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Special Features
- A commentary by Walt Disney (created from rare archival interviews with Walt Disney, spanning three decades)
- A commentary by Roy E. Disney, maestro James Levine and John Canemaker, animation historian
- "The Making of Walt Disney's 'Fantasia'" featurette
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Groundbreaking on several counts, not the least of which was an innovative use of animation and stereophonic sound, this ambitious Disney feature has lost nothing to time since its release in 1940. Classical music was interpreted by Disney animators, resulting in surreal fantasy and playful escapism. Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra provided the music for eight segments by the composers Tchaikovsky, Moussorgsky, Stravinsky, Beethoven, Ponchielli, Bach, Dukas, and Schubert. Not all the sequences were created equally, but a few are simply glorious, such as "Night on Bald Mountain," "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," and "The Nutcracker Suite." The animation ranges from subtly delicate to fiercely bold. The screen bursts with color and action as creatures transmute and convention is thrust aside. The painstaking detail and saturated hues are unique to this film, unmatched even by more advanced technology. --Rochelle O'Gorman
Product Description
Groundbreaking on several counts, not the least of which was an innovative use of animation and stereophonic sound, this ambitious Disney feature has lost nothing to time since its release in 1940. Classical music was interpreted by Disney animators, r
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
363 of 374 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
As a lifelong musician and artist, Fantasia has been one of my all time favorite movies since I first saw it in theaters as a child. My wife, knowing my great love for this movie, bought the DVD version for me as a birthday gift. When I put the DVD on, however, my excited anticipation quickly turned to depressed disappointment.
I immediately realized that the voice of the narrator, Deems Taylor, whose wonderful and soothing voice spans the entirety of the movie, had been overdubbed with someone else's voice! Deems Taylor was a widely known and respected music critic in his time. He had a beautiful, deep sonorous and expressive voice. The sound of his voice was an essential part of the aural and musical magic of this film. Yet, the new owner's of Disney saw fit to overdub his voice with that of some squawky and squeaky sounding unknown, thereby ruining the entire film.
I did some research to find out why, in the name of "preservation", Disney studios would destroy this film in the way that they have. The reason, supposedly, was because they found old footage (which was NOT in the version we all knew and loved as kids) which they wanted to insert - but the audio on that obscure footage had been damaged. They felt they had to redub those voice overs. Fine. But then, in the process, they re-dubbed the entire film, even the parts that had not been damaged!
I understand, for historical interest, that some people might be interested in seeing the extra, obscure footage which had been edited out long ago , but that extra footage easily could have been put on a special features disc, not in the actual movie that millions of fans have come to know and love. This was a horrible decision by a studio which increasingly seems to have lost all sense of artistic taste and common sense.
... Read more ›577 of 615 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The quality and presentation of this restored version of FANTASIA is wonderful. Finally restored, unseen since the initial release, are the complete introductory sequences, including a chimes player's accident with his instrument, the orchestra applauding Mickey Mouse, and the orchestra shuffling out for the intermission. Even the original title card has been returned to its proper place, during the intermission. (Some of the narration was rerecorded due to original voice tracks being no longer available.)
But there is CONSIDERABLE CONTROVERSY over the continued censorship of the "Pastorale" sequence. Circa 1969, the seemingly racist shots of a black centaurette (similar to Our Gang's "Buckwheat") attending on the white centaurettes were cut from the film, resulting in a "jump" in the music. Allegedly, the 1980 release's newly recorded music soundtrack covered up the clumsy edit, so that the remaining choreography was in sync. Subsequent releases to video have used optical tricks to remove the appearance of black centaurs, so that the original music track scans properly.
In this "restored" version, these optical edits are still glaringly obvious. (E.g., an optical zoom to avoid the black centaurette shows you the film grain up close, in another shot, a green bush magically slides across the ground by itself!)
The film survives as a masterpiece of filmic art, and this presentation of a "politically correct, original version" (my description) is tempting. But Disney does this release, and all customers and fans, a disservice by inappropriately calling it a "restored" and "uncut" version, when in fact it is NOT the version that was seen in the 1940 road shows.... Read more ›
But there is CONSIDERABLE CONTROVERSY over the continued censorship of the "Pastorale" sequence. Circa 1969, the seemingly racist shots of a black centaurette (similar to Our Gang's "Buckwheat") attending on the white centaurettes were cut from the film, resulting in a "jump" in the music. Allegedly, the 1980 release's newly recorded music soundtrack covered up the clumsy edit, so that the remaining choreography was in sync. Subsequent releases to video have used optical tricks to remove the appearance of black centaurs, so that the original music track scans properly.
In this "restored" version, these optical edits are still glaringly obvious. (E.g., an optical zoom to avoid the black centaurette shows you the film grain up close, in another shot, a green bush magically slides across the ground by itself!)
The film survives as a masterpiece of filmic art, and this presentation of a "politically correct, original version" (my description) is tempting. But Disney does this release, and all customers and fans, a disservice by inappropriately calling it a "restored" and "uncut" version, when in fact it is NOT the version that was seen in the 1940 road shows.... Read more ›
107 of 113 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
Please becareful when buying this DVD. The package say it's uncut but it really isn't. Disney felt they needed to censor some scenes because they might offend some black people. I'm a black person and I'm more offended by Disney lying to me then the scenes. I hope someday in the future Disney will think I'm mature enough to own a real uncut version.
55 of 60 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
It was great to see all of the narration put back into the film, but this so called "Uncut" edition, is not what is seems. Being a life-long fan and collector of "Fantasia" items, I was shocked to see (or not to see), the small black centaurette pyganinnies, totally removed from the film in the "Pastoral Symphony". Disney's "pan & scan" techinque in one sequence chopped them out and when Bacchus is ushered up the stairs, they have been totally wiped out of the segment (the carpet now rolls itself up to the throne...ah,Disney magic). I have many of the above mentioned sequences on video and was really hoping that they would find their way back into the DVD "uncut version". I realize that in this age of 'racial discrimination" that certain things can't be shown or referred to, but give me a break, "Fantasia" is art and should not have been censored, besides, these are mythical creatures. Also,......I remember Demms Taylor as having a different voice, the one in the DVD really does not sound like him at all. Anyway these are my thoughts. Having waited so long for the "uncut version", I feel very let down.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Didn't realize it was Korean and English
Even though I thought I'd read all the fine print and hadn't ordered a product meant for play only on DVD players in Asia, I somehow missed the part that this is a dual-language... Read more
Published 1 day ago by Sheryl Fowler
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not the best quality of DVD
I should have spent more for a Fantasia DVD. This Korean made disc has a buzz sound in the background. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Happy Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Buy
Like new and is a great shape. It even had the movie rewards card. So, I could collect rewards points.
Published 11 days ago by Anne M.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Fraudulent misrepresentation
I always read the fine print for whatever I am interested in purchasing. I even print out the web page about the item so I know for sure. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Sharon C Turner
3.0 out of 5 stars
its in korean!
they don't tell you that... i guess you are able to change the language, but this was a misleading purchase. Amazon should be aware.
Published 14 days ago by Andrew J Gress
3.0 out of 5 stars
Sunflower the centaur editted out
I watched the original Fantasia when I was a kid, and have to say that the reaction of most of my friends was "boy, are those big centaurs being nasty to that little one! Read more
Published 21 days ago by Virginia F. Richards-taylor
1.0 out of 5 stars
The Movie is in Korean
I had no idea that this Movie was in Korean.
The only thing I knew was the Tittle. Not as described
The only thing I knew was the Tittle. Not as described
Published 23 days ago by EJ
3.0 out of 5 stars
Koren Version?
Thank goodness it has the English version. No problem with the product, it is more with the seller not specifying that it was the Korean version. Read more
Published 23 days ago by cware7878
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dreams From My Childhood
I remember this from my childhood and couldn't WAIT to buy it!! My daughter and I enjoyed this in the theaters many times.
Published 24 days ago by Linda Cozette
5.0 out of 5 stars
Disney Tour de Force
This is my favorite Disney film. Beautiful music, gorgeous animation and magnificent color. And oh, those dancing hippos, mushrooms and centaurs!
Published 24 days ago by C.J.
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