark :)

Pines of Rome was something that Roy knew from his music appreciation course from college, but was chosen for it`s emotion. But Butoy`s idea was that it should suggest something that soared. While originally clouds were suggested, a cloud shaped as a whale made the storyteam make the switch.

Yes, even a rat can be scared :)

The Steadfast Tin Soldier is another adaptation of an Hans Christan Andersen property, set to Piano Concerto No. 2, Allegro, Opus 102. To adapt the story was sugggested fifty years earlier. While Roy didn`t have any new ideas for the piece, he randomly looked through the story of Soldier. And Butoy put the images and music together. Roy decided that the backgrounds would be traditionally painted, while the characters would be CGI in order to make them real.

This is the book for the stuffy
and the odd man out :)

The Carnival of the Animals, Finale came from Joe Grant, who loved the ostriches from Dance of the Hours and wanted them to be continuing characters. Yet the yoyo was a part from the get-go. But the change from ostriches was actually due to two reasons: For trying something new and that flamingos seemed more colorful and fun. It was decided it would require only one animator, which was once again Eric Goldberg. And it was chosen by Roy, who wanted that segment for just pure fun.

I`m longing so much for
snow that I`m pretending it
to be snow :)

Stravinsky`s Firebird Suite was originally considered for the first Fantasia and survived (and was given license to back in the 30`s). Firebird has been labeled as a Miyazaki-moment with it`s striking similarities. It was chosen for it`s uplifting nature. And also inspired by a drive Roy took with his wife to the North of the US, rigth after Mt. Saint Helens had gone off. Paul and Gaetan Brizzi (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) supervised the scene.

I`m trying to fly away from
the elk below who wants to
eat me because I`m green :)

As for the quality Fantasia 2000 itself, is it any good? In my opinion, yes. It`s not as brilliant as it predecessor, but it`s still a worthy successor. With genuinely inspired animation and memorable sequences. While it would be tempting to place Fantasia 2000 among the Renaissance (considering that the post-Renaissance haven`t regarded as great), it`s still on par with them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deleted Fantasia Ideas That Appeared In Other Package Movies & Fantasia 2006 

I`m trying to pose like
Snow White did with
the bird :)

Yes, I`m sullen because he`s
got a candy and I `m not :)

With the exception of Fantasia 2000, there were several planned segements who didn`t made to Fantasia. One was Claude Debussy`s Clare de Lune, which ended up in Make Mine Music as Blue Bayou. Another piece was Sergei Prokofiev`s Peter and the Wolf. Flight of the Bumble-Bee was used in Melody Time`s as Bumble Boogie. But regarding the ideas that were never made, Mel Shaw was working on Musicana in the early 80`s (which was the same concept as Fantasia, only with world music). Ken Anderson and John Lasseter (yes, believe it or not) were doing a similar things (Anderson with Ali Baba, Lasseter with pigeons and The Emperor`s Nightingale with Mickey Mouse). There were plans to make more Fantasia films. Unfortunately they were swept under the rug thanks to the downfall of the hand drawn animation. But there were couple of segments made for a third Fantasia feature named Fantasia 2006 (which started development in 2002). Which was going to feature world music and be the first movie in the series to have singing. 

Let`s remember to blow them
all out afterwards :)

One of these segments was The Little Matchgirl. Set to Russian composer Alexander Borodin’s String Quartet No. 2 in D Major. Made by Lion King-director Roger Allers, it was released as a part of The Little Mermaid Platinum Edition DVD in 2006. And it could be perceived as a synergy, since both off them are Hans Christian Andersen properties. But it`s a fine, well-made short, exploring the wonders of hand drawn animation (and being a rare Disney property set in Russia, besides the aforementioned Peter and the Wolf).

I know there`s something up
there beyond the sky :)

Another short that was intended for Fantasia 2006 is One by One. It

was written by Lebo M. for Lion King, but cut from the film and featured in the Broadway show. Produced by Lion King-producer Don Hahn, it ended up at the The Lion King II Simba`s Pride DVD. With was another synergy, for obvious reasons. It also was a fine example of exquisite hand drawn animation.

Another discarded idea was was Lorenzo. It featured the tango Bordoneo y 900 and was set in France. The story was created by Joe Grant back in 1949. But it was never made until 2004 when the artists (Mike Gabriel) decided to resurrect it. Lorenzo`s about a cat’s tail having its own mind. It won the Annie Award and was nominated for an Oscar.

Another deleted short is Destino, which Walt and Salvadar Dali collaborated on in the 40`s. The short details a love story between Atlas and a human girl, who venture surrealistic, constantly-changing landscapes in an attempt to unite. Dora Luz, a Mexican singer who`ve worked on The Three Caballeros, recorded the title song. Trouble arose in 1946 as financial troubles caused by World War II put the project on a 58-year hiatus. Roy looked at the art that had been prepared and decided that it would be finished. While Dali was dead, John Hench agreed to do it, while keeping Dali`s notes. While the making of process difficult, Destino was successful and garned an Oscar nomination.

It should`ve
been Destina :)

Between these four shorts, just 23-minutes of animated content was produced. Little`s been revealed about the other segments for Fantasia 2006. According to a Roy, one planned segment was being set in Australia. It`s also rumored that Disney wanted to do doing a sequence set to The Beatles (yes, believe it or not). Which would`ve been six segments for Fantasia 2006. But sadly to say, these prevous shorts may be the last gasps of hand drawn animation at it`s finest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Epilogue

Yay! It glows when
I`m putting it on :)

So in the end, Fantasia is both an oddity and an acquired taste. And it may be something that would mostly cater to a sophisticated audience. Yet Fantasia is still a delight, nonetheless. It`s simply fair to say that Fantasia was ahead of it`s time. But as hackneyed as it sounds, Fantasia truly represents a form of animation that we`ll most likely never see again. As Thomas Schumaker said, Fantasia is a reminder that animation is also pure artistry. Leonard Matlin has said that "Fantasia is a laboratory of ideas. And while laboratory is not a commercial venture, it`s still was something different in Disney". The New Republic`s Otis Ferguson labeled Fantasia for "a strange and beautiful thing that`s happened to this world and that the screen when the music is playing is a excuse for having ears and eyes at the same time". 

I`ll pray for when
this is over, so I`ll
don`t get to work
anymore :)

And yes, Walt was devastated by the loss of Fantasia and never got over of it. But Fantasia still made it`s impact on Disney history, nonetheless. Many Disney artists pursued their careers because of Fantasia. Despite it`s initial underperformance, historian Emil Ludwig wrote 1940 as "the year where a new kind of art began. And that Fantasia suggested a new medium, a third one, where color and motion restricted only by the limits of imagination, a new kind of entertainment in which the audience is able to see the music and hear pictures". Poetic and true. At the end, there`s nothing else left than to wish Fantasia Happy Past 80th Anniversary and may you continue to have many more.

 

Yes, I`m flying from the Devil behind me :) Even though this paper is slow :)

 

 

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References:

The Fantasia Anthology 3 Disc Collector`s Edition

Fantasia Deluxe Cav Laserdisc Box Set

Fantasia Legacy Collection

Walt Disney`s Fantasia (John Culhane)
Fantasia 2000 Visions of Hope (John Culhane)

Mouse Under Glass (David Koenig).

Disney`s Art of Animation - From Mickey Mouse to Hercules (Bob Thomas)

The Art of Walt Disney - From Mickey Mouse to the Magic Kingdoms and Beyond 2011 Edition (Christopher Finch).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasia_(1940_film)

https://www.laughingplace.com/w/featured/2015/11/16/fantasia-2006-what-could-have-been/  

https://lostmediawiki.com/Fantasia_2006_(partially_found_cancelled_Disney_animated_film;_2002-2004)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFmtJ5h4Ivo (Fantasia Disneycember)

Disney Magazine Summer 1999