Disney's American Legends

Let's knock The Mouse around a bit before delving into the good stuff: as Disney animated compilations go, this quartet of shorts--John Henry, Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan and The Brave Engineer--celebrating the men and, uh, men (real and imaginary) who "made America great"--is not only an hour-shy but also more than a little refurbished. Hosted by James Earl Jones, who--great voice notwithstanding--sounds as if he's reading the cue cards for the first time, Disney's American Legends features three older titles drawn from other releases (including one, Johnny Appleseed, that's already available on another Disney DVD, Melody Time). The big omission here is the six-shooter totin' Pecos Bill, who after having a cigarette airbrushed out of his mouth for an earlier release has now been cut out altogether, and is replaced with the new and handsomely drawn John Henry, the story of the famous 19th century double-fisted steel-drivin' man who took on a steam-powered drill and won, with tragic results. Sporting a distinctive visual style (with vibrant colors drawn over rough pencil sketches), solid narration by Alfre Woodard (as Henry's wife), and a stirring soundtrack from Sounds of Blackness, John Henry is a fine addition to the Disney shorts pantheon. As for the other episodes, some contemporary viewers will wince over Johnny Appleseed's (1948) overt religious content, while others will cringe as Paul Bunyan (1950) decimates entire forests with his axe (although The Brave Engineer [1958]--based on "The Ballad of Casey Jones"--shouldn't frost anyone's caboose). As classic animated shorts from the '40s and '50s go, however, this trio, along with the new addition, is well worth considering. Recommended, overall. Aud: K, E, P. (R. Pitman)