Question about Fantasia LD (1 Viewer)

[BrianP]

All I wanted to know is if Fantasia was edited on laser disc? I know the DVD version had scenes edited and removed. I was thinking of purchasing a laser disc copy if it lacked the censorship of the DVD.

 

[Patrick McCart]

The LD features the same censorship, although each has "better" and worse cuts.

The LD features mostly re-edits for the "offending" bits, but at least keeps the music in sync. The zooms are mostly static and not even close to the blurriness on the DVD. The DVD also digitally erases a NON OFFENDING Zebra cenataurette which was cropped off in the LD version.

The DVD also has a poorly imitated (although perfect in fidelity) voice over for Deems Taylor. I don't see why they couldn't have kept the existing Taylor dialogue (which there was at least 60% surviving!) and then digitally alter the new voice over to sound like Taylor's voice.

The only way to see Fantasia uncut is to find a print made before 1968 (probably in the awful 2:1 SuperScope version) or to go track down a bootleg print.

Disney has refused to show this film in its original form, even to the point of getting their customer service people to lie about the DVD. I was told that the zooming was done by my DVD player and that there was no censorship done.

The best thing you can do is to boycott this DVD and tell Disney how they've used one of the best animated films in history as a brick wall to create graffiti over with. Beware though...I sent a 50+ signature petition to Roy Disney and it never made it to him. In fact, Mr. Disney has been trying to get the uncut versions on DVD ever since he found about the deception...but I wouldn't be surprised if the new restoration has the censorship on-film.