Don’t freak out — it’s only ‘Fantasia’
I was completely set to trip out with “Fantasia,” Walt Disney’s third-ever animated feature film. I was remembering it as a freaky acid trip sort of “What were they on?” experience with pirouetting pink elephants, unexplained art and those determined water-totin’ broomsticks.
But after a re-viewing thanks to Disney Plus, I’m going to go with “eclectic.”
Also: “Centaurettes?”
The basics: “Fantasia” is classical music pieces played by a full orchestra, directed by Leopold Stokowski, and set to animated visuals. Some of it’s abstract, some of it’s, well, cartoonish. The Disney Plus version is advertised as the original presentation, clocking in at 2 hours, 6 minutes.
The legacy: Walt Disney himself intended “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” section, the third act of eight, to be a comeback vehicle for Mickey Mouse, who was said to be losing popularity. How did that all turn out?
The flashback: Certainly, “Apprentice” and Mickey decked out in long robe and blue hat, has been before my eyes more than any other part of the film. The fairies during the “Nutcracker Suite” brought Tinker Bell to mind, yet “Peter Pan” is still a decade down the road. As a recovering high school band geek/drum corps nut, I appreciated the juxtaposition of classics with flashy visuals (any Phantom Regiment fans or old-guard Santa Clara Vanguard followers out there?).
Adult art of animation appreciation:
The lava effects in the “Rite of Spring” ballet segment were cool, so to speak. I thought the most effective use of animation timed with the music was the “Pastoral Symphony.” I’d call it “Silly Symphonies on Steroids.” Visually, it includes mythological gods, scenes of chesty centaurs and “their girlfriends,” a set of topless centaurettes (along with their mating rituals) plus a blessing of unicorns (Yes, I Googled it).
I also appreciated the brief description of each segment presented by composer
Deems Taylor. It was helpful. He might have been talking down to me or my 1940 equivalent, but I don’t care.
What brought me back to reality: Climate change turns Earth into a dust ball and kills the dinosaurs. It’s as fresh as today’s headlines.
Burning questions: Did theatergoers of 1940 know what they were walking into? It’s pretty avant garde at times. At the very least, it was a jarring visual adjustment from the very sepia stylings of “Pinocchio,” which came out earlier that year. But this wasn’t a usual movie outing. At first it was shown only in 13 select cities (Buffalo?) with special speakers and advance reservations required. Translation: the Disney up-sell.
The theme park angles: Mickey gets his “Fantasia” drag on for “Fantasmic,” a nightly show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. That’s the park that featured the mammoth sorcerer’s hat as its centerpiece for years. You might have blocked that out of your head. At Magic Kingdom, his hat is incorporated into “Mickey’s PhilharMagic” as Donald Duck has to chase it down through several scenes. The beginning of “PhilharMagic” also echoes the live orchestra setting up and warming up at the beginning of “Fantasia.”
Also, the very scary Chernabog (“Night on Bald Mountain” sequence) unfolds during the Boo to You parade at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, an afterhours seasonal event at Magic Kingdom.
There’s also Fantasia Gardens and Fairways miniature golf course near the Walt Disney World Swan hotel and a “Fantasia”-themed pool at Disney’s All-Star Movies resort.
Up next: “The Reluctant Dragon” (1941).
Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. Want more theme park news? Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters or the Theme Park Rangers podcast at orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/ theme-park-rangers-podcast.