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Terror on the Midway (1942)
Superman vs King Kong, the last cartoon produced by Fleischer Studios
This cartoon is not only the last of the Superman cartoons produced by Fleischer. But the last animated short Fleischer Studios ever produced. This is one of the Superman cartoons i remember the most, of the 8 Fleischer cartoons, and 4 Famous Studios cartoons i had on DVD as a kid. It scared the crap out of me when i was little. But despite all these facts, this is still one of my least favorite of the cartoons produced by Fleischer, along with Volcano. But it's still great and enjoyable. Let's see why.
The story is about this circus that Lois is sent to review. Later that night, as Lois attends the clown performance, a monkey wanders from the main tent and accidentally opens the cage of a giant gorilla (That looks an awful lot like King Kong). Growling, the Gorilla named "Gigantic" wanders into the tent, sending everyone into pandemonium, as the Gorilla goes on a rampage. Circus workers try to stop the Gorilla, but are overpowered by it's strength. Now it's up to Superman to save the day.
So this is one of my lesser favorite Superman cartoons. It seems kinda weird that Superman is challenged by King Kong. I know it has a name, but i'll just refer to it as King Kong. I mean, he has been up against giant robots, death rays, and Godzilla. And destroyed them all with little challenge, and with ease. But he seems to have the same challenge against King Kong, as he had against all his other foes. Many of the action scenes in this one, also aren't quite as good as in the other cartoons. So what do i like about this cartoon?? Well i like that the animation isn't as colorful in this one, but darker. Fitting the tone of the cartoon. So this cartoon has great animation. An although i find it silly that Superman is challenged by an animal, i still find alot of the scenes with King Kong, and the other animals exciting. Even though they aren't the best action scenes in the series. And Lois proves to be very brave in this one. She doesn't get into trouble because of some selfish reason, but because she is trying to save a child. I also really like that they pay tribute to King Kong in this one.
So although not one of the best, still highly recommended. 8/10
Like i said above, this was not only the last of the Superman cartoons produced by Fleischer. It was the last cartoon that Fleischer Studios produced in general. Leaving behind a legacy of experimentation, wacky visuals, gags, and sensual appeal.
Starting out with the groundbreaking Out of the Inkwell series, being the first animated films to use the rotoscope. An animated series made to demonstrate his invention of this technique.
And later the Betty Boop cartoons, starring the first animated sex symbol. with they're dark and etchy humor, and surreal gags, these cartoons i sometimes think were superior to the old black and white Mickey Mouse cartoons.
And of course the Popeye cartoons. Which alot of times i think were funnier than both the old Mickey Mouse cartoons and Donald Duck cartoons. Atleast the ones made by the Fleischers were. I especially love Popeye's voice, it cracks me up.
They also created the Color Classics series, which i will admit were far from the quality of the Silly Symphony cartoons, which they were made to compete with. I will still admit alot of these cartoons still have they're own charm, and kept with the fleischer tradition of showing a grimmer reality than that of they're Disney counterparts.
They also made 2 very good animated feature films. The second animation studio to make feature films in fact. These were Gulliver's Travels, and Mr. Bug Goes to Town. Although i will admit these films were not as good as the ones Disney made. They still had alot of charm to them.
And finally the Superman cartoons. The first action cartoons ever.
And they made other cartoon series as well, but the ones i mentioned seems to be the most famous, and i'm not even going to get into them all, i mean i could go on about this forever, i just love this stuff.
When Fleischer Studios closed down, Paramount replaced the studio with Famous Studios. Which would continue the Popeye and Superman cartoon series' and would make other cartoon series' as well.
Anyways, Terror on the Midway wasn't the best Superman or Fleischer cartoon, but it was a decent cartoon to end the studio off with.
Volcano (1942)
Superman vs Mother Nature
This is another great Superman cartoon, not one of the best the Fleischers made, but still entertaining.
The story is about this fictional volcano called Mt. Monokoa, on a fictional unnamed island. On this island occurred the mightiest erruption that ever shook the earth, burying the beautiful city beneath it in molten lava, and creating destructive tidal waves that raced around the world. For 300 years, the mighty volcano lay dormant. A new and more beautiful city sprang up at its base. But now, after centuries of inactivity, slight tremors are being felt. Scientists of course watchfully check delicate instruments to determine the seriousness of the renewed activity. And that's when Lois and Clark of course are sent to report about it. On arrival, Clark has lost his press pass, but without him knowing, it's actually Lois who has stolen his press pass. As Clark goes to the town to acquire another pass, Lois takes a tour of the volcano. Her guide tells her that the plan to save the city is to blow a hole in the side of the volcano, thus altering the course of the lava flow away from the town, to the ocean on the other side of the island. Suddenly, the volcano begins to erupt, and lava spews out of its top, flowing towards the town. Lois and her guide are separated. Two men on the other side of the volcano scramble to get to the machinery which will blow a hole in its side, but a giant boulder cuts the wire connecting the dynamite to the machine. Now it's up to Superman to save the day.
Not one of the best ones that the Fleischers made, i like the other ones better. I don't know how to explain why. Maybe some of the animation is a bit sloppier than in the others. And the cartoon also tries to copy the spectacular scene in the Magnetic Telescope, where Superman grabs both ends of this cut wire, allowing the electric current to run through his chest from arm to arm, in the end of this cartoon. Some on IMDB also complain that Lois is a brat, when she steals Clark's press pass. Stuff like that doesn't really ruin the cartoon for me, since in my opinion it only makes the characters more realistic. So with all of that said, what did i like about this cartoon. Well i like the fact that in this one, it's not a villain or a monster Superman is fighting, for once, but a natural disaster. Fighting natural disasters is also a very cliche superhero challenge or task nowadays, but like i said in my review of Billion Dollar Limited, the plots in these shorts were original for they're time, and were some of the first films with these kinda plots. And this is the first and only time in this series, that Superman is fighting a natural disaster. Something different from the other cartoons, but great. I also really love the animation on the lava. And there are some really exciting scenes where Superman saves the town from the Volcano in this. My favorite scene is when Superman flies up to the volcano, catching a huge boulder hurtling toward the town and flinging it into the ocean. Great stuff!
This one is very entertaining. Not my favorite, but well worth a look. 8/10.
Electric Earthquake (1942)
Villain alone makes this one of my favorite Superman cartoons!
If you have read my review of the first cartoon, and my review of the second. You will know that i owned a dvd with most of these cartoons, as a child. 12 of the cartoons, to be precise. 8 of the Fleischer cartoons, and 4 of the Famous Studios cartoons. Sadly, this was the only one of the Fleischer cartoons that i didn't have on my dvd. So i didn't see this one as a child. It's a shame, because this really is one of my 3 favorite cartoons of this series, along with the first cartoon, and the Mechanical Monsters. Let's see why.
The story is about this Native American scientist, who has this secret underwater capsule, with several large wires, that converge in it. These wires are connected to the underwater bedrock. Inside the capsule, are the controls to the wires. So this is obviously a machine, and if started, it makes powerful electric earthquakes throughout Manhattan. He one day visits the Daily Planet, and warns Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and Perry White that they must run a report that Manhattan belongs to his people and should be given back to them. The Planet crew judges him to be crazy, and his threats to be empty... at least, everyone but Lois, who follows him to his motorboat. Hiding in the back, Lois is taken to his deserted fishing house on the water and sees his elevator. The man catches her watching him in the elevator's reflection, and calmly invites her to follow him, promising an amazing story. Lois follows. The elevator lowers into the underwater capsule, and the man offers her a seat, then pushes a button which pins her arms and legs to the chair. Stepping up to the controls, he starts up his earthquake machine, sending a powerful surge of electricity through one of the wires and into the bedrock under the city. The large explosion causes the entire city to shake. And now it's up to Superman to save the day.
Yet another Superman cartoon with a mad scientist. So why is this one of my 3 favorite cartoons of this series?? My answer is, the villain. All the other cartoons had pretty bland villains, who are either crazy or hungry for money. But this villain actually has a different motive. And one that really makes sense. He wants Manhattan back for his own people, which he felt was stolen from them by the US. That makes this villain really unique and interesting. I actually wish they would have made him a recurring Superman or DC villain. Yes, i like this villain that much. If it wasn't for the villain, this one would probably be one of my lesser favorites. Since without the villain, this would just be another mad scientist cartoon. There's plenty of other things to admire too. the animation and the action scenes are great, just like in the other cartoons. It's also interesting that this is the only time Superman's home is New York and not Metropolis.
This is one of the absolute best cartoons of this series. The villain alone, makes this one great. 10/10.
The Magnetic Telescope (1942)
Hmm, i wonder if that comet is made of Kryptonite
Another really great Superman cartoon.
The story is about this scientist, demonstrating his magnetic telescope. A giant, u-shaped magnet connected to the telescope is pointed at a comet and turned on, drawing the comet towards the town. And most of the people of the town, including Clark and Lois, are watching. Something goes wrong, however, and the comet crashes into the town, rolls through the streets, and then tumbles into the ocean nearby. Newspapers the next day, of course report the disaster, and the police are shown arguing with the scientist, who claims the importance of his work is worth the risk of human lives. The police say, as Lois looks on, that they will stop any attempt to try the experiment again, but the scientist refuses to quit, reminding them that any attempt to stop him could prove disastrous. He runs into his telescope room and shuts the door before the police can stop him, and begins his experiment again. Just as the magnet pulls the comet into earth's gravitational pull, the police jam a piece of metal into the electric generator running his machine and cut its main wires with axes. The comet, now out of the scientist's control, hurtles towards the town. As the police and scientist flee, Lois calls the Daily Planet from the scientist's building, reporting the impending disaster as the building crumbles around her and pins her. Clark happens to be standing nearby, and takes a cab to get to the telescope. As he nears the building, pieces of the comet destroy the road in front of them, and the cabby flees; It's now up to Superman to save the day.
Another great cartoon with a great and exciting plot. Although the Magnetic Telescope looks silly, i for some weird reason think the design is kinda cool. And i like how we really see Superman has some real struggles and weaknesses in this one. I know Superman had challenges in the other cartoons too, but he always overcame them. But in this one it's quite different. Superman streaks towards the comet, striking it full-force. He does this two times, but bounces off both times. He then realises that the only way to stop the comet, is to fix the telescope. Hmmm, i wonder if the comet is made of Kryptonite? Who cares, it's just freaking awesome. And who can forget the funny scene in the end, when we see Superman's silhouette, and Lois kisses him; much to her chagrin, the silhouette is Clark.
Another great cartoon in this series. 9/10.
The Bulleteers (1942)
Despite what some people say, this is one of my favorites of this series
This one seems to either be really loved, or really not liked. Either way, i love it. One of my favorites. Let's see why.
The story is about this weird bullet car, that blows right through the police department, leaving an explosion in its wake. The many newspapers, including the Daily Planet, of course reports about it. Perry White calls Lois Lane and Clark Kent into his office. Just as he is explaining the report, the sound of a loudspeaker comes in through the window. The leader of the "Bulleteers", as Lois later calls them, is shown announcing from his hideout atop a mountain outside of town, that if the city doesn't turn over the entire city treasury, other municipal buildings will be next as their last warning! Everyone of course, hears it, but the mayor announces that he will not be swayed by criminals. That day, policemen all over town setup sandbag fortifications for their machine guns and searchlights in preparation for the Bulleteers. At midnight, the gang strikes again, first destroying the town's power plant, bullets from defending policeman bouncing harmlessly off the bullet-car's sleek surface. Lights in the Daily Planet flicker on and off, and Lois, wanting the story of course, takes off in a car to get closer to the scene, leaving Clark behind. And it's now up to Superman to save the day.
So even though this one is one of my favorites. It still has a few flaws. First of all, there doesn't seem to be many people who have noticed this, but this cartoon use recycled animation from The Mechanical Monsters, and Billion Dollar Limited, a few times. But this is just a nitpick. I also think the Bullet car is very lamely designed. And while all the previous installments brought something new to the screen. This one has a very average plot. And this is not really a flaw, but why have 3 men in one bullet car? Couldn't they have had 3 of these bullet cars, one for each man. that would be awesome! However, most of this is just nitpicking, and like i said, this is one of my favorite Superman cartoons. Although the bullet car is very lamely designed, the mountain hideout makes up for that, and it's really cool and original for it's time. And the animation that's not recycled, is great as usual. I also really like the scene where Lois sneaks into the bullet car's cockpit and tries to smash the controls with a wrench. That's one of her more heroic and useful moments in the series. But the best thing about this one, like all of these cartoons, is the action. Infact i think this one has some of the best action scenes, in the entire series. And just like Billion Dollar Limited, this one has some of the most fast-past action scenes of this entire series. My favorite scene is when The Bulleteers take aim at the city's treasury building, but Superman punches the bullet-car off course, which make the bullet-car fly off and hit the top of a building. That shit is great!
Although this one has a few flaws. It still has some of the best stuff, of this entire series. And that makes this one, one of my favorites. 9/10.
The Arctic Giant (1942)
Superman vs Godzilla
Superman vs Godzilla.
The story begins as the narrator tells about a Tyrannosaurus Rex found frozen in perfect condition in Siberia. The monster was shipped to a museum, where it is kept frozen using
special refrigeration equipment. Next we people looking at the monster, which looks alot like Godzilla, in the museum. Lois is sent to do a story on the monster, because it is possible that, if the ice were to thaw, the monster might still be alive. The guide shows Lois around the refrigeration plant that is responsible for keeping the monster frozen. He then shows her the generator, and then proceeds to show her the control room downstairs. The guide being a total idiot, places an oil can on a shelf right next to the generator. As the guide shows Lois the control room, he explains that any rise in temperature could be dangerous. But then the oil can falls into the turbine, jamming it. The workers nearby turn off the equipment, so they can quickly repair the damage. But they are not quick enough. We see the temperature rise from freezing, to melting, to DANGER level. The ice around the monster begins to melt. Everyone flees the museum, except Lois, of course. As Lois attempts to call the Daily Planet from the museum, The monster destroys the entire building, leaving Lois in the rubble. The police and military tries to stop the monster, and shoot at it, but to no avail, as the monster goes on a rampage through the city. Clark Kent of course hears about this, remembers Lois is in the museum, changes into Superman, and flies off to the museum. Superman shouts Lois' name, and it turns out she is alive and well, under the destroyed museum. He then tells her to get back to her office where she'll be safe. But Lois, wanting the story of course, doesn't listen to Superman and follows the monster. And it's now up to Superman to save the day.
As a big fan of Godzilla, i absolutely love this cartoon, but i will admit that it does have a few flaws. Like the scene where the monster breaks through this very rubbery suspension bridge. And then Superman just lifts the bridge up again, and then ties the bridge back together. Wait, didn't the monster just break half the bridge, how can he put it back together, how does it make sense?? The rubbery way the bridge moves looks silly and unrealistic. I know it's a cartoon, but this series is suppose to be a more realistic and action-packed cartoon series. And it also kinda bugs me that this doesn't have as good action scenes as the previous four. However those things are just nitpicks, and what really makes this cartoon, is the Arctic Giant itself. Many people on IMDB complained that the design of the T-Rex is unrealistic, and scientifically incorrect. However, the reason i think this design is so awesome is that it looks so much like Godzilla, and just for the record, this came out first. And i don't think i've seen any film made before this, short or full-length, with a monster that looks so much like Godzilla as this. So it doesn't matter if the design is scientifically incorrect, just the thought that this cartoon could have inspired Toho is pretty damn awesome. And even though the action scenes aren't as good in this as the others, they are still pretty good. The highlight is when the monster destroys a dam. Superman comes and fixes it by pushing tons of rocks in to fill the gap in the dam.
Overall a great cartoon with a few flaws. But as a fan of Godzilla, i can say that this one is pretty damn awesome. 9/10.
Billion Dollar Limited (1942)
Different from the last two, but great all the same
Billion Dollar Limited is another great Superman cartoon.
The film starts with an image of the front page of the Daily Planet, reporting the shipment of a billion dollars of gold to the US mint. A train is being loaded with hundreds of bars of gold, guarded by several armed police officers. Lois is off course on board the train, to report about it. As the last of the gold is loaded, a car a few hundred yards away turns on its lights, and the men inside are robbers. And they of course follow the train. Later, a few of the robbers board the train from the back, climb to the middle, and separate several cars carrying guards from the front, leaving them stranded. Two other robbers attack the locomotive, throwing the engineer and a guard overboard, but falling off themselves as well. Lois, hearing the commotion, climbs to the engine's cab and is immediately machine-gunned from the robber's car, keeping pace with the train to the side. Lois grabs the machine gun and returns fire, only to have the bullets bounce harmlessly off of the armored car. The train continues to speed down the track, completely out of Lois' control and continually followed by the robbers. And now it's up to Superman to save the day.
This is another great cartoon, and something different from the previous two. I love that these cartoons, each have a very cliche superhero challenge or task nowadays, like Superman fighting evil scientists, giant monsters, or natural disasters, but these plots were really impressive for they're time. In this one, the villains are very human, being simple robbers. That's different from the last two, but cool, and is also a very common superhero task or challenge. I really love that this cartoon has almost non-stop action, and there's so much going on. This is one of the most fast-past cartoons of this series. The highlight of this cartoon, is when the robbers blow up this bridge, which part of the track that the train drives through is on, then the train falls down, but then Superman grabs the front of it, and pulls it back up. It is also cool that we see Lois kick some ass in this cartoon, when she picks up this machine gun, and shoot at the robbers' car. That is pretty awesome when in most of the cartoons, she is just the basic damsel in distress.
In conclusion, this one is different from the last two, but great all the same. 9/10
The Mechanical Monsters (1941)
My personal favorite Superman cartoon
The second in this wonderful serious is the best. This cartoon is also one of the cartoons i remember the most. If you read my review of the previous cartoon, you will know i owned a dvd with most of these cartoons on it. This one is one of the cartoons i remember very well from my childhood, because it used to scare the crap out of me when i was a kid, for some reason. I think i just thought the robots were scary. Anyways on to the cartoon.
The story is about this evil scientist, crime boss, og criminal rich guy. Who has build these big robots who steals jewels and cash for him at night. The story about robots flying around and stealing gems, jewels, and cash is of course published by many newspapers, including the Daily Planet. Later, as Lois Lane and Clark Kent are covering the museum's exhibit for the Daily Planet, one of the robots lands in the street outside. The police tries to stop it with machine guns but the bullets can't stop the robot and it marches through the big window in the museum. As the museum visitors, including Clark and Lois, flee, the monster marches towards the jewels and steals them. While Clark phones the Daily Planet, Lois climbs into the Monster's back, just as the monster leaves the museum and takes off into the sky. Now it's up to Superman to save the day.
There's really nothing i dislike about this cartoon, other than it's dated by today's standards, but again, i can't really dislike it for that. The X-ray vision being introduced in this cartoon, is enough to love it. But this cartoon has lots of other reasons why it's my favorite. The animation is great again, it's bright and colorful. The designs of the robots, is really cool. And one of the best action scenes of this series, in the end, where superman beats the crap out of the robots is the highlight of this cartoon. It also gets pretty dark at the end, when the villain tries to commit suicide, by jumping into the lava. but then Superman grabs him, and flies off. It's also very impressive that this short inspired movies like Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, and Hayao Miyazaki's Castle in the Sky. As a big fan of Miyazaki, i will say, this is pretty damn awesome.
In conclusion, this is my favorite cartoon of the Fleischer/Famous Studios Superman cartoon series. 10/10
Superman (1941)
Not timeless, but ahead of it's time
I owned a dvd with most of these cartoons on it when i was 6 years old. I saw them, and as a kid i didn't like them. But now as a young adult, i appreciate them alot more. However i would be lying if i said these Superman shorts are timeless. If you were to compare them to later action cartoons like Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teen Titans, Avatar, or even the later Superman: The Animated Series with they're longer running time and much more developed characters, then compare the Superman shorts to the cartoons i just mentioned, then the shorts are inferior nowadays. There was even one critic on IMDB who didn't like the short running time, and lack of character development, in these cartoons. But the thing is that no one had made a real action or superhero cartoon, and the Fleischers were probably only experimenting with how action cartoons could be done. And these shorts could probably be considered an experiment of action cartoons. And no one had made action cartoons before this, so the result is pretty impressive for the time. And yeah the designs are kinda 40s, but this was popular back then. Why this didn't win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short, is beyond me. I mean the Pluto film was cute and all, but did you see this? This was far superior, and much more ahead of it's time. Anyways onto the cartoon.
The cartoon starts with the opening credits. Then an introduction to Superman and his origins with narration is showed. You know, he came from Krypton and the way he came to Earth and discovered his powers. It's the only cartoon in the series to have this narration tell his origins.
The story is very simple, it's about this evil scientist who tries to destroy cities around the world with his death ray, because people didn't take his warnings seriously. The Superhero fighting a mad scientist cliche is one that has been done to death ever since, so much that it even has been parodied. However at the time it was something new. Lois Lane wants to get the story, then flies to his hideout with her private plane, then the scientist's pet bird spots her. Btw the bird is like the only cartoony character in this cartoon, which is kinda funny. Then Lois gets captured, the death ray destroys Tower Bridge, and tries to destroy buildings in New York, and it's up to Superman to save the day.
So what do i and don't i like about this cartoon. Well the only thing i don't like is that, again, it isn't timeless, and it's dated by today's standards. But actually, that's pretty much it.
So what do i like about this cartoon?? The animation is as everyone else say, great. The rotoscoping is amazing, and the death ray is animated very detailed and beautiful. The music is also great. In fact it's my favorite Superman theme of all time. And the voice acting is top notch, even having Jack Mercer (The voice of Popeye) as the Mad Scientist. And the fact that it's the first action cartoon was pretty groundbreaking for the time.
This cartoon isn't timeless, but was groundbreaking for it's time. 10/10
Fantasia (1940)
Timeless
I will review this movie and all the segments.
1. Toccata and Fugue in D minor. This is a great way to introduce the audience to Fantasia, with abstract art. However it is one of my lesser favorite segments, since some of the visuals could have been done better. However this is just nitpicking. Not much to say about this segment, other than it's a great way to introduce the audience to Fantasia. 8/10.
2. The Nutcracker Suite. This one i will have to say is my favorite segment from this entire movie. I find myself stoning to this segment everytime i watch it. And the visuals are just amazing. I mean, you just feel like your in the forest or in a garden throughout this entire segment. Probably my favorite scene is when Autumn comes and these fairies turn the green leaves orange or brown. Not much more to say other than, just perfect. 10/10.
3. The Sorcerer's Apprentice. This one i love like everyone else, and i think it's a classic. However, i still think it is overrated. That is because this is most people's or at least alot of people's favorite segment, the reason is probably that it's the most famous segment. And i disagree with that, since there are many superior segments in this movie. But i still think it's creative, fun and well drawn. 9/10.
4. The Rite of Spring. This i will have to say is my second favorite segment in Fantasia. Although science not art wrote the story of this segment, they create something artistic out of something scientific, and i love that. This segment is very need and original. This is what Disney's Dinosaur or Walking with Dinosaurs should have been. Sadly though this is some people's least favorite segment, since some people feel it's too long. Come on the Pastoral Symphony was just as long, and no one is complaining about that. And Dinosaur experts also complain about Jurassic Period Dinosaurs and Cretaceous Period Dinosaurs living together, and the fact that it wasn't a meteor but climate change that caused the extinction of the Dinosaurs. Now i'm not a Dinosuar expert, but from what i can gather from my research, this was pretty scientifically accurate for it's time. It wasn't generally accepted in the 1940s that a meteor caused the extinction of the Dinosaurs, and there were many theories as to why they became extinct. And as for the Jurassic and Cretaceous Dinosaurs living together, most Dinosaurs were at the time thought to have lived at the same time. Even Stravinsky didn't like this segment for some reason. Either way, this segment is a classic. I especially love the scene where the Prehistoric Bacteria are acting like cute Disney animals. That is just genius and adds alot of personality to the segment. And who can forget the famous fight scene between the Tyrannosaurus and the Stegosaurus. An absolute classic. 10/10.
5. The Pastoral Symphony. This is another great segment. I love the idea of it, and the artstyle is great. Although it may be a little too cute for some people, the scene with Zeus makes up for that. Not much more to say about it. 9/10.
6. The Dance of the Hours. This i will have to say is my least favorite segment of this entire movie. It's not bad, and it does fit the movie. And it is fitting to have a more comedic segment. However i for some reason didn't find it all that funny. However there were scenes that made me chuckle, and it is well drawn. 7/10.
7. The Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria. This is my third favorite segment in this movie. I love the design of Chernobog and the depiction of hell. And the Ave Maria is just one of the most beautiful moment made by Disney. A great way to end the movie. Not much more to say about this segment that people haven't said before. 10/10.
Other than a few of the segments not being that good, this movie does have a few other flaws. I really didn't think the movie needed the scenes with the host. I know Fantasia was suppose to become a film series, and this movie was meant to just be an introduction to that, and they were probably going to leave the host out for the other movies. But i still thought the host was boring to sit through. But this is just nitpicking.
This movie is a true classic and one of my favorite Disney movies. 10/10
Fantasia 2000 (1999)
Doesn't deserve the title Fantasia, but still fine on it's own.
1. The Symphony No. 5 in C minor. I didn't like the idea of this one, since i felt toccata and fugue in d minor was the only Fantasia segment that needed to be abstract, since it was meant to be an introduction to Fantasia. But i guess it could work again. However although it starts great, i will have to say that it ultimately ruins it, with the whole good and evil butterfly plot, trying to add a story to something that is suppose to be abstract. However it looks great and the beginning is decent, so i guess it works ok. 7/10
2. I will have to say that this is Probably my favorite segment in this movie, and could have easily been a good segment in the original, or the sequel Walt Disney was trying to make. 9/10
3. Rhapsody in Blue. I will admit, this is a pretty new and original take. But i still think it's too realistic and too much like something in the real world to be Fantasia. And while the animation is good and unique, it's not as beautiful, emotional or big as the original animation or even the animation for most of the other segments in this film. This is more like a cartoon you would see in Make Mine Music or Melody Time, it doesn't really fit into Fantasia. For what it is, i would give it a 10/10. But by Fantasia standards, it's probably a 7/10
4. Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Major-I. Allegro. The crew at Disney in the 1940s originally wanted a segment based on The Steadfast Tin Soldier fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, to be in the original Fantasia. I like the idea of this segment, and it could have had great potential. However this is still my least favorite Fantasia segment, both from the original and 2000. I think such a segment should be longer and slower paced, and i think it was much more straight forward than it needed to be. And i didn't really like the animation style they choose. It just looked too much like plastic. They could have definitely done more out of the environment the Tin Soldier goes through, and added much more excitement to this segment, both things like they did in the Rite of Spring or the Nutcracker Suite in the original. You see if you want to make a Fantasia segment out of such a small story, then you have to do your best on the environment, and just add alot more depth. There was definitely potential for great artwork on the sewers or when the soldier falls into the water and was eaten by this fish. And they could also have made the ending like the original to make it much darker and more dramatic. They did this in the Rite of Spring from the original, when the T-Rex killed the Stegosaurus. Showing how life is, and that things in the real world doesn't always have a happy ending. They could have easily done that in this one. But in the end, it was all just too simple for a Fantasia segment. It's a cute cartoon on it's own, and it could have been one of those shorts they show you before a Disney or Pixar movie in the cinema. But overall, this is just too small, too simple, and overall too dull to be in a Fantasia movie. Still i think this segment could have been done much better during the Golden Age of Disney. 5/10
5. The Carnival of the Animals. This one i would say is too small for a Fantasia movie, and feels more like a cartoon than a Fantasia segment. However the artstyle i think is absolutely great. 6/10
6. The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Some people have a problem with this movie replaying a segment from the original movie, instead of making a new original segment. However the thing is that while most people know that Walt Disney always wanted to make Fantasia a movie series. Only some people know that Disney planned with every Fantasia sequel to have one segment from the original be replayed as an 8th segment. So i really don't have a problem with that. 9/10.
7. Pomp and Circumstance. I think having a Fantasia segment starring Donald Duck is a good idea. However i think they choose the wrong story for it. The whole romance between Donald and Daisy seem out of place for a Noah's Ark story. And like everyone says, they should have chosen different music for this one, because when you hear it, your gonna think of graduation. But it's funny and cute, so i guess it works fine. 6/10.
8. The Firebird Suite. This is my second favorite segment in Fantasia 2000. But it's not perfect. While it starts off great, it's a little too short. And the ending with the Elk crying on Mother Nature to get her strong again, isn't the most believable, epic, or even best ending they could come up with. I mean, they could have made a grand battle between the Firebird and Mother Nature!! Don't question my high expectations!!! I mean they're Disney, they can do it. Overall despite it's problems, this one looks great and is a nice ending. 8/10.
Overall i think they could have made the running time longer, and because of that also make the segments longer. So the segments and the movie could be more artistic, have more depth, and be overall more epic. And i'm not going to get into the celebrity appearances, because my opinion is the same as yours. They're pretty hit and miss. Plus this movie definitely feels like it's more made for kids than adults, unlike the original. However despite it's flaws this is still a pretty good movie. And most of the segments, while not as good as those in the original, are still really really good. Overall, i give this movie a 7/10.