Magical Fantasia Reviews Magical Fantasia is a popular fantasy-themed amusement park located in the heart of a bustling city. It is known for its fantastical rides, enchanting shows, and immersive experiences that transport visitors into a world of magic and wonder. Here, visitors of all ages can let their imaginations run wild and escape the realities of everyday life. One of the main reasons why Magical Fantasia has garnered rave reviews from visitors is the attention to detail. From the moment you step foot into the park, you are greeted with elaborate decorations and intricately designed buildings that resemble something out of a fairy tale. The park is meticulously maintained, and it is evident that the staff takes pride in ensuring that every corner of the park is clean and well-kept.

This New Baker In Connecticut Serves Up Unique Donut Creations Like You've Never Seen

Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at [email protected]

I’ve gotta say, I have a personal weakness for donuts. Cakes, pies, and ice cream I can generally resist, but show me a good donut and I’m going to be hard-pressed to not order one of every flavor . We’ve got a lot of great donut shops in Connecticut, but even I would have my hands full trying to taste-test everything from the baker we’re featuring today . That’s because Magical Fantasia Donuts in Bridgeport, CT has an incredible 368 different fillings to choose from . This baker just opened up her business in 2022, but it’s no surprise that she’s already proving to be quite popular! Check out these tasty concoctions:

Baker Chinnie Lala started selling desserts in 2022 by working out of a commercial kitchen. She's currently working on opening up a storefront in Bridgeport.

For now, orders can be placed online and picked up curbside or delivered. You can also often spot Magical Fantasia donuts available at local farmers markets and festivals.

There are so many sweet treats to choose from on the menu here that it's almost overwhelming. There's truly something for everyone!

The star of the show is the bomboloni donuts. This style of Italian donut is filled with jam or other fillings and then rolled in powdered sugar.

Fantasia

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Breathtaking animation feat -- with some creepy visuals.

The park is meticulously maintained, and it is evident that the staff takes pride in ensuring that every corner of the park is clean and well-kept. The rides at Magical Fantasia are undoubtedly the park's main attraction. From thrilling roller coasters that defy gravity to gentle attractions that are perfect for younger visitors, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

A narrator augments the animated portions of the f

Music, color, movement, and feeling are closely co

In the "Pastoral" section, which depicts the roman

In "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," Mickey Mouse is a

Naked and partially naked nymphs, centaurs, and ch

To the strains of Beethoven's "Pastoral," animated

Parents need to know that Fantasia is a very early animated film (1940) contains numerous sequences in which the combination of ominous, dark music and violent, scary visuals could be frightening to very young or very sensitive kids. While there are enchanting dancing flowers, hippos, unicorns, and striking…

Educational Value

A narrator augments the animated portions of the film and introduces many orchestral instruments and musical concepts. He guides the audience through some of the great classics (Shubert, Beethoven, Stravinsky and more), giving tips to help enrich the musical experience.

Positive Messages

Music, color, movement, and feeling are closely connected. Music is a powerful means of expression. In "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", as well as a few of the other segments, characters demonstrate curiosity, courage, and perseverance.

Positive Role Models

In the "Pastoral" section, which depicts the romance of mythological characters, the male and female centaurs have old-fashioned male-female roles. The females bat their eyelashes and weaken in the presence of the strong, protective males.

Violence & Scariness

In "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," Mickey Mouse is a young wizard who cannot control the frenzied brooms that his magic has set in motion. The result is an intense storm, a giant whirlpool, and waves of water completely overpowering the scene.In "Rites of Spring" there are erupting volcanoes, massive earthquakes, fires and explosions and a final fight to the death between two ferocious dinosaurs. In "Dance of the Hours" and "Night on Bald Mountain" the forces of evil are portrayed by ghosts, skeletons, vultures, bats, and alligators.

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Sex, Romance & Nudity

Naked and partially naked nymphs, centaurs, and cherubim engage in courtship and romance. With the exception of one brief shot of nipples, there is no breast or genital definition to the animated characters.

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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

To the strains of Beethoven's "Pastoral," animated gods, humans, and animals drink wine, eat grapes. The god Bacchus becomes quite drunk.

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Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Fantasia is a very early animated film (1940) contains numerous sequences in which the combination of ominous, dark music and violent, scary visuals could be frightening to very young or very sensitive kids. While there are enchanting dancing flowers, hippos, unicorns, and striking visuals that show the relationship of sight and sound, there are at least as many very threatening images intensified by the shadowy dark music. Out-of-control broomsticks launch a massive flood; ferocious dinosaurs with teeth bared and giant clamping jaws fight a death battle; lightning and thunder introduce death and despair in the guise of skeletons, graves, bats, evil armies, and ghosts. There are several scenes which depict the romance of many mythological beings (centaurs, cherubim) and in which many of the characters are modestly unclothed. Some additional selections, including one which follows the evolution of the species over millions of years from an amoeba to the end of the giant dinosaur era, are very long, slow and may not fully engage today's kids. The film is most valuable as an historical experience. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.

User Reviews

There cannot be one verdict on "Fantasia". There must be eight: one for each of the seven segments, and an eighth for the film as a whole - for, varied though the seven segments are, they undeniably belong together. And, alas, space does not permit me to lay out all eight verdicts. I shall have to confine myself to details representative of the whole. At any rate, I shall try.

We learn the modus operandi of "Fantasia", the linking theme, in the second segment - an abridged version of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" suite. (Missing are the overture and the march.) Tchaikovsky's ballet involves anthropomorphising inanimate things, plus the odd tiny animal. So does Disney's "Nutcracker". But Disney has thrown out the particular details. The Chinese Dance is danced by mushrooms (who look, but are not, Chinese); the Arabian Dance by "Arabian" goldfish; the Russian dance by "Russian" thistles and orchids. Sometimes it goes further: "Waltz of the Flowers" shows two entire changes of seasons, with leaves, fairies, seed pods, seeds, snowflakes - everything but flowers. But in ignoring the letter of the instructions Disney is perfectly true to the spirit. Indeed he is more true to the spirit than the original ballet - for, let's face it: stage ballet is a degenerate and over-formalised art, which makes some of the world's most exciting music dull as wallpaper. Disney's amazing images express Tchaikovsky's sense of motion more than earthbound dancers ever could. This, one feels, is the kind of thing ballet music was TRULY designed for. The same goes to a lesser extent for the other two pieces of ballet music on the program.

This basic device - ignoring explicit instructions, but remaining true to the spirit - is carried through into every segment. (Some segments are better than others, but none can be called a failure.) Dukas's "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" has been turned into a Mickey Mouse cartoon - but it's the best Mickey Mouse cartoon ever made; and we realise that the story of the Sorcerer's Apprentice is really the archetype that all of the best Mickey Mouse cartoons had been reaching towards, all along. The Pastoral Symphony adheres to Beethoven's program but moves everything from the woods of Central Europe to a dreamland from classical mythology. (The second movement - the section with the courting centaurs - is a failure. For once the spirit as well as the letter of Beethoven is ignored. Unfortunately some critics cannot see beyond this movement to the superb interpretations that flank it on either side.)

I doubt that so much genuine creative work has gone into a film, before or since - even if you don't count the contributions made by the composers. What's my favourite film? I really don't know. But if you tell me that I must sit in a large dark cinema for two hours; and ask me what I would like to occupy my eyes and ears over those two hours, I would answer, without hesitation, Fantasia.

This unusual and very creative classic of animation combines a very interesting idea with quite a bit of imagination, plus visual effects that still hold up quite well. All but a couple of the sequences are quite enjoyable, and some especially so. Even the segments that don't work as well are usually at least interesting, since you can at least appreciate what they were trying to accomplish.

You don't really have to be all that familiar with the specific pieces of music for it to be worthwhile, since in several cases they chose to match the music with material that is rather different in nature from any original context that it may have had. And in any case, the animated sequences are intended to provide the context, in terms of the movie.

No doubt, everyone will have his or her own favorite segments, based on the music itself and on the choice of accompanying visual material. The "Sorcerer's Apprentice" sequence, with Mickey Mouse, is certainly one of the most memorable. The adaptation of "The Rite of Spring" is quite imaginative in using an entirely different setting for the music. "Night on Bald Mountain" has striking and sometimes bizarre visuals.

Many of the classic Disney features still hold up well as family entertainment, but "Fantasia" is unique for its combination of imaginative concept and visual creativity. Not every minute of it works, but that's the price of being willing to experiment. It's an enjoyable and satisfying feature that well deserves to be remembered.

In 1940, Walt Disney released "Fantasia", the third feature of his studio and maybe his most ambitious project, with a beautiful combination of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski and animation. The result is a movie that has been worshiped by every generation.

Yesterday I saw "Fantasia" again, now on the Special 60th Anniversary Edition DVD, restored and remastered with audio in THX inclusive with intermission. The program, for those that have eventually never seen or want to recall, is composed by the following:

(1) Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach.

(2) Nutcracker Suite by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

(3) The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas.

(4) Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky.

(5) Intermission/Meet the Soundtrack.

(6) The Pastoral Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven.

(7) Dance of the Hours by Amilcare Ponchielli.

(8) Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky.

(9) Ave Maria by Franz Schubert.

My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Fantasia"

This is one of the truly rare, one of a kind movie going experiences, kind of in the same league as watching 2001: A Space Odyssey. I like to watch this film repeatedly; often times I'll just close my eyes and daydream, letting my own imagination go in place of whats on the screen. My favorite part is the opening sequence, with its dramatic music and free flowing imagery foreshadowing the state of the world in 1940. The end of Ave Maria is the perfect bookend to this masterpiece; death has withdrawn and peace has finally arrived. It would, but not for another five years and millions of lives. I can never watch this movie without seeing it in this context; for me its a work of art, both a part and ahead of its time.

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.

Disney's "Fantasia" is a pure classic.

What we are shown are a few animated musicals, filled with grand splendor and vivid colors.

"Fantasia" is one of those films that everyone knows by heart, and has watched since being a child.

My personal favorite was always the Mickey Mouse short - one of the darkest Mickey cartoons I've ever seen.

If you haven't seen "Fantasia" yet, then you must be from another planet. It is one of the best Disney musicals ever, which some push aside and forget too easily.

Fantasia is the most amazing animated movie I have ever seen. It may not have the humor of Finding Nemo, nor the simple message of Dumbo. It's so different from anything else the House of Mouse ever created. But it may well be the best.

It's a collection of short subjects with little or no plot, but what makes the compilation unique is that it's all matched to classical music, beautifully conducted by Leopold Stokowski, and bridged by live-action footage of the silhouettes of an orchestra, narrated by Deems Taylor. Besides these sequences, there isn't a word of dialog.

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor: This is nothing but an abstract piece of animation. You see the strings of the cello, the violin, and lots of stripes and shapes that leave trails of color in their wake. Magnificently matched to the music. There's not really that much to explain, just images.

The Nutcracker Suite: An ode to nature based on Tchaikowsky's six dances. Each dance is performed by the most unlikely dancers. Fairies, goldfish, thistles and many more perform the dances, but best of all is Art Babbit's Chinese Dance sequence, with mushrooms. The highlight of the sequence is Hob Low, a little mushroom who seems to lag behind the rest of the impeccable act. Brilliantly animated by Babbit, one of the best sequences in the movie.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice: An old story starring Mickey Mouse and the intimidating wizard Yen Sid (guess what that spells backwards!), matched to Dukas' symphony. This is without a doubt MM's greatest performance. The animation, especially Ugo O'Dorsi's brilliant effects, is impeccable. Funny and dramatic at the same time, everyone who's ever heard of Mickey Mouse should see The Sorcerer's Apprentice.

The Rite of Spring: Igor Stravinsky's Le Sacre was originally meant to signify prehistory, but Disney has taken it much further than a series of old tribal dances. The Rite of Spring starts out at the dawn of the planet, zooming in on our tormented home, spewing lava and rocks. Powerful scenes of the elements that ran amok, without utilizing computers at all (well, they hadn't been invented yet). Then, we skip to the beginnings of life, from the life and death struggle of big bacterium vs. little bacterium. Skip to the dinosaurs, and the constant tyranny of the tyrannosaurus. Many powerful dramatic scenes, beautifully set to the music, until desertification, starvation, a tidal wave and an earthquake wipes out the dinosaurs. Marvelous. One of the best shorts in animation history.

The Pastoral Symphony: Ludwig Van Beethoven's masterpiece, instead of portraying the countryside, takes place in a mythological setting. From Pegasus' family, and the adventures of the little black Baby Pegasus. Next movement revolves around the attempts of a bunch of butt-naked baby cupids trying to bring together single centaurs and centaurettes. Next, the exploits of the amorous and extremely drunk Bacchus and Jacchus, who join in the centaurs' wine-making. But all is interrupted by Zeus, who chucks lightning bolts at the lot till he's bored. Next movement, and order is restored, the sun sets, and Diana fires a comet into the sky. Wonderfully animated, and perfectly matched to great music.

The Dance of the Hours: Ostriches, elephants, hippos and alligators dance to Ponchielli's ballet, in a nobleman's castle, revolving around the leader of the gators, Ben Ali Gator's crush on Hyacinth Hippo. Beautifully animated, wonderful comic relief amidst a storm of serious art. It would've been just as successful as a short cartoon. Hilarious!

A Night On Bald Mountain and Ave Maria: One word: Chernabog. You have to see it to believe it. IS Bald Mountain REALLY a mountain? No, it's the crouching figure of Chernabog, a demon who calls all manner of grotesque, undead, and demonic things to himself, and tortures them in a hellish manner, disposing of them at will. Absolutely terrifying cacodemonic animation coupled with Moussorgsky's dramatic, intimidating score. But as dawn approaches, torch-bearing pilgrims, and Schubert's Ave Maria in the background, subdue Chernabog and the demons, and they return to the Underworld as a masterpiece ends. Vladimir Tytla is the only man who could possible have pulled off this dramatic, spell bindingly horrific sequence. The best piece of animation ever.

Fantasia is something special. Music, comedy, and unadulterated evil. That's a strange mixture. But two hours of these elements come together to make what may be the best movie ever. Fantasia will amaze ya.

This without a doubt the greatest animated film in history. While highly acclaimed and well-known today, it was not terribly popular when it was first released. The idea of "Fantasia" is to take great pieces of music and draw animated sequences that match them. In doing so, it reverses the purpose of a movie's score; the movie serves and matches the music, not the other way around. This set up also means that there is no typical formula plot that is present in the vast majority of movies. In the first piece, the animation is vague and abstract, but in later ones it is of definite actions, objects, and stories. The two most famous(and my favorite) parts are probably "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and "Rite of Spring". "Fantasia" is not only the best animated film ever made, but one of the greatest films period.

Fantasia was to be the crowning achievement of Walt Disney Studios, their magnum opus, a work of art that finally convinced the people that animated films could be more than "mere" children's entertainment. Unfortunately, it was too much too soon. People went in expecting children's entertainment - after all, that's what Disney was known for - and instead were treated to high art. Nothing wrong with that, but you need to expect it first. And thus, Fantasia flopped financially, and what was meant to be a continuing series of films, remained just one until the turn of the century.

But oh what a film it is. Music by the best classical composers ever lived, performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, hosted by Deems Taylor, featuring some the finest animated segments Disney had ever done. It's a stone cold classic, was from the very first moment, and it's a shame it didn't do so well. Luckily it has gone down in history as one of Disney's finest and will be watched and appreciated for centuries to come.

As for the individual segments, they're not of equal quality, though they are all very good in their own ways.

The opening segment, Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, is not one of my personal favourites, but it works as a good opening intro to the idea behind Fantasia and is pretty to look at in its own way. It hasn't aged as well as some of the other segments, but it does its job more than adequately.

Nutcracker Suite, on the other hand, is fantastic. Beautiful images, perfectly accompanied by one of the most recognizable pieces of music there is. After seeing this segment once, it's hard not to see fairies and seasons dancing around whenever you hear the piece.

And then there's The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Everyone knows this one and has most probably seen it, even if they haven't seen the whole film. It's the segment with the most story and is one of the strongest Mickey Mouse shorts ever made. Grandeur, funny and even a bit threatening, it's probably the film's strongest moment.

Rite of Spring is another one with a story, this time about the history of our small blue orb floating in the space. It's intriguing to watch, but once again the animation shows a bit of its age and it's perhaps even a little bit too ambitious for its running length. Not the strongest segment, but once again very good nonetheless.

The Pastoral Symphony and Dance of the Hours, the next two segment, are to me very similar and while they're both fine, I cannot admit to liking them all that much. They're mostly just general gallivanting and while that's fine and fits the music, it can become a bit boring. The Pastoral Symphony is also the segments that has aged the least gracefully with some really rough character designs.

Luckily we have Night on Bald Mountain and Awe Maria to close the film. And they are awe-inspiring. The devil on his lone mountain top is one of the scariest images Disney has ever produced and the rest of the segment is equally haunting, eerie and threatening. Which is why the following tranquility and quietness of Awe Maria works so well and allows you to drift over the finish line with a smile on your face and peace in your heart.

Fantasia is not a perfect film, but it's still one of the finest pieces of art I've ever seen and a perfect introduction to animated films meant for adults. As a child I found it slightly boring. As an adult I'm in awe.

After "Snow White", who could ever underestimate animation? The new art form was definitely there to stay, embarking with bold confidence in the VIP wagon of Hollywood and promising to throne over the box-office for the decades to come. To think that it all started with a mouse!

And Walt Disney movies all pay tribute to that aspect of his success, that the simplest things can lead to the most extraordinary achievements, all it takes is to believe in or to wish upon a star. "Fantasia" is also an allegory of Disney's miraculous triumphs, an extraordinary achievement that also started with a mouse, THE mouse actually.

After years of declining popularity, it was time for Mickey to make a glorious come-back in a 'Silly Symphonies' cartoon, one of Oscar-caliber fitting his legacy. It was "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" adapted from Goethe's story of the same name. Today, the vision of Mickey enchanting the broom, making it fetch the water with Paul Lukas' playful tune and the dream sequence over the cliff, where he controls stars, comets, waves and the whole universe, are some of the most iconic moments of Disney's canon and American film-making history. And unconscious or not, there was something self-referential in that short.

Indeed, Disney was like Mickey during the dream, he could make anything possible with that magical hat called a 'vision', and like Mickey realizing the mayhem caused by the hundreds of brooms flooding the whole place, he saw the budget leak the short could have caused and things going easily out of control if he didn't decide to enlarge the scope and ambitions of the project. Instead of a short masterpiece, how about one big masterpiece made of little ones? So he made "Fantasia", an animated anthology, made of eight unforgettable segments set up to classical music pieces, each one having as much to say about music as they have about life.

From the enchanting 'Dance of the Plum Fairy' with Tchaikovsky's 'Nutcracker' and the adorable 'China dance' with the mushrooms, to the horrifying Mussgorsky's 'Night on a Bald Mountain' and penetrating Schubert's 'Ave Maria', from the poetic to the droll, the antique to the modern, Disney took the world to a journey of such an unprecedented narrative it couldn't match the usual seventy minute-format. The two-hour run-time, long even by today's standards, says something about his urge to reach the mature age of animation. "Snow White" and "Pinocchio" were landmarks but the general perception of animation as an entertainment for children was a barrier to cross. "Fantasia" did it, showing with frames whatever classical music communicated with notes.

It is perhaps the greatest tribute to the power of music ever made in animation, an odyssey in the universal and timeless meaning of the word that can be easily compared to Stanley Kubrick's "2001". And watching the silhouette of the conductor Leopold Stokowski during the "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" by Johann Sebastian Bach has the same impact than the 'Zarathustra' opening, an ominous moment of religious intensity, and with a point: music doesn't set the tone, doesn't get us in the mood, it IS the mood, the tone, the focal point. The purpose of the opening sequence, as explained by the Master of Ceremonies Deems Taylor (who lets us see the Philadelphia orchestra play the instruments) was to acknowledge music's self-sufficient value and not take it for granted. And the film starts with abstract moving forms in gold and blue moving in harmony with the music.

We "visualize" the sound if that was ever possible. But who said anything was impossible with Disney? In the intermission; Taylor even introduces music as a character! And rightfully so because music also happens to be the storyteller, or a narrator helping us to appreciate our cultural heritage. With Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring", we follow the reign and then the extinction of dinosaurs, what a long way since Gertie in 1914! T-Rex penetrated children's imagination, three generations before Spielberg. Beethoven "Pastoral Symphony" is a recollection of little Greek vignettes with fauns, angels and oddly sensual centaurettes. And Ponchielli's catchy "Dance of the Hour"s with the hippos, alligators and ostriches is the perfect little interlude before the nightmarish climax and its quiet and peaceful ending, whose religious undertones might make up for the use of evolutionist elements.

Without being controversial "Fantasia" did break a few grounds of censorship, venturing into themes hardly explored by movies such as details of female anatomy or depictions of Satan. Maybe Disney was too ahead of his time and some critics judged the film a bit too pretentious, too uneven, which can be argued since some parts are definitely standout masterpieces while the "Dance of the Hours" is of 'Silly Symphonies' level, but the point is that Disney, like I said before, was the sorcerer's apprentice whose delusions of grandeur were reflected by Mickey's dream, he wanted to push the edge of the envelope and experiment the newest framing and stereophonic sounds. Maybe what the film says is that any director must be a sorcerer's apprentice.

And there is something in the criticism faced by "Fantasia" that reminds of "2001" with people praising Mickey's part like they acknowledge Hal 9000 was the best thing about the film, as if they were afraid to admit they were bored a little. But how many movies owed their ticket to posterity because of some 'boring' parts? Geniuses doesn't just have visions of art, they challenges the viewers' own visions.

During the poignant handshake between the two silhouettes of Stokowski and Mickey, like a torch-passing moment between the past and the future, don't get it wrong, there's a third man out there, it's Disney, he's the voice and the Maestro, the one who conducted our eyes, our ears and our hearts to the infinite limits of imagination. and beyond. His secret: we all saw him as the Sorcerer, but he saw himself as the eternal apprentice.

Fantasia (Sega Genesis Review)

Well, at least there’s only four levels. She said, staring off into the distance, her soul shattered into millions of pieces.

Boy, do I have a funny story for you. I nearly beat Fantasia unaware that there was a way to kill enemies by hopping on them. Now, on occasion, enemies would die from me landing on them, BUT I always took damage too. What I wasn’t aware of is that Fantasia has a butt stomp that’s activated by pressing DOWN when you jump. Now, I might be an idiot, but there’s no way I could have missed this at the start of the game. What I think happened was I tried to perform a butt stomp on the early enemies, only Fantasia’s legendarily horrible collision detection flipped a coin and awarded the victory to the enemy. I took damage and assumed there was no butt stomp. That’s on me for not reading the instruction book.

And when I say “I made it to the end of the game” I mean I was literally about to clear the final screen. This is where I accidentally discovered the butt stomp works. I think I deserve a little credit for making it this far while having to mostly avoid enemies while trying to round up enough magic to take out the ones I couldn’t manage to jump over, even after rewinding and retrying dozens of times. It’s why a game that took me around 45 minutes to beat the second time took me 8+ hours the first go around. Lots and lots of rewinding trying to avoid enemies with collision boxes the size of a galaxy.

The way I played Fantasia, where I had to spend several minutes just to be able to make it one enemy further along, was just about as unhappy a gaming experience as humanly possible. I had to start over, because otherwise my opinion on Fantasia would have been based on an incoherent series of swear words. So, I started over from the beginning, and learned that Fantasia isn’t the worst game ever made. It also meant that, technically, I played the first and third levels three times. See, the object of Fantasia isn’t to get to the end of stages. It’s to score enough points. If you don’t score enough points and reach the end of a level, you have to start over. Since I wasn’t killing very many enemies at all, I wasn’t finding hidden notes or scoring enough points.

Music notes, like the one pictured here, score the most points of anything in the game by far. AND they restore life. AND they give you temporary invincibility. AND they give you an extra life. Seriously, it does all that, all at once. Mind you, there is no extra life item OR temporary invincible item, so it’s not like the note combines four in-game items. That would be cool. The fact that this restores health AND does three other things? It’s just so random. This is like how an imbecile designs a video game.

And sometimes slaying enemies opens up hidden platforms or reveals items, including the insanely overpowered musical notes. Except, killing them with your magic almost never does it. Only the butt stomp works. There’s no bosses and the end of stages lack any climatic feel. The closest the game comes to that is having a wave of basic enemies spawn when you reach the final fairy of the final stage. The fairies are also haphazardly done. Sometimes touching one takes you to another part of the stage. Sometimes it means the door is AROUND where you’re at. Hell, on the first stage, I even collected one of the fairies.. somehow. I don’t even think it did anything, either. So, after putting in over two play sessions since last night in Fantasia, while Fantasia isn’t the worst game I’ve ever played, I feel comfortable calling it the worst game Sega has ever published. As for Atari, formerly Infogrames, seriously, go to your room. You’re grounded. I know nobody there today probably had anything to do with Fantasia, but I don’t really care. Go to your room and think about what you’ve done.

Any game with bad collision and spongy enemies should probably avoid spamming the whole screen with enemies. That’s Fantasia’s go-to move, and they always tend to cluster-up no matter where they start on the screen.

Calling Fantasia on the Sega Genesis “historically inept” doesn’t feel like it does it justice. It’s clearly a game designed with little more in mind than looking good in advertisements and disgustingly invoking the previous year’s incredible Castle of Illusion release. That game? Very good. Fantasia? One of the worst platform games ever made. A title that does nothing right except look the part. And the “looking the part” crosses the line into being genuinely morally reprehensible because it’s trying to imply a relationship or even sequel-status to Castle of Illusion. Castle of Illusion was fine-tuned to the point that it felt scientific. A literal “fun for all ages” release that could cast the widest possible net for the Sega Genesis while it was in start-up. If you looked at it and Castle of Illusion side-by-side, it sure seems like Fantasia is trying to appear be a direct sequel, does it not?

The object of the game is NOT to reach the end of levels, but to first score X amount of points AND THEN finish the level. Each stage has a minimum scoring baseline you must reach, or you have to start over.

I reject the excuse that Fantasia’s problems came from the holiday release window time crunch. It shouldn’t take that long for one person to raise their hand and say “this isn’t fun” or “why are the collision boxes so big that Mickey takes damage from enemies over a character length away?” I just checked this with a stopwatch. It takes three seconds to raise that objection. My apologies if someone did raise their hand, only whoever was in charge rejected it. That might have happened. The project manager hasn’t done a game since 1996. Good. Fantasia is nearly unplayable. From the “score X points” premise to the level design to the shockingly massive collision boxes to the way combat is handled to the enemy placement to the movement physics.. EVERYTHING is bad. Screw it. EVEN THE GRAPHICS AREN’T GOOD! It has decent sprite work, but when visibility is often a major factor, what good is a sprite clear enough to say “yep, that sure is Mickey Mouse.”

I really don’t get the whole “at least it looks good” bit. Castle of Illusion? Now THAT looks good and there’s no visibility issues. Here, I often couldn’t tell what was a platform and what wasn’t.

Fantasia is a laundry list of bad design choices. I’m going with the collision detection as the worst part, because it’s truly shocking. I’m talking about collision boxes so large they need to be measured in the percentage of screen they cover. They’re not consistent either. Sometimes jumping over enemies or ducking under them is viable. Sometimes they can cause damage by hitting the corner of your box just by being in your general vicinity on your side of the screen. Take a look at this:

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And here it is in motion.

Since Fantasia relies on spamming the screen with enemies, this is sort of important. Even once I discovered the butt stomp, I was stunned by how the game typically programs enemies to deal with this. First off, enemies are INSANELY spongy. Some of them take several bounces to slay. Also, since most of them tend to sort of move upwards, when you butt stomp them and they keep rising up, you’re likely to take damage if you try to finish them in one motion. The only other options are limited magical projectiles, or “spells.” You can cast two tiers of spells: strong (which cost 3 magic points) and weak (which cost 1). They should really be labeled “weak” and “weaker” because even the ones that cost 3 points aren’t enough to finish the majority of enemies.

Oh god, I forgot to write about the movement. QUICK, CATHY! Six Flags is waiting!

Yea, I forgot to do a bit on the movement. Well, it’s sluggish and unresponsive. Turning around is a chore. This is further compounded by often having the platforms themselves have a little bit of give to them, like they’re unstable. You know, sort of like I am after playing this game. In a game that’s this centered around combat with enemies, many of whom move erratically, having just the act of turning around and starting to move be an exercise in patience feels like it wasn’t the wisest choice. After a certain point, I have to ask if anyone making this had even a tiny lick of fun, or were they just really angry at the world while they made Fantasia?

The magic books give you ammo, though even this seems inconsistent. Most of the time, I’d get 3 points from them, but sometimes I swear I’d only get 1. Same with the life refills.

The story goes that, after Fantasia the game was rushed out to make the 1991 holiday release, Disney apologized to Sega, saying that Fantasia’s license had been granted to Sega by accident. See, Fantasia, the 1940 motion picture, was Walt and Roy O. Disney’s baby. Roy E. Disney, son of Roy O. and gatekeeper of the Disney legacy, was dead set against Disney licensing Fantasia to anyone. Sega apparently gave Disney an extended deal as a make-good. Either way, the unsold inventory was pulled. Part of me wonders if that still would have happened if Fantasia had been a halfway decent game that got Castle of Illusion levels of critical acclaim.

I actually did finish Fantasia without cheating on NORMAL difficulty the second go around. My reward? This. That’s it. There’s not even a credit roll. It really screams of a rush job made by clowns. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to rush to this review’s conclusion so I can go ride roller coasters.

This is Disney game #18 on this marathon I’m on, and this is easily the worst. It might actually be the worst holiday release in gaming history. And, unlike some bad games, it’s not even worth fixing Fantasia. Even if they tweaked the collision boxes, the enemies are too spongy. Even if you removed the sponginess, the levels are boringly designed. After a certain point, so many things need to be fixed that you might as well tear it down and start over again. You’d think the one thing a Fantasia game would get right is the music, but these chip tune versions of the film’s famous orchestral arrangements are some of the worst in gaming history. The soundtrack sounds like a synthesizer is trying to die and it just can’t.
Verdict: NO !
I recommend Playing at the Next Level: A History of American Sega Games by Ken Horowitz. Among other things, it contains the history of this piece of crap.

The park is constantly introducing new and innovative rides, ensuring that even frequent visitors will always have something new to look forward to. In addition to the rides, Magical Fantasia offers a wide range of shows and performances that captivate audiences. From dazzling magic shows to stunning acrobatic performances, visitors are treated to a spectacle of talent and skill. The performers are incredibly talented and bring their characters to life, mesmerizing audiences with their abilities. Another aspect of Magical Fantasia that visitors praise is the range of food options available. The park features a variety of restaurants and food stalls that offer everything from classic carnival snacks to gourmet dining experiences. The food is of high quality, and there are options to cater to different dietary preferences, ensuring that everyone can find something to satisfy their taste buds. On top of all these features, Magical Fantasia also puts a strong emphasis on guest experience. The staff is friendly and helpful, always ready to assist visitors with any queries or concerns they may have. The park also offers a range of amenities such as lockers, stroller rentals, and resting areas, making sure that guests have a comfortable and enjoyable time. Overall, the reviews for Magical Fantasia are overwhelmingly positive. Visitors appreciate the attention to detail, the thrilling rides, the captivating shows, the diverse dining options, and the excellent guest experience. It has become a must-visit destination for those seeking a magical and immersive experience that will leave them with beautiful memories to cherish..

Reviews for "Immerse Yourself in the Enthralling World of Magical Fantasia: A Review"

1. John - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with Magical Fantasia. The plot felt disjointed and confusing, jumping from one random event to another without any clear direction. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any depth or development. Additionally, the writing style was subpar, with awkward and clunky descriptions that didn't draw me into the story. Overall, Magical Fantasia fell flat for me and I wouldn't recommend it to others.

2. Emily - 1/5 - I couldn't even finish reading Magical Fantasia. The story felt forced and cliché, with predictable plot twists and an unoriginal fantasy setting. The dialogue was cringe-worthy, filled with cheesy lines and unrealistic interactions between characters. I found it difficult to connect or care about any of the characters, as they lacked any real depth or relatability. I was hoping for a magical journey, but instead, I got a poorly executed and uninspiring read.

3. Mark - 2/5 - Magical Fantasia had potential but failed to deliver. The world-building felt half-baked and underdeveloped, leaving many aspects of the magical realm unexplained and confusing. The pacing was uneven, with slow and dragging sections followed by rushed and chaotic sequences. Additionally, the protagonist's motivations and actions often seemed implausible and inconsistent. While there were a few moments of intrigue, they were overshadowed by the overall lackluster execution of the story. Overall, Magical Fantasia was a missed opportunity for a captivating and enchanting read.

Discovering the Magic Within: A Review of Magical Fantasia