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| The Sorcerer's Apprentice | |
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| Name | The Sorcerer's Apprentice |
| Segment Number | Three (Fantasia) Six (Fantasia 2000) |
| Runtime | 9:17 |
| Music | The Sorcerer's Apprentice |
| Composer | Paul Dukas |
| Director(s) | James Algar |
| Story Development/Research | Perce Pearce Carl Fallberg |
| Art Direction | Tom Codrick Charles Phillipi |
| Background Painting | Claude Coats Stan Spohn |
| Animation Supervisor(s) | Fred Moore Bill Tylta |
| Animation | Les Clark Riley Thomson |
| Special Camera Effects | {{{specialeffects}}} |
| Previous Segment | Nutcracker Suite (Fantasia) |
| Next Segment | The Rite of Spring (Fantasia) |
| Gallery | The Sorcerer's Apprentice Gallery |
The Sorcerer's Apprentice is the third and most famous segment in Disney's 1940 animated feature film, Fantasia, and the only returning segment in its sequel, Fantasia 2000. Based on the poem „Der Zauberlehrling“ ("the apprentice in magic") by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and the musical piece «L'Apprenti Sorcier» ("the apprentice sorcerer") by Paul Dukas, it stars Mickey Mouse as the apprentice of the title.
Unlike most of the tracks in the film, which were recorded by the Philadelphia Orchestra, this composition was the first to be recorded for the film by an ad-hoc 100-piece handpicked orchestra of Los Angeles-based session musicians, which Stokowski conducted. The recording was done in January 1938 at the Pathe Studios in Culver City.
On the Fantasia 2000 soundtrack album, a rerecorded version performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra of London conducted by James Levine is featured, even though the original recording is heard in the film.
Overview[]
Introduction[]
Fantasia[]
"And now we're going to hear a piece of music that tells a very definite story. As a matter of fact, in this case, the story came first and the composer wrote the music to go with it. It's a very old story, one that goes back almost 2,000 years: a legend about a sorcerer who had an apprentice. He was a bright young lad, and very anxious to learn the business. As a matter of fact, he was a little bit too bright, because he started practicing some of the boss's best magic tricks before learning how to control them. One day, for instance, when he'd been told by his master to carry water to fill a cauldron, he had the brilliant idea of bringing a broomstick to life to carry the water for him. Well, this worked very well at first. Unfortunately, however, having forgotten the magic formula that would make the broomstick stop carrying the water, he found he'd started something he couldn't finish." - Deems Taylor.
Fantasia 2000[]
Magicians Penn & Teller introduce this segment by having a moment to talk to the audience about something they refer to as "magic". As an example, Penn then explains a scenario in which the viewer was at home hosting their daughter's birthday party and they had paid $50 so that "some pathetic loser can pull a mangy rabbit out of a flea market hat", which Teller demonstrates. Penn then says that at first, the viewer might wonder to themselves, "How did he do that?", but that the viewer would then probably dismiss it as some sort of trick. And it is indeed a trick, an example of what is laughingly referred to as "stage magic". He then rants that all stage magic is actually a fraud, all based on deception and lies. Teller then shows an example each of sleight-of-hand, transformations and dismemberment, through producing a fan of playing cards in his right hand, putting it behind his back and producing a hatchet in its place, which he then uses to supposedly cut off his other hand, all while Penn dismisses each trick as fake - illusions. Penn then explains that what they actually wanted to talk about was real magic, bringing out someone who he claims taught him and Teller everything they know, and was also featured in The Sorcerer's Apprentice from the original Fantasia. Penn then muses to himself that the Sorcerer's Apprentice is "a little guy who never speaks and just kind of messes everything up", unaware that Teller has just cut off his ponytail which has then turned into a black rabbit.
Synopsis[]
At first, the scene starts with Sorcerer Yen Sid, who is working on his magic while his apprentice Mickey is busy carrying water to fill a cauldron. After some magic, Yen Sid puts his hat down, yawns, and goes to his chambers.
When he goes out of sight, Mickey puts the hat on and tries the magic on a broom. He commands the broom to carry the water and fill the cauldron for him. Since Mickey is satisfied, he sits down on the chair and falls asleep.
He dreams that he is a powerful sorcerer high on top of a pinnacle-like cliff conducting the very heavens and oceans. Before long, Mickey wakes up to find that the room is filled with water, and despite the cauldron overflowing, the broom is not stopping. Mickey tries to stop the broom without success; it walks right over him, bringing more and more water. Mickey even tries grabbing one of the buckets, but that too fails. Finally, when the water keeps rising, Mickey, in desperation, grabs a huge ax and chops the broom into pieces. Just when it is all over as Mickey is away, the splinters of the broom turn into more brooms with buckets of water. They keep going to the cauldron and filling it up. Mickey tries to get the water out, but finds that there are too many brooms. Mickey goes to a book and looks for a spell to stop the brooms. Mickey finds himself in a whirlpool. Just then, Yen Sid comes in and sees this, and with a wave of his hands, the water descends and the army of brooms is silenced.
Yen Sid glares at Mickey, who gives him back his hat and the broom. He picks up the buckets and goes back slowly to finish his chores. Despite showing slight amusement about the incident, Yen Sid whacks Mickey from behind with the broom, sending him quickly running out of the room to finish what he started.
After the piece is over, Mickey runs up to Leopold Stokowski and gets his attention, explaining to the conductor that he wanted to offer his congratulations by shaking hands with him. Stokowski likewise congratulates Mickey as they shake hands, after which Mickey thanks him and runs off, bidding Stokowski goodbye as he does so. Stokowski likewise bids Mickey goodbye.
Characters[]
- Mickey Mouse
- Yen Sid
- The Broomsticks
Credits[]
Fantasia[]
- Music: The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas (arranged by Leopold Stokowski)
- Director: James Algar
- Story Development: Perce Pearce, Carl Fallberg
- Art Direction: Tom Codrick, Charles Phillipi, Zack Schwartz
- Background Painting: Claude Coats, Stan Spohn, Albert Dempster, Eric Hansen
- Animation Supervisors: Fred Moore, Vladimir Tytla
- Animation: Les Clark, Riley Thompson, Marvin Woodward, Preston Blair, Ed Love, Ugo D'Orsi, George Rowley, Cornett Wood
- Outro featuring: Leopold Stokowski & Mickey Mouse (voice of Walt Disney)
Fantasia 2000[]
- Composer: Paul Dukas
- Director: James Algar
- Art Direction: Tom Codrick, Charles Phillipi, Zack Schwartz
- Story Development: Perce Pearce, Carl Fallberg
- Animation Supervisors: Fred Moore, Vladimir Tytla
- Production Supervision: Ben Sharpsteen
Trivia[]
- In the original roadshow version, the ending of Mickey shaking hands with Stokowski segues into footage of Deems Taylor and the orchestra applauding Mickey for his interaction with the conductor. This was altered in later re-releases to fade to black after Stokowski bids Mickey goodbye, but was later reinstated following the 2000 re-release, which recreated the roadshow version. The ending itself is retained in Fantasia 2000, but has been altered not only to fit the widescreen format, but also omits Stokowski bidding Mickey goodbye to allow the scene to segue into the introduction for Pomp and Circumstance. Mickey's lines from the original, originally provided by Disney, were re-recorded by his then-voice actor Wayne Allwine.