Ever Watch a Movie With Your Mouth Hanging Open?
Written: Mar 13 '00 (Updated Mar 13 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: animation at its best, IMAX format, great musical orchestration
Cons: not in a home town theater
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| wingdman's Full Review: Fantasia/2000 |
Hey, I have! Twice. Then again, I've seen Fantasia 2000 twice. I think there's a connection!
I've never been one to get first day tickets for a movie (well, except for Star Wars movies), but we did for Fantasia. We bought them in advance, and that was a good thing because the shows were all sold out when we arrived to pick up our tickets. Using that same smart move, we bought tickets in advance when we went the second time, in February. It was a good idea then too, since they sold out again.
We drove the 45 minutes to get us to the IMAX theater at the Kansas City Zoo. I have seen many IMAX movies... Everest, The Dream Continues, etc., but was so excited that Disney had filmed Fantasia 2000 for the IMAX screen.
I found Fantasia filled with, not only the awesome classical music that was masterfully orchestrated and performed, but also with symbolism that tugged at my heart.
The abstract Symphony No. 5, at the beginning of the movie, was touching and reaffirming. As though the evil, black butterfly-like color bits were attacking a bright-colored one... and the uplifting finale to the piece was well done.
The whales in Pines of Rome were well done. The backgrounds and computer-assisted animation were spectacular. There was no missing the message of "family" in the piece either. It had some tender moments and some light humor that kept it from being a heavy emotionally.
Rhapsody in Blue was perhaps my least favorite piece in the film when I first saw it. I liked it better the second time around. Perhaps I didn't appreciate the 50's ish style animation. The message of the piece was great. Then again, maybe it's just that the musical number isn't in my list of favorites. In any case, it was the low point for me in the film, but if that's as low as it got, then you can see why I was staring wide-eyed at the screen for so long.
The Steadfast Tin Soldier was terrific. I thought the animation was wonderful and the story is, incidentally, a favorite of mine. I particularly found the color/shadow transistions with the evil Jack-in-the-box to be quite effective.
Carnival of the Animals was maybe my hands down favorite of the movie. Anyone who is familiar with my reviews or with me personally knows that I am a bit like the yoyo slinging flamingo. I thought the piece was hilarious and I sat laughing through it from beginning to end.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice, of course, was just classic. Added to the original genius of the movie was having it on the giant IMAX screen. You nearly felt a part of the story.
Pomp and Circumstance, with Donald and Daisy Duck, was amazing. I saw some resemblence to the animation from Lion King here, with the waves of animals. The humor was subtle in many places and in some, just outright hysterical. This would certainly be a favorite with the kids in the audience, but I don't think too many of the adults disliked it. I was sure sold on it.
The Firebird Suite was a total knockout. The message had a huge impact through the combination of phenomenal animation and orchestration. The images of nature were almost like photography in some parts of the piece, and in others they may have even improved on nature. This was certainly the most frightening of the pieces in the whole movie, but not in the same way the "Night on Bald Mountain" was in the original Fantasia.
All in all, I thought Disney came up with yet another winner in Fantasia 2000. I hope, as they say they might, that Disney will continue to put out Fantasia films as Walt Disney had hoped they would. Certainly this 2000 release did justice to the original if not surpassing it by the sheer immensity of it. It's a movie that anyone from the very young to the very young at heart can see... a perfect family movie.
If it is ever released on video, you can be sure I'll buy it. A token, if you will, of the memory of sitting transfixed in front of the IMAX screen twice, with my mouth hanging open. :o)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
wingdman
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Location: Chicago
Reviews written: 131
Trusted by: 114 members
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