Magical Mickey Is the Highlight of 1940's Fantasia

When I think about the 1940 film Fantasia, the first image that pops into my mind is Mickey - who, incidentally, celebrates his 83rd birthday today - as the impish Sorcerer’s Apprentice who, in a combination of curiosity and laziness, sets a platoon of bucket-carrying brooms loose and nearly floods his master’s headquarters. That Mickey in his pointy blue wizard’s hat continues to be an iconic image, and the segment is the only one from the original film to be included in Fantasia 2000. Watching the first Fantasia again recently confirmed both that I prefer the latter film and that this magical tale is my favorite of the eight sections.

Fantasia offers an ambitious mix of classical music and artful animation. Some of the pieces run quite long despite being edited from their original form. While some, like Sorcerer’s Apprentice, have a strong narrative, others, like the light show that is Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, are much more abstract. The comments of composer Deems Taylor provide useful context for each of the pieces; his live-action introductions are generally pretty dry, but they give some valuable insights into the music, mostly played by the Philadelphia Orchestra and conducted by Leopold Stokowski.

My brother, who is an artist, suggests that Fantasia was largely a playground for animators and that some of the pieces really were more fun for them than they would be for most viewers. I confess that there are some segments I don’t find much fun at all. The above-mentioned Toccata and Fugue in D Minor mostly strikes me as a bit boring, but I don’t mind watching it. However, I flat-out dislike The Rite of Spring, which is one of the darkest Disney projects I have ever seen. Aside from a couple of cute baby dinosaurs, there’s really nothing but rampant destruction here with behemoths eating each other against a lava-soaked landscape and eventually falling down dead. If I’d watched this as a five-year-old, I’m pretty sure I would’ve been traumatized. I have a similar reaction to Night on Bald Mountain, which shows a night of grim revelry among a satanic figure and his minions, though at least that one is softened somewhat by the fact that it is immediately followed by the heavenly Ave Maria.

On the other hand, I love the silly spectacle of Dance of the Hours, a tune that always seems to be used for comical purposes. Here, it’s several lumbering animals performing a ballet. Among them are hippos and ostriches, two of my favorite creatures. This segment is pure whimsy. I also appreciate the beauty of the salute to the seasons found in the Nutcracker Suite, which anthropomorphizes natural images to show the world coming alive at different points in the year. I especially enjoy the frosty intricacy of the winter scene and the humor of the dancing mushrooms. Finally, while this segment seems a bit overlong and while the casually cruel Greek gods are a turn-off, I mostly enjoy The Pastoral Symphony, particularly the cavorting Cupids and the adorable baby Pegasuses and their stately parents. There’s a lot of nudity in this segment, but it never really seems titillating and certainly is in keeping with classic works of art depicting mythical creatures.

Ultimately, I think that Fantasia is more abstract than its 2000 counterpart, and there also seems to be little effort to gear its contents toward children. Aside from the hapless apprentice, the dancing animals and the baby flying horses, this really seems more suited for adults. While I admire the artistry and find sections of it delightful, I definitely prefer the later version. However, both aptly demonstrate the magic of Mickey.