tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post5540709543496115187..comments2024-03-05T21:05:36.848-05:00Comments on CommentaramaFilms: Guest Review: Fantasia (1940)AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-31180424926769862412014-08-06T17:48:49.190-04:002014-08-06T17:48:49.190-04:00Tyranmax,
I sent you an email. My email is wkitjo...Tyranmax,<br /><br />I sent you an email. My email is wkitjohnson@hotmail.com<br />Kithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01453591141757808708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-67686839679186769302014-08-06T09:20:35.561-04:002014-08-06T09:20:35.561-04:00Kit, we may have to leg-wrestle for it, b/c I wann...Kit, we may have to leg-wrestle for it, b/c I wanna review Dumbo, too! <br /><br />Actually, I want to do more of an analysis. (I'd say more, but I don't want to give it away.) If you're more interested in a straight review, maybe we could coordinate, maybe release them back-to-back. <br /><br />Feel free to email me. It's just my username @gmail.com tryanmaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09881154741574720094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-25228901792793905162014-08-06T01:12:43.499-04:002014-08-06T01:12:43.499-04:00Kit, Thanks for an excellent article! Sorry I hav...Kit, Thanks for an excellent article! Sorry I haven't commented before this, but it was one of those days. I love <i>Fantasia</i>, but I love classical music too. So to me, this was a great chance to associate beautiful images with the music rather than looking for a cartoon. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed this as a film.<br /><br /><br />By way of an announcement, tonight's film will be posted Thursday night instead of Wednesday. Sorry for the delay.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-2826333979934269612014-08-05T22:49:07.947-04:002014-08-05T22:49:07.947-04:00tyranmax,
I love Dumbo. I hope to review it somet...tyranmax,<br /><br />I love <i>Dumbo</i>. I hope to review it sometime in the future!Kithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01453591141757808708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-20092845652759208812014-08-05T22:47:43.177-04:002014-08-05T22:47:43.177-04:00KRS,
Its a movie not everyone will enjoy. The cha...KRS,<br /><br />Its a movie not everyone will enjoy. The changes in style never felt jarring to me. <br />I've never seen <i>Fantasia 2000</i>, but its on my to-do list.Kithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01453591141757808708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-82246923738560741852014-08-05T22:44:52.337-04:002014-08-05T22:44:52.337-04:00"Doesn't one of the scenes actually conta..."Doesn't one of the scenes actually contain bare breasts on some mythological creatures?"<br /><br />In the "Night on Bald Mountain" scene, yes. But its more terrifying than sexy. Kithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01453591141757808708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-33250559701039947152014-08-05T14:34:34.321-04:002014-08-05T14:34:34.321-04:00Doesn't one of the scenes actually contain bar...Doesn't one of the scenes actually contain bare breasts on some mythological creatures?<br /><br />My memory of the Sorcerer's Apprentice section is from a set of LPs my Dad bought me for Christmas one year. They were "Disney Songs and Stories" and they had the original songs from the great movies (Dumbo, Bednobs, Sleeping Beauty") with story narration from veteran character actor Dallas Mckinnon (the storekeeper on Daniel Boone to the voice of TV's Archie). There was one album side devoted to "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." The story and the scenes of those living brooms terrified the living crap out of me. After listening to it once and reading along with the storybook, I was terrified. I don't think I listened to it again for over a year. PikeBishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05761380937971970762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-25091330511179998282014-08-05T13:34:41.938-04:002014-08-05T13:34:41.938-04:00I saw the original Fantasia in the theaters sober....I saw the original Fantasia in the theaters sober. Apparently that was my mistake.<br /><br />Taken as a series of vignettes in the way Kit suggests is the way to watch it - taken individually, each is kinda cool - but even that is jarred by the narration interruptions and the wildly divergent animation styles employed. For example, Micky just feels completely out of place among the other bits. There is no underlying visual theme, so it's full stop and start between each one. I'd have been happier if Porky had come on after each with a stuttering "T-t-t-that's all folks!"<br /><br />Btw, I know he's Warner - t-t-t-that's what makes it funny ; )<br /><br />I sincerely feel that F2000 is much better. The animation follows the music extremely well and the vignettes are not only great, but they seem to flow together much better. Plus, flying humpbacks will make almost any movie better. If I could watch humpbacks cross the skies above Shia LaBeouf, I'm sure he wouldn't bother me so much.<br /><br />But F2000 also suffers from the narration. I would much rather flow through these vignettes uninterrupted.<br /><br />Got my contrarian on today.KRSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-63708932897557500612014-08-05T11:59:54.295-04:002014-08-05T11:59:54.295-04:00You have to free your mind and let the movie, and ...<i>You have to free your mind and let the movie, and its images, music, and emotions wash over you.</i><br /><br />I read that and thought "I wonder if I should tell about the time I saw the movie in college?" then I read this:<br /><br />Tennessee Jed: <i>...my generation went to see it with altered consciousness...</i><br /><br />I enjoyed the movie, but I'm not sure just how much. I don't regret much in my life, even the bad and stupid things I've done because they were learning experiences. I do regret hurting people and esp. those I love and who love me and I particularly regret drinking that punch my dorm buddies gave me right before going to see <i>The Exorcist</i> and within the following week (still feeling the after effects), watching <i>Jonathan Livingston Seagull</i> and <i>Jesus Christ Superstar</i>. It was a strange time for a young man who had been raised in a non-religious home. Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02174141298280679024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-25709853070125872202014-08-05T10:22:32.719-04:002014-08-05T10:22:32.719-04:00well great job, Kit. I guess I didn't look clo...well great job, Kit. I guess I didn't look closely enough :)Tennessee Jedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10604275115906776992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-76176946440383954542014-08-05T10:02:10.380-04:002014-08-05T10:02:10.380-04:00tryanmax -
That "strange" third disc i...tryanmax - <br /><br />That "strange" third disc is bonus material, documentaries, art galleries, etc., much of which was not carried over to the Blu-Ray for reasons only a studio bean-counter could comprehend. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-90803903030730229572014-08-05T10:00:38.415-04:002014-08-05T10:00:38.415-04:00Just as Star Trek inspired future scientists/engin...Just as Star Trek inspired future scientists/engineers how many thousands of musical artists began that journey seeing Fantasia as a kid? I think The Firebird Suite from Fantasia 2000 is one of the most sublime works of animation in history. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-52377476010636986802014-08-05T09:23:43.716-04:002014-08-05T09:23:43.716-04:00I wish I could take credit for this excellent revi...I wish I could take credit for this excellent review but, alas, it was not me. The tags suggest it was Kit. Great job! <br /><br />I have the three DVD collectors edition with <i>Fantasia</i>, <i>Fantasia 2000</i> (which is like Michael Bublé to the original's Frank Sinatra) and some strange third disc that I've never even popped in the player, I don't think. I suppose I'll have to get the Blue Ray one of these days. *sigh*<br /><br />I think it's worth noting that, while <i>Fantasia</i> nearly broke Disney, the extremely spartan follow-up, <i>Dumbo</i> pulled them back, and not without bringing along some of <i>Fantasia</i> into the "Pink Elephants on Parade" sequence. Vestiges of <i>Fantasia</i> can be seen throughout the war years' and post-war package releases. And, of course, <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> released in '51 harkens back to <i>Fantasia</i>'s abstractions quite a lot. So while audiences may not have understood <i>Fantasia</i> at its release, it still managed to leave a deep mark on animation.tryanmaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09881154741574720094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-1254825358206304562014-08-05T08:49:42.683-04:002014-08-05T08:49:42.683-04:00Truth be told, Fantasia has always kinda dragged f...Truth be told, <i>Fantasia</i> has always kinda dragged for me a little bit. I hate saying that because I love the music and the animation is beautiful. To be fair, I haven't watched it in a long time but some parts are definitely a struggle.<br /><br />It may not have had the same impact, but I actually love <i>Fantasia 2000</i>. Same concept, but... shorter. The <i>Rhapsody in Blue</i> sequence with Hirschfeld-style drawings is wonderful, as is the <i>Steadfast Tin Soldier</i> segment, which introduced me to the work of Shostakovich. I even got misty-eyed when I found out how the story originally ended. (In the film, the soldier defeats the evil jack-in-the-box and gets the girl. In the original story, the soldier and the girl fall into the fireplace, melting into the shape of a heart.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-6231461682673482482014-08-05T08:44:48.019-04:002014-08-05T08:44:48.019-04:00Dave -
I believe the Blu-Ray retains the dubbing...Dave - <br /><br />I believe the Blu-Ray retains the dubbing. (I should know... I own it, but I haven't watched it in years!) The reason they had to dub Taylor was because they incorporated some previously missing footage into the film but the audio couldn't be found - their options were: a.) present the new footage with subtitles only, or b.) dub Taylor's entire performance.<br /><br />And there are still a couple of shots that have been edited to remove some racial stereotypes in the <i>Pastoral Symphony</i> sequence. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-48656745045435318232014-08-05T08:34:19.104-04:002014-08-05T08:34:19.104-04:00I saw these when originally released, and also whe...I saw these when originally released, and also when segments aired on Disneyworld t.v. in the 50's (at least the original was.) They were a animation tour de force then. Of course as a kid growing up in Philly, we were very proud of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Leopold Stokowski (later Eugene Ormandy.) When re-released in the 80's, my generation went to see it with altered consciousness, thus starting the rumor that Walt had been a "coker." Still, I am aware of and respect the criticism that the segments work wonderfully independently, but can get a bit long when viewed at one sitting. It is a valid point, I think. Regardless, great review Tryanmax.Tennessee Jedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10604275115906776992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-49597437999438094612014-08-05T07:12:21.982-04:002014-08-05T07:12:21.982-04:00I saw Fantasia on video (which means I saw an edit...I saw Fantasia on video (which means I saw an edited version) decades ago when I was a kid. I thought it was interesting to watch, but I wasn't particularly fascinated by it probably because of the whole lack of narrative thing.Anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16124128949343301445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-24821543320972320042014-08-05T00:50:00.622-04:002014-08-05T00:50:00.622-04:00Dave,
I never noticed any problems on my DVD so m...Dave,<br /><br />I never noticed any problems on my DVD so maybe they were fixed.<br /><br />Seeing it on Imax would be awesome!Kithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01453591141757808708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-68814420978363373752014-08-05T00:42:51.524-04:002014-08-05T00:42:51.524-04:00I saw Fantasia in a theater for an early '80s ...I saw <i>Fantasia</i> in a theater for an early '80s re-release. I liked it but it would be fair to say that, as a young teen, I didn't appreciate it as much as I should have. Oh, to have it released again on an Imax screen with full THX. That would worth the inflated ticket price. I'd even shell out for a large popcorn.<br /><br />The VHS version looks horrible to my DVD-spoiled eyes, and the narration of Deems Taylor has been re-dubbed in a way that makes Arnold Schwarzenegger's lines in <i>Hercules in New York</i> sound like they were re-done by Prince Charles. I hope this has been fixed in the DVD or BluRay releases. Dave Olsonnoreply@blogger.com