Fantasia 720p - (2000 Lang: English)

Beautiful Sequel of a Classic Animation!

"Fantasia 2000" is a beautiful sequel of the classic animation "Fantasia" (1940). The conductor is James Levine and each segment is introduced by the actor Steve Martin, the violinist Itzhak Perlman, the actress Bette Midler, the entertainer Penn & Teller, the actor James Earl Jones, the conductor Quincy Jones and the actress Angela Lansbury.

I can't stop watching it!!! Four of the seven new segments in this film are alone well worth the admission. Roy Disney Jr. sets the stage for a remarkable departure from the usual animated dreck that Disney has been bogged down by for the last half-decade (Toy Story aside). Disney have hereby restored my faith in them as leading the pack in animated cinema. I want more!!

"Pines of Rome", a marvelous piece set to the "story" of whales leaving the water and eventually the planet, is worth viewing several times for it's symbolism and exquisite look. "Rhapsody in Blue", by Gershwin, is given perfect treatment by a day in the life of New York City. The pace is quick and manages to give each character studied enough depth to make a very satisfying and touching ending. "Pomp and Circumstance", the graduation standard, is humorous and sweet. Creating a love story involving Donald and Daisy Duck into the story of Noah's Ark worked surprisingly well. "Firebird Suite"- WOW. This is the most incredible segment of the film. It's a PERFECT marriage of music and animation and MUST be played loud. Very emotional and powerful indeed.

I had to post another comment because I can't stress enough that it's a worthy successor to the original Fantasia, and Walt would be proud.

Fantasia 2000 is a 1999 American animated film by Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Pictures, and released by Buena Vista Pictures. Produced by Roy E. Disney and Donald W. Ernst, it is the 38th Disney animated feature film and the sequel to Fantasia (1940). Like its predecessor, Fantasia 2000 consists of animated segments set to pieces of classical music. Celebrities including Steve Martin, Itzhak Perlman, Quincy Jones, Bette Midler, James Earl Jones, Penn & Teller, and Angela Lansbury introduce each segment in live action scenes directed by Don Hahn.

After numerous unsuccessful attempts to develop a Fantasia sequel, the Walt Disney Company revived the idea shortly after Michael Eisner became chief executive officer in 1984. The commercial success of the 1991 home video release of Fantasia convinced Eisner that there was enough public interest and funds for a sequel and he assigned Disney as executive producer. The music for six of the film's eight segments is performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Levine. The film includes The Sorcerer's Apprentice from the 1940 original. Each new segment was produced by combining traditional animation with computer-generated imagery.

Fantasia 2000 premiered on December 17, 1999, at Carnegie Hall in New York City as part of a concert tour that also visited London, Paris, Tokyo, and Pasadena, California. The film was released in 75 IMAX theaters worldwide from January 1 to April 30, 2000, marking the first animated feature-length film to be released in the format. Its general release in traditional theaters followed on June 16, 2000. Some critics praised the film while others singled out its uneven quality. Budgeted at about $80–$85 million, the film has earned $90.8 million in gross revenue worldwide.

Probably the best animation film I have ever seen. There are no dialogues and it is not really a feature film. It is an assimilation of 8 short stories. The stories are all beautiful, my favorite ones being the one on New York City, "Rhapsody in Blue", and the one on life, death and renewal, "Firebird Suite". The film is about everything beautiful in life; amazingly entertaining. Each score is given a brilliant visual concept. And the animation speaks so much more than 'real life' films or any dialogues could for that matter. Animation, though usually aimed at kids is probably much more necessary for us adults as we lose that sense of imagination, beauty and observation. Kids are so wonderfully innocent, imaginative and creative; everything that does matter to them has an animated feel to it anyway.