Fantasia

It's a bit difficult to review Fantasia in comparison to other Disney movies, because it's so different.  I like that it's unique, and really special in its own way.  I was actually surprised at how long the movie went - it was over two hours.  I figured that a movie like that would be shorter.  They do have an intermission in the middle, which Jason and I took advantage of so we could take a nap.  Overall I will say that I liked experiencing Fantasia, and I think it's a beautiful work, but it's not something that I could sit down and watch again and again.

As much as I don't want to sound ignorant, I'm not really a huge fan of just listening to classical music.  So having the animations helped me really appreciate the music more.  My favorites were the Sorcerer's Apprentice (a classic) and Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony, which was given a storyline involving Greek mythology.  The animators did an excellent job, as did the musicians.  The ending of the movie, with Ave Maria, is particularly touching and beautiful.

I will say that the opening number, which took an abstract approach, was not one of my favorites.  The Rite of Spring also didn't do too much for me, with all of the flowers dancing around.  A sequel was released to this film called Fantasia 2000, which we also plan on watching.

The Music
Obviously the music in this one is the absolute main focus of the movie.  It was different from the other Disney movies because it's all classical music.  Like I said, very beautiful, but not something that I would personally listen to over and over again.

The Villain
Since we have a series of mini-stories, there is no real villain here.  Maybe mini-villains in some of the individual stories, but nothing particularly memorable.

The WDW Connection
Fantasia appears quite a bit in the parks, though the majority of references are to the Sorcerer's Apprentice.  The main symbol of Disney's Hollywood Studios is Mickey's sorcerer's hat, and you're greeted by it when you enter the park.  Also, the show there, Fantasmic! begins with Mickey and references to the Sorcerer's Apprentice.  Mickey's Philharmagic at the Magic Kingdom also begins with a bit of a Fantasia feel, including playing the Fantasia soundtrack in the queue.  Finally, Disney has a mini golf course called Fantasia Gardens that is themed like the movie, and plays the music while you golf.

Becky's rating:  6 out of 10
Jason's rating:  6.5 out of 10