"You know, Fantasia was meant to be a perpetual work in progress. Every time you went to see it, you'd experience some new pieces along with some old familiar favorites. But that idea fell by the wayside, until now." - Steve Martin (he's in this movie for some reason)
Initial thoughts before viewing: I think I had seen bits and pieces of this, but I def never saw Fantasia 2000 during it's original theatrical release and I never owned it on VHS/DVD.
Fantasia 2000 has a run time of about 75 minutes and consists of 8 segments all set to music.
If you have never seen Fantasia 2000 or need a refresher, here is a link to the movie's Disney Wiki page where you can read the plot summary.
Segment Recap
Symphony No 5. : Abstract patterns resembling butterflies and bats explore a world of light and darkness. This one is just fine. Skip it. ❌
Pines of Rome: This segment features a family of frolicking humpback whales that are able to fly due to a supernova. The CGI animation looks fake and stiff. Skip it. ❌
Rhapsody in Blue: Drawn in the style of Al Hirschfeld's famous cartoons of the era, this one ran too long for me but it's worth a look for it's unique art style. See it. ✔️
Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Major-I. Allegro: Tin soldier, painfully boring. Skip it. ❌
The Carnival of the Animals (Le carnaval des animaux): This one has flamingos but I don't even remember it so... Skip it. ❌
Pomp and Circumstance: A pastiche of the story of Noah's Ark, with Donald Duck as first mate to Noah. You'll recognize the music here as the traditional Graduation song, so it's kind of interesting to see it used in a different setting. Plus, you know Donald Duck is #1. See it. ✔️
Firebird Suite: The story of a Spring Sprite and her companion Elk. I got the sense that this was supposed to be the equivalent to the original Fantasia's Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria sequence. It's nowhere near as memorable or ambitious, but this segment is still a beautiful work. See it. ✔️
Paul Dukas's The Sorcerer's Apprentice: A segment from the original Fantasia featuring Mickey Mouse. Classic. See it. ✔️
Closing Thoughts:
Look, I am a big fan of the original Fantasia - but I fell asleep multiple times watching Fantasia 2000. It's just not as imaginative or captivating, and the celebrity cameos (Steve Martin, Bette Midler, Penn and Teller) are distracting. Plus, the use of 1990s computer animation makes this entry feel far less impressive and satisfying than the original.
The bottom line: Fantasia 2000 lacks the passion and ambition of its 1940's predecessor. I would not watch it again, and please don't make me.
My Rating: 3/10
