Silly Symphonies + Fantasia

Walt Disney’s early cartoons were captured in a series called Silly Symphonies, which began in 1929.  This was the first place that Disney and the Disney animators began to explore the different techniques in the budding art.  They were all self contained short stories that brought inanimate objects to life and captured audiences for years.  They were a great way for the artists to practice their character animation and create some really funny stories.  My favorite was “Moth and the Flame” because it was silly, expressive, and engaging.  It follows two moths as they dine on a feast of wool and other clothing while being chased by an evil flame.  Another aspect of the Silly Symphonies that I really enjoyed is the fact that they rarely had any speaking in them.  They were centered around music which reflected the mood of the scene.  It is clear where the ideas for Fantasia came from after watching these.  Fantasia, released about ten years after the first Silly Symphony, was a truly experimental animation film.  Disney worked closely with musical director Leopold Stokowski while creating the film.  The film was not received well by audiences when it was released but is now considered a Disney classic.  My favorite scene has always been Mickey Mouse’s appearance as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, followed closely by the Dance of the Hours.  It is astounding at how well the animators brought the broom stick to life; it had just as much emotion as Mickey, who has a face.  As for the Dance of the Hours, I was always amazed at how dainty they could make a hippo look!