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American Legends
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Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
Find all by Walt Disney Video
Directed By: Jack Kinney, Les Clark, Mark Henn
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Theatrical Release: August 1, 1958
Average Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Retail Price: $19.99
Online Sale Price: $14.99
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Starring: Alfre Woodard, Geoffrey Jones, Tim Hodge, Dave Murray, Carrie Harrington
Disney celebrates the legends that inspired a country with classic stories of real American heroes in this all-new, full-length animated collection, DISNEY'S AMERICAN LEGENDS! You'll meet the doers and dreamers who made America great -- including John Henry, the railroad builder, who proved the value of believing in oneself. John Henry was created using rough-style animation over a scratchboard background, a technique that dates back to Disney's 101 DALMATIANS! This artistic style was chosen specifically by the director in order to convey the power and emotion of the story. Journey with the giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan as he clears the land for American settlers. Follow the trail of the beloved American icon Johnny Appleseed, whose peaceful planting of apple trees blossomed along the new frontier. Then take an unforgettable ride with Casey Jones, The Brave Engineer, who never failed to deliver the mail, no matter how difficult the route! Each story is introduced by celebrated actor James Earl Jones, and filled with unforgettable characters, adventure, and memorable songs. Gather the family together and enjoy these timeless tales ... an experience no childhood should be without!
User Submitted American Legends Reviews
October 29, 2008
American Legends
I'm a kindergarten teacher and this is a great video to suppliment a k-1 unit on any of these famous characters from American legend. Short, easy to follow, beautifully animated. With introductions by James Earl Jones, it's a wonderful video to own.
October 26, 2008
Music teaching lead-in to heroes songs....
As a Music Teacher, I do NOT like to show videos or DVD's. It is a waste of instructional time. When I am ill, a
substitute, who is not certified in Music is assigned to my classes. This VHS tope allowed me to come back
and teach a "Heroes and Legends" unit. I have a wonderful choral selection about Johnny Appleseed, and this
film sparked the children's interest. James Earl Jones is a formidable, repectable teacher and a role model for
children, also. I hope the DVD does not disappoint me. My last substitute said "the VCR ate up my tape!"
March 26, 2008
Fantastic
Just a quick review on my recent American Legends dvd purchased from Amazon. One word.. Fantastic. Amazon has to be my all time favorite place to shop. Whatever I purchase is always quickly delivered, in perfect condition, with no problems ever.. American Legends is a fantastic dvd for children of all ages. Educational plus entertaining to one and all. If you've never seen it, order it. You won't be sorry you did.
February 17, 2008
Not what I expected.
I was excited to get this DVD. I love Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan and John Henry! Could have done without Casey Jones (Train Engineer). I was very excited to see John Henry and was shocked to see that they made a whole new one in its place. Why? From what I remember from the original I do not understand why Disney felt the need to make a new one. To be more PC? To make the story more happy-go-lucky? Don't know but it was really disappointing.
I also wondered why Pecos Bill (another favorite of mine) was not included on this collection. This would have been perfect if Pecos Bill was included and the original John Henry was included, and maybe the new version was in the "extras" section of the DVD. Again decent DVD, yet lacking.
October 23, 2007
Disney at its Best
This video has four well-known tall tales. It is enjoyable for young and old alike. I purchased it to show as a climax to a tall tale unit with my 5th graders. They all said it was worth watching.
July 25, 2007
excellent for kids
Great for kids and parents to watch together.... especially ex-pat kids overseas! Wonderful bit of Americana!
July 13, 2007
Good Classic Disney, NOT a waste of money!
This is good classic Disney I remember watching as a child. Johnny Appleseed alone makes the DVD worth buying. Others have commented on it being patriotic because of 9-11 or being politically correct. But it was made WAY before those things were the big issues they are today. It is of course patriotic because they are American folklore. Just enjoy a great set of cartoons and forget about the bad reviews!
March 18, 2007
American Legends
Wonderful,
Remember the Paul Bunyan and other from when I was a child.
January 13, 2007
Entertaining
These Disney movies are still fun to watch, even though they were made many years ago.
January 9, 2007
A Good Introduction To American Legends
Overall, the DVD is a nice introduction for young children to four American legends. Disney has done a reasonable job of choosing how to present each hero. (If you love a particular version of one of the legends, you might be well served by looking for the right book.)
The best story is about John Henry. The animation (very stylized) and singing are very compelling and the story has a clear narrative which is powerful. My three year old is mesmerized by it. It's worth the purchase of the DVD alone.
The story of Johnny Appleseed is a bit more problematic. If you are a Christian, you _may_ find the story rendition delightful. Others may find the religious tones of this story inappropriate or troubling for your child. Given the history of Johnny Appleseed, though, it is hard to see how you could be faithful to the story and not deal with religion.
The Paul Bunyon story is a classic story cartoon. Many of his legends are pieced together in a likeable fashion with traditional animation. It's hard not to like it, but it isn't as compelling as the John Henry work.
Finally, the Casey Jones episode is muddled and slapstick. It is the least compelling of the stories and it mainly relies on physical humor to carry forward. It's a disappointing end to the collection of stories.
I'd recommend this to parents with young children as an introduction to some American cultural icons.
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