Fantasia 2000 (1999) ***

An animated IMAX extravaganza featuring seven new sequences and one classic segment from the original Disney classic. Best of all are those snotty flamingos playing with a yoyo in a wacky interpretation of Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals. Donald Duck stars in an equally hilarious segment about Noah's Ark, set to the music of Sir Edward Elgar's classic (and oft-ridiculed) Pomp And Circumstance. And there are also giant whales frolicking among icebergs...while Ottorino Respighi's Pines of Rome is playing on the soundtrack. Often quite entertaining, the film has one major drawback: some segments too closely imitate those from the 1940 film - Beethoven replaces Bach in an equally boring abstract sequence and Stavinsky's Firebird is a carbon copy of Mussorgsky's Night On The Bald Mountain.

Un film d'animation de Hendel Butoy. Avec Mickey Mouse et Donald Duck. La suite du grand classique d'animation de Walt Disney, Fantasia 2000 nous offre un pot-pourri irrésistible de la musique classique, du jazz, de l'art abstrait, du surréalisme et des luttes epiques. On retient surtout une superbe numéro des flamants jouant avec un yoyo, ainsi qu'une fresque impressionante avec des balaines géantes qui gambadent parmi les icebergs. Le fameux Donald Duck fait une apparition dans un segment qui raconte l'histoire de Noe, tandis que la Cinquième Symphonie de Beethoven est illustrée par des images purement abstraits. Presenté dans le format Imax, Fantasia 2000 est un vrai morceau de bravure - un film à la fois innovateur et traditionel.

The Adventures Of Ichabod And Mr Toad (1949) ****

An excellent Disney feature consisting of two segments:

"Wind In The Willows" *****
"The Legend Of The Sleepy Hollow" ****

Melody Time (1948) ***

A successful compilation of 7 animated segments. 

"Once Upon A Wintertime" (H.Luske) *** 

"Bumble Boogie" (J.Kinney) **** 

"Johnny Appleseed" (W.Jackson) **** 

"Little Toot" (C.Geronimi) *** 

"Trees" (H.Luske) * 

"Blame It On The Samba" (C.Geronimi) *** 

"Pecos Bill" (C.Geronimi) ***

Fun And Fancy Free (1947) ***

Two animated shorts, introduced by Jiminy Cricket and Edgar Bergen. 

"Bongo" (J.Kinney) *** 

"Mickey And The Beanstalk" (Luske-Roberts) ***

Make Mine Music (1946) ***

One of several sequels to "Fantasia" produced by Walt Disney in 1940's. It consists of 10 segments ranging in quality from superb to abysmal. The first two episodes concern a bunch a barefooted hillbillies in the Ozarks and a pair of flamingoes in a Louisiana bayou. Both are highly forgettable. Things really pick up with the terrific third segment about dancing teenagers. Great jazz music and the innovative, very self-reflexive style of animation contribute heavily to its success. The next three segments consist of a screwy baseball cartoon sandwiched between two soulful ballads. The seventh segment, an adaptation of Prokofiev's "Peter And The Wolf" is as memorable as the following episode, a jazzy, semi-abstract cartoon with music by Benny Goodman. Next comes a romantic love story about two hats, followed by the last and greatest segment - a superb, incredibly innovative story about a singing whale, hunted by an impressario, who believes that the animal swallowed three opera singers! The episode takes full advantage of the impressive vocal talents of Nelson Eddy. 

"The Martins And The Coys" (J.Kinney) ** 

"Blue Bayou" (S.Armstrong) * 

"All The Cats Join In" (J.Kinney) **** 

"Without You" (R.Cormack) ** 

"Casey At The Bat" (C.Geronimi) *** 

"Two Silhouettes" (R.Cormack) ** 

"Peter And The Wolf" (C.Geronimi) **** 

"After You've Gone" (J.Kinney) **** 

"Johnny Fedora And Alice Bluebonnet" (J.Kinney) *** 

"The Whale Who Wanted To Sing At The Met" (Geronimi-Luske) *****

Saludos Amigos (1943) ***

Four cartoon shorts linked by brief live-action sequences shot during Walt Disney's tour of South America. The first two segments are set in the Andes. The third one stars Goofy as an Argentinian gaucho. The final episode introduces a Brazilian parrot named Jose Carioca, who teaches Donald about samba. 40' 

"Lake Titicaca" (B.Roberts) ** 

"Pedro" (H.Luske) *** 

"El Gaucho Goofy" (J.Kinney) *** 

"Aquarela do Brasil" (W.Jackson) ***

Fantasia (1940) *****