Fantasia comes to the big screen at Centro Pecci Cinema on Sunday 18 October at 10:30 am, as part of the Animiamoci film series. Screened in Italian.
A meeting between two great artists, Leopold Stokowsky and Walt Disney, gave birth to an original and innovative film, a truly unique musical.
The protagonist was to be Mickey Mouse, the plot was based on Paul Dukas's The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and the soundtrack featured the splendid performances of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro Stokowsky. Initially conceived as a short, the project expanded into a full-length feature film. On November 13, 1940, Fantasia debuted in theaters—but only in the few that had stereophonic systems installed. Disney insisted on the film being released in stereophonic sound, and the studio performed a miracle: Fantasia was the first stereophonic film in history. But who could enjoy such a marvel if the theaters only had monophonic systems? Disney itself took care of equipping theaters as Fantasia's screenings progressed, significantly increasing the final costs. People went to see the film, but the returns were paltry compared to the money invested. The criticism rained down relentlessly. Many believed Walt had bitten off more than he could chew. At the time, no one knew that the film would become one of his acknowledged masterpieces.
