Walt Disney Home Entertainment // Released November 30, 2010 // Rated PG
The Pitch
The dreams and visions of Walt Disney come to life in Fantasia, which blends music and film magic into an exhilarating movie-going experience. Unforgettable images are brought to life by some of the world’s best music, and highlighted by the comedy of Mickey Mouse as a troublemaking sorcerer’s apprentice, along with the beauty of winged fairies and cascading snowflakes, the majesty of Noah’s ark and even plump hippos performing ballet in tutus.
Motivated by his uncle’s foresight, Roy Disney continued the magic with Fantasia 2000 which begins where its predecessor left off. There are seven completely new segments, and viewers watch a bustling Depression-era metropolis in the style of Al Hirschfeld’s famous cartoons, a flock of flamingos with slapstick yo-yo talents, an ark full of animals gathered by Donald Duck as Noah’s first mate, and musical life breathed into a family of flying humpback whales.
The Review
It’s pretty hard not to be charmed by the beauty, animation and sounds that have made Fantasia a classic. Having not seen the films in a decade, I was amazed to notice the sheer influence the film has had, seeing sequences that had been recreated in both Jurassic Park and Superman: The Movie. The sequel, Fantasia 2000 is also a must see with stunning animation and striking visuals. The biggest misfire is not including the long tempted short Destino, a previously unreleased collaboration between Disney and Salvador Dali, on the dvd. It is on the four disc dvd/Blu-ray edition.
Extras are plentiful, but not comprehensive as the set is missing many of the special features from the previous dvd release. Extras include commentaries, featurettes, and additional Blu-ray exclusives including Destino, additional commentaries and featurettes.
Nevertheless, it’s a flawless presentation of one of the most important and accessible animated films in history and a must have. Highest recommendation.
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