The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1955 film)
Encyclopedia
The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1955) is a short film made by Michael Powell
for Norddeutscher Rundfunk
(NDR) West German
television.
It is the Goethe
story made famous by Walt Disney
's animated film Fantasia
where Mickey Mouse
runs amok as the Sorcerer's Apprentice. But here it is presented as a ballet performed by the Frankfurt Opera with Sonia Arova
as the solo dancer. There are other character dancers appearing as various items and creatures and of course the Sorcerer himself. But none of these are named on the credits and nobody has managed to find out who they were, as yet. The English-language narrator is also uncredited.
Michael Powell was brought in to direct it for his old friend Hein Heckroth
. Heckroth had already done the design and set everything up so Powell doesn't appear to have had much input.
Michael Powell (director)
Michael Latham Powell was a renowned English film director, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger...
for Norddeutscher Rundfunk
Norddeutscher Rundfunk
Norddeutscher Rundfunk is a public radio and television broadcaster, based in Hamburg. In addition to the city-state of Hamburg, NDR transmits for the German states of Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein...
(NDR) West German
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
television.
It is the Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long...
story made famous by Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
's animated film Fantasia
Fantasia (film)
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
where Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
runs amok as the Sorcerer's Apprentice. But here it is presented as a ballet performed by the Frankfurt Opera with Sonia Arova
Sonia Arova
Sonia Arova , born was a Bulgarian ballerina.She was born as Sonia Errio in Sofia, Bulgaria, and began her training in Paris. With the beginning of the Second World War, she barely escaped the Nazi advance through a reckless flight which was attacked by German planes...
as the solo dancer. There are other character dancers appearing as various items and creatures and of course the Sorcerer himself. But none of these are named on the credits and nobody has managed to find out who they were, as yet. The English-language narrator is also uncredited.
Production
The original apparently ran for about 30 minutes. But the only version that seems to exist is this 13 minute version. There are probably lots of small cuts rather than any big ones because the bulk of the story appears to be there although some of the cutting seems a bit choppy.Michael Powell was brought in to direct it for his old friend Hein Heckroth
Hein Heckroth
German art director Hein Heckroth began his career working with the German national ballet...
. Heckroth had already done the design and set everything up so Powell doesn't appear to have had much input.