> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://discarchive.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Walt Disney’s Masterpiece Fantasia – Deluxe Collector’s Edition VHS Box Set - URL: https://discarchive.net/walt-disneys-masterpiece-fantasia-deluxe-collectors-edition-vhs-box-set/ - Published: 1991-11-04T12:12:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-31T12:20:32.000Z - Description: A closer look at Walt Disney’s Masterpiece Fantasia Deluxe Collector’s Edition, a beautifully presented box set featuring two VHS tapes, two soundtrack CDs, a commemorative lithograph, a 32-page brochure and other collectible extras. - Author: Disc Archive - Tags: VHS *Two VHS tapes, two soundtrack CDs and a collection of commemorative items celebrating one of Disney’s most ambitious animated films.* I believe I bought this **Walt Disney’s Masterpiece Fantasia Deluxe Collector’s Edition** sometime around 1991\. I remember seeing it in my local HMV and knowing straight away that I had to have it. I can’t remember how much I paid for it, but the price clearly wasn’t enough to put me off! This was far more than a box containing a couple of VHS tapes. Alongside *Fantasia* itself, the set included a second VHS documenting the making of the film, the digitally remastered original soundtrack on two CDs, a commemorative lithograph of an original concept painting, a full-colour commemorative brochure and a Certificate of Authenticity bearing Roy E. Disney’s printed signature. For a physical media collector, there is plenty to explore here, so let’s take a closer look at what is included in this Deluxe Collector’s Edition. --- ### Deluxe Collector’s Edition Box The first thing you notice is the size of the box. This is a substantial piece of packaging, considerably larger than an ordinary VHS release. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Slip-Cover-1.jpg) The cardboard slipcover features gold-coloured lettering and an image of Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. The image on the front is actually a separate sticker rather than artwork printed directly onto the box. Interestingly, the back, top and bottom are blank, leaving the front and spine to do most of the work. The box measures: - **Width:** 300 mm - **Depth:** 50 mm - **Height:** 380 mm - **Weight:** Approximately 2 kg The spine continues the gold-coloured lettering. Although the box is large, the design is relatively simple, with the lettering providing most of the decoration. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Spine-1.jpg) An information sheet was attached to the back of the box. It is another small part of the packaging that is worth documenting, particularly for anyone interested in the original presentation of this edition. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Info-Sheet.jpg) --- ### Opening the Box Sliding open the outer cover reveals three glossy leaflets sitting on top of the other contents. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Leaflets.jpg) I have always kept the leaflets that come with my purchases. They are easy to overlook, and it would be tempting to throw them away, but they are part of the original package and help tell the story of how a release was presented to its buyers. ### 1\. Free Poster Offer The first leaflet advertises a free poster measuring 59.4 × 84.1 cm, equivalent to A1 size. The offer closed on 31 January 1992. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Fantasia-Poster-Offer-Front.jpg) ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Fantasia-Poster-Offer-Back-1.jpg) ### 2\. Disney Home Video Advertisement The second is a ten-page advertising leaflet promoting other Disney VHS releases, with the slogan: **“THE MAGIC OF DISNEY IN YOUR OWN HOME FOR KEEPS!”** It is an interesting little piece of period advertising, showing how Disney encouraged people to build their own home video collections. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Disney-Home-Video-Cover.jpg) ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Disney-Home-Video-inside.jpg) ### 3\. Fantasia Programme of Contents The third leaflet is the programme of contents. It lists the eight musical sequences featured in *Fantasia*. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Fantasia-Programme-info-cover.jpg) ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Fantasia-Programme-info-inside.jpg) The musical programme is as follows: 1. **Toccata and Fugue in D Minor** — Johann Sebastian Bach 2. **The Nutcracker Suite** — Tchaikovsky 3. **The Sorcerer’s Apprentice** — Paul Dukas 4. **The Rite of Spring** — Igor Stravinsky 5. **The Pastoral Symphony** — Beethoven 6. **Dance of the Hours** — Ponchielli 7. **Night on Bald Mountain** — Modest Mussorgsky 8. **Ave Maria** — Franz Schubert Having this information printed in the box makes the set feel more like a complete commemorative package than a straightforward home video release. --- ### Certificate of Authenticity Beneath the leaflets is the Certificate of Authenticity bearing the name of Roy E. Disney. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Certificate.jpg) The certificate is printed on textured paper, and the gold-coloured details are embossed, giving it a more elaborate finish than an ordinary printed insert. One detail worth pointing out is that the signature is printed rather than individually handwritten. The same signature appears on each edition, so it is a facsimile rather than a unique personal signature. Nevertheless, it is an important part of the set and helps complete the presentation of this collector’s edition. --- ### Deluxe Commemorative Edition: 32-Page Brochure One of the main printed items included in the box is the full-colour commemorative Brochure. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/32-Page-Commemorative-Brochure.jpg) It contains the following sections: - Credits - Introduction - Toccata and Fugue in D Minor — Johann Sebastian Bach - The Nutcracker Suite — Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - The Sorcerer’s Apprentice — Paul Dukas - The Rite of Spring — Igor Stravinsky - The Pastoral Symphony — Ludwig van Beethoven - Dance of the Hours — Amilcare Ponchielli - Night on Bald Mountain — Modest Mussorgsky - Ave Maria — Franz Schubert - Fantasia — Completed and Continuing to Amaze - Fantasound The brochure gives each musical sequence its own section, with information about its development and place within the film. --- ### Inside the Brochure ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Commemorative-Brochure-01-1.jpg) This example shows posters from different countries and from various years between 1940 and 1985\. It is a nice illustration of how the film was presented to audiences around the world over several decades. Here is an example of the introduction page. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Commemorative-Brochure-02-2.jpg) The section devoted to *The Sorcerer’s Apprentice* is another example of the brochure’s layout. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Commemorative-Brochure-03-1.jpg) The section on *The Pastoral Symphony* follows the same format. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Commemorative-Brochure-04-2.jpg) Throughout the brochure, the pages are clean and well laid out. Each section provides information about the development of the corresponding sequence, making the booklet a useful piece of documentation in its own right. For me, this is exactly the sort of material that makes a collector’s edition worth keeping complete. The film and soundtrack are the main attractions, but the accompanying printed material adds another dimension to the package. --- ### Commemorative Lithograph Continuing further into the box, beneath the commemorative brochure, is an envelope containing a lithograph of an original concept painting for *Fantasia*, featuring the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Lithograph.jpg) It is a separate piece of artwork rather than simply another page in the booklet, and it is one of the more distinctive items included in the set. The lithograph also demonstrates how this edition was designed to appeal to collectors, combining home video with artwork, printed memorabilia and music. --- ### The Media ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/VHSx2-CDx2.jpg) At the heart of the box are the four physical media items: - *Walt Disney’s Masterpiece Fantasia* (1940) — VHS - *Fantasia: The Making of a Masterpiece* (1991) — VHS - Original Soundtrack Digitally Remastered — Disc 1 - Original Soundtrack Digitally Remastered — Disc 2 The combination of video and audio formats makes this a particularly interesting release. Rather than limiting the set to the film, Disney included a separate documentary and the soundtrack on CD. ### Walt Disney’s Masterpiece Fantasia (1940) — VHS ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Fantasia-VHS.jpg) **Approximate running time:** 115 minutes. This is the main feature, presenting the restored version of Disney’s original 1940 film. The cassette is the centrepiece of the media collection, but from a collector’s perspective, its packaging and its place within this larger set are just as relevant to documenting the edition. ### Fantasia: The Making of a Masterpiece (1991) — VHS ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Fantasia-The-Making-of-a-Masterpiece-VHS.jpg) **Approximate running time:** 41 minutes. The second cassette documents the creation of the original *Fantasia*. It includes material relating to the making of the film, including footage that was not part of the original theatrical version. Including this separate programme makes the set more substantial than a standard release of the film alone. ### Original Soundtrack: Digitally Remastered — Disc 1 ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Fantasia-CD-inside-Disc-1.jpg) The first soundtrack CD features Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra. **Track listing:** 1. Toccata and Fugue in D Minor 2. The Nutcracker Suite 3. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice 4. The Rite of Spring ### Original Soundtrack: Digitally Remastered — Disc 2 ![](https://discarchive.net/content/images/2026/10/Fantasia-CD-inside-Disc-2.jpg) The second disc continues the musical programme. **Track listing:** 1. The Pastoral Symphony 2. Dance of the Hours 3. Night on Bald Mountain 4. Ave Maria These two CDs are the part of the set I have returned to most often. Unlike the VHS tapes, which have remained in storage, the soundtrack has been played a number of times over the years. Having the complete soundtrack presented on two CDs is one of the features that makes this particular edition stand out in my collection. ## My Final Thoughts This is a fantastic collector’s box, and I am glad I bought it all those years ago. I honestly cannot remember whether I have ever played the VHS tapes. I have an old VHS player, but I would be reluctant to put these particular cassettes into it. After all, they have been part of my collection for decades, and I would hate for anything to happen to them. The two soundtrack CDs, on the other hand, have had plenty of use over the years. VHS players are no longer a format I can rely on finding new modern equipment for, and although second-hand machines and unused examples still turn up, I would be cautious about trusting an old player with tapes I particularly want to preserve. If a manufacturer such as Panasonic were to bring out a new VHS player, I suspect there would be plenty of collectors interested in buying one. There is still something appealing about being able to play the original physical format rather than simply keeping it on a shelf. Until then, I am happy to keep this set safely stored with the rest of my collection. From the large presentation box and gold lettering to the leaflets, certificate, brochure, lithograph, two VHS tapes and two soundtrack CDs, this edition is a wonderful example of how much thought went into certain physical media releases. It is not just about owning a copy of *Fantasia*. It is about preserving the complete package, including all those little extras that might otherwise have been discarded or lost over time. And that is what collecting is all about for me. ## KEEP THE MEDIA PHYSICAL!