New Feature Opens in New York, Other Showings Must Await Equipment; "Painting with Motion" Describes Film "Fantasia," a Walt Disney revolutionary motion picture featuring eight classical music selections reproduced by special RCA sound equipment and illustrated in color, had its first public performance at the Broadway theatre in New York City Wednesday evening. It is Disney's third feature cartoon, the world's fourth. […] The film, which cost about $2,200,000, will not be released in the usual sense of the word, but in the next two and a half years it will be roadshown in about 75 cities. For each engagement the RCA reproducing equipment, developed in collaboration with the Disney engineers, must be installed. Eleven Units to Be Built Only one sound unit, which cost about $200,000 to develop and perfect, according to Mr. Disney, has been completed. Eleven other units to cost between $30,000 and $40,000 have been ordered and as fast as these are available the picture will open in other key cities, including Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, Atlanta, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City and Miami. At least for several years, according to plans, "Fantasia" will be shown in only one theatre in a large area. New York newspaper advertisements on the premiere pointed out that the film would not be presented in any other theatre within 100 miles. […]
