Unlimitedia
Sick Product of a Sick System
Maidexpl
Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast
Kamila Bell
This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.
Hollywood_Yoda
This film is a treat for any Disney fan, or fans of animation for that matter. It's a series of short films beautifully put together to make a feature length film, at a time of hardship for the Disney studio.A few of the shorts included are Little Toot, Johnny Appleseed and Pecos Bill. The Pecos Bill short is best remembered as having Roy Rogers and Trigger in the live action sequences. Then there's Blame it on the Samba; with Donald Duck, Panchito and Joe Carioca making an appearance after their own film, The Three Caballeroes.The music is old fashioned by today's standards for a new audience, but delve in and culture yourself. You'll be more than delighted. I guarantee that. A great film for the family, and a great way to introduce a new generation to the old Disney library.
Jimmy L.
All through my childhood of watching Disney movies on video, I'd somehow never seen MELODY TIME (although some footage had been used in sing-along montages).MELODY TIME (1948) is similar to Disney's FANTASIA (1940), setting short animated stories to music, only this time Disney uses popular contemporary vocalists and musical acts instead of classical masterpieces. The Andrews Sisters sing a tale about a little tugboat and Dennis Day croons the saga of Johnny Appleseed. There's some live-action footage of organist extraordinaire Ethel Smith (integrated with Donald Duck and his feathered pal Jose) and Roy Rogers's singing posse (relating the legend of Pecos Bill). "Once Upon a Wintertime" (sung by Frances Langford) is the sleigh ride romance that is edited into Disney's Christmas sing-alongs.This is definitely a second-tier Disney production, but it has its charms and is nicely animated. Kids should enjoy it, and it's an interesting sample of the musical 1940s.
Rindiana
Disney's package movies in particular are often quite hokey and this mediocre example even lacks the usual highlights, with most parts missing dramatic punch and excitement, while the quality of the animation varies strongly.On the other hand, the shorts are all quite watchable, with the rhythmic episodes outshining the narrative ones; but nothing's really memorable and the kitsch factor becomes slightly grating after a while. Not to mention the sugar-coating of frontier life.Loved the confused bee, though.5 out of 10 howlin' coyotes
vitaleralphlouis
One thing children don't have anymore is appreciation for (or even knowledge of) legendary American heroes, whether fictional, exaggerated, or real. Public "schools" have even gotten in the habit of eradicating our Founding Fathers from American History. Here in this wondrous Walt Disney classic the Magic Paintbrush will take us back to the days of Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyon, Pecos Bill and others. I'm writing this from fond memory of having seen it 55 years ago. I remember it well. If me and the wife go to a movie this weekend, one thing is certain: If we successfully choose the very best movie at the multiplex we will have forgotten it by the next day. Hollywood simply does not make quality movies anymore. Cars? It wasn't bad; but who will remember it in 5 weeks let alone 50 years? Melody Time was Walt Disney at his low ebb. He would soon regain his reputation with Cinderella, Peter Pan and Treasure Island. Disney at his low ebb beats the pants off today's Hollywood at their very best.
