Fantasia (G, 1940)

When Donald Duck began to eclipse Mickey Mouse in popularity in the late 1930s, Disney conceived of a lavish comeback vehicle for his first cartoon star. "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," set to the music of Paul Dukas, was the end result, and no expense was spared to make this a crowning jewel in the mouse's career. When Disney realized that the company couldn't possibly recoup its investment releasing the piece as a short subject, he conceived of FANTASIA, an entire animated feature set to pieces of classical music, of which "Sorcerer's Apprentice" would now be a part. Walt Disney's groundbreaking feature combining classical music with extravagant animation retains its status as a landmark in animation history. Both "The Rite of Spring," with its realistic recreation of the age of the dinosaurs, and "Night on Bald Mountain," with its vividly spectacular depiction of evil personified, took animation into realms that were unimaginable just 10 years earlier.

Seen decades later, much of the film's imagery continues to astonish, even when compared with modern, computer-enhanced extravaganzas. At the time the movie was made, the Disney factory was at the absolute peak of its powers. Fantasia exhibits a stunning attention to detail that would never again be duplicated (a result of the movie's initial box office failure). "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" remains a tour de force of music, character animation, and photographic effects.

Nevertheless, there are some dry spots. "Dance of the Hours," with its dancing hippos and alligators, is funny, but drags on longer than necessary. The "Pastoral" is the blandest sequence; its scenes of teenage centaurs courting one another are more reminiscent of prom night than ancient mythical worlds. Disney's most experimental movie may bore kids used to more straightforward storytelling, and preschoolers may need to skip the scary parts. However, these are minor quibbles when confronted with the breathtaking artistry that dominates the movie.