The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Plot synopsis:
From the listless repose of the place, and the peculiar character of its inhabitants, who are descendants from the original Dutch settlers, this sequestered glen has long been known by name of Sleepy Hollow ... A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere.
The story is set in 1790 in the countryside around the Dutch settlement of Tarry Town (historical Tarrytown, New York), in a secluded glen called Sleepy Hollow. Sleepy Hollow is renowned for its ghosts and the haunting atmosphere that pervades the imaginations of its inhabitants and visitors. Some residents say this town was bewitched during the early days of the Dutch settlement. Other residents say an old Native American chief, the wizard of his tribe, held his powwows here before the country was discovered by Master Hendrick Hudson. The most infamous spectre in the Hollow is the Headless Horseman, said to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper that had his head shot off by a stray cannonball during "some nameless battle" of the American Revolutionary War, and who "rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head".
The "Legend" relates the tale of Ichabod Crane, a lean, lanky and extremely superstitious schoolmaster from Connecticut, who competes with Abraham "Brom Bones" Van Brunt, the town rowdy, for the hand of 18-year-old Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter and sole child of a wealthy farmer, Baltus Van Tassel. Crane, a Yankee and an outsider, sees marriage to Katrina as a means of procuring Van Tassel's extravagant wealth. Bones, the local hero, vies with Ichabod for Katrina's hand, playing a series of pranks on the jittery schoolmaster, and the fate of Sleepy Hollow's fortune weighs in the balance for some time. The tension between the three is soon brought to a head. On a placid autumn night, the ambitious Crane attends a harvest party at the Van Tassels' homestead. He dances, partakes in the feast, and listens to ghostly legends told by Brom and the locals, but his true aim is to propose to Katrina after the guests leave. His intentions, however, are ill-fated.
After having failed to secure Katrina's hand, Ichabod rides home "heavy-hearted and crestfallen" through the woods between Van Tassel's farmstead and the Sleepy Hollow settlement. As he passes several purportedly haunted spots, his active imagination is engorged by the ghost stories told at Baltus' harvest party. After nervously passing under a lightning-stricken tulip tree purportedly haunted by the ghost of British spy Major André, Ichabod encounters a cloaked rider at an intersection in a menacing swamp. Unsettled by his fellow traveler's eerie size and silence, the teacher is horrified to discover that his companion's head is not on his shoulders, but on his saddle. In a frenzied race to the bridge adjacent to the Old Dutch Burying Ground, where the Hessian is said to "vanish, according to rule, in a flash of fire and brimstone" upon crossing it, Ichabod rides for his life, desperately goading his temperamental plow horse down the Hollow. However, to Crane's horror, the ghoul clambers over the bridge, rears his horse, and hurls his severed head into Ichabod's terrified face.
The next morning, Ichabod has mysteriously disappeared from town, leaving Katrina to marry Brom Bones, who was said "to look exceedingly knowing whenever the story of Ichabod was related." Indeed, the only relics of the schoolmaster's flight are his wandering horse, trampled saddle, discarded hat, and a mysterious shattered pumpkin. Although the nature of the Headless Horseman is left open to interpretation, the story implies that the ghost was really Brom (an agile stunt rider) in disguise. Irving's narrator concludes, however, by stating that the old Dutch wives continue to promote the belief that Ichabod was "spirited away by supernatural means," and a legend develops around his disappearance and sightings of his melancholy spirit.

Tags: psychedelic, horror, storytelling, romantic

Review:
I love this animated short!
The music is great, and Bing Crosby does a wonderful job as the narrator.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a truly wonderful gem, that I personally think is underrated.
Bing Crosby, a great actor and singer, narrates and sings, and I thought he was sublime, so effective and expressive.
Of course it is quite short, but it goes by so quickly, that it passes the time perfectly.
The animation is lovely, very dark at times, but for telling a very dark story, that style of animation was necessary.
The famous story tells of a schoolmaster called Inchabod Crane, a character who doesn't say much, but is immediately likable when you see him, who is in love with the beautiful Katrina.
However, in a plot we have kind of seen before, he is rivalled by Brom Bones, a handsome tower of strength, who wastes no time in telling anybody a story that disturbs Crane greatly.
Soon after, Crane meets the landmark character of the short, the Headless Horseman, a character so scary that very young kids will be terrified.
Yet, because he was scary, as the legend says that he is and much worse, the Headless Horseman was very effective, and a villain that has been imitated in things like Scooby Doo, but never as well, as the very look of him had my hairs standing up on my neck.
The short concludes with a suspenseful ending, that leaves us wondering what did happen to Inchabod Crane?
A Walt Disney Cartoon Short Subject.THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - about the Headless Hessian who rides at night seeking his lost head - is about to terrify another victim on Halloween Night.Washington Irving's classic story comes alive in this wonderful little film, originally the second half of THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR.
Bing Crosby's singing narration and the excellent animation tell a tale of humor and genuine fright.
Ichabod Crane, the pedantic pedagogue, is a triumph of the animators' art, while the film's climax - the ride through the Hollow & the appearance of the hideous Hessian - is a celebration of pacing and stylistic understatement.Walt Disney (1901-1966) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings.
Back in Kansas City, along with artist Ub Iwerks, Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters.
When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor, the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination, ensuring Disney's immortality.
The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared, and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color, illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development, an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable.
All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films.
Disney made a wondefull masterpiece that is pitch-perfect to complete your Halloween season.
The story stays faithful to the Washington Irving short story and also adds a beautiful touch by having Bing Crosby's soothing voice-over to serenade this classic animated film which show lush touches of autumn colors in the cool, quiet mountain areas of Sleepy Hollow county, New York, in the 1700's.
The animation is great and has a real Walt Disney family feel to it.
That makes the movie even cooler as it is largely similar to the book and just like the book, the only dialogue comes from the narrator.
Brilliant film, gives you a Halloween feeling, I sure enjoyed it and I hope I speak for everyone else..
as anyone who's seen this little gem what a fun and scary (in a little persons way) short little movie this is,with Mr crosby shining all the way!!my little girl love it and always watches on a dull rainy day!!!now our little lad can have some fun with it as well,all colors and music to sooth on on a rainy bedtime!!just get nice and snuggly with the light down low and watch as yourself and kiddies whoop with delight!!!!if only someone could do the story justice these days!!i loved the Tim Burton one and it deserves a place as a well done movie done Burton style!!!go on go buy a copy and make sure you get a nice big pumpkin to boot!!!!!.
Wonderful Halloween Tale From Disney's Golden Age. Over the years, there have been several movie versions made of Washington Irving's classic tale "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".
While many of these were quite good, the best of them all may be Disney's 1949 animated classic.
Originally shown on TV, it presents what is probably the most faithful rendition of Irving's story using classic animation, catchy songs, and narration by the voice of the late, great, Bing Crosby.
The old school animation is simply breathtaking, with its many vibrant color schemes and ever amazing ability to captivate us.
Sure, Pixar type animation may be cool, but there's something about the old school cartoons that still makes them magical.
As for the execution of the story, it's equally wonderful, managing to be both spooky and comedic at the same time for the kids.
And then there is the brilliant, soothing sound of Bing Crosby, who narrates the tale beautifully as well as providing the small amount of dialogue with his baritone voice and wit that made him famous.
All in all, if you're looking for a perfect Halloween family film, you can't go wrong with this version.
Since it doesn't seem to be shown on TV anymore, you could either find it on DVD I believe or catch it on you tube.P.S. If you find yourself walking in Sleepy Hollow one night, cross that bridge as fast as you can and Happy Halloween!.
One of the most entertaining interpretations of the classic Washington Irving tale, and perhaps the most faithful, this cartoon is a classic in its own right.
No Disney did not invent Ichabod Crane, apologies to the uneducated, the tale was taken from a series of sketches by Irving which colorfully illustrate life in colonial New York.
Bing Crosby as the narrator is wonderful and like all vintage Disney, it somehow frightens viewers without horrifying them.
This may be one of the oldest Disney's cartoons but it is certainly one of the bests.
This time the real story (Sleepy Hollow) by Washington Irving is taken seriously and the characters' design couldn't be more ideal.
The main character, Ichabod Crane, is a teacher going on his way to Sleepy Hollow and he is exactly like the book tells us, a really strange person, big ears and nose almost looking like a scarecrow.
This guy falls in love by Katrina Van Tassel, a very beautiful and apparently innocent girl, who is the only heiress to her father fortune.
Then there's Brom, a very strong man who is decided to win Katrina's heart at all cost.
There will be really fun moments due to Ichabod's character and when Ichabod and Brom are both trying to win Katrina.
Then in the Halloween night there's a party in the Van Tassel's mansion where Brom will scare the superstitious teacher by telling the legend of the Headless Horseman.
After the party, Ichabod will have to ride home alone and now the question is: Will the Headless Horseman ride again to cut a head off?.
As a halloween treat for young viewers this is a classic.
The animation is the usual Disney standard - excellent.
The story has its scarier moments, but there is plenty of comedy laced throughout the movie to soften the scare.
This version of the Washington Irving tale gives parents a great opportunity to laugh with the kids and also introduces them literature.
Bing Crosby's narration and singing crosses a lot of generation barriers as well.
I've found that most of my generation X friends refer to this version of the story as THE Legend of Sleepy Hollow..
Your creepy Disney cartoon classic!.
This is your creepy Disney cartoon classic, retelling the legendary tale of the Headless Horseman, where Ichabod is in a romantic rivalry with a tough local, trying to woo a beautiful but shallow school-teacher.
Soon, Ichabod ends up in a horrific chase scene with the diabolical horseman - sure to send chills down kids' spines.It's made with much suspense and chills, with great animation, some goofy scenes, and a spooky atmosphere.
A pretty good movie short for Halloween time.Grade B.
Originally part of the movie The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, this adaptation of Washington's Irving's famous story contains some of the scariest imagery from any Disney cartoon.
The story, for those who somehow have never read or heard of it, takes place in 1790 New York.
In the village of Sleepy Hollow, a lanky new schoolmaster named Ichabod Crane arrives and becomes smitten with a beautiful young woman named Katrina.
Brom tells superstitious Ichabod the legend of the Headless Horseman, a ghost that haunts the village each year on Halloween, searching for a head to replace the one he lost.
As Ichabod travels home alone at night, he discovers the legend is true.The first half is heavy on comedy, much to the frustration of many viewers who only watch for the scary parts they've heard about or remember from their childhood.
I enjoy the lighter parts but admit what makes this a true classic is the scene where the Horseman chases Ichabod.
Katrina is one of the most underrated animated beauties from the classic Disney era.
As Crosby's narration states, "She was a blooming lass, plump as a partridge, ripe, melting and rosy-cheeked..." The Headless Horseman is also brilliantly realized.
Sublime voice work from Bing Crosby, who also lends his voice to some songs.
It's one of the classic Disney cartoons that I remember most from my childhood.
A nice Disney short.
I know that this animated short was initially one of the shorts from "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (the 11th animated Disney classic).
So I decided to write this review only for "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" because I'm familiar with this one.It is a simple but okay cartoon.
It is one of those simple, underrated and forgotten Disney shorts from the 40's (in this case, 1949).
The characters are interesting.Ichabod Crane is probably the most original character ever created by Disney.
His bizarre figure, the fact of being extremely thin and also his simplicity, charm and pacific personality are what really makes the difference.Brom Bones is a good example of pure strength.
But even his though guy posture doesn't stop him from getting into trouble with Ichabod Crane.
I mean, Ichabod has some "battles" with Brom Bones, but he doesn't even notice that!
Even when Ichabod is dancing with Katrina, Brom Bones still has plans in his mind.
That's when another hilarious sequence comes: a very short and fat woman dances with Brom Bones in a very energetic way, something which embarrasses him a lot.
On that Halloween night, after the party, Brom Bones tells terrifying stories about ghosts and the Headless Horseman.
He knows that Ichabod believes in those stories.
Needless to say that those stories scare Ichabod very much.
When Ichabod and his horse leave, tension and suspense are present.
But when the Headless Horseman appears...
It makes me wonder what really happened to Ichabod Crane.
Did we go to another city, village or country?Just to finish, let me say that Bing Crosby does a nice job as the voice of the narrator, Brom Bones and Ichabod Crane..
The animation is great.
It the story of Icabod Crane and how he ends up in a hunted woods one night and runs into The headless horseman a very scary ghost.
This classic family film is a must see.
One of the best family movies of all time.
One of the best animated film of all time.
This is a very fun movie to watch at Halloween.
Bing Crosby was a great actor.
The only life of the party was a brash young gentleman named Brom Bones, who although fancied himself to be a bruiser and a troublemaker, he was still seen as a gentleman and a town hero.
That is, until one fateful day there came a new man in town: an awkward, lanky man with a misshapen head and long, pointy nose in a book, simply known as Ichabod Crane.
Ichabod is the new schoolteacher, and he runs a tight ship.
As for Ichabod, he spends days on end, fantasizing about Katrina, and about her rich daddy's farm.
Is Ichabod a gold-digger, or is he genuinely interested in the prettiest and most sought-after maiden in town?
Ha ha.However, someone else was interested in the fair Katrina: ol' Brom Bones, who seems to go from town hero to bully in this scene, chasing off those other desperate men to have Katrina to himself, but he has a formidable adversary to contend with in Ichabod Crane.
Back and forth, he and Brom perform acts of chivalry, trying to outdo each other, but only end up embarrassing themselves.
After all, Brom could've just been a man and let Ichabod win this round, but all's fair in love and war, I guess.
After that, the plucky new schoolteacher finds himself invited to old man Van Tassell's annual Halloween night ball, where he delights in the free food, kissing up to Mr. V.T., and dancing with Katrina, while Brom Bones just sits around and sulks, as his only alternative was dancing with a fat chick.
However, fortune may soon work in his favor, as he notices another little quirk about Ichabod: he's superstitious.
Knowing he'd believe a ghost story hook, line and sinker, Brom tells, or rather, sings about a mysterious and nefarious Headless Horseman: a cursed demonic presence who wanders the wood one night a year, looking to get head...
He tells the only solace is to make it across the bridge, as the Headless Horseman can't cross it for some reason.
Well, I dunno, maybe ol' Brom Bones is full of hooey and probably just sang that catchy song for kicks.
Either way, Ichabod's ride home through the dark, spooky woods was very unsettling.
Suddenly, his horse comes to an unexpected stop, but Ichabod still hears the sound of hoof beats.
It's the Headless Horseman!
With a terrifying cackle, he raises his razor sharp sword and takes a swipe at Ichabod's head, so he and the horse haul ass out of there.
But as Ichabod and his horse cross the bridge, the Headless Horseman tosses them a parting gift: a flaming pumpkin.
So in the end, Brom Bones got the girl, and as far as Ichabod, some think he got away, settled down and started a family, but everyone else knows the truth, that he was "spirited away" by the Headless Horseman.There have been many incarnations of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, most notably Tim Burton's, but most people are familiar with the Disney version.
The Headless Horseman has been hailed one of the scariest villains ever to appear in a Disney film.
Personally, I buy into the theory that Brom Bones was the Horseman, trying to either kill Ichabod or run him out of town.
The narrator says he was a practical joker, and we all saw how jealous he was of Ichabod, and how he'd been made a fool of in front of everybody in town.
If this is the case, then he's a Disney villain who not only got away with his evil deeds, but also gets the girl in the end.
All that aside, this was a fantastic short film, narrated and performed brilliantly by Bing Crosby.
Rich with detail and the splendor that Disney's animation never fails to deliver and perfect to watch around Halloween, I definitely recommend The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
And remember, kids, it's only a cartoon...
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is the 65-year-old Disney approach to the famous tale, which was obviously done long before Tim Burton got his hands on the material.
First of all, the animation is nice and it is a half-hour cartoon which is truly atmospheric.
Secondly, Bing Crosby's narration worked from start to finish adding the right mixture of drama and comedy to the scenes we see.
Now, he is a pretty memorable character and it almost makes me sad to see that the other guy got the girl in the end because I felt that the one who wins was so colorless and forgettable really.
Some time later this half hour was picked, mixed together with another relative long short film and so they had a feature film out of this.
It even won a Golden Globe and that makes up for the short film from 1949 running empty on the awards front.
I had a good time watching this and I recommend it.
50 years and it's still the best interpretation of Washington Irvin's classic short story.
While I give credit to Tim Burton for his re-imagination of the tale(putting Ichabod Crane as a detective rather then a school teacher, plus other gazillion changes), this remains to date the best version of the classic tale.
The short movie offers a well-balanced dose of comedy and horror(still scary even by today's standards) with some musical segments courtesy of the narrator, good old Bing Crosby with his deep singing voice.
The animation, while obviously dated, is a solid reminder of Disney's good old days.
The soundtrack is simple and enjoyable in the funny sections and the movie and intense in the final part, Bing Crosby's singing segment will have you whistling them hours later after seeing this movie.
Recommended for Disney fans and it's perfect for Halloween..
The mood Disney created scared the pants off of me when I was little, but I still had to watch.
Bing Crosby's voice is almost hypnotic in this cartoon!
The music is superb, like in many Disney films.