The Walt Disney Records Legacy Collection version of Fantasia gives the deluxe audio treatment to the legendary 1940 animated film, offering up a collectable, handsomely packaged four-disc set that includes two-disc versions of both the original Leopold Stokowski-conducted soundtrack and the 1982 re-recording by famed arranger and orchestrator Irwin Kostal. A poor boy named Arthur learns the power of love, kindness, knowledge and bravery with the help of a wizard called Merlin in the path to become one of the most beloved kings in English history.
"Night on Bald Mountain" and "Ave Maria" set the forces of darkness and light against each other as a devilish revel is interrupted by the coming of a new day. [132], Fantasia has received three home video releases. [49] The studio filmed professional dancers Joyce Coles and Marjorie Belcher wearing ballet skirts that resembled shapes of blossoms that were to sit above water for Dance of the Flutes. Disney animators set pictures to Western classical music as Leopold Stokowski conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra. [19][52] Most of the segment was shot in live action, including a scene where a UCLA athlete was asked to run and jump across one of the studio's sound stages with barrels in the way, which was used for reference when Mickey traverses through water. Fantasia 2000 premiered at Carnegie Hall on December 17, 1999 as part of a five-city live concert tour, followed by a four-month engagement in IMAX cinemas[179] and a wide release in regular theatres, in 2000. The adaptation of "The Rite of Spring" is quite imaginative in using an entirely different setting for the music. The films were issued both separately and in a three-disc set called The Fantasia Anthology.
[114][126][127], In September 1990, the remastered Stokowski soundtrack was released on CD and audio cassette by Buena Vista Records.,[128][129] and was later re-released in 2006. Fantasia soundtrack from 1940, composed by Various Artists. After being snubbed by the royal family, a malevolent fairy places a curse on a princess which only a prince can break, along with the help of three good fairies. [122], Disney considered releasing the film's soundtrack around the time of the film's roadshow release, but this idea was not realized. [163] The 10 Top 10 list formed in 2008 placed Fantasia fifth under Animation. John Hubley, the segment's art director, explained that it was later curtailed by Disney to avoid controversy from creationists, who promised to make trouble should he connect evolution with humans. "[47] Fischinger, like Disney, was used to having full control over his work and was not used to working in a group. [20][23], An agreement signed by Disney and Stokowski on December 16, 1937, allowed the conductor to "select and employ a complete symphony orchestra" for the recording.
To monitor recording levels, Disney used oscilloscopes with color differentiation to minimize eye fatigue. The 50-day release prompted 9.25 million advance orders for cassettes and a record 200,000 for discs, doubling the figure of the previous record. [182], Fantasia is parodied in A Corny Concerto, a Warner Bros. cartoon from 1943 of the Merrie Melodies series. A collection of animated interpretations of great works of … Even the segments that don't work as well are usually at least interesting, since you can at least appreciate what they were trying to accomplish.You don't really have to be all that familiar with the specific pieces of music for it to be worthwhile, since in several cases they chose to match the music with material that is rather different in nature from any original context that it may have had.
[106], By 1955 the original sound negatives began to deteriorate, though a four-track copy had survived in good condition. [203], Chernabog from Night On Bald Mountain also makes an appearance in the episode "Darkness on the Edge of Town".[204]. The union of Stokowski and his music, together with the best of our medium, would be the means of a success and should lead to a new style of motion picture presentation. Fantasia was Disney's love-letter to classical music and became a classic, loved by generations of children and adults. [169] British music publisher Boosey & Hawkes filed a further lawsuit in 1993, contending that Disney did not have the rights to distribute The Rite of Spring in the 1991 video releases because the permission granted to Disney by Stravinsky in 1940 was only in the context of a film to be shown in theaters. [65], The film's program reads that Ave Maria provides "an emotional relief to audiences tense from the shock" of Night on Bald Mountain.
[28] Disney did not contribute much to early discussions; he admitted that his knowledge of music was instinctive and untrained. [24] Disney hired a stage at the Culver Studios in California for the session. 8489. Stewie Asks Hannibal Lecter for Tips: What Animated Character Would You Like to Enter What Movie? Disney settled on the film's concept in 1938 as work neared completion on The Sorcerer's Apprentice, an elaborate Silly Symphonies short designed as a comeback role for Mickey Mouse, who had declined in popularity.
Disney hired film salesman Irving Ludwig to manage the first eleven engagements,[85] who was given specific instructions regarding each aspect of the film's presentation, including the setup of outside theater marquees and curtain and lighting cues. The concert version features a live symphony orchestra and piano soloist accompanying projected high definition video segments.
Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. As production costs grew higher than what it could earn, Disney decided to include the short in a feature-length film with other segments set to classical pieces. [140] This also marked the first time the roadshow version was released in Europe.
How come many of the pieces do not follow a story?