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Fantasia flopped, then ranked 24th
Its budget ran 50 percent above Snow White's, and it was one of the bets that nearly sank the company. Disney had also invented a new sound system for it, called Fantasound, and was funding the development and distribution of the technology itself. Distributors did not pick it up for a real first run.
The film is a series of experimental vignettes set to classical music, and it was a very different kind of picture from Pinocchio or Snow White. After the disastrous first run it had a huge resurgence, and adjusted for inflation, Fantasia is the 24th highest-grossing film in Hollywood history.
What was Fantasound?
Fantasound was a multi-channel sound system Disney built for Fantasia. It used several optical tracks and a control track to position the sound around the theater. Only a handful of theaters installed it, including the Broadway Theatre in New York. It is often called a forerunner of stereo and surround sound.
Why did Fantasia return in the 1960s?
Fantasia was reissued in 1969 and drew young audiences. Its swirling visuals found fans among the counterculture of the time. Revivals through the following decades added to its earnings. The film's reputation grew far beyond its first release.
Who conducted the music in Fantasia?
Leopold Stokowski conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra for the film. He appears in silhouette and shakes hands with Mickey. The soundtrack drew on works by Bach, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and others. Stokowski worked with Disney's team to match the music to the images.
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