Rating: U/A
Length: 1h 8
Release: 15.12.1949
Dir: Clyde Geronimi, Jack Kinney, James Algar
About: Two animated adaptations of classic literature make up this Disney film. In “The Wind in the Willows,” wealthy Mr. Toad (Eric Blore) yearns for all the newest fads. When he wants an automobile, Mr. Toad sets out to get one any way he can. In “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” gangly schoolmaster Ichabod Crane falls for the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel. Caught in a love triangle with Katrina and Brom Bones, Ichabod fears a local legend called the Headless Horseman.
The Good
- The first story, looking at the characters from Wind in the Willows, is adorable. Mole is so so cute, both as a character and as an animation.
- The music elements of ‘Mr Toad’ is brilliant, especially the horse. In typical fashion, the horse is very Disney. I love how he sings, I love how he talks.
- The weasels look and act exactly like the ones we’ll see in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
- The animation of both is very similar to Alice in Wonderland and I really enjoyed that.
- The pumpkin going through the tunnel during the tale of Ichabod was amazing, especially considering the time in which it was made.
The Bad
- Toad reminds me too much of the Crazy Frog and once I saw it, I couldn’t enjoy it.
- Ichabod: “Gets around like no one else can.” The next scene then basically shows us that Ichabod is banging all his student’s mums in order to be fed. Okay, so it’s only implied, but it is HEAVILY implied.
The Ugly
- I went into this unaware that it was two separate tales and it really threw me, once I discovered this, that the tale of Mr Toad came before that of Ichabod.
- Ichabod is basically portrayed as a Snape character, yet all the women of the town going nuts. There are women who are having a lesson with him, that literally have their eyes rolling to the back of their heads. WHAT. THE. FUCK?
- There’s not enough Headless Horseman in this tale. It’s more about Ichabod having a hard on for Katrina and fighting Braum for her.
Final Thoughts
I wrote ‘what the fuck?’ way too many times in my notes. Give me Sleepy Hollow (1999) any day.
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