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    Fantasia

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    When I heard that “Fantasia” was celebrating it’s 75th anniversary and coming back to theatres I was excited. Yes I’ve got it on DVD and also on Blu-ray at home, but that’s not the way it’s supposed to be presented. Seeing a film in the theatre instead of in your living room is like seeing a concert live or being there in the stadium while a game of football is being played right before your eyes. There’s an energy and a level of excitement that comes from outside of the house and sitting next to like-minded strangers that adds another level of enjoyment (even if in recent years some of those strangers need a firm reminder that cellphones do not belong in the theatre) I thought I was intimately familiar with “Fantasia”, but somehow this was a different experience from any that I’ve had before. I feel like I’ve REALLY seen it now, and I’m here to entice you to do the same.

    The third animated picture in the Disney canon, “Fantasia” does not have a true plot. It’s an anthology of short stories, or abstract pieces set to classical music. The tone and style of the eight animated segments varies wildly. We have everything from a comedic ballet featuring animals to accurate (for the time, and to a certain extent) depiction of the evolution of life on earth and fantastical tales of good and evil.

    I did not realize it until I invited my parents to come see “Fantasia” with me, but I had already seen this picture in theatres. Apparently at the tender age of 3 years old I was brought to see the 50th Anniversary presentation of the film and my favourite segment was the one set to “Rites of Spring” by Igor Stavinsky. You know, the one with the dinosaurs. While I still enjoy that segment tremendously, I found that as an adult I am drawn to the non-linear pieces. Being able to see the individual brush strokes in the rolling “hills” set to “Toccata and Fugue” and actually witnessing the images plucked right out of the mind of an artist as they closed their eyes and listened to strings or brass instruments, or being led through the process of really listening to a piece conducted by Leopold Stokowski and performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra is an inspiring experience. I love all of the little details in the bubbles, the dew drops, the icicles and the falling snow in “Nutcracker Suite”. Particularly striking is the use of shading throughout. In most animated films, the colours are clearly separated. You have a mid-tone and either darker or lighter shades to accentuate light and shadow. In many of the segments present here, the tones are fully painted using gradients. We’re talking about real brush strokes where you can see the meticulous hours spent ensuring that colour was perfectly in sync with the previous and future frames. It makes the colours bolder and the actions have even more weight than in a standard animation picture. Not just in the backgrounds either, but in the main characters of the story. I’m not sure how they pulled it off.

    I firmly believe that “Fantasia” should be if not mandatory viewing (as that would create resistance towards it and make it feel like homework) strongly recommended to children in particular. Even the very young will be able to follow the short stories presented and it’s a great introduction to classical music as well as the boundless imagination that we all possess. While I might be tempted to criticize the fact that there are some scientific inaccuracies in the segment with the dinosaurs, or that unicorns are not particularly Greek and have no real business next to Zeus or Vulcan (who is Roman, not Greek anyway), but I have a different perspective on these having freshly seen the film. “Fantasia” is just that, it’s “a work in which the author’s fancy roves unrestricted”. It’s not necessarily about telling a coherent story or being bound by accuracy, it’s about conveying a mood, putting you in the shoes of somebody else, giving an overall idea of what myth or prehistory, or ballet is like. That’s what compels me to recommend it so strongly (aside from the fact that it’s so visually striking) It’s a spark of imagination captured for all to see. Walt Disney has brought us a marriage of music and visuals that will ignite a fire within you.

    There are many memorable moments throughout and although I am deeply nostalgic for this 1940’s picture, I do not believe that my views on it are biased. As I mentioned earlier, this was a new experience for me because I saw it on the big screen. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed seeing simple colours and shapeless forms dancing on the screen, or how much shorter the “Night on Bald Mountain” segment seemed. It’s incredible to find that after 75 years the colours, characters and emotions still pop so, and that “Fantasia” is still easily identifiable as revolutionary. I even found myself stricken by the images of conductor Stokowski, who, lit in a way that his face can never be seen reminded me of Dr. Frankenstein, bringing forth life from nothing.

    Set aside some time and rope in as many friends and family members as you can. Bring them to the theatre and sit down. Admire every dewdrop, every snowflake, splash of water and expertly timed action while the immortal soundtrack plays out. “Fantasia” is no mere collection of music videos, that’s too banal a term to use. It’s a must-see, an experience like no other. (75th Anniversary Presentation on the big screen, November 11, 2015)

    10
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    adamwatchesmovies@  14.11.2015 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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