Of course it's a real accomplishment to let the images fit so well to the classic music but it just isn't the most exciting movie to watch. I prefer the 1999 version "Fantasia/2000" of Disney because that version features different animations styles for basically each segment. This movie is just more or less of the same the whole time, no matter how good looking it is all and how well the music sounds.
Of course it's not an horrible movie though, not at all. It was a very special and original project for its time to mix animated sequences with classical music, from some well known composers, conducted by Leopold Stokowski. The movie for its time also used some unique stereo techniques to really bring out the best when it comes down to its music. All of the animations from the Disney studios are great looking and the movie features some unique moments but most importantly it fits the music very well, A real accomplishment and it must have been a real pain for the animators to work on this movie, to get the timing constantly right.
The movie features 7 different segments, to 7 different classical compositions from composers such as Tchaikovsky, Bach and Beethoven. Of course some of the segments are better and more enjoyable than others but overall it's balanced out very well, although some segments drag on for too long.
This is also a complaint. This movie was obviously also made to introduce the youth of its time to classical music but using animations. After all; it's a Disney! I however just can't imaging a 10 or 12 year old enjoying this movie, not even in 1940. It's just too slow for that in parts and the images are not always compelling nor entertaining enough for them, to keep them interested throughout, also because not every segment really follows a clear main story. Personally I as a kid really couldn't watch this movie, or the 1999 because it was way too boring. Perhaps this also still would had been a better movie if it only had been a bit shorter. 2 hours just seems a bit too much.
A real accomplishment but I wish it had been done a bit more entertaining, with different styles and a bit more pace. Something the 1999 version did much better.
7/10
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