Disney Fantasia & Fantasia 2000 - Special Edition DVD

Both these films are really a lot of fun. The quality of these dvds are quite good.

Great music!and great movie!..The new restored picture is superb!.. Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 never look so good!.. Very recommended for those who want upgrade the Disney dvd to HD!.. Fantasia 2 Movie Collection Blu-ray United States Share84 Fantasia / Fantasia 2000 / Blu-ray + DVD Disney / Buena Vista | 1940-1999 | 2 Movies | 195 min | Rated G | Nov 30, 2010 Fantasia 2 Movie Collection (Blu-ray) Large: Front Back Add to collection Set price tracking Video Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video resolution: 1080p Aspect ratio: 1.78:1, 1.33:1 Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1, 1.85:1 Audio English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) French: Dolby Digital 5.1 Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) French: Dolby Digital 5.1 Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (less) Subtitles English SDH, French, Spanish English SDH, French, Spanish (less) Discs 50GB Blu-ray Disc Four-disc set (2 BDs, 2 DVDs) DVD copy BD-Live Playback Region free Price List price: $45.99 Amazon: $27.99 (Save 39%) Third party: $23.88 (Save 48%) Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Fantasia 2 Movie Collection on Blu-ray Blu-ray rating Users 4.2 of 5 4.2 Reviewer 4.5 of 5 4.5 Overall 4.5 of 5 4.5 Based on 11 user ratings Blu-ray review Movie 4.0 of 5 4.0 Video 4.5 of 5 4.5 Audio 5.0 of 5 5.0 Extras 4.0 of 5 4.0 Overall 4.5 of 5 4.5 User rating Movie 4.7 of 5 4.7 Video 4.9 of 5 4.9 Audio 4.5 of 5 4.5 Extras 2.8 of 5 2.8 Overall 4.2 of 5 4.2 Based on 11 user ratings Popularity 85% Community 1644 collections No fans yet Overview Blu-ray review Screenshots (20) User reviews (11) Region coding News Forum Edit movie | Suggest a new movie Fantasia 2 Movie Collection (1940-1999) Music | Animation | Fantasy | Family Fantasia 2 Movie Collection Blu-ray delivers stunning video and reference-quality audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release Fantasia: this ambitious animated epic from Disney studios includes sequences set to music by - amongst others - Bach, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Mussorgsky, Schubert and Beethoven. Also featured is the famous 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' routine, in which Mickey Mouse (voiced by Walt himself for the last time) creates magical mayhem when he tries to get his chores done with the aid of a spell or two. Fantasia 2000: A semi-sequel to Disney's 1940 classic 'Fantasia' which features the original film's most famous sequence - the Mickey Mouse adventure 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' - plus seven other all-new animated interpretations of classical music. Highlights include the interwoven stories of a group of 1930s New Yorkers accompanied by Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue', the volcanic eruptions which illustrate Stravinsky's 'Firebird Suite', and the story of Noah, his ark, and his assistant Donald Duck, played out to the strains of Elgar's 'Pomp and Circumstance'. This Blu-ray release includes the following titles, see individual titles for specs and details: Fantasia (Blu-ray) Add Fantasia Blu-ray Blu-ray + DVD Disney / Buena Vista | 1940 | 120 min | Rated G | No Release Date A series of eight animated musical compositions. The first movie with a multichannel stereophonic soundtrack, probably the greatest work of art done in animation. Animation / Family / Fantasy / Music Fantasia 2000 (Blu-ray) Add Fantasia 2000 Blu-ray Disney / Buena Vista | 1999 | 75 min | Rated G | No Release Date Walt Disney's dream of creating a "concert film" with a perpetually changing musical repertoire is at last realized with the debut of the animated extravaganza, 'Fantasia 2000.' The film introduces seven spectacular new... Animation / Family / Music For more about Fantasia 2 Movie Collection and the Fantasia 2 Movie Collection Blu-ray release, see the Fantasia 2 Movie Collection Blu-ray Review Fantasia 2 Movie Collection Blu-ray Review Add this affordable Double Feature to your collection post haste... Reviewed by Kenneth Brown, November 27, 2010 It's easy to forget how bold a visionary the late Walt Disney truly was. Lest we forget, Snow White wasn't always the undisputed classic 21st century filmfans have declared it to be, nor was it a surefire business venture by any means. Released in 1937, when the country was still struggling to recover from the Great Depression, the fearless filmmaker's feature-length animation debut was deemed a risk, a fool's errand and a career killer. But hindsight can spot a money-maker a mile away. Snow White not only shattered expectations and revolutionized the film industry, it paved the way for countless artists, animators and dreamers, and gave birth to one of the most profitable forms of family entertainment in the modern age. 1940 would see the release of the next two Disney classics: Pinocchio, which went on to earn the same affection and accolades as Snow White, and Fantasia, easily Uncle Walt's most daring and experimental animated production. Conceived as a perpetually evolving experience -- one he originally intended to add additional segments to each year -- Fantasia wasn't nearly as successful as its forebearers, critically or commercially, but slowly assembled a discerning audience over the coming decades; viewers who finally responded to the allure of its concept, structure and vignettes. It soon became a Disney Classic alongside its more traditional brethren and even inspired a sequel much like the one Walt Disney often envisioned: 1999's Fantasia 2000. While thematically lighter than its somewhat moody predecessor, Fantasia 2000 complements Fantasia nicely, and both films, despite their divisive nature, achieve a great many things. If an oboe isn't crooning in your head by now, you probably haven't seen 'Fantasia's most iconic segment... How do you do. My name is Deems Taylor, and it's my very pleasant duty to welcome you here on behalf of Walt Disney, Leopold Stokowski and all the other artists and musicians whose combined talents went into the creation of this new form of entertainment, Fantasia. What you're going to see are the designs and pictures and stories that music inspired in the minds and imaginations of a group of artists. In other words, these are not going to be the interpretations of trained musicians. Which I think is all of the good. Now there are three kinds of music on this Fantasia program. First is the kind that tells a definite story. Then there's the kind that, while it has no specific plot, does paint a series of, more or less, definite pictures. Then there's a third kind: music that exists simply for its own sake. Fantasia opens with a flurry of color and sound, and never panders to its audience for a second (well, minus Mickey's silhouetted chat with conductor Leopold Stokowski). Though pretension lingers nearby in the wings, it never strides on stage, giving the film's animators the freedom to indulge in whatever fits of whimsy, imagination and inspiration happens to guide their hands. Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor challenges viewers from the outset, surging and relenting at will, crackling with abstract bursts of energy and light, and announcing Fantasia's every lofty intention. From there, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite takes itself less seriously, tracking the passing of the seasons through a dance of ice-skimming fairies and flowering plants, and never once grounds itself in the doldrums of reality. Next up is Paul Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice, the film's most accessible, family friendly and, above all else, memorable vignette. In it, Mickey plays a fledgling wizard who takes advantage of his master's absence. The resulting chaos leaves the befuddled mouse scrambling to stop an army of brooms from destroying his master's workshop, and continues to leave entire generations of children grinning from ear to ear. Soon, the first half of the film comes to a close with Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, a foray into evolution, the rise of the dinosaurs and a very bleak portrayal of the survival of the fittest. Relatively violent and potentially unsettling, it represents a unique marriage of music and animation, and hints at the darkness that lies in wait just before the credits roll. After an unnecessary intermission and a cute "Meet the Soundtrack" segment, Fantasia plows ahead with Ludwig van Beethoven's Sixth Symphony, more commonly known as The Pastoral Symphony. The weakest and most problematic of the original film's segments, the animators delve into Greek mythology, but neglect to establish an engrossing narrative or a compelling abstract world. Instead, it drags on and on as centaurs mate, cherub-like cupids hover at their heads, and a drunken bit of slapstick comedy undoes whatever carefully laid plans Disney had in mind. It isn't bad, mind you, and will delight many I'm sure. But it's slow, uneven and, frankly, bizarre. Amilcare Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours rights Fantasia's course, even though its high-flying flourishes and balletic wildlife will appeal to young viewers far more than their parents. Dancers of the morning, afternoon, evening and night -- ostriches, hippos, elephants and alligators, respectively -- descend on an outdoor palace to celebrate the passage of another day, all to an amusing end. Finally, Modest Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain and Franz Schubert's Ave Maria drag Fantasia to hell and back with one of the most unsettling, nightmarish bits of Disney animation committed to film. It opens as a massive demon called Chernabog raises the dead; a twisted cadre of scorned souls, skeletons and beasties of the netherworld, all intent on wreaking havoc on a sleepy little town. At least until a group of monks, accompanied by Schubert's soothing chorus, vanguish the evil and send it scurrying back to the grave. The film closes on a somber note, but considering Disney's hope that Fantasia would be expanded in the coming years after its initial release, the sobering, somewhat abrupt denouement isn't exactly a point of contention. Fantasia is widely considered to be slightly superior to Fantasia 2000 for a number of reasons, but I actually enjoy the sequel considerably more than the original. Chalk it up to having a six-year-old in the house, stronger stories across the board, or its shorter, more manageable segments. Whatever the case, my family has only watched Fantasia a handful of times over the last few years, while this year alone, we've tossed in Fantasia 2000 on a dozen different occasions. (My only major gripe? The celebrity-helmed intros are obnoxious and decidedly forced.) Take that as you will though; to each his own and all that. The sequel begins much like the original, with an abstract explosion of color set to a powerful piece of music; in this case, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor. Presented as a battle between light and dark forces (interpreted as angular butterfly wings), it's a fittingly engrossing opening to a creatively buoyant film, and a visual stunner that plays with shape, perspective and form. Ottorino Respighi's Pines of Rome follows suit as flying whales migrate into the heavens. Dazzling and distinct, it's brimming with cold underwater vistas, sweeping flights of fancy and beautiful imagery. Does it make sense? Not a lick. Does it matter? Not at all. Next comes George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, a glimpse into the troubled lives of four people in 1930s New York. Drawing inspiration from Al Hirschfeld's cartooning style and taking full advantage of the big brass brevity of Gershwin's piece, it's a brisk, cheerful, resonant vignette that keeps Fantasia 2000 hurtling down a diverse, increasingly exciting animated highway. Thankfully, Dmitri Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Major doesn't let up, painting the story of a disfigured toy soldier who's determined to rescue the love of his plastic life, a tiny ballerina, from the clutches of an evil jack-in-the-box. Sweet and surprisingly poignant, it offers a touching, fully realized tale in a few short minutes, and speaks volumes even though its pint-sized protagonists never say a word. Soon thereafter, Camille Saint-Saëns's The Carnival of the Animals provides the sequel with one of its lesser entries, a fun but mildly shallow short in which a yo-yo obsessed flamingo tries to maintain his individuality when his flock tries to get him to fall in line. It's thematic ground Disney has trod hundreds of times before, and the segment does little to break the mold. Endearing? Briefly. Forgettable? Wholly. Unfortunately, the appearance of the original Fantasia's Sorcerer's Apprentice segment doesn't help Fantasia 2000 shed its sudden sense of familiarity. While the vignette itself is as nostalgic as ever, a newly animated version of the classic short would have been a godsend. Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance brings things back around, casting Donald and Daisy Duck as workers on Noah's ark. Although other classical music selections would have been better suited to the story at hand, the personality on display and the animation itself represents another strong showing from the sequel. Last but certainly not least is Igor Stravinsky's Firebird Suite, by far my favorite vignette from either film. Cut from a Miyazaki-tinted cloth, it finds a nature sprite and a noble elk scrambling to survive the fiery wrath of an erupting volcano. Mesmerizing, evocative, gorgeous and paired with a pitch-perfect Russian ballet, it rises above all other things Fantasia and, in my humble opinion, stands apart as one of Disney's most impressive animated shorts (and yes, that includes Pixar's best). Ultimately, both Fantasias have their share of issues. However, Walt Disney's pioneering spirit permeates each one and, critics of either film be damned, the studio's commitment to animated excellence prevails. As a Double Feature, most filmfans will prefer one over the other, but both can be appreciated in their own right; both can be seen as arresting forays into unconventional animation; and both will hopefully open the door for another Fantasia, bolstered by new visionaries and new dreamers dedicated to embracing everything the late Walt Disney held dear. Fantasia 2 Movie Collection Blu-ray, Video Quality 4.8636363636364 of 5 Aesthetically, Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 couldn't be more different. However, Disney has invested considerable effort into restoring, remastering and presenting each one as faithfully and proficiently as possible, and the 1080p/AVC-encoded results are equally beautiful. Color erupts from the screen at every turn, regardless of how blazing or bleak a particular segment's palette may be. Primaries are gorgeous, black levels are rich and inky, and contrast is strong and satisfying throughout. Each hand-painted backgrounds and CG dreamscape stands as a testament to its animators' skills, and textures -- whether born from an artist's brush or a turn-of-the-century computer -- are perfectly preserved and precisely resolved. Moreover, Fantasia's hand-drawn frames are as true to their source as Fantasia 2000's razor-wire line art and computer-generated characters. Yes, the latter is noticeably sharper than the former, but anyone who tries to pit the 1940 classic against its 1999 sequel is a poor, misguided apprentice in need of a master. Both transfers are largely free of artifacting, noise and other distracting anomalies, and only a few, brief oddities spoil the otherwise flawless presentations. Specifically? Inherent ringing and color bleeding haunt Fantasia's live-action scenes, and some extremely minor banding (watch the green sky during The Carnival of Animals), blocking (keep an eye on the murky depths of the ocean during Pines of Rome) and aliasing (typically associated with the film's CG elements) invade Fantasia 2000 on occasion. Again though, each instance is so negligible that even the most unflinching videophile will overlook whatever issue arises. Both Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 look fantastic, and Disney has done a wonderful job of ushering each one into the 21st century. Animation enthusiasts and Vault collectors will be exceedingly happy with the treatment each one has received. Fantasia / Fantasia 2000 (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

The masterpiece FANTASIA remains important on several levels. From conception to execution, Fantasia is a Disney studio venture into the unknown that has endured the test of time. Just as important, it was and remains an American masterpiece. It incorporates avant guard imagery and technological innovation that brought classical music to a new standard of family entertainment. This was the first motion picture to utilize stereophonic-ish surround sound which in fact holds up remarkably well in comparison to modern Dolby soundtracks. Books and many scholarly articles have been written over the decades about Fantasia, so you certainly don't need further illumination from me. This film was conceived with with the conviction that Fantasia was and would remain a work in progress. In the early 1980's the film was released with a new digital sound track created from scratch. The result was mixed since the original track, while not exactly "high fidelity" had a certain charm that could not be duplicated no matter how brilliant the orchestral performance. Enter into the scene, FANTASIA 2000. True to Disney's original mandate that the film should continually reinvent itself with state of the art exhibition technology, 2000 is a worthy addition to Disney's ongoing "work in progress". Shot in the IMAX format and incorporating new digital animation, FANTASIA 2000 represented the pinacle of Film and Sound art as it was at the beginning of the 21st Century. Addressing many of the reviews featured here, it should be noted that racism was simply a part of the international humor of its day. No offense was intended, at least not by the Disney Studio. In fact, FANTASIA was rather gentle in its use of stereotypes. Works of Walter Lang (Woody Woodpecker), Warner Brothers (Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs) and Max/Dave Fleicher (Betty Boop antics) were far more offensive by todays standards. The only FANTASIA that I have ever seen had one questionable moment in portraying black centaurettes as zebras. The scene was cute then and clever even today. I have never seen the notorious "Sunflower" seqence. I imagine it is as offensive today as it was mainstream in the era of "Amos and Andy". This rather tasteless humor was never mean-spirited or hateful. Disney was niether a hate-monger or a bigot any more than Al Jolson in blackface. I think that to focus on this one issue dismisses the overall wonder that FANTASIA was and remains. The Blu ray disc of Fantasia 2000 is stunning. So is the 1942 original. Since the original 35mm release had mediocre film grain and cell artifacts p we can view the Blu Ray release as a vintage old film presented in High Definition. Whimsically, the first run prints of the film never looked as good as its digitally enhanced counterpart. Nevertheless, a collection of both films in the ultimate reproduction format(s) is simply a continuation of Disney's concept. One day I have no doubt that we will see a 3-D installment. If these films can fill your home with brilliant symphonic music, then it is worth the cost of admission on that point alone. 2000 will give your Hi Def screen a real workout. As a collection, this set should be seen as a must-have for any serious Blu-ray library.

"Fantasia represents our most exciting adventure". Walt Disney. This statement is completely true. Fantasia is 70 years old and is still a bold experiment after all this years. Fantasia is not only an excellent movie, is an excellent experience. When you watch it and hear it, you are transported to a new entire experience completely different from everything you ever saw. Fantasia is the perfect marriage between music and images and a truly masterpiece. I think Fantasia was the boldest thing Disney ever attempted in his life (even more than Snow White). This film showcased great musical pieces and gave the animators an unprecendeted freedom to interpret the music and produce great animated images. Not all the pieces work as well as others but as a whole, Fantasia is something unique and beautiful that everyone should see at least once in their life. A classic masterpiece through and through. Now I will list all the segments and denote my favorites with an *. -Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor: An abstract segment that opens the film with random animated images mixed with orchestra images. Beautiul lights. -Nutcraker Suite*: An amazing segment that shows images of fairies, flowers and mushrooms dancing at the compass of Tchaikovsky's wonderful music. -The Sorcerer's Apprentice*: The most famous and my favorite segment, shows Mickey Mouse in it most delightful role. Dukas's music is perfect for the story. One of the film's highlights. Simply amazing!! -The Rite of Spring: One of the longest segments, shows Earth's birth and the life of Dinosaurs. The animation is amazing but the segment is too long for it's own good. Still is a good short. -Intermission/Meet the Soundtrack: An unnecessary intermission paired up with a delightful segment about the soundtrack. -The Pastoral Symphony: Beethovens's great music is paired up with a somewhat uneven segment. While I like the beginning and the middle, the end with Zeus is a little bit problematic. This segment caused a lot of angry reviews in this site because some seconds of animation (showing "Sunflower" the black stereotyped centaurette) were edited out. While I'm a purist and hate when people revised their original work (George Lucas on Star Wars) I have to say that this seconds were not central to the plot, the character is offensive and to boycott this amazing film because of this issue is just crazy. I'm not saying that this is right and Disney should have offered both versions with the original version being introduced by Leonard Maltin addressing this issue. Still, with this minor problem, you should see Fantasia because I think this will be the only version available forever. -Dance of the Hours*: Many people says that this segment is especally "for the kids" but I found it delightful. A great composition with outstanding character animation, What else can you ask? -Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria*: The most powerful two segments of the film, the first shows evil at its height. Chernabog is a masterful creation and one of the strongest characters Disney have ever created. Ave Maria on the other side is pure and the perfect way to wrap up a perfect picture. Fantasia 2000 tried to fulfill Walt's dream to keep Fantasia an ongoing proyect through the years. Due to financial failure of the first film (unfortunate), this was never possible. 60 years after the premiere of the first film, Walt's nephew Roy Disney and Disney animators created a similar project entitled Fantasia 2000. Like its predecessor, it takes classical musical pieces and matches them with newly created animaton. While the principle is similar to the first film, its themes are different and is more family-oriented than the first. While the first had many abstact interpretations and loose stories, this one has a more cohesive narrative in its segments. Also in Fanatasia 2000 the animators used many animation techniques like hand-drawn, CGI and more styles and you can tell the difference. While I like the first more, Fantasia 2000 is a worthy succesor to the first and a great movie on its own. It's not quite an experience as the first one but come close. I have some minor issues with the film like its short lenght. It didn't have to be as long as the first but running only 75 miutes is really short to build an experience. Still, Fantasia 2000 is a great movie and is the only Disney animated sequel that I like (aside from Pixar of course). Like above I will list all the segments and denote my favotites with an *. -Symphony No.5: Beethoven's great composition is used to score an abstract segment much in the vein of the Tocatta segment in the first film. -Pines of Rome: I love the music but the plot is a little bit weak. Still it ends in a very high note. Great use of CGI animation. -Rhapsody in Blue*: Excellent segment with a unique style and unique story. Just amazing!! -Piano Concerto No.2 , Allegro, Opus 102: A nice story with an interesting animation style. -Carnival of the Animals, Finale*: A short, funny and delightful segment with great music. -The Sorcerer's Apprentice*: See my comments above. -Pomp and Circumstance*: Marchs 1, 2, 3 and 4*: A charming Donald segment paired up with the tradional wonderful march. -Firebird Suite-1919 Version*: My favorite of Fantasia 2000, this segment has a wonderful story of death and rebirth with great music that uplifts your spirit and sends you with a high note. Fantasia comes to Blu-Ray looking absolutely amazing. Disney is a master on restoring their classics and this film is no exception. The picture is crystal clear with no artifacts, grain or other issues. Likewise, a new 7.1 DTS-HD audio has enhanced this experience in amazing ways. Sound is crisp and clear. Unsurprisingly, Fantasia 2000, being a new film, is demo-quality in Blu-Ray. Picture is absolutely pristine and the new 7.1 DTS-HD Audio is a perfect compliment for the picture. On the Fantasia disc you have three audio-commentaries. Two of them are carried over from the "Anthology DVD Set" but the third is an all-new one recorded by Brian Sibley. I'm not a fan of audio-commenatries but listening to some portions of each, they are very informative and fun to hear. "The Schultesis Notebook" is a featurette that covers the long lost notebook of Herman Schulthesis, the special effects supervisor that wrote in great detail about the effects on Fantasia. This featurette is very enjoyable and highly entertaining. "Disney Family Museum" is a presentation and promotion of the new museum hosted by Walt's daughter Diane Disney. "Interactive Art Gallery" is a new way to look storyboards, sketeches, stills and more for both films. On the Fantasia 2000 disc, you have two audio-commentaries carried over from the previous set. "Destino" is the recently finished short that began in 1946 under the collaboration of Walt Disney and Salvador Dali. Is a wonderful surrealist short but is a little bit grainy. "Dali & Disney: A Date with Destino" is a very long but informative documentary about this two mena and their unlikely collaboration. Drags a little but has some very interestng facts. "Musicana: Walt's inspiration for a sequel" to Fantasia is a more entertaining featurette that shows the truncated "Musicana" which was supposed to be the successor to Fantasia and the proposed segements that would have been included in it. Disney's Virtual Vault is a BD-Live feature that contains everything from the Anthology Set including making of documentaries, analisys on each segment and discarded scenes. While is great to see that everything was included, it's highly impractical to put everything on the net which will be erased in some time. BD discs can hold a lot of capacity and there is no excuse to not include this features in physical format. Besides, when you see this bonus material you can't wath them in whole screen, only a little window which is annoying. If you have the Anthology disc, you might want to hold into it for the time being. DVDs for both films are also included in this set and while they look better than the Anthology set they don't have a lot of bonus material included and can't match the quality of the BDs. Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 are great films that you should really own. With amazing picture and audio quality and new informative bonus material this is a no brainier purchase. Some issues like the Virtual Vault and the edited segment are a little annoying but not to deny yourself of enyojing the classic film and its worthy follow-up. Completely Recommended. Note: If you like to read a much more comprehensive review, I recommend Kevin Cedeno's review on DVDizzy.com. It's a great review which is also fun to read. PD: You should know that Disney is planning to return this set to the "Disney Vault" on April 30, 2011 so you should get it while you can before the price gets really high.

Okay, I was ready to pan this release after reading all the criticisms that came out ahead of time. However, I cannot do that. Bummer! AUDIO. The audio of Fantasia is so important because it was recorded by Stokowski in 1939! The original six-channel Fantasound recording was lost in 1955, when it was duped over the telephone lines, capping the top frequency of the sound and introducing hum. All we have had since then is the two-channel remix done at that time, though efforts have been made to clean up and tweak that source. I have always been sick listening to the sound of the 50th anniversary laserdisc and of the 60th anniversary DVD, because the audio experience was so much less than what Disney and Stokowski had offered to the 40 theaters which were initially equipped with Fantasound. Well, I don't know how they did it, but the sound on the blu-ray is very good. Only in the Toccata and Fugue section does one still yearn for a hearing of the original, undestroyed soundtracks. Personally, I wish they had offered the option of Stokowski original on one channel and Kostal re-recording of the score on the other. Kostal can't even be found as a soundtrack recording anymore. If I am not mistaken, the blu-ray has returned to the original Deems Taylor audio track in the narrative sections? VIDEO. My 60th anniversary DVD once went bonkers and stretched the picture out to widescreen, and it actually worked amazingly well with this film. So much of the picture is abstract that the distortion of the aspect ratio instead of a disaster was quite interesting. Of course, the image quality of the blu-ray is superb, and one would never want to go back to low-res again! The blu-ray is provided with two ways of viewing: the original aspect ratio with black bars to the side, or the original aspect ratio with triptyched side designs. I liked the latter at first, but it got to be cloying after a while. My TV has black framing, and the black side-bars blend well into the background, allowing the picture itself to stand out distinctly. I think if a little more work had been put into designing the colored side-bars, they might have been more successful. In other words, it wasn't a bad idea, but the execution was timid. CONCLUSION. This is as good as the image quality is going to get. Some day Disney may deem to re-release Fantasia with a re-recording done in multi-channel sound. While what is left of the original soundtrack should never be jettisoned, only a 5.1 re-recording with a full symphony orchestra will allow an approximation of the original experience. Until that happens, this is still the best release of Fantasia yet.

Fantasia is one of the all-time classic movies, and Disney tends to hold on to this one for years without re-release. In fact, except for Snow White, this one has not been seen for purchase for about 20 years. So, when you have the chance to purchase it, you must take it! The idea behind the original movie was to set stories to music (to put it simply), and Disney chose some iconic pieces and set his artists to work. However, he did not stop at putting his finest cartoonists on the project. He also got one of the top (if not the top) conductors at the time, Leopold Stokowsky, to manage the score. (For those who think that name is familiar, check out Warner Bros.' cartoon, "Long Haired Hair.") The result was a magical rendition, and it was one of Disney's favorites. However, it was not well-received publicly, though the critics liked it. As a result, it stayed hidden for years, only coming out once a decade or so. (In fact, it didn't even come out in the 1990s.) In the 1990s, due to the rise in popularity of Warner Brothers cartoons and the huge success of Beauty and the Beast, Disney company sought a new product, and someone remembered that Walt had intended to do a sequel to Fantasia. They dusted off the notes and original art and made a new movie, Fantasia 2000, which is a worthy successor but not at the same level. Don't get me wrong: The art is amazing, but the magic of the original or even of Beauty and the Beast is not as powerful. Regardless, this collection is great because you get both movies in regular DVD and in Blue Ray for the price of one DVD. You can't beat that. This will be one you will see again and again.

I saw the 1940 film as a kid once and never saw it again. I was under the impression that maybe it was some sort of fantasy I made up or a fever dream of sorts. But no, this is real. And not only do I have the original, I was the remake from 2000 as a bonus. Can't go wrong here. PROS: It's Fantasia, that's all. That's the review. This film was MASTERFULLY created and I truly love every minute of it. Great quality, package didn't come in cracked or bruised (you all know how it can be sometimes.) If you have children or pets you need distracted, this 2 hour Disney magnum opus has you covered. CONS: Fantasia 2000 is DEFINITELY shorter than the original so I haven't even bothered to watch it. That's the only con.

I'll skirt most of the controversy aspects on the subject of Fantasia as they're being extensively written about here. (Bottom line: I would prefer them to have made it possible to see the original version of the film in some sort of branching option, but it's understandable and sadly expected that it has not been included.) It's also too bad that the audio had to be redone in several sections, namely the live-action parts. As it is, the inclusion of as much as possible of the Deems Taylor introductions helps this film immensely in my opinion. It fleshes the original film out and puts the pieces into a better context. It also doesn't hurt that "Meet the Soundtrack" is easily one of my favorite parts of the film, a light contrast piece to Rite of Spring or Night on Bald Mountain. So one can at least appreciate the work that went into recreating them as best they could ten years ago for the DVD set. As an owner of the previous DVD set, I can say that in some ways, it's preferable to the new Blu-Ray. It's easier to get around in and, while the extras take a third disc, I prefer that all the extras are right there on the disc instead of "in the cloud" as is now so en vogue to say. However, there are a few extras on this disc that certainly make it worthy of being eyed for a double-dip. First and foremost is the completed short that Salvador Dali began working on at the Disney studios over 50 years ago, Destino. It looks tremendous. Looking at the finished product, it works, but it also looks like it might not have been a mistake for Walt to shelve the project in '46. Without decades to get used to Dali's imagery, it would seem even more strange and alien. Had it been produced then, it would have been even more of a museum piece. Let's just call it ahead of its time. There is also an accompanying feature-length documentary that easily could have cut a lot of its running time and still been informative. One piece that I actually would love to have expanded (or even included as a gallery of the book itself) is a documentary about the Schultheis Notebook: a diary of Fantasia's special effects production that contains amazing details about how the production was accomplished. It's not a stretch to say that Fantasia belongs to a very small list of the most technically advanced films ever made, like The Ten Commandments and Star Wars. Until this production diary was found (made by an employee who offered to sell it to the studio once production was complete and turned down... looks like the studio ended up getting the best of that bargain in the long run), many of the special effects were a mystery to those who came after the production, so radical and specific (and disposable) were they. As for the films themselves, I never appreciated Fantasia as a child. It wasn't until I was an adult and was able to watch it purely as a piece of art that I wasn't bored to tears. Looking from an adult perspective, Fantasia has some spots that go on too long, some that are masterpieces and some that are still tough for me to get through. (Sorry, but that Nutcracker portion does me in every time.) But I can appreciate all of it from an artists perspective. The Rite of Spring may be scientifically inaccurate, but it's still spectacular. And it took some balls to produce in the late 30s. The Freddy Moore girls design for the centaurs (waist up, of course) is beautiful. Night on Bald Mountain is ultimately fantastic and scary however you look at it. Fantasia 2000 never dawdles, but in that way it has the opposite problems of its predecessor. With the exception of Rhapsody in Blue, most of the pieces feel too rushed, especially the Carnival of the Animals. It's more brilliantly funny than anything in the original film, but is so short that it feels empty. At a scant 74 minutes, you get the feeling they were afraid of stretching their legs, lest they overstay their welcome. As for the technical aspects of the blu ray, the film has never looked (and most likely never will look) better. One of my rules for blu rays is that I will always double-dip on a Disney release because the HD visual presentation is spectacular and thus far I've yet to have a transfer let me down. While I don't have a surround sound system (my apartment is much too small), it sounded excellent to my ears.

Fantasia made a strong impression on me when i saw it on TV as a child, half a century ago. Since then, i've come to associate Disney with the watered-down kitsch of "family entertainment" -- and with overpriced releases of old animation classics. This Blu-ray release has changed all that; the price is quite reasonable for the content. I will start with some things that haven't been adequately covered by previous reviewers. First, the Fantasia 2000 disc includes a short animated feature, Destino, which began as a collaboration of Disney (or rather one of his best animators) with Salvador Dali. After several months of work on the project, which began not long after the release of Fantasia, Walt pulled the plug, and it all went into the archives -- where it was rediscovered a few years ago, and turned into the little masterpiece it should have been all along, complete with the original (restored) soundtrack, a Mexican song. In case you think a Dali/Disney collaboration doesn't sound promising, i would have agreed with you, but this unique little film works beautifully. There's also a long documentary (perhaps too long) about the Dali-Disney relationship and the completion of the film, which is worth watching. Fantasia 2000 itself, which i hadn't seen before, is truly spectacular, as imaginative as the original, but of course with much better sound and high-def picture. As for the original Fantasia, it's better than i recall it from childhood: the digital remaster looks wonderful, the sound is about as good as you could expect from a 1940 recording, and best of all, at 125 minutes it's about one third longer than the original theatrical release! Most of the restored footage seems to reflect the more daring flights of the Disney animators, and they certainly weren't cut because they weren't up to the quality of the rest. There's also about 15 seconds from the Beethoven Pastoral Symphony sequence that is not restored here (or as some reviewers would have it, is "censored"), but you can see it on YouTube if you really want to. Here too i think Disney made the right choice -- that 15-second bit really is in excruciatingly bad taste and would be a major distraction from the beauty of the sequence. Of course, you have to wade through a series of Disney adverts to get to the good stuff, but it's well worth the effort, on both discs. At around $30 for two blu-ray and two DVD discs, this is really a good buy for anyone who appreciates good animation.

Na ja - sprache... Soviel wird nun auch wieder nicht gesprochen. Es geht um die Musik und die zeichnerische Untermalung zu der Musik. Die ist natürlich gut gelungen. Als Musiklehrer werde ich diese DVD mit viel Vergnügen immer wieder spielen.

Ho ricevuto l'ordine dopo 15 giorni e non posso che dire che il prodotto è eccellente, un consiglio: se non volete o non potete procurarvi lettori blu-ray e dischi blu-ray, non si può trovare di meglio come video in versione dvd, io sono totalmente soddisfatto

Lo primero - una obra como esta se merece una descripción exacta, y no la hay. Probablemente en la edición blue-ray hay también "el destino" de S. Dalí, pero en esta - no. Esta muy bien la primera, pero la segunda es más corta y repite el divertido "el aprendiz de Brujo", pero tener dos discos con lo mismo.. Bueno, la música y la gráfica de la fantasía - perfectas, pero la fantasía 2000 mucho por debajo de las expectativas.

très beau dvd mais dommage je pensais trouvé un peu de français dans cet import anglais. que nenni. pas de français. tant pis pour moi.