The film opens with the infamous story of J. Thaddeus Toad, Esquire, and it is an absolute delight from beginning to end. Mr. Toad's story, The Wind in the Willows, is a moral tale undoubtedly with its caution against greed and obsession, but at the same time, this segment is downright entertaining. Mr. Toad himself is one of the best characters brought to life by the studio in its first Golden Age. His arc is so well developed with timely comedy and an evolution of character. The song performed by Mr. Toad and his trusty stead Cyril during this short, "The Merrily Song," is infectious and the perfect addition to this segment. I dare you to listen to it and not hum it for the rest of the day (accept my challenge and listen to it here!). Also, the supporting characters all have unique chances to shine, and shine they do. Mr. Toad's story is one for the ages as it stands the test of time as one for both children and adults alike. This may just be the pièce de résistance of the package films.
The second short tells the classic Washington Irving tale of the adventures of Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow. Like Mr. Toad, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one of the best short films ever produced by Disney. The story is mature, yet thoroughly entertaining, and its characters are comedic and relatable. Plus, this segment features one of Disney's finest villains from the first Golden Age with the Headless Horseman. He's vicious, evil, and terrifying, and he accomplishes all of this with only about ten minutes of screen time and a chill inducing song performed by the short's other bad guy, Brom Bones (enjoy that tune here!). From the set up of the Horseman to the majestic first look of him, he is a instant Disney legend. Furthermore, the blurring of heroic lines with Ichabod Crane is one of the more fascinating dynamics at work in the short. Since the title features his name, one can believe that Ichabod is the hero of this story, but his character is brought to life in such a way that you are never quite sure. In the end, Ichabod is consumed by greed and covetous of the lovely Katrina's wealth, providing his motivation for the entire film, a classic villain character arc, not a heroic one. I encourage you to revisit this short and let me know what you think about Ichabod. For me, I don't think we are suppose to know for sure what Ichabod is, and that fact along with the intimidating presence of the Horseman makes this a extraordinary short film.
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is not only an awesome package film; it is an awesome Disney film period. It has everything you would want from a Disney classic. Upon each viewing of this gem, I takeaway something entirely different than I did during the previous viewing. That is what makes this film a genuine classic in my book.
Rating: 8/10
Historical Significance: There is a legend about an animator who worked on The Wind in the Willows that claims he stopped working on the project to fight in World War II. Then, four years later, he returned to Disney and continued working on that exact same sequence for the film. This is an unconfirmed legend, but if it is true, isn't that just great? Also, Brom Bones from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow would later be the inspiration for another classic Disney villain: Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. Check out The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad and see if you can spot the resemblance.
Behind the Scenes: In The Wind in the Willows, Angus MacBadger tells Rat and Mole that Mr. Toad must stop spending too much money. It is widely believed that was a subtle reference to Walt's brother, Roy O. Disney, who often complained about Walt spending too much money on his various projects. Furthermore, the Headless Horsemen, along with Chernabog from Fantasia and the Horned King from The Black Cauldron, is often cited as one of the scariest villains in Disney history. The studio still receives complaints from parents about the character's impact on their children.
Favorite Character: Mr. Toad is a legend, in my book. As complex as Ichabod Crane is as a leading character. Mr. Toad is simply a classic. He is hilarious, rather innocent, and strangely human despite his amphibious tendencies. Additionally, he can sing and entertain with the very best along with his partner in crime Cyril. Not many characters spawn their own Disney parks attraction, but that just goes to show you how incredible Mr. Toad really is even to this day.
Favorite Scene: Once again, as great as The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is, The Wind in the Willows is one of my favorite Disney shorts of all-time. If you have not watched it in a while, or if you have never seen it before at all, I implore you to seek it out as soon as you can. I cannot adequately express in words how much I love this segment. It has heart, soul, and a message to proclaim. What more could you want?
Updated Ranking: The forties ended on an extremely high note with this film, but once again, it falls short of the original five. However, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad does finish as my favorite package film.
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Pinocchio
- Dumbo
- Bambi
- Fantasia
- The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
- Fun and Fancy Free
- Melody Time
- The Three Caballeros
- Saludos Amigos
- Make Mine Music
Historically, these package films are vitally important to the success of Disney. They serve as the bridge from the first five classics to perhaps the greatest Disney decade ever in the fifties. Without them, the studio may very well have not made enough money to stay afloat during World War II. One of the reasons we can enjoy such enduring classics as Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Sleeping Beauty is because these package films accomplished their goals: they kept Disney's name out there even in the midst of adversity. Therefore, I highly recommend that you check these films out and give them their just due. Tomorrow, we enter into one of the most prosperous eras in the history of the studio with the flawless Cinderella!
-Cody Fleenor
No comments:
Post a Comment