Fantasia 2000

Fantasia 2000 is a vibrant continuation and reinvention of the original 1940's Disney film, "Fantasia." This classical music-meets-animation spectacle orchestrates a vibrant visual and auditory feast that transcends generations and engages both music and art enthusiasts alike.

Fantasia 2000 perpetuates Walt Disney's vision to marry animation and classical music in an innovative and uniquely entertaining manner. The film heralds a new era, promising the same magic that the original Fantasia brought, but imbibing its own unique spin to the concept. As an anthology of artistically rendered animated shorts set to the tune of classical masterpieces, Fantasia 2000 explores a wide range of tones and themes meticulously orchestrated with each symphony.

James Levine, a prominent figure in the music world, serves as the film's conductor, leading the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The film features a line-up of acclaimed celebrities, including comedian Steve Martin and world-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman, introducing the musical segments.

The film begins with Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, an animated abstract battle of light versus dark shapes mimicking butterflies and bats, providing a neat fusion of animation and music. For Respighi’s "Pines of Rome," the filmmakers imagine a pod of humpback whales gliding and soaring through the clouds against the backdrop of the aurora borealis—an absolute visual spectacle that captivates the viewers.

The heartwarming story of "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" is set to the tune of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2, with a magical blend of CGI and traditional animation, while Gershwin’s "Rhapsody in Blue" brings to life a stylized and emotional portrayal of New York City during the Great Depression, illustrated in the style of caricaturist Al Hirschfeld.

Elgar’s "Pomp & Circumstance" marches in with Donald Duck in a vibrant reimagining of the story of Noah's Ark. A comical yet touching tale filled with gentle humor and emotion is set to the playwright's most well-known piece.

Finally, Stravinsky’s "The Firebird Suite," revives the piece that was famously used for the "Night on Bald Mountain" segment in the original Fantasia. A tale of life, death, and rebirth unfolds as a delicate sprite and a fiery demon battle over the future of a primeval world, bringing the main program of Fantasia 2000 to a powerful close.

Fantasia 2000 fuses the joy of music with the fantasy of animation brilliantly, captivating audiences with its exquisite craftsmanship and imaginative storytelling. It invites audiences to experience classical music in a whole new light, offering the opportunity to fall in love with timeless sounds as they’re swept up in the exceptional animation.

This film revitalizes the spirit of the original Fantasia with a keen sense of respect for its source, and yet, it dares to innovate and experiment, rendering its visuals with a mixture of traditional and computer animation techniques. Its narrative and artistic scope displays an amicable marriage of art and technology, proving the viability of animation as a vehicle for serious artistic expression.

Fantasia 2000 is a compelling expansion of Walt Disney’s artistic vision—a film that doesn't just tell stories but paints them, each note and frame a brushstroke in a larger canvas of sound and imagery. A thought-provoking exploration of music, animation and emotion, Fantasia 2000 is a vivid reminder of the magic that cinema is capable of conjuring.