Fantasia 2000

Quotes: « James Earl Jones: [introducing the Carnival of the Animals] These drawing boards have been the birthplace of some of the most beloved animal characters of all time. So it's no surprise that they choose for our next segment, "The Carnival of the Animals" by Camille Saint-Saëns. Here the sensitive strains of impressionistic music combine with the subtle artistry of the animator to finally answer that age old question: "What is man's relationship to nature?" » [is handed a piece of paper] « James Earl Jones: Oh, sorry… That age old question: "What would happen if you gave a yo-yo to a flock of flamingos?" » [turns to look off-camera] « James Earl Jones: Who wrote this? » « Angela Lansbury: Walt Disney described the art of animation as a voyage of discovery, into the realms of color, sound, and motion. The music from Igor Stravinsky's ballet "The Firebird" inspires such a voyage. And so we conclude this version of "Fantasia" with a mythical story of life, death, and renewal. » « Steve Martin: You know what's amazing is that many of these musicians are playing for the very first time, thanks to "Steve Martin's Two-week Master Musician Home-Study Course". More about that later. Hello and welcome to Fantasia 2000. It's been more than sixty years since Walt Disney and his artists teamed with maestro Leopold Stokowski to create a film they titled "The Concert Feature". I think we're all glad they changed the name to "Fantasia". You know, "Fantasia" was meant to be a perpetual work in progress. Every time you went to see it, you'd experience some new pieces, along with some old familiar favorites. But that idea fell by the wayside until now. So let me turn things over to the great Itzhak Perlman, who, I have just been informed, plays the violin. Well, so do I, big deal. Could I have my violin, please? » [is handed a violin] « Steve Martin: Ahh, thank you. All right, boys, let's… » [bow slips from his hands] « Steve Martin: Oh! Oh, sorry. Could I have another stick thingy, please? Oh, and camera back on me. Camera back on me. Ca… Am I done? » « Itzhak Perlman: [introducing Pines of Rome] When you hear a title like "Pines of Rome", you may think of tree-lined streets and romantic ruins. But when the Disney animators heard this music, they thought of something completely different. Here is the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by maestro James Levine, performing Ottorino Respighi's "Pines of Rome." »