Review of Fantasia (1940) by Mister C — 18 Apr 2015

Possibly the greatest achievement of Walt Disney and his studio, Fantasia is a great movie, because it really isn't a movie, but but short segments separated by a brief description of the next segment and shots of the orchestra. Since I'm feeling daring today I'll briefly review each segment.

1: Toccata And Fugue In D Minor: The strangest of the segments, as a third of it is just artsy shots of the orchestra, followed by very strange, abstract imagery. It definitely works, as it all gels with the music, beautifully conducted by Leopold Stokowski. 9/10.

2: The Nutcracker Suite: One of my favorite segments, the visuals work so well with the animation on this one, as it shows fairies changing the seasons, mixed with dancing mushrooms, flowers, fish and everything else imaginable. 10/10.

3: The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Definitely the most famous segment, people who haven't seen the movie know Sorcerer Mickey standing high on a rocky podium of sorts, lighting the sky and raising the waters below. I love the animation, and I love seeing Mickey. 10/10.

4: The Rite Of Spring: instead of the original dances that went with the piece, the animation tells the story of the Earth's beginning. though I love the segment, it's a little too long, and almost 25 minutes. still, very great and breathtaking: 9.5/10.

5: The Pastoral Symphony: Definitely my least favorite segment, the music doesn't work with the animation, it's too cutesy, and is overly long. It's enjoyable, but not as much as the others. 8/10.

6: Dance Of The Hours: This one is the most comedic segment in an otherwise "Highbrow" film, and yet it works incredibly, and is one of the best segments in the whole film. It keeps the piece as a ballet, but is danced by animals instead of people. What makes it work is it's choice of animals. Ostrich's (Morning), Hippo's (Afternoon), Elephant's (Evening), and Alligator's (Night). the ending is comical, as is the whole segment. 10/10.

7: A Night On Bald Mountain/Ave Maria: Wow. Just, wow. this piece is... just amazing. A Night On Bald Mountain is simply terrifying at times, while Ave Maria is one of the most beautiful things Iv'e ever seen. the film benefits from no end credits or goodbye from Deems Taylor, Master Of Ceremonies, but rather just ending when Ave Maria is over. Overall, this is one of the most beautiful films ever made, and is my favorite Disney film. A perfect 10.