Disney's American Legends

Disney's American Legends
Home video release cover
Directed by	Lara Shapiro
Produced by	Richard Kaylor
Written by	Shirley Pierce
Starring	Alfre Woodard Geoffrey Jones Tim Hodge Thurl Ravenscroft Dal McKennon Dennis Day Jerry Colonna Ken Darby
Narrated by	James Earl Jones
Cinematography	Sergio Rodregez
Edited by	Leland Gray Adrian McKetch
Production company	Walt Disney Feature Animation
Distributed by	Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release dates	February 12, 2002 (2002-02-12)
Running time	57 Minutes
Country	USA

Disney's American Legends is a 2002 direct-to-video animated anthology film hosted by James Earl Jones. It is a compilation of previous released animated musical shorts from Walt Disney Animation Studios based on American tall tales. The film features The Brave Engineer (1950), Paul Bunyan (1958), and The Legend of Johnny Appleseed which is a segment from the 1948 film Melody Time.

The film's new short is based on John Henry and stars Alfre Woodard and Tim Hodge. John Henry was later released on Blu-ray in Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection on August 18, 2015.

Content

John Henry (1999)

Retells the story of John Henry, who raced against a steam drill.

• production company: Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida
• Director: Mark Henn
• Producer: Steven Keller
• Writer: Broose Johnson, Tim Hodge, Shirley Pierce
• Music: Score by Stephen James Taylor, original songs by Gary Hines and Billy Steele and performed by Sounds of Blackness
• Art Director: Robert Stanton

The Legend of Johnny Appleseed (1948)

Based on the story of Johnny Appleseed (voice of Dennis Day), a nurseryman who introduced apple trees to Ohio and Indiana. The short was originally featured in the 1948 film Melody Time.

• Director: Wilfred Jackson
• Producer: Walt Disney
• Writer: Winston Hibler, Erdman Penner, Joe Rinaldi, Jesse Marsh
• Music: Paul J. Smith
• Art Director: Mary Blair

Paul Bunyan (1958)

Based on the story of Paul Bunyan (voice of Thurl Ravenscroft), a fakelore giant lumberjack, and his blue-colored ox, Babe.

• Director: Les Clark
• Producer: Walt Disney
• Writer: Lance Nolley, Ted Berman
• Music: George Bruns
• lyrics: Tom Adair
• Art Director: Eyvind Earle

The Brave Engineer (1950)

Based on the exploits of railroad engineer Casey Jones.

• Director: Jack Kinney
• Producer: Walt Disney
• Writer: Dick Kinney, Dick Shaw
• Music: Ken Darby

Reception

Mike Pinsky, of DVD Verdict, reviewed the compilation saying, "If, as James Earl Jones says in the finale, the message of this film is to "look for the heroes around you and celebrate them," Disney's American Legends is an interesting, if half-hearted, attempt to carry out that advice." Kirby C. Holt, Toon Talk, reviewed the compilation saying, "Although the program definitely presents the shorts in descending order of quality, it ends on a high note with these inspirational words from James Earl Jones: "Look for the heroes around you and celebrate them ... you can find them in the past, in the present, even in the mirror."

External links

• Official website
• Disney's American Legends at IMDb