Fantasia 2000 (2000) 3 stars out of 4.
Walt Disney's original intent was to update "Fantasia" every few years, substituting new musical pieces for old.
Well, better late than never. Nearly 60 years after the release of this ground-breaking animated feature, "Fantasia 2000" kicks off the new year at 20 IMAX theaters nationwide, where it will be playing exclusively for the next four months.
And I wish I could report that "Fantasia 2000" is as original and as timeless as its 1940 predecessor. Alas, I'm sad to say that "Fantasia 2000" is a minor disappointment.
The reason is not so much with the movie as with the changing times.
"Fantasia 200" lacks the freshness, the novelty of the original. But even that is not its main flaw.
The movie plays it too safe, too conservative in its musical choices. Now, I am no musicologist, but selecting such works as Beethoven's "Fifth Symphony", Resphigi's "Pines of Rome," Saint-Saens' "Carnival of the Animals" and Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance, Marches 1, 2, 3 and 4" seem like works to cater to the broadest general audience.
While for the most part visually exciting and stimulating, "Fantasia 2000" lacks the daring of the first movie, which featured Stravinsky's "Rites of Spring" as the backdrop to the story of the rise and fall of the dinosaurs.
Plus contemporary audiences are a bit more sophisticated and learned. So, why not choose more modern works by a composer such as Phillip Glass or the works of an African or Far Eastern composer.
Because of its white, Western middle-class program, "Fantasia 2000" is artistically timid.
Though the musical selections may be pedestrian, overall the movie is enjoyable and, at a mere 75 minutes, fast-paced and colorful. And it contains genuine moments of genius.
Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" is set in 1930s New York and is drawn in the style of famed cartoonist Al Hirschfeld.
"The Pines of Rome" sequence is breathtaking with its balletic whales and shimmering waters.
The animation in "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" sequence, set to the music of Shostakovich's "Piano Concerto No. 2," is moody, while the "Carnival of the Animals" sequence, which features a bunch of flamingos dealing with a yo-yo, is comic and bright.
The best sequence is a hold over from the original: Dukas' "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" featuring Mickey Mouse. No matter how many times you've seen it, you still marvel at its magic and humor.
"Fantasia 2000" features, for the most part, exceptional animation. What's missing is boldness and impact. Maybe if the Disney people follow Uncle Walt's original idea and update it in five or six years, those in charge will look farther afield when making their selections.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@journal-courier.com or at bobbloom@iquest.net
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