Fantasia running time (1 Viewer)

[ScottR]

Ok, so I watched this again for the first time in a while...still wonderful! However, I was wondering about the running time. According to the Fantasia Legacy disc, the Roadshow version originally ran 2:04:22. But the version on dvd barely runs 2:04:05...if you don't count the extra black screen at the end that takes the time up to 2:04:14. Wonder what would account for the extra seconds? Perhaps the logo at Intermission stayed on screen longer, or the MPAA logo at the beginning would have been in that count? I'm guessing this is the original length.

 

[Jay Pennington]

All logos would certainly be counted in the running time.

Also if I recall correctly there is still missing footage in the Pastoral Symphony segment. Much that was previously removed has been restored (as far as footage count goes...the images are still manipulated to remove "offensive" centaurettes and satyrs) but I think there's still a chunk missing. Can't recall more specifically than that, I'm afraid.

And to think once upon a time I looked into this rather extensively. :frowning:

Also, there could certainly be variance of a second here and there at fade-to-black reel changes. In the film realm they always give a bit of pad at the end of reels to compensate for damage to release prints, but in the video realm these might have been tightened a bit.

 

[ScottR]

Thanks, Jay. I'm also thinking that the Fantasia title card at the midway point may have been on screen a few seconds longer. It just seemed weird that they put the running times for all of the versions in the Special Features, and that it was different...but that makes sense.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I think there's one or two shots completely gone since the uncensored version had some that would have been impossible to crop... although, it didn't stop Disney from zooming in about 20x on three of the offending shots.

 

[Lord Dalek]

I can only hope that Disney's doing a massive restoration for Fantasia's eventual Platinum Series rerelease. Like presenting the uncensored Pastoral section, and trying to locate all the missing Deems Taylor lines.

 

[ScottR]

That would be Nirvana!

 

[Patrick McCart]

They could use seamless branching to allow you to see the uncut Pastoral, as well as the option to have redubbed Deems Taylor or the original voice. Or at least they can keep his voice except for the missing audio (perhaps they could digitally enhance the new v/o to match better). The 2000 DVD (and the even better 3-disc Legacy set with the extras disc and Fantasia 2000) is still excellent seven years later. If they simply keep all the extras (making-of, the two commentaries, all the archival stuff from the Legacy disc) and add a reproduction of the roadshow booklet, it'll be definitive until the HD release.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to re-issue all the other package films with newly restored and uncut versions. A box set with 2-disc SEs of both Fantasia films, and SEs of Make Mine Music, Melody Time, Fun and Fancy Free, The Reluctant Dragon, The Three Cabelleros, and Saludas Amigos would be one of the best collections of animation.