A stunning and riveting movie. A definate must see for the ENTIRE family. In my honest opinion, this movie is much greater than it's sequel for sure. The "Night on Bald Mountain" with Chernabog (or Satan himself), would pose to be scary for sensivite children. Other than that, this movie is a instant classic and will be for all time.
Fantasia
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
A breathtaking animation feat.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 6 and Up
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Fantasia was written by Paul Trandahl
Parents need to know that some scenes in this film are probably too intense for the youngest viewers ("The Rite of Spring" features a battle to the death between a Stegosaurus and a Tyrannosaurus Rex; "Night on Bald Mountain" briefly shows outlines of nude women in the smoke emerging from hell.)
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about how the different pieces of classical music fit each story. Families can also use this movie as a launching point to research different classical musicians, or get to know more about ancient Grecian mythology.
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More on Fantasia
What’s the Story?
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.
Is It Any Good?
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. This release of Fantasia is touted as being the "original uncut version." The restored footage consists of added commentary about each piece from emcee Deems Taylor. While it adds little to the overall experience, it does provide more educational background about the music and its composers.
Movie Details
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Directors: James Algar, Samuel Armstrong
Run time: 120 minutes
Theatrical release: 1/29/1941, DVD release: 11/14/2000
MPAA Rating: G for all audiences
Run time: 120 minutes
Theatrical release: 1/29/1941, DVD release: 11/14/2000
MPAA Rating: G for all audiences
Our Members Say
See all 10 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
- My highlights are:
Fantasia
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I rate this title off for age 3 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- My highlights are:
- Educational
its a good movie... but i like its sequel better.
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I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Educational
good and thrilling too
i love this movie, except that when the dinosaurs die i get the most terrible feeling, like i'm sick.
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
Disney's Masterpiece
Even today, Fantasia is ahead of it's time (and better than the remake, Fantasia 2000).
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Must-See
A breathtaking movie that delighted me when I was young and will delight your kids too. A great way to introduce children to classical music. There is some topless women but it is in good taste.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Mickey rules
the Mickey part always makes me smile
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Boring...
Some find this to be a masterpiece, I find it boring. All it is are orchestra songs strung together with animated scenes to go along with the beat. I took this out of the DVD player about half way through the movie.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
boring
this movie is so borring
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Five year olds will like it
Plop a five-year-old in front of this and they'll be entranced for a while. Unfortunately, unless you have a great interest in animation and classical music, this film isn't the most interesting. There isn't really a plot and it is pretty boring. Good for distracting litte kids though.
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
Scene with dinosaurs terrified ME!
My mother told me many years ago that this was my favorite movie when I was very young -- I watch it now and wonder when my son will be able to watch it. I felt the scene with T-Rex killing the Stegasaurus (sp?) to be very disturbing. I love the movie for the music, personally, but don't feel it's appropriate for kids until they're older.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 50% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 50% | of parents say it's educational |
| 50% | of parents say it's too violent |
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