"THE FANTASIA ANTHOLOGY" offers fans of the "FANTASIA" films what promises to be the definitive versions of these films.  The boxed set offers "FANTASIA", "FANTASIA 2000" and ""FANTASIA-LEGACY".  

FANTASIA" is a Disney film that's truly in a class by itself!  I recall
being dragged to it as a 5-year old because my parents wanted to "educate" me as well as entertain me.  "FANTASIA" does its best to educate or at least "introduce" young viewers to the imaginative world of music through its careful blend of animation and sound.  Some younger viewers will undoubtedly be turned off of this DISNEY film as it doesn't have a real narrative structure.  Instead, there are individual "pieces" of music fitted with their own scenario.  Along with the original "FANTASIA", BUENA VISTA HOME VIDEO has released "FANTASIA 2000", which will certainly have a greater appeal to children.  Compiled with the same narrative structure, we prefer the original more, but there are some individual sequences that
are breathtaking!
BUENA VISTA has released both films along with a "making-of" restoration film in a wonderfully packaged boxed set, but each of the two films is also available individually if one has that preference.

The transfer to "FANTASIA" is wonderful!  While there are some scenes still suffering from grain on dvd, as they did on laserdisc, the images are sharper!  The film
The film is presented in its original 1.33:1 ratio.  While "FANTASIA" is
"restored", it's obvious that certain original materials, including the
vocal narrations had to be redone in part. 

"FANTASIA 2000" feels entirely different than the original film. The
film's  opening  sequence set to Beethoven's "Symphony #5",  offers a
wonderful comparison in the advances of filmmaking that have taken place since the original film.  "FANTASIA 2000" looks flawless!  It's really a demonstration-quality dvd!   The film is presented with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, and this differs from the 1.33:1 IMAX presentation, but it doesn't seem to have suffered any loss in terms of cropping and it's
anamorphically enhanced!  Both of the "FANTASIA" films also feature the "THX" seal of approval, although it's obvious that "FANTASIA 2000" benefits most from this!

While the original "FANTASIA" was released in what was deemed
"FANTASOUND", it was really a poor example of "surround" sound.
Thankfully, technology has advanced so greatly over the past 70 years that  the newly developed Dolby Digital and DTS 5.0 soundtracks make a wonderful impression!  While we're a little disappointed that there's no .1 channel, the music doesn't seem to suffer at all.
Snother thing we love about "FANTASIA 2000" is the way in which it uses multiple narrators rather than the "one" of the first film.  In this one
we get Bette Midler, Penn & Teller, and others.  Steve Martin pretty much steals the film with his appearance. It's that good!  While the Dolby
Digital and DTS both sound terrific, the DTS has a definite advantage on
both films, as it offers more clarity. 
"FANTASIA-LEGACY" offers extensive supplementary material on both films.
As one would expect, there's plenty of "Behind-the-scenes" material.  Most impressive is the section of pencil animation from perhaps the most loved segment, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice."    Other exciting segments include storyboard comparisons as well as a section detailing five segments that were developed but abandoned!  Our favorite of these, "Ride of the Valkyries", a segment which never progressed past the storyboard stage.
The supplementary section for "FANTASIA 2000" breaks apart the individual segments of this film in the same manner done for "FANTASIA".  There are even alternative versions of some segments as well as an alternate ending for one!  All together, there are hours of extra fun and "all" of it's worth examining!