Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersIndependent Spirit AwardsWomen's History MonthSXSWSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Fantasia

  • 19401940
  • GG
  • 2h 4m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
99K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,396
813
Original release poster, 1 sheet
A collection of animated interpretations of great works of Western classical music.
Play trailer1:26
5 Videos
99+ Photos
AnimationFamilyFantasy
A collection of animated interpretations of great works of Western classical music, ranging from the abstract to depictions of mythology and fantasy, and settings including the prehistoric, ... Read allA collection of animated interpretations of great works of Western classical music, ranging from the abstract to depictions of mythology and fantasy, and settings including the prehistoric, supernatural and sacred.A collection of animated interpretations of great works of Western classical music, ranging from the abstract to depictions of mythology and fantasy, and settings including the prehistoric, supernatural and sacred.
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
99K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,396
813
  • Directors
    • James Algar(segment The Sorcerer's Apprentice)
    • Samuel Armstrong(segments Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, The Nutcracker Suite)
    • Ford Beebe Jr.(segment The Pastoral Symphony)
  • Writers
    • Joe Grant(story direction)
    • Dick Huemer(story direction)
    • Lee Blair(story development)
  • Stars
    • Leopold Stokowski
    • Deems Taylor
    • The Philadelphia Orchestra
  • Directors
    • James Algar(segment The Sorcerer's Apprentice)
    • Samuel Armstrong(segments Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, The Nutcracker Suite)
    • Ford Beebe Jr.(segment The Pastoral Symphony)
  • Writers
    • Joe Grant(story direction)
    • Dick Huemer(story direction)
    • Lee Blair(story development)
  • Stars
    • Leopold Stokowski
    • Deems Taylor
    • The Philadelphia Orchestra
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 378User reviews
    • 123Critic reviews
    • 96Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 8 wins & 1 nomination

    Videos5

    50th Anniversary Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 1:26
    Watch 50th Anniversary Theatrical Trailer
    Fantasia: Special Edition
    Clip 0:35
    Watch Fantasia: Special Edition
    Fantasia: Special Edition
    Clip 0:34
    Watch Fantasia: Special Edition
    Fantasia: Special Edition
    Clip 1:02
    Watch Fantasia: Special Edition
    Sneak Previews Season 4 Episode 27
    Video 29:04
    Watch Sneak Previews Season 4 Episode 27

    Photos580

    Fantasia (1940)
    Fantasia (1940)
    Fantasia (1940)
    Walt Disney in Fantasia (1940)
    Walt Disney in Fantasia (1940)
    Fantasia (1940)
    Fantasia (1940)
    Fantasia (1940)
    Fantasia (1940)
    Fantasia (1940)
    Fantasia (1940)
    Fantasia (1940)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Leopold Stokowski
    Leopold Stokowski
    • Self - Conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra
    Deems Taylor
    • Self - Narrative Introductions
    The Philadelphia Orchestra
    • Themselves
    Corey Burton
    Corey Burton
    • Narrator: Deems Taylor overdubs (2000 restoration)
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Walt Disney
    Walt Disney
    • Mickey Mouse (segment 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice')
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Hugh Douglas
    • Narrator (1982 version)
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    James MacDonald
    • Percussionist
    • (uncredited)
    Tim Matheson
    Tim Matheson
    • Narrator (1985 version)
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Julietta Novis
    • Soloist (segment 'Ave Maria')
    • (singing voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Paul J. Smith
    • Violinist
    • (uncredited)
    • Directors
      • James Algar(segment The Sorcerer's Apprentice) (uncredited)
      • Samuel Armstrong(segments Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, The Nutcracker Suite) (uncredited)
      • Ford Beebe Jr.(segment The Pastoral Symphony) (uncredited)
    • Writers
      • Joe Grant(story direction)
      • Dick Huemer(story direction)
      • Lee Blair(story development) (segment Toccata and Fugue in D Minor)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Fantasia 2000
    7.1
    Fantasia 2000
    Dumbo
    7.2
    Dumbo
    Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
    7.6
    Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
    Pinocchio
    7.5
    Pinocchio
    Bambi
    7.3
    Bambi
    Peter Pan
    7.3
    Peter Pan
    Cinderella
    7.3
    Cinderella
    Alice in Wonderland
    7.3
    Alice in Wonderland
    Lady and the Tramp
    7.3
    Lady and the Tramp
    Sleeping Beauty
    7.2
    Sleeping Beauty
    One Hundred and One Dalmatians
    7.3
    One Hundred and One Dalmatians
    Robin Hood
    7.5
    Robin Hood

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The animators secretly modeled elements of the Sorcerer in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" on their boss, Walt Disney. The raised eyebrow was regarded as a dead giveaway. They call the character Yen Sid, which is "Disney" spelled backwards.
    • Goofs
      In the full-length introduction to the "Nutcracker Suite", heard only in the roadshow version of "Fantasia", Deems Taylor states that this music is from a longer ballet called "The Nutcracker" and "nobody performs it nowadays". The full-length "Nutcracker" had not been performed in the U.S. yet in 1940, but in both Russia and England it had been staged in 1934, and had already been staged in Russia twice before that, in 1892 and 1919. However, although the "Nutcracker Suite" was immensely popular even in 1940, the full-length ballet was still a long way off from becoming the annual phenomenon it now is in the United States.
    • Quotes

      Mickey Mouse: [Pulling on Stokowski's coat] Mr. Stokowski! Mr. Stokowski!

      [Mickey whistles to get Stokowski's attention]

      Mickey Mouse: My congratulations, sir!

      Leopold Stokowski: [shaking hands with Mickey] Congratulations to you, Mickey!

      Mickey Mouse: Gee, thanks! Hehe! Well, so long! I'll be seeing ya!

      Leopold Stokowski: Goodbye!

    • Crazy credits
      There are no closing credits of any kind. Not even the words "THE END" appear on the screen.
    • Alternate versions
      Before the 1990 re-release, the film was shown with no credits other than the title and the RKO logo. Leopold Stokowski received a written credit only on the posters advertising the film. In the film's original roadshow release, not even the title was shown at the beginning of the film - that was saved for the intermission break.
    • Connections
      Edited into A World is Born (1955)
    • Soundtracks
      Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565
      Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach

      Orchestrated by Leopold Stokowski (uncredited)

      Played by The Philadelphia Orchestra

      Conducted by Leopold Stokowski

    User reviews378

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    so close... if it had been 10 minutes shorter it would have been a 10!
    Fantasia is so educational, and I was gob smacked by how well the animation mixed with the classical music. Can I also say that Leopold Stokowski is one of the best conductor of the 20th century, right on a parallel with Herbert Von Karajan? I was listening to Sibelius's 5th symphony a few years back, and he conducted it the year before he died, and he was in his 90s. Not only that, but that was the best version of that symphony I had ever heard. Back to Fantasia then. Each piece was expertly introduced by Deems Taylor, and unlike its sequel didn't take too long.(Even the soundtrack vignette was interesting) In the sequel, almost half of the film felt like too much introduction and not enough music. Fantasia rectified that problem brilliantly:

    1. Bach's Toccata- Brilliant silhouettes of the orchestra, and then masterful abstract images. The orchestra played the piece to a phenomenal standard, and I hate to say this, but I actually prefer the piece orchestrated. It was originally written for organ, you see. The best thing about Stokowski is that you see him conducting without a baton, which is exceedingly clever.

    2. Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker- I recommend you see the ballet, because it is a knockout. This is coming from a classical music lover. The animation was superb in this vignette. The most impressive thing though was the fact that the finishes immediately went into the next scene, without it being hackneyed. The waltz, or Dance of the Snow Fairies, was the highlight of this vignette, reminding me so strongly of Christmas.

    3. Dukas's Scorceror's Apprentice- The most famous vignette, is the only vignette to feature in the sequel. YenSid(Disney backwards) has a magic hat, which he leaves lying around, and Mickey Mouse picks it up, and encounters various problems. the animation is very good here, and while I'm not a huge fan of the piece, I still found it enjoyable.

    4. Stravinsky's Rite of Spring- This is the only reason why the movie isn't a 10. This vignette is far too long It's longer than the Beethoven. It is an interesting subject, dinosaurs, but the ballet wasn't simplified enough. This was boring, and was better left out. It was only here to give some historical context. However, there was beautiful animation and some lovely instrumental solos. Stravinsky hated what the film did to his work, but anyway I don't like Stravinsky much. I had no problem with the animation or the way it was performed, it was just too long.

    5. Beethoven's pastoral Symphony- This is a fantastic piece of music. I am a huge fan of Beethoven, and I have all his 9 symphonies on my IPod. My favourites are this, the Choral and the Eroica. I loved the fact that they chose a Greek mythological setting, because it looked gorgeous. My dad who is a conductor wasn't keen on the centaurs, but I loved the winged horses, Bacchus and Zeus (who competes with Chernabog as the most frightening character of the movie). This vignette was so relaxing to watch; think it as like reciting a poem.

    6. Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours-This was the funniest vignette of the film, and one of the many gems of Disney. It was a bit unrealistic of course, but it was fun. At first, I was worried that the most famous scene from the opera La Giaconda, would be ruined by the animation. But it wasn't. It was perfect. Even the elephants and hippos, considering their size, danced so elegantly, I was shocked. This vignette is a must-see if you want some comedy.

    7. Mussorgsky's Night on Bare Mountain- Now this was my personal favourite, as when I first watched it when I was 10, and I was terrified of Chernabog. The music is also very hard to play, as the mood is very hard to capture, but this is undoubtedly the finest recording of this music. Chernabog was genuinely frightening, and a masterful creation. And the animation, while dark, matched the music, which is enough to give you nightmares, flawlessly. It was very like a Witch's Sabbath, which was what the composer originally intended. Do you know, that for his underrated fantasy movie Legend, Ridley Scott based Tim Curry's Darkness on Chernabog? Children may find it a bit too frightening, and adults may find it inappropriate, as there is a tiny glimpse of nudity. But it was still an effective vignette, and one of my favourite Disney moments actually.

    8. Schubert's Ave Maria- This is a beautiful song, and Stokowski did it justice. The harmonies and animation were perfectly captured. how could you say this was boring? The animation couldn't have been happy looking, it would have completely ruined the mood of the song. It was beautifully sung by Juillietta Novis, who was so quiet that you had to turn the volume up, but that was the intention. The thing that impressed me most, was the complete contrast of this from the Mussorgsky, so the key of Ave Maria was so well chosen. (It is sung in many different keys.) In conclusion, the most underrated of the earlier Disney efforts, is well worth watching and a true animated classic! Also I was offended by the review that said that it was the worst movie ever made, and that the people who love this movie need new taste, that is plain insulting to anyone who grew up with this film. 9/10 Bethany Cox.
    helpful•24
    6
    • TheLittleSongbird
    • Feb 13, 2009

    FAQ3

    • How many different versions of Fantasia are there?
    • How come many of the pieces do not follow a story?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 19, 1941 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Bach to Stravinsky and Bach
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 1, Walt Disney Studios, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA(orchestra)
    • Production company
      • Walt Disney Animation Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,280,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $76,408,097
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $980,798
      • Feb 10, 1985
    • Gross worldwide
      • $76,411,819
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 4 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Original release poster, 1 sheet
    Top Gap
    What is the Hindi language plot outline for Fantasia (1940)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.