Fantasia 2000 is quite similar and yet quite different from its classic predecessor. The film actually shows the orchestra playing with a conductor leading (James Levine takes the reigns from Leopold Stokowski). There is a narration between each segment, and while some segments tell a story, some are completely abstract. Regarding the differences, though, Fantasia 2000 upgrades significantly with the use of a variety of celebrity narrators that bring their own unique styles to the film. Celebrities such as Steve Martin, James Earl Jones, and Angela Lansbury introduce various segments with a certain spark that was absent in the original film. Furthermore, while Mickey Mouse does appear interacting with the conductor in Fantasia (albeit it in shadowy form), he fully appears talking with James Levine in Fantasia 2000, which was a pleasant surprise. However, Mickey is not alone in this film when it comes to classic Disney characters. Donald and Daisy Duck also make an appearance as they star in one of the film's best segment.
As for the segments, now that I have mentioned them, some of them are truly great, but some of them are truly not great. The opening segment, Symphony No. 5, is completely abstract with no story at all. While that is amazing for some, I simply find myself bored to tears. To open the film with an abstract segment is a bold move that didn't pay off in my book. The second segment, Pines of Rome, tells a story with some abstract elements, but it is just downright strange. Whales start flying, and I am just confused. Now, the music in these first two segments is spectacular, but the accompanying "stories" are quite loathsome. The remaining segments, though, are splendid. Rhapsody in Blue is so clever and inventive that you just cannot keep your eyes off of it. It is perfectly maniacal, and the animation is absolutely spell-binding. The Steadfast Tin Soldier is a revolutionary segment for Disney (read below for more details), and it is also tells a phenomenal story. The brief, random segment, The Carnival of the Animals, is purely delightful. The finale, The Firebird, is beautifully animated as I just watch in amazement at the tour de force performance on display.
The film's best segments just so happen to star Mickey and Donald respectively. In order to stay true to Walt's vision, The Sorcerer's Apprentice appears in Fantasia 2000 in its original form, and no matter how many times I watch this segment (and I have watched it a lot), I am still awestruck. It is the highlight of Fantasia, and it is undoubtedly the highlight of Fantasia 2000. Walt's fingerprints are simply all over it. Rivaling The Sorcerer's Apprentice for the honor of being deemed the film's best segment, Pomp and Circumstance is a masterclass in animated storytelling. Retelling the story of Noah's Ark starring Donald and Daisy is a risky move, but it sure pays off immensely. This is one of Disney's best short films to date. It is strikingly beautiful, and our leading characters exhibit so much genuine emotion without even saying a word. Walt would have been proud of Pomp and Circumstance.
Overall, Fantasia 2000 sticks with the formula that worked back in 1940. It is a classic for a reason, right? That being said, though, while the film's best segments are incredibly classical, the film's worst segments make the worst segments from Fantasia look like masterpieces. That is why the rating is not higher for this film. Fantasia 2000 is a required viewing for all Disney fans, but don't expect a game changer like we got with Walt's version.
Rating: 8/10
Historical Significance: Fantasia 2000 became the first full length feature animted film to be presented in IMAX. Disney offered IMAX a chance to gain exclusive first showings of the film if they agreed to their terms. The conditions included a limited engagement of four months on IMAX screens and fifty percent of the box office receipts would go to Disney. These conditions were often refused by IMAX screens. A theater in Los Angeles, in particular, refused to accept the terms. Disney needed the film to show in Los Angeles, though, so they built an IMAX theater in LA for the express purpose of showing Fantasia 2000. The theater cost approximately four million dollars. The film was a moderate success for Disney, given that it peaked at appearing on just over 1,300 screens nationwide. Its final gross domestically totaled just north of sixty million dollars.
Behind the Scenes: Fantasia 2000 took nine years to complete, and in the process of making the film, Pixar had revolutionized the animation business with its use of computer technology. Disney decided to bring this new advancement into Fantasia 2000. The Steadfast Tin Soldier segment features the first lead characters in Disney animation history to be completely computer animated. The whales in the Pines of Rome segment are mostly computer animated as well, but their eyes were hand drawn due to the lack of expressiveness when the computer animated the whales. Furthermore, The Steadfast Tin Soldier was originally slated to appear in the original Fantasia, but the filmmakers could not decide which musical accompaniment needed to appear in the segment. The final product, based on Hans Christian Andersen tale, is vastly different from its source material as it is significantly more upbeat.
Favorite Character: I wrote this in my review of Fantasia on day three of the Summer of Magic, but when Mickey Mouse is in a film, he is my favorite character without question. Continuing Walt's vision of what he wanted to accomplish with updated Fantasia films periodically, The Sorcerer's Apprentice appears in Fantasia 2000 in its original, glorious form, which means Mickey is back in his deserving starring role. Mickey is my favorite character of all-time, and The Sorcerer's Apprentice is his best production, in my opinion. Naturally, that means this choice is almost too obvious.
Favorite Scene: My favorite scene from Fantasia 2000 is also my favorite scene from Fantasia: The Sorcerer's Apprentice segment. However, in order to avoid copying my review of the original classic from 1940, I will further mention that the Pomp and Circumstance segment is rather remarkable as well. Donald and Daisy Duck are now given a chance to take center stage as they retell the story of Noah's Ark set to the tune of the famous graduation ballad. Without a single word (which is rare for Donald, as you know), the dynamic duo have us at the edge of our seat throughout the segment even though we know every facet of the story. The segment is impeccably animated with lush settings and vibrant characters as well while also featuring some predictably powerful music. Of the new segments for Fantasia 2000, this one is by far the best.Updated Ranking: I rank Fantasia 2000 similarly to Fantasia: right in the middle of the pack. While some segments are undeniably classic, some also fall quite short on the creative spectrum.
- Beauty and the Beast
- The Lion King
- Aladdin
- The Little Mermaid
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame
- Peter Pan
- Cinderella
- The Jungle Book
- Sleeping Beauty
- Hercules
- Mulan
- Tarzan
- Pinocchio
- Lady and the Tramp
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Alice in Wonderland
- Dumbo
- Bambi
- 101 Dalmatians
- Pocahontas
- The Great Mouse Detective
- Fantasia
- The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
- The AristoCats
- Fantasia 2000
- The Rescuers Down Under
- Fun and Fancy Free
- The Fox and the Hound
- Robin Hood
- Melody Time
- The Three Caballeros
- Saludos Amigos
- Oliver & Company
- The Rescuers
- The Sword in the Stone
- Make Mine Music
- The Black Cauldron
Now that Disney has embraced computer animation with Fantasia 2000, where do they go with it from there? We'll find out with our next film: Dinosaur!
-Cody Fleenor
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