Funny / Fantasia 2000

Even in a skit centered around Pomp and Circumstance, Donald Duck can only barely catch a break.

• "Rhapsody In Blue" is hilarous when it's not busy being a tearjerker, though sometimes the tearjerking element and the funny overlap very nicely.
  • Special mention goes to the scene in the Subway where you can see everyone, including Rachel's parents, uncomfortably packed together. (This is actually Truth in Television given how crowded that stuff can be!) If you look at the squeezed in figures, you can see a foot poking out of the crowd, and a woman's face in a man's armpit. However, the crowning moment really comes when they get off the Subway, are still crowded, and are holding invisible handguards as they pack themselves into an equally cramped elevator. They even walk like this, too!
  • Then they get into a second elevator the same way. They finally scatter after reaching the top floor... except for one poor soul crawling on the floor.
  • Also of mention from that same segment: Rachel's attempts to do ballet that end up with her hopping into the closet and knocking down a whole bunch of junk, her approaching the pool to learn how to swim covered with an inner tube, snorkel, life jacket, and scuba tank, and her attempts to play the piano (or sing).
  • Prior to all of that, at an apartment building, a doorman dusts himself off, then bows. Then he gets an Oh, Crap! expression and braces himself, just as an onslaught of people walk out of the building. After the onslaught of people leaves, he stumbles about and then gets back into position...just as another onslaught of people come out of the building. By this time, he's just lying against the building.
  • There's also the guy who's out of a job and struggling to make ends meet. At one point, he finds that an apple has fallen off a fruit stand and he's torn up about if he should take it and sate his hunger for a few minutes. His honesty makes him start returning it, almost unable to accept what he's doing. Then a cop run up, berates him for apparently stealing, chases him off, and then the cop takes a bite out of the apple.
• The most clearly straight-up hilarious sequence is "Carnival of the Animals", with the yo-yo-obsessed flamingo and his peers who just won't get it.
  • Even before this:
    James Earl Jones: Here, the sensitive strains of Impressionistic music combine with the subtle artistry of the animator to finally answer that age-old question...'what is man's relationship to nature?'" (Animator Eric Goldberg hands him a card containing part of the script) Oh, sorry. "That age-old question... "what would happen if you gave a yo-yo to a flock of flamingoes?" Who wrote this?
• Penn & Teller introducing "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", implementing their trademark style of magic and comedy into it:
  Penn: Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to take a moment, if we may, to talk about a little something we like to refer to as (Teller does a quotation gesture) "magic." Alright, picture this. You're at home, hosting a birthday party for your daughter, and you've just shelled out 50 bucks, so some pathetic loser can pull a mangy rabbit out of a flea market hat. (Teller comes back with a hat, whisks it to expand it, and then reveals a rabbit) At first, you might wonder to yourself, "How did he do that?" But then you would probably just dismiss it as some sort of a trick. And you know something? You'd be right! IT'S JUST A TRICK!! It's an example of what we laughingly refer to as "stage magic." We're here to tell you that all stage magic is a fraud, a hoax, a sham! It's all based on deception and, yep, LYIN'! (Teller comes back with a box on a dolly) ALL of it! Sleight of hand: LIES! Transformations: FRAUD! Dismemberment: (Teller "chops off" his arm with an axe) RIPOFF! FAKE!! ALL ARE ILLUSIONS! What we're here to talk about is real magic. We're gonna bring on a guy now who's the real deal, the genuine article. In fact, he taught us everything we know. And he is featured prominently in the next sequence, from the original Fantasia, The Sorcerer's Apprentice. (laughs) You know, come to think of it, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, is a little guy, who never speaks and just kind of messes everything up. (Teller cuts Penn's hair) (whispers) Like him. (laughs) And now... (Teller tosses the scissors aside) Wh... And now, the... (Teller shows him another rabbit) Oh, hi, hi, little fella. I gotta... And now, The Sorcerer's Apprentice. (chuckles)
• In the introductory segment for "Pomp and Circumstance", Mickey informs Maestro James Levine that Donald is missing, so he runs offscreen and subsequently searches for him. In both the IMAX engagement and the original theatrical release, Mickey's search is made funnier when he actually calls out for Donald through different speakers in the theater in a comedic demonstration of Fantasound.
  • During the search, Mickey opens a door only to bump into Daisy, who lets out a screech. Then he finds Donald in the shower, completely unaware that he's late.
• The "Pomp and Circumstance" segment is full of the sort of comedy you'd expect from a Donald Duck cartoon, although it also has quite a few sad and emotional moments.
  • At the beginning, Noah tries to explain to Donald that the flood is about to happen, but Donald points at the sun and starts laughing. Then it immediately starts to rain.
  • Donald Duck noticing, and then reacting to, the mundane ducks entering the Ark.
  • In a sudden bit of dark humor, Pomp and Circumstance implies why dragons, unicorns, and gryphons are never seen anymore on Earth: they're laughing uproariously at all the animals getting on the ark, apparently refusing to board themselves. Even when it's starting to rain.
    • Fridge Brilliance that adds to the comedy: these are all magical creatures, so they probably assumed they'd be fine. Clearly, they were mistaken.
  • Donald using one of the porcupines to get a stubborn hippo moving, only to be jabbed in the butt by one of the rhinos soon after.
  • The multitude of rabbits getting off at the end of the voyage. Kids may not get it, but parents will.
  • As the animals depart the ark, one of the hippos steps on Donald's foot, causing him to dance around in comical pain.
  • In the DVD commentary (the one which talks about each segment), Donald came by. One of the guys complains why is Donald joining since he can't understand him. Donald brought the animals with him and the flooding waters. One of the guys told Donald they're doing a commentary, not a reenactment. The commentary ends with the guy asking where'd he parked the Ark.
• The Firebird Suite doesn't really allow for much humor given the strong themes of life, death, and rebirth, but one scene has the Spring Sprite grow a cute little flower. While already adequate, she gets a look that says "I can do better." and proceeds to turn it into a big yellow masterpiece. Her satisfied expression just screams "Now that's more like it." It can be inferred as an amusing bit.

---