Fantasia

Name: Fantasia
Genre: Animation, Family, Fantasy
Released: 1940-11-13
Duration: 2 h 4 min
Rating: 7.7
Cast: Deems Taylor, Walt Disney, Julietta Novis, Leopold Stokowski

The most sensational sound you'll ever see!

Fantasia (1940)

Timing: 2:4 (124 min)

7.7/10
131 767

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no scores

7.3/10
3356

7.7/10
111000

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Everything about the movie

Video 14

Photo 141

Actors and characters

Video for the film Fantasia — Fantasia - 1990 Reissue Trailer

1:40

Photo 141

Release date

1940-11-13

Country

United States

Production

Walt Disney Productions

Genre

Animation, Family, Fantasy

Budget

$2 280 000

Box office

$76 408 097

Website

http://movies.disney.com/fantasia

Director

David Hand, James Algar, Samuel Armstrong, Ben Sharpsteen, Bill Roberts

Actors

Deems Taylor, Walt Disney, Julietta Novis, Leopold Stokowski
All actors and roles (4)

Scenario

Producer

Walt Disney

Camera operator

James Wong Howe

Composer

Artist

Eric Larson, Wolfgang Reitherman, Frank Thomas

Audition

Editing

Stephen Csillag, Ben Sharpsteen
Whole Team (37)

Short description

Walt Disney's timeless masterpiece is an extravaganza of sight and sound! See the music come to life, hear the pictures burst into song and experience the excitement that is Fantasia over and over again.

What's left behind the scenes

For some elements of the sorcerer's appearance in the Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence, the animators drew from details of Walt Disney's own persona—specifically, the raised eyebrow. The character's name, Yen Sid, is 'Disney' spelled backward in Latin characters.
The cartoon was the first to use the "Dolby Stereo" stereophonic sound system.
At the time the film was being made (1940), only one composer of those whose musical works were used in the project was still alive. That was Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971). When he was asked for permission to use the music from his ballet "The Rite of Spring" (which premiered in Paris in 1913), he suggested that Walt Disney compose an entirely new piece, but the offer was declined. Stravinsky was extremely displeased with how Stokowski handled "The Rite of Spring" (Stokowski made a new arrangement, changed the order of elements in the original structure, and omitted two elements altogether).
When "Fantasia" was released on video, "Night on Bald Mountain" was cut from the film. Upon the film's initial release in 1940, the studio was flooded with complaints from parents who claimed this segment frightened children. The episode was restored in subsequent re-releases.
Chernobog in the 'Night on Bald Mountain' episode was modeled after actor Bela Lugosi. Lugosi spent several days with Disney's animators (some sources claim it was all done in one day on November 12, 1939), portraying the malevolent deity to provide a reference for the animators. Bill Tytla, the animator responsible for Chernobog's look, was dissatisfied with Lugosi's performance and instead used director Wilfred Jackson as the model for Chernobog. In other words, Jackson, not Lugosi, served as the ultimate prototype for Chernobog. Additionally, Tytla was responsible for the appearance of the sorcerer.
While working on the film, for the first time in the company's history, the animators received no instructions regarding color. Walt Disney simply told them to paint everything as they saw fit.
At the time of the film's creation (1940), only one composer whose musical works were used in the project was still alive: Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971). When approached for permission to use the music from the ballet 'The Rite of Spring' (which premiered in Paris in 1913), he suggested that Walt Disney commission a completely new work, but the offer was declined. Stravinsky strongly disliked how Stokowski handled 'The Rite of Spring' (Stokowski created a new arrangement, swapped elements of the original structure, and omitted two elements entirely).
Initially, the "Pastoral Symphony" segment included a scene in which black centaurs polished the hooves of white centaurs. When the film was re-released in 1969, it was decided to remove the overly grotesque depictions of the centaurs – with full, bright red lips and wild hair. This scene was absent from all re-releases until 1980. In re-releases after 1990, the scene is present, but it has been altered – only the faces of the white female centaurs are shown in close-up.
The cartoon failed at the box office, so the planned sequel 'Fantasia-2' remained unfinished. The 'Peter and the Wolf' segment, based on the music by Sergei Prokofiev (who personally brought the score to Walt Disney's studio), became a separate short animated film.
Initially, Walt Disney and composer Leopold Stokowski intended to spray fragrances in theaters at specific moments in the film to enhance the effect: the scent of cereus (a member of the cactus family) during the 'Moonlight' episode set to Claude Debussy's music, the scent of jasmine during the 'Waltz of the Flowers' from Tchaikovsky's 'The Nutcracker,' incense during 'Ave Maria,' and the smell of gunpowder in 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice.' This idea was abandoned due to the practical difficulty of clearing one scent from the air before spraying another.
Chernobog in the "Night on Bald Mountain" segment was drawn based on actor Bela Lugosi, who served as a model. Lugosi spent several days (some sources claim it was all done on a single day, November 12, 1939) with Disney's animators, portraying the malevolent deity, whose image the animators then worked with. Bill Tytla, the animator responsible for Chernobog's appearance, was dissatisfied with Lugosi's performance and cast director Wilfred Jackson in the role of Chernobog. In other words, Jackson, not Lugosi, ultimately served as the prototype for Chernobog. Tytla was also responsible for the appearance of the wizard.