It is interesting how formats and mediums change over time. There are many different reasons for this. One might be cultural. Another reason might be societal. But technology also plays a huge role. For instance, although Fantasia is considered a Walt Disney masterpiece, it’s hard to imagine that something like it — an animated anthology — released today. Audiences just expect completely different things and experiences from a movie. So it completely stands to reason that if this masterpiece from 1940 were to come out in 2023, it absolutely would be a miniseries rather than a film.
For those unaware, Fantasia is essentially a collection of animated short films. They have no dialogue and vary wildly in story and theme, and are accompanied by an orchestra playing classical music as a score. The shorts are introduced by the conductor, Leopold Stokowski. And in between each segment, there are also some minor comedic skits involving the orchestra and various elements of filmmaking, such as a sentient soundtrack.
By today’s standards, this type of movie would have no market. Audiences go to the cinema for a story and a narrative experience. Fantasia is a reflection of something different. But that doesn’t mean its content couldn’t still be appreciated in a different format. Disney has been releasing shorts on their streaming service since it began. Star Wars Visions, Kazizi Moto, and even the I Am Groot shorts are examples of this. So instead of a movie, Fantasia‘s various animated shorts would be released separately as a miniseries without the need for an intro or the bridging segments. In that regard, it would make these animated classics more digestible for a newer generation. Fantasia, as it stands, illustrates that even the format of a film is an example of the time in which it was created.
Fantasia is now streaming on Disney+.
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