The "death of winter" in central and northern European countries is celebrated in modern times with the singing of songs and the lighting of bonfires--bonfires that in ancient days were set to keep at bay the dead and troublesome spirits that came out to walk among the living. In German folklore, Walpurgisnacht was the night that witches would gather to hold their revelments with the gods and demons on the Brocken, the highest peak in the Hanz Mountains of north central Germany.
This scene is brought to dramatic life in the brilliant Night on Bald Mountain segment of Walt Disney's Fantasia. The demon Chernabog rises from the top of Bald Mountain and summons to him all manner of ghost, skeleton, witch, and goblin. The demonic dance continues through the night until the toll of a church bell signals the dawn of May Day and the end of the Walpurgis revelries.
Image copyright Disney
The Night on Bald Mountain segment is a showcase for animator Bill Tytla, who gave the demon Chernabog a power and intensity rarely seen in Disney films. Noted actor Béla Lugosi served as a live action model for Chernabog, and spent several days at the Disney studio, where he was filmed doing evil, demon-like poses for Tytla and his unit to use as a reference. Tytla later deemed this reference material unsuitable and had studio colleague Wilfred Jackson perform in front of the cameras for the reference footage.Source: Wikipedia
While Wilfred Jackson is quoted as saying that Tytla used Jackson's own reference material rather than Lugosi's for the Chernabog character, others argue that it appears that probably both sets of of reference material were utilized.
Images via Classic Disney Scares on the Classic Horrors Film Board. Copyright Universal and Disney.
The Night on Bald Mountain segment from Fantasia:
Video posted by hellrazor227.
Below, the London Symphony Orchestra records Modest Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain as part of the score for the World of Color show at DCA:
Copyright Disney.
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