Customer Reviews

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection) [VHS]

5 star:		(126)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is my all-time favorite of the Disney animated classics; I have seen it countless times, and enjoy it as much as the first time I saw it, way back when I was 7 years old. It is a Halloween fixture for me still, although I watch it all year 'round. Bing Crosby had a wonderful speaking voice, as well as a singing one, and he does great things with the character of Ichabod and his tuneful telling of this timeless tale, set in Sleepy Hollow; I believe that were Washington Irving alive today, he would love this version of his terrific novel, based on old folk tales and legends of that part of New York. I also love Toad; J. Thaddeus Toad, Esquire, the Master of Toad Hall, with his loyal friends, Mole, Angus McBadger and Ratty. I have never seen this favorite classic in such splendor before my DVD version arrived...the colors, the crisp picture, the overall beauty of it took my breath away, and I was 7 years old again, watching it on the big screen. Now I can watch it anytime, and have the same quality as I enjoyed as a child, what a treat! Even if you have a VHS copy, buy the DVD, you won't believe the difference!

Disney's THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD is one of the best Halloween DVDs available, especially if you are looking for something to entertain--and spook!--the entire family.

There are actually two stories on this film, the first segment being a "telling" of Kenneth Grahame's THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS. The animation is well done--as are most Disney cartoons from this era (c. 1949)--and the narration by Basil Rathbone is wonderfully literate. Voice characterizations are done by other actors, however, which detracts from the film's premise that the story is being "told" by the venerable Mr. Rathbone. While this segment is certainly entertaining enough, it is NOT the highlight of the DVD. That honor goes to the other segment....

The remainder of the film is a "telling" of Washington Irving's THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW, and it is sheer delight. This classic American ghost story is narrated by Bing Crosby, who also sings all of the songs and voices nearly all of the characterizations. The script is very loyal to the source material, even including--though a little less subtly than Mr. Irving--the same wry sense of humor. The depiction of the Headless Hessian himself is really spooky, too, though still gentle enough so as not to scare the little ones too much. Lots of fun for old and young alike, this, and a great film for the family to watch on Halloween night!

Also included on the DVD is the classic Disney animated short LONESOME GHOSTS. This one has Mickey, Donald, and Goofy working as ghost exterminators, and one could easily make the argument that it was the inspiration for 1984's live-action GHOSTBUSTERS. (Indeed, one of our animated heroes even utters the line "I ain't afraid of no ghosts!") A real hoot, and another great film to include in the family's Halloween celebration.

If you're already a fan of the animated THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW, you'll definitely want to include this DVD in your collection. The colors are much richer than on the VHS release, and the details are understandably crisper. You'll see Ichabod, Bram Bones, that little coquette Katrina, and the infamous Headless Horseman like you've never seen 'em before!

Disney's Ichabod still reigns as the best. Bing Crosby's melodious voice is pure delight. This DVD is autumn viewing at its most glorious. Simply classic, a must have for the Disney fan, or addition to any Halloween film collection. The other reviews say it all. Gorgeous, sentimental and always a joy to watch.

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr.Toad is my favourite Halloween collection of all time. I, personally, bought this DVD mainly for "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" story, of which Ichabod Crane is the main character. I remember my mother taking me to the Library on Halloween when I was about 5 or so to see this show. The story is narrated by Bing Crosby(Perfect voice for the part). He narrates the story and also sings and speaks the lines of various characters. The story builds up to a truly scary climax involving the Headless Horseman. Nobody who orders this DVD will be dissapointed.
As for "The Wind in the Willows", starring Mr.Toad, it is also a great feat of Disney animation. A lot of British(English, more specifically) culture comes thru in this story. The accents are a little thick, but they lend themselves well to the setting of the story. This story, too, bulids up to a climax with a clever conclusion.
The bonus material included with this DVD is also impressive. It includes: An interactive trivia game with a classic cartoon as your reward, another great Halloween-ish cartoon called "Lonesome Ghosts". Spanish, and French soundtracks are also included.

One of the other reviewers mentioned that she couldn't just skip to the Ichabod cartoon and had to watch all of Mr. Toad first. This is simply not true. You just go to the chapter selection menu and choose Ichabod from there. Not too difficult at all!!

Overall this Disney DVD is the epitome of what classic animation should be. Its a shame that Disney has migrated away from the more rounded drawings of years past. But these DVD's ensure that they will always be remembered and accessible.

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is one of Disney's best animated masterpieces and the best one of the "featurettes". It consists of two segments. The first one is The Wind in the Willows, my favorite, which follows the madcap adventures of J. Thadeus Toad and his mania for moving vehicles. The second is a musical narrated and sang by Bing Crosby and tells the story of Ichabod Crane from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. Truly remarkable animation and extraordinary charachters make this film one of Disney's best.

I have only one complaint about this DVD, and it seems to be a marketing ploy used by many companies. On the original VHS release of TLOSH, there were 2 short "extra" cartoons, "Lonely Ghosts" and "Trick or Treat". I thought the 3 worked very well as a Halloween treat. In the case of the DVD, "Trick or Treat" is left off, why? This is a classic Disney short and should have been included for sure. Do we really need a silly game on the DVD, I'd opt for the masterpiece "Trick or Treat" any day. It's kind of like releasing a Michael Jackson's Greatest Hits album without putting "Thriller" on it, only so the record company can release Michael Jackson's Greatest Hits Volume 2 the next year only to make more money. It's kind of a cop out. Otherwise an awesome DVD, Bing Crosby's narration puts the finishing touches on what I consider to be the greatest Disney cartoon of all time.

I saw The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad when I was 6 years old and I can't tell you how much I loved it! I watched it with my best friend and it was shown Halloween night, 1954. I have taped it off the disney channel practically every time it's been shown and I bought it when it was released to video in 2 separate parts...several copies! I recently got my disney catalog and saw it on the back being released for it's 50th anniversary all in one piece as it was meant to be seen. I plan on laying in a good supply of this wonderful feature. i enjoy it as much today as when I first saw it so many years ago. The colors and the magnificent animation combined with the great voices of Bing Crosby(who also had a terrific speaking voice) and Basil Rathbone make this a winner for the ages. The songs will stay with you for a long time. Don't miss this one!

It's strange to see 2 shorts so different and opposing yet fit so well. You know something still resonates with you where you can almost actually nail the timing of it from the dialogue to the songs and specific scenes. Watching both brought back quite a bit of memories and both were still entertaining in their own rights without that kind of aged quality. They were fun and scary at age 6 and they're fun now as well. The only thing I wish was different was the transfer. It's almost like Disney didn't even bother to clean this up like they just slapped on the negative and left it. You get colored dots, specks of dusts and scratches and the image as that flickering quality you might've seen on VHS.

The Wind in the Willows, based on the book by Kenneth Grahame and narrated by Basil Rathbone, follows Mr. Toad, an incredibly impulsive character prone to overspending and just as much in fees who gets into so-called "manias". He spots a motorcar one day and is obsessed to the point where he's framed and thrown in jail. With help from his friends MacBadger, Moley and Rat, he has to get his deed back and prove his innocence. The short is funny and even a bit touching in a couple of places.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, based on the story by Washington Irving and narrated by Bing Crosby, has Ichabod coming to the town of Sleepy Hollow and becomes a school teacher. He falls instantly smitten with Katrina and tries to gain her favor from the brutish, pre-Gaston resident Brom Bones. Brom, to get even with him, tells him the story of the Headless Horseman, a black rider who rides the woods one night a year in search of a head. Even with the controversy they get from parents, Disney can do some pretty heavy scenes, as evidenced by Bambi's mother, the Black Cauldron or the meteor hit from the recent Dinosaur. Add to that is Ichabod's travel through the woods which is an excellent study in sound and imagery to creep you out. Even in older years, it still is an effective scene and most likely the highlight of the whole disc.

This seriously needs a remaster, not simply because of the transfer but also since you get the feeling both stories deserve a better look.

I recently reviewed "Fun and Fancy Free," released just two years before this film. Walt Disney tried the same thing in that film that he did in this film; he combined two shorts into one release. Unfortunately, the technique did not work well in "Fun and Fancy Free." The technique worked very well in this feature.

The first story is that of Mr. Toad, which is a story adapted from "The Wind in the Willows." J. Thaddeus Toad is quite a fellow. Mr. Toad likes to follow the whim of the moment, and his friends have a hard time trying to keep him out of trouble. Mr. Toad is in a pickle this time. The police found Mr. Toad in a stolen car and shortly he is in prison. Weasels take over Toad Hall and Mr. Toad can do nothing about it; or can he? Soon Mr. Toad and his friends are on the run from the law, but they are trying to recover the deed to Toad Hall and clear the name of Mr. Toad in a funny and exciting adventure.

The second story is even better than the first. Ichabod is Ichabod Crane from the story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Narrated by Bing Crosby, this story is funny and nicely plotted. The story of Sleepy Hollow is nicely animated and interpreted. If you saw the wonderful version with Johnny Depp, try this one for a fun comparison.

Disney had an instant classic with this 1949 release. The two stories in this release work well, and are among some of the best animation that Disney has ever done. These stories are Halloween favorites and are worth watching again and again. This feature should entertain all but the youngest family members, who may be frightened by some images in the story of Ichabod. This DVD should be in every family's movie library.

Enjoy!

I really liked this. I have fond memories of a teacher bringing this into the classroom and showing it to us and I liked it but especially The Ledgend Of Ichabod. The Mr. Toad Story was good too but a little boring compared to the Ichabod Sleepy Hollow story and I'm rating this 5 stars because of The Legend Of Ichabod and Sleepy Hollow.