Monday, December 16, 2013

Fantasia

Fantasia was released in 1940 and was Disney's first hybrid film. (This is where they use both animation and live action.) It's production cost was very high, it got mixed reviews, and it was released during World War II, which lost most of Disney's European audience. Mix it all together, and it's not surprising that Disney couldn't turn a profit on this movie.
Another problem the public had with Fantasia, is a lot of people felt like it was too "uppity" for them. They liked the cartoons that Disney produced for the theaters. Many people felt like this was a Disney that was too classy for them.
I can see how Fantasia would be viewed that way. It is made with classical music, which has a reputation for being hoity-toity.  It is often seen by your regular Jo, as ancient, boring, and irrelevant.
Now please, don't think that I, in any sense, feel this way about classical music. I think that classical music is not only beautiful but stimulating and beneficial. Many pregnant ladies like to believe their unborn children also feel this way. I think the only thoughts a fetus has are about how dark it is inside a uterus.
Another thing about Fantasia: it's odd. It is very fitting with the music, sure, and I find it entertaining, yes, but you have to admit that crocodiles kidnapping hippos and ostriches (while dancing ballet no less) is not a common occurrence.
Note* if crocodiles kidnapping hippos and ostriches all while dancing ballet IS a common occurrence for you, please contact me. I would like to know more.
Another thing Fantasia's got going against it: Disney's previous movies and shorts were based on a solid (Or at least some what linear) story line, whereas Fantasia doesn't really have that. It's a collection of musical shorts that, while entertaining, can easily become boring.
The brother recently informed me that this movie was released as part of a traveling roadshow. This basically meant that not as many people had the opportunity to see it, and it was very costly for Disney to rent out theaters and install the special sound system that was required.
Basically, Fantasia has a lot going against it. Let's make a list:
The Various Short Comings of Fantasia
1. High production cost
B. European audiences were *cough* busy
III. Viewed as too "high brow" by common audiences
4. It was (as the brother so kindly put it) "experimental"
E. It was not released like Disney's other films had been, and not to a very large audience.
And yet, it still has that one thing going for it: it's memorable. Who's childhood wasn't studded with the entrancing fairies or the happy go lucky satyrs? Or those incredibly adorable mushroom people? (I just want one of those in plush) Disney knew that this movie was long lasting, which is why they were able to create Fantasia 2000. Disney is very intuitive. You've never seen a Charlie the Lonesome Cougar: All My Friends are Dead  have you?
So while Fantasia did not do very well at the time of it's release, with a little bit of Disney Magic, it has stood the test of time.
Next Movie: The Reluctant Dragon

The epitome of cute.

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