FANTASIA 2000

[dulcinea]

How did you like it?
I was moved to tears by the mysticism of THE PINES OF ROME sequence, where the whales that rise from the sea into the heavens symbolise the Beginning of Life, and of THE FIREBIRD sequence, where the Spring Sprite and the Elk symbolise Death and Rebirth.

[Wallingford]

For my review of Fantasia 2000 along with about three hundred other animated goodies, simply click on the link below:

http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/review.cgi?use ... gdog;nh=72

[bigshot]

I like how Mickey knew how to pronounce Stokowski in 1940, but forgot by 2000.

[John F]

Haven't seen it and am not really interested.

[Ricordanza]

I found it very imaginative and enjoyable. It was also my introduction to Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2, and I later bought the CD with Yefim Bronfman performing that work (but with Salonen conducting, not Levine as in the film).

[Alberich]

Haven't seen it and am not really interested.

The original post showed a real emotional response to the film. Obviously expressing a genuine feeling and with a reasonable question for others. A post meant to engender a meaningful exchange on an interesting topic.

John F cannot control himself on this site where, it is apparent, he spends lots of time pronouncing his verdict on every subject that arises. What was the point of this comment? If he's not interested, and has nothing to add to the discussion, why post at all? I wonder about these sort of cyber-dwellers who, as I see it, suffer from diarrhea of the keyboard.

Why throw cold water on an otherwise enthusiastic comment and question?

I have not seen the film but, after reading Dulcinea's and the other posts which actually were germane to the topic, I certainly will. Thanks for the recommendation.

[John F]

John F cannot control himself on this site where, it is apparent, he spends lots of time pronouncing his verdict on every subject that arises. What was the point of this comment? If he's not interested, and has nothing to add to the discussion, why post at all? I wonder about these sort of cyber-dwellers who, as I see it, suffer from diarrhea of the keyboard.

dulcinea asked, "How did you like it?" I answered her. What's your problem with that?

More generally, what business is it of yours whether I comment or not? You're picking a fight with me, I don't know why, but I'm not into fighting, just the exchange of information and ideas and opinions. What I will do is report your ad hominem post to forum management.

If you can't control yourself on this site and can't help indulging in personal attacks, as you've just done, better that you just not read what I have to say. That's easily arranged. At the top of the CMG page, click on User Control Panel. Under Options, click on Friends and Foes, then Manage Foes. Enter John F in the Add new foes space and click Submit. Easy as pie.

[Chalkperson]

Haven't seen it and am not really interested.

The original post showed a real emotional response to the film. Obviously expressing a genuine feeling and with a reasonable question for others. A post meant to engender a meaningful exchange on an interesting topic.

John F cannot control himself on this site where, it is apparent, he spends lots of time pronouncing his verdict on every subject that arises. What was the point of this comment? If he's not interested, and has nothing to add to the discussion, why post at all? I wonder about these sort of cyber-dwellers who, as I see it, suffer from diarrhea of the keyboard.

Why throw cold water on an otherwise enthusiastic comment and question?

I have not seen the film but, after reading Dulcinea's and the other posts which actually were germane to the topic, I certainly will. Thanks for the recommendation.

Every time you post here it is to criticize somebody's right to freedom of speech, FWIW I share John's opinion, the Original is so good that a remake (purely for financial gain) is pointless, just like your comments here are...

[bigshot]

I work in animation and even I thought Fantasia 2000 was pretty bad. Especially Pomp and Circumstance. That segment showed how far animation has sunk since Walt's day. The Tin Soldier segment was abysmal too. And the whales and Firebird were basically twelve minutes of nothing much happening. I'll take dinosaurs, hippos in tutus and devils on mountain tops over that stuff any day!

[Wallingford]

In actuality, the Pomp And Circumstance sequence, awful as it is, would've been a lot worse were it not for Roy Disney and the animators' cease-and-desist order: head cheese Michael Eisner, wanted SOMETHING done to the march played at his daughter's recent graduation, even going so far as to suggest a sequence with all the famous Disney princesses with their spouses in a solemn march, "carrying" their future children!! The suggestion of sex repelled Roy & Company, and the lame Donald Duck film was substituted.

Fantasia 2000 was Roy's pet project--Uncle Walt had originally planned on adding new sequences and dropping old ones with each rerelease--but Michael Eisner saw to it that it sank artistically. Marketing it for opening release exclusively in IMAX theaters was a lousy idea.

[david johnson]

the 2000 installment was enjoyable. the original was more so for me.

[lennygoran]

the 2000 installment was enjoyable. the original was more so for me.

I haven't seen the original in years-yesterday I ordered
It from netflix. Len

[John F]

That's the definitive choreography for Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours."

[dulcinea]

That's the definitive choreography for Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours."

Have you ever watched LA GIOCONDA? I only talk about operas I have listened from beginning to end, never about operas of which I only know one fragment.

[jbuck919]

That's the definitive choreography for Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours."

Have you ever watched LA GIOCONDA? I only talk about operas I have listened from beginning to end, never about operas of which I only know one fragment.

You don't know what you are missing. And often fortunately for them, neither do people who settle for incompleteness.

[jbuck919]

That's the definitive choreography for Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours."

Just as this is the definitive audio rendition:

[John F]

That's the definitive choreography for Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours."

Have you ever watched LA GIOCONDA? I only talk about operas I have listened from beginning to end, never about operas of which I only know one fragment.

Yes, I know "La Gioconda" well - better than I ought to.

[lennygoran]

That's the definitive choreography for Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours."

I look forward to this! Len

[Ricordanza]

the 2000 installment was enjoyable. the original was more so for me.

I haven't seen the original in years-yesterday I ordered
It from netflix. Len

It had been years--decades, actually--since I saw the original, until I had the chance to see two excerpts on Saturday night at the Philadelphia Orchestra concert. See Concert Reviews for a full report. The original is astonishingly good.

[lennygoran]

The original is astonishingly good.

Great news--ours has arrived and we'll see it next week when we return from a little minitrip we have planned. Regards, Len

[jbuck919]

The original is astonishingly good.

Great news--ours has arrived and we'll see it next week when we return from a little minitrip we have planned. Regards, Len

Mini, as in Minnie Mouse?

I look forward to your frank review.

[lennygoran]

Mini, as in Minnie Mouse?

Of course not--it's Minnie as in La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the West) ! Regards, Len

[maestrob]

Mini, as in Minnie Mouse?

Of course not--it's Minnie as in La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the West) ! Regards, Len

I guess all this involves a MINNIEmum of effort (fleeing maestroB)......

[lennygoran]

The original is astonishingly good.

We finally got to watch it last night--delightful! Normally I wouldn't like anyone messing with my La Gioconda but I'll make an exception in this case! Well now we gotta go for the 2000 Fantasia--I see the only repeat is The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Regards, Len

[John F]

And the Dance of the Hours?

[lennygoran]

And the Dance of the Hours?

Is that repeated also--Wiki doesn't mention that as a repeat but I'll take it! Regards, Len

[John F]

You're evading the question, Lenny. What about Dance of the Hours in the original Fantasia?

[lennygoran]

You're evading the question, Lenny. What about Dance of the Hours in the original Fantasia?

What's your question--you've lost me--I already said that it was okay to mess with my opera Gioconda!

Here's my quote:

"Normally I wouldn't like anyone messing with my La Gioconda but I'll make an exception in this case!"

Regards, Len [confused]

[Wallingford]

A couple more "fun facts":

Disney studio head cheese Michael Eisner actually planned on having BEATLES music in the new Fantasia, even having discussed it with Leonard Bernstein sometime in the late 1980s....this was when the conductor was on his last legs healthwise, and would eventually be done in by all that smoking in 1990, so the project fell through. (Eisner always had a certain despisal of the original Fantasia, never allowing it to be released after the 1991 VHS release; came the DVD era, he had to relent.)

ALSO:

In the olden days, classical deejay Jim Svejda had a sideline occupation as a movie reviewer for the CBS radio network. Svejda declared the misbegotten Fantasia 2000 as "arguably the greatest Disney film ever."

What a quack.

[lennygoran]

I look forward to your frank review.

Well now we've seen Fantasia 2000--fairly enjoyable but we liked the original Fantasia better.

For me these 2 were done the best.
Pomp and Circumstance – Marches 1, 2, 3 and 4 by Edward Elgar.
Firebird Suite – Stravinsky.


These were pretty good.
Rhapsody in Blue Gershwin himself at the piano.
Piano Concerto No. 2 Shostakovich.
The Carnival of the Animals, Finale by Camille Saint-Saëns.

These were not too good imo.

Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor-I.
Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi.


The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas was the repeat and it is of course an absolute superb classic! Regards, Len

[Wallingford]

The logical next step from the first Fantasia would be this 1977 parody from Italian animator Bruno Bozzetto--Allegro Non Troppo.

Even though it's meant as a spoof, I consider it the TRUE SEQUEL to Fantasia, doing the original film far more honor than the official Disney studio follow-up.

Really, it's inexplicable why the modern-day Disney artists couldn't dream up something as hilarious as the Dvorak "Slavonic Dance #7" sequence, or as heartwrenching as the Sibelius "Valse Triste" sequence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Oc_J1Lu-o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y87nLlz3iDQ

Also, while you've got the Stravinsky "Infernal Dance" from Firebird fresh in your mind, compare Bozzetto's treatment side by side with Disney's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdPKvTq40EE

[lennygoran]

Also, while you've got the Stravinsky "Infernal Dance" from Firebird fresh in your mind, compare Bozzetto's treatment side by side with Disney's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdPKvTq40EE

Thanks but I gotta go with Disney on this one--go figure! Regards, Len