BEFORE: I was writing recently (on Andy's blog, not mine) about how my father never wanted to go to the cinema when I was a kid. The topic was illegal downloads, and how today's computer generation demands to see a film right now, on their computer, without waiting for a valid DVD release, and thus justifies the process of illegal downloads. My father's attitude, on the other hand, was that there was no reason to go to the theater, since in a mere 5 or 6 years every decent film would be screened on TV for free.
However, Dad did not take into account the things which had not been invented yet, like OnDemand, the internet, and for that matter, DVDs. So not every film was destined to be screened on network TV.
Of course, Dad and I did not see eye to eye, and I (being a 10-year-old) practically demanded to see films like "Star Wars" and "Ghostbusters" on the big screen, as Hollywood intended. Thankfully my Mom had a habit of taking me to all the Disney releases, including a re-release of the original "Fantasia", which is how I became an avid cinemaphile in the first place. I think she desperately wanted to instill a love for classical music in her kids - but really, she was just turning me into a fan of animation, which also pointed me in the direction of a career.
Linking from "Cars 2", Bonnie Hunt was also in "Cheaper By the Dozen" with Steve Martin (last seen in "Father of the Bride II"), who appears here to introduce a segment.
THE PLOT: An update of the original film with new interpretations of great works of classical music.
AFTER: This was a good choice for tonight, with a running time of just 75 minutes, it was perfect for a mid-week night when I was short on time.
As for judging the film, it's sort of a mixed bag since there are 7 different segments, in 7 different styles. I think my favorite was probably the "Rhapsody in Blue" segment, in a style based on the art of caricaturist Al Hirschfeld. It encapsulated the feel of 1930's New York City, which also had the benefit of being relevant after the economic collapse of 2008, with some people out of work and others rolling in dough. But unfortunately it also relied on broad stereotypes of New Yorkers - the black construction worker who also plays drums in a Harlem jazz club, and an entitled rich white girl whose day is filled with music lessons, tennis lessons, ballet, etc.
There's a replay of the famous "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment with Mickey Mouse, which feels a little like cheating, and this is followed by a "Noah's Ark" segment to the tune of "Pomp and Circumstance", that for some reason also features Donald Duck working on the ark. That seemed a little odd, since he ended up doing more work than Noah did (was Noah tired after building the ark?). Plus, I tend to favor a separation of church and Disney - get your religion out of my cartoons!
Flying whales? Sort of interesting. A flamingo with a yo-yo? That was just bizarre. Abstract depictions of triangle-based butterflies? Ehh, I was just kind of whelmed by that one.
I appreciate the attempts to keep classical music and jazz alive, but honestly it seems kind of like they were fighting a losing battle. They could have gone a lot hipper with this, and not just by hiring current celebrities to introduce the segments. But as we saw with "The Princess and the Frog", with Disney featuring the first minority princess, and discovering New Orleans jazz and creole cooking for the first time, they're still lagging a decade or three behind the times.
Also starring Bette Midler (last heard in "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore"), Quincy Jones, Angela Lansbury (yeah, cause SHE'S hip), James Earl Jones (last heard in "The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride"), and my buddies Penn + Teller.
RATING: 5 out of 10 hardhats
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