Review of Fantasia (2004) by Ajai K — 14 Mar 2013

"Fantasia" is an animated masterpiece that features great music, brilliant visuals and a lot of imagination. Every animated segment features classical music but the animated visuals that accompany them are all distinct and unique.

All of them are really memorable and they'll really stick with you, from "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" to Beethoven's "Pastorale Symphony" with all of the centaurs and greek mythology figures and of course, there's no way you could forget the "Night on Bald Mountain" segment.

Some of the animation is really groundbreaking too. Remember that this is way before computers entered the world of animation so every bead of dew, every splash of water, every cloud and translucent shade is hand painted and in many instances not just a cell of solid colour that was painstakingly coloured, but a fully rendered piece of art (complete with shading) that is flipping by so quickly between other images that they look like fluid movement.

This isn't a film that's meant to appeal to a children's audience while the adults are off doing their own thing. If you're a big fan of music, or music videos you'll appreciate the musical and visual choices made here and you'll be able to recognize the work that's been invested into making the film.

If you are showing it to children they'll really be entranced by the merging of music and animation and in the case of the abstract segment, it could easily make them think about music and colour in entirely new ways.

"Fantasia" is an absolute must-see and a really unique animated film that will turn you on to music and to visual art if you aren't already a fan. (Dvd, March 10, 2013).