Paul Bunyan

Not a great adaption for Disney, but certainly characteristic of the shorts released in the 50's. It's interesting to consider that this tale was part of American folklore long before it was put into print. Like most folklore,it's full of exaggerated fictional accounts of events. One can image loggers sitting around a campfire, or in a cabin, each trying to embellish and exaggerate the story to make it more interesting then the last time it was told. Certainly a colorful Tall Tale. All part of our collective heritage, and what fun!

This longish short was nominated for an Oscar. Decent enough and a fairly good adaptation of the tall tale, but fairly routine Disney and with nothing especially memorable or exceptional about it in any area. Worth watching, this runs infrequently as filler on the Disney Channel during "Vault Disney in the wee hours of the morning.

This Disney short was created during the studio's creative free-fall in the 1950s. While the 1930s and 40s found the studio on top, by the mid-1950s, their shorts were dull, poorly animated and often overtly educational (yuck!). I am sure kids and adults alike longed for the old Mickey and Donald cartoons! Typical of the 50s, the animation style is VERY minimalistic--with exceptionally simple backgrounds and far fewer detail to the characters. This style was popularized by UPA Studio and Disney realized that making these cheap cartoons was profitable--though lacking artistry and sophistication--a trend that was to continue for the next several decades.

Despite crappy animation, the story itself isn't bad. It lacks a sense of humor (that's bad) but the song is very catchy and the story quite clever. It's certainly not among the best stuff Disney ever produced, though it's a good bit better than a typical film of the era.

By the way, listen for the voices of Thurl Ravenscroft (Tony the Tiger and many other cartoon characters) and Parley Baer (a TV regular and voice of Ernie from the Keebler commercials).

I am drawn to this thanks to "The Simpsons" episode "Simpsons Tall Tales." That version is much more entertaining, and in that episode, the neighbors are cruel and express their dark thoughts without restraint, just like in real life. Here, being a Disney production, they are portrayed as angelic. However, this version has a bittersweet ending that has made me appreciate it more. Generally, it can be said that this short film presents a story that doesn't offer much, which can be dull, but coming from watching "The Simpsons," I found it interesting. It is also interesting to learn about other versions of the story.

This is my second review of an Oscar-nominated cartoon for 1958 having just done the same for Art Bartsch's Sidney's Family Tree. This one is another version of the Tall Tale of Paul Bunyan, the giant man who chopped lots of trees and helped log them with the help of his blue ox Babe. The story begins when he's a baby found on a beach with the town adopting him with everyone helping in sewing clothes for him as well as schooling him and him having fun at the swiming pool. As he grows, he gets an ax for a Christmas present and then moves out west after chopping trees at his hometown. In moving out, Paul meets Babe and...well, let's just say things get exaggerated concerning how certain natural wonders are formed. The animation is pure '50s with the typical limited backgrounds of the period but they're pleasing enough. Directed by Les Clark. Oh, and nice hearing the voice of Thurl Ravenscroft-best known as Tony the Tiger of the Kellog's Frosted Flakes cereal commercials-as the title character. Only one more nominee to go...