Fantasia / Fantasia 2000 (1940-1999) (Special Edition)

[Pyoko]

Originally Posted by zackisthewalrus

Fantasia Diamond Edition release is a 4-disc box set
http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Di...-Blu-ray.shtml

"The Fantasia four-disc boxed set will contain a beautifully restored version of the 1940 classic--scanned at 4K and remixed for 7.1 channels--as well as Fantasia 2000, plus a platter of Blu-ray extras and a DVD copy of the film. Among the many special features will be an interactive edition of the fabled Shultheis Notebook, a priceless animators "bible" compiled over the career of one of Fantasia's key creators, and the first-ever home video release of Destino, Walt Disney's collaboration with Salvador Dali. Destino is backed by its own 70-minute documentary.

The folks at Disney have also thought up a novel way to preserve archival, standard-definition bonus features without cluttering up the disc: We will be able to download them via BD-Live! The Fantasia box will be released in December, at a price to be determined."

4K, awesome! Hope they can do something to improve the audio a bit over the previous edition as well. And Destino better be in HD.

With three BDs you'd think they could squeeze in a few SD extras there instead of putting them online, but I have the Fantasia Anthology anyway so I'm not really bothered by it. Not regarding the price either, I'd probably buy it even if the MSRP ended up being $100.

[5th-beatle]

It sounds great, but why include a DVD copy of the film? This release would be better (and a little less expensive) if it came with just the 3 BDs.

[Zinthos]

Originally Posted by 5th-beatle

It sounds great, but why include a DVD copy of the film? This release would be better (and a little less expensive) if it came with just the 3 BDs.

Because Disney is including a DVD with all of their releases, atleast with the Vault titles. And just like you said, they can make it a "4-disc set" and jack up the price a little more.

Also, I wouldn't bet on this being the following Diamond Edition after Beauty and the Beast.. not too sure this will be a Diamond Edition at all. I still think this will come out in December, except just as a Special Edition.

[Beast]

Originally Posted by zackisthewalrus

Fantasia Diamond Edition release is a 4-disc box set
http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Di...-Blu-ray.shtml

"The Fantasia four-disc boxed set will contain a beautifully restored version of the 1940 classic--scanned at 4K and remixed for 7.1 channels--as well as Fantasia 2000, plus a platter of Blu-ray extras and a DVD copy of the film. Among the many special features will be an interactive edition of the fabled Shultheis Notebook, a priceless animators "bible" compiled over the career of one of Fantasia's key creators, and the first-ever home video release of Destino, Walt Disney's collaboration with Salvador Dali. Destino is backed by its own 70-minute documentary.

The folks at Disney have also thought up a novel way to preserve archival, standard-definition bonus features without cluttering up the disc: We will be able to download them via BD-Live! The Fantasia box will be released in December, at a price to be determined."

Sounds sexy. Not super giddy about the downloadable extras though. I'd rather have them on the disc.

[biglou114]

Originally Posted by Zinthos

Also, I wouldn't bet on this being the following Diamond Edition after Beauty and the Beast.. not too sure this will be a Diamond Edition at all. I still think this will come out in December, except just as a Special Edition.

The reason that it is apart of the Diamond collection is because that Disney has always viewed it as its prestige title, the one that Walt made for art's sake and not just children. It is also one of the most critically acclaimed animated movies ever. If this wasn't in Disney's prestige line it would seem like that they are just choosing movies at random.

[Zinthos]

Originally Posted by biglou114

The reason that it is apart of the Diamond collection is because that Disney has always viewed it as its prestige title, the one that Walt made for art's sake and not just children. It is also one of the most critically acclaimed animated movies ever. If this wasn't in Disney's prestige line it would seem like that they are just choosing movies at random.

Originally, it WAS apart of the Diamond Line-up. It was stated that both Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 in Disney Diamond Edition press release.

However, I can't be sure Disney is still having these titles apart of the Diamond Collection. It isn't being advertised as one anymore, and on Disney's website they have Bambi listed as the Diamond title following Beauty and the Beast.

No one ever said Fantasia isn't a prestigious title, especially for Disney. Just because it isn't in the Diamond Collection doesn't mean Disney isn't treating it as a prestigious title. It sounds exceptionally remarkable, and *IF* this isn't going to turn out to be a Diamond Edition, it will mark Disney's first animated classic out of the vault and onto Blu-ray in America (outside of the Platinum/Diamond titles).

Also, if Disney decides to scratch Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 from their Diamond Collection list, hopefully this means they are willing to make changes to the titles in this collection, and have a higher chance of putting Aladdin back in where it belongs.

[that1guystudios]

I honestly don't really care whether a Disney title is a platinum, diamond or "special" edition. It's all the same with Disney. Every major title they have released has been of the utmost quality. I have no doubt that Fantasia 2000 will be one of my go to demo discs and I'm sure the restoration on Fantasia (1940) will be nothing short of spectacular. Day one purchase for me.

[Rizor]

Sounds pretty good. I'd rather the extras be on a disc than download them. I've been waiting years to see Destino. Should be a treat.

[masoud90]

Really awesome! Can't wait

[miniroll32]

Whether they choose a title to have Diamond or Special Edition, the Lowry video restorations are exactly the same. What changes is the amount of extra content included, and this was quite evident when you compare Snow White (Diamond) to Dumbo (Special); the former is packed to the brim, whereas the latter sadly has rather skimped.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by biglou114

The reason that it is apart of the Diamond collection is because that Disney has always viewed it as its prestige title, the one that Walt made for art's sake and not just children.

Walt didn't make any of his animated feature films for children. Not one.

If Walt hadn't spent so much on The Sorcerer's Apprentice (insuring it could never recoup it's cost), there never would have been a Fantasia to begin with. To try and recoup costs, Disney gambled he could add on eight more shorts and make a feature length collection of animation and classical music (a grand Feature of Silly Symphonies at great quality). But in terms of substantive difference between Fantasia and the Silly Symphonies, with exceptions to Tocatta and Fugue and Rite of Spring, there isn't a conceptual dissonance that would exclude any of them from being recognized as high-budget, stand-alone, longer Silly Symphony or Walt Disney short subjects of the time.

In other words, there was no abject attempt on Walt Disney's part to make Fantasia an "adult" film different from what he was already doing. It is only perceived today as some uber adult effort because most people don't pay attention to what Walt was already doing at that time. They go thumb through the video aisles choked with the cheapquels and knockoffs and formula 90's films and modern CGI talking-animal-of-the-week movies -- and then they come upon Fantasia and it seems to come out of nowhere. People mistake their own dissonance with animation history for some aberration in the Disney production pipeline in the 30's, when it was an outgrowth of that pipeline, made necessary by an over-expenditure of funds on one single short.

Having said that, yes, the Tocatta and Fugue abstractionism and the clinical, thunderous realism of Rite of Spring were new for Disney (although Disney's company had engaged in rigorous experimental preparation for such animation for years leading to both). And I will also cede that while Disney covered similar ground in the Silly Symphonies as that seen in Fantasia, it can be rightly said the Fantasia statements on such themes are definitive.

[miniroll32]

Walt didn't "make" anything; he was just a Yes/No man who relied on others to create ideas. Snow White is about as close as he got to having complete control over a picture.

But anyway... Fantasia is neither a kids nor an adult film. As Stowkoski himself said in the program booklet, it was simply an attempt to bring higher art to a wider audience, and to deconstruct it in a fashion that reflects every day life (though that gets pretty theoretical). Its too easy to forget that back when this film was produced, the common man simply couldn't go to a concert performance - not that it was only socially unjustifiable, but there were plenty of other factors.

Imagine how it must have felt at the Premiere to hear the sound circle the room through all 90+ speakers. Yet there itself lies a problem; the 'version' of the film that was sent to most theatres didn't have more than 3 sound channels, so the larger audience never got to hear it the way it was intended.

Least were getting a 7.1 mix for Blu-Ray. We'll be alright by the time we get to the 90.1 mix lmao!

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by miniroll32

Walt didn't "make" anything

He personally directed over 100 shorts before Plane Crazy. He was the de facto director on all of the studio's output throughout the Hyperion studio era. He was elbow deep in most of the studio's product, to say nothing of the theme parks, which was why he was often considered the hardest working man at his studio.

he was just a Yes/No man who relied on others to create ideas.

*sigh* Not worth my time.

Snow White is about as close as he got to having complete control over a picture.

He was down to the last nut and bolt on his films from the early 20's through 1945. TV came in the early 50's, the theme parks the last 12 years of his life. You don't know what you're talking about.

But anyway... Fantasia is neither a kids nor an adult film. As Stowkoski himself said in the program booklet, it was simply an attempt to bring higher art to a wider audience, and to deconstruct it in a fashion that reflects every day life (though that gets pretty theoretical). Its too easy to forget that back when this film was produced, the common man simply couldn't go to a concert performance - not that it was only socially unjustifiable, but there were plenty of other factors.

Imagine how it must have felt at the Premiere to hear the sound circle the room through all 90+ speakers. Yet there itself lies a problem; the 'version' of the film that was sent to most theatres didn't have more than 3 sound channels, so the larger audience never got to hear it the way it was intended.

Least were getting a 7.1 mix for Blu-Ray. We'll be alright by the time we get to the 90.1 mix lmao!

There never was a 90 speaker version of Fantasound.

No theaters had "three sound channels" in 1940. All theaters were mono.

Fantasound was only installed in a handful of theaters in high population centers such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc.

The "full version" was roughly 32 speakers, not 90 speakers. that doesn't mean "32 channels", it just means 8 speakers per wall. I don't have the specs in front of me, you can surely google them and set the record straight.

Perhaps you are confused by the term "Fantasound 90" -- this refers to the attempt in 1990 to replicate the original Fantasound experience upon Fantasia's last theatrical release.

[ben1993]

Originally Posted by masoud90

Really awesome! Can't wait

Love your avatar

Yeh this set sounds good, but it's gonna be pricey by the sounds of it

[miniroll32]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

*sigh* Not worth my time.

I quite agree. I get the impression that no matter what I say, you'll end up trying to agree/disagree so we'll agree to disagree. In agreement.

[RamHawk]

What is the difference in "Fantasia" and "Fantasia 2000" ??

[Jezza]

Originally Posted by RamHawk

What is the difference in "Fantasia" and "Fantasia 2000" ??

Fantasia came out in 1940. Fantasia 2000 came out in 2000. It's that simple, it's a sequel and a brilliant one at that.

[RamHawk]

Originally Posted by Clone Trooper

Fantasia came out in 1940. Fantasia 2000 came out in 2000. It's that simple, it's a sequel and a brilliant one at that.

ok, yeah I looked on IMDB. Not sure why I didn't go there first for the answer. I may rent the DVD and see if it is good enough for BD. I'm sure it is since I love the original. Thanks!

[Jezza]

Originally Posted by RamHawk

ok, yeah I looked on IMDB. Not sure why I didn't go there first for the answer. I may rent the DVD and see if it is good enough for BD. I'm sure it is since I love the original. Thanks!

Oh, I don't think you'll be able to rent the DVD, because it's been out-of-print for 10 years. Sorry.

I love Fantasia 2000, one of the characters from it is my avatar. If you want my advice, then they are both very different: Fantasia is obviously very fairy tale-like, whereas Fantasia 2000 is much more easy-going, fun and family orientated. Just don't expected it to be in the same league or better than the original, because the animators were of course not trying to make a better film, but merely do justice to the original because they naturally respected what Walt Disney had done with the first film.
There is one very clear difference between the two however and that is their lengths; the original was approx. 2hrs, whereas Fantasia 2000 is only just over 70 minutes, but don't let that put you off, because it is still a beautiful film.

I think it'd be best to wait, because they're coming in the same set as it is and it will be a nice suprise for you.

[KubrickFan]

Originally Posted by Clone Trooper

Fantasia came out in 1940. Fantasia 2000 came out in 2000. It's that simple, it's a sequel and a brilliant one at that.

Fantasia 2000 came out in 1999, actually . I have to say, the sequel unfortunately isn't nearly as extravagant as its predecessor, but the Rhapsody in Blue segment redeems a lot. Still, it's sad that Fantasia 2006 never happened. The Little Match Girl is a great short on its own, but a new Fantasia would be great.