[note]This article series promoted the book The Art of Walt Disney: From Mickey Mouse to the Magic Kingdoms and Beyond written by Christopher Finch which was first published in 1973.[/note]
Of all Disney's movie efforts, none was more innovative than this spectacular merger of classical music and animation, which also provided a "comeback" for a well-known mouse. In his concluding excerpt from "The Art of Walt Disney," Christopher Finch explores the world of "Fantasia."
THE NEW emphasis on feature film production did not mean Disney had lost his special affection for Mickey Mouse, but Mickey was losing ground to Donald Duck and this prompted Disney, in 1938, to plan a comeback for him.
The vehicle he chose for this purpose was "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," an ancient fairy-tale motif which Goethe had used in a very popular poem; Disney's immediate inspiration was Paul Dukas's orchestral work of the same title, written in 1897.
This popular piece of program music seemed to provide Disney with the perfect score for his project. Its running time made for a film about twice the length of the average cartoon short, thus allowing for leisurely storytelling and substantive character development.
Disney, anxious to lend this production as much prestige as possible, was fortunate enough to obtain the services of Leopold Stokowski. Stokowski, who conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra, had long admired Disney's work and involved himself so intensely in the project that it began to develop into something far more ambitious.
[…]
