Disney's American Legends

American Legends
DVD
Directed by	Lara Shapiro
Produced by	Richard Kaylor
Written by	Shirley Pierce
Narrated by	James Earl Jones
Starring	Alfre Woodard Geoffrey Jones Tim Hodge Thurl Ravenscroft Dennis Day Jerry Colonna Ken Darby Jon Dodson
Cinematography	Sergio Rodregez
Editing by	Leland Gray Adrian McKetch
Studio	Walt Disney Productions Walt Disney Feature Animation
Distributed by	Buena Vista Home Entertainment (USA)
Release date(s)	February 12, 2002
Running time	57
Country	United States

Disney's American Legends is a home video release narrated by James Earl Jones and which features the following Walt Disney Feature Animation animated short subjects:

• Johnny Appleseed released in 1948
• The Brave Engineer released in 1950
• Paul Bunyan released in 1958
• John Henry released in 2000 (featuring Alfre Woodard as Polly and newcomer Tim Hodge as McTavish)

The compilation was released February 12, 2002.

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."^[1] 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."^[2]

John Henry

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

• Director: Mark Henn
• Producer: Steven Keller
• Writer: Broose Johnson, Tim Hodge, Shirley Pierce
• Music: Stephen James Taylor
• Art Director: Robert Stanton

Paul Bunyan

Retells the story of Paul Bunyan, a fakelore lumberjack that was a giant.

• Director: Les Clark
• Producer: Walt Disney
• Writer: Lance Nolley, Ted Berman
• Music: George Bruns

Johnny Appleseed

Retells the story of Johnny Appleseed, a nurseryman who introduced apple trees to Ohio and Indiana.

• Director: Wilfred Jackson
• Producer: Walt Disney
• Writer: Winston Hibler, Erdman Penner
• Music: Paul J. Smith

The Brave Engineer

Retells the exploits of railroad engineer Casey Jones.

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

References

1. ^ DVD Verdict
2. ^ Toon Talk

External links

• Disney's American Legends at the Internet Movie Database