At some point this week, I'll post an analysis of Disney's adaptation of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". The current version on Blu-Ray (and Disney+) looks *kind of* okay, but the color timing REALLY doesn't work for me. (The DVD on version the left; current version on right.)

Plus, the DVD version uses a Technicolor release print with changeover cues. Love that shit...

Before I get to my analysis, here's some concept designs by Mary Blair and Tom Oreb...

The main draw of "Ichabod" is its narration/singing by Bing Crosby - perhaps Disney's biggest push in features to generate marquee value for the segment. Packaged with "The Wind in the Willows," promotional ads showcase the climax of the picture, with Mr. Toad often cast aside.

How did some of the key figures feel about Crosby's involvement with "Ichabod" in later years? They had one particular thing in common—Bing's inability to take direction from others. First is production supervisor Ben Sharpsteen, and directors Jack Kinney and Gerry Geronimi.

Now, our feature presentation! The opening scenes establish the mood and atmosphere of Sleepy Hollow, while also introducing Ichabod Crane, the schoolmaster on his travels to the local village; these scenes were animated by John Lounsbery.

Bing's narration here contains much of the text from the original Washington Irving tale, with some slight alterations. (e.g. "Tall and exceedingly lank", "his head was small, and flat on top with a long snipe nose" and "a scarecrow eloped from a cornfield.")

Now, we're introduced to Brom Bones, mostly animated by Milt Kahl. The song sequence of Ichabod coming into town is all done by John Lounsbery. (Hal King animates Brom's horse, the dogs, and some shots of Brom and his gang; Volus Jones handles the scared dogs and horses.)

I’m sure others have alluded to this, but the song sequence parallels the opening scenes of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST decades later. Compared to Ichabod, seen through awe and intrigue by the Sleepy Hollow crowd, the townspeople of France mock and ridicule Belle in the latter film.

Early concept sketches of Brom Bones, drawn by Ward Kimball (via Andreas Deja).

In the same interview, director Jack Kinney had strong opinions on the animation of the picture. (I imagine he wanted Ichabod to walk more like the loose-limbed Goofy in his own short cartoons.)

Here, Ichabod makes his mark on the Sleepy Hollow community. Hugh Fraser animates most of Ichabod at the schoolroom and at the dinner table, Harvey Toombs with Icky in bed, and Ollie Johnston animates the singing lesson with Ichabod, vocalizing in Crosby's signature fashion.

(Hal King animates Brom and his gang playing a "howler" of a practical joke on Icky.)

Now, Katrina van Tassel steps into the picture, in a sequence almost entirely animated by Freddie Moore. Months before, he had arrived back at the studio after animating for Walter Lantz. (ATTN: @blackwingjenny!!)

Bing's narration is identical to Washington Irving's description of that little coquette Katrina: "a blooming lass…plump as a partridge…ripe, melting and rosy-cheeked”. Here are some design sketches by Frank Thomas (via Andreas Deja).

Here, we see Ichabod's "sugared thoughts" on Katrina (and her family's vast fortune!) All animated by Harvey Toombs, with some FX animation by Jack Boyd.

Last note before I call it for today-this last gag is a nod to an old Chaplin routine (used by other comedians) from one of his silent comedy shorts.

And we're back! Three animators cast by three characters here—Freddie Moore on Katrina, John Sibley on Ichabod and Hal King on Brom and his horse. When Katrina’s handkerchief hits Icky’s nose, Frank Thomas takes over (with Hal Ambro handling the last shot at the end of the clip.)

Here’s the first half of the rivalry between Ichabod and Brom, mostly animated by Frank Thomas (with Hal Ambro handling some shots). Nicely done pantomime comedy firmly rooted in the simplest character conflict of silent comedies: the little guy, the heavy and the girl.

A nice moment in this sequence: Ichabod covering up Brom with flour before he “erupts”—a very Chaplin-esque touch.

Ollie Johnston now takes over this half of the sequence, with Hugh Fraser animating the “double-vision” POV of the two Ichabods dancing. This further displays Jack Kinney's strengths in quick, slapstick comic action between the two suitors.

Another parallel to BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, which seems more obvious: Andreas Deja claimed to have taken inspiration from Brom's design for his animation of Gaston. With Gaston, it's as if Brom Bones turned into a manipulative, vainglorious gym rat.

“Icky, you sly old dog, you!” A John Lounsbery sequence, with Hugh Fraser animating Ichabod on his old rented horse. (Seems Hugh Fraser and Hal Ambro's animation wrapped up many of these sequences - this would have helped a great deal to meet their footage quotas.)

Now, director Gerry Geronimi steps into the segment. Milt Kahl animates on Brom and Matilda. Then, Frank Thomas animates much of the sequence after Matilda latches onto Brom. Woolie Reitherman's animation finishes the dance with a speedy finale.

This is possibly my favorite animation in the whole segment (animated by John Sibley). It's so great...

The moment you’ve all been waiting for—the Headless Horseman song sequence. Ollie Johnston animates Ichabod and Brom before the song, Milt Kahl animates Brom's performance and Ken O'Brien is on Katrina. Johnston comes back for the final scene of Icky.

We've seen earlier how Ichabod picks up, kisses and discards a horseshoe - a symbol of luck and protection after his interaction with Katrina. Just the same, Ichabod abides by superstition and this leads to Icky's downfall following his good standing with Katrina.

Best part of the whole segment for me: this guy. It’s only four feet of animation, but it adds so much to the sudden ominous tone (again, animated by John Sibley). Why do you think he’s my profile picture??

The intensity mounts in the deep, dark woods during this first half, all animated by Frank Thomas (with FX animation by Ed Aardal). The remarkable color styling of Mary Blair and Oliver Wallace’s musical score are highly integral to this sequence.

Frank Thomas continues on this sequence, then Ward Kimball’s eccentric animation takes over when Ichabod’s sleepy horse is seen leaning on the gravestone right up to the end of the clip.

One thing I neglected to mention: Milt Kahl's assistant on this segment was a young Iwao Takamoto—this was one of his earliest jobs in animation. To save the studio money, he went over Kahl's drawings and cleaned them up rather than use another sheet of paper (via Andreas Deja).

With a hip-hip and a clippity-clop, here comes the Headless Horseman out to chop!

Ward Kimball animates Ichabod and his horse at the start, but once the Horseman is seen, the sequence is cast between Woolie Reitherman and John Sibley.

Here are some excellent concept paintings by Mary Blair from this sequence. That last one—WOW.

Finally, the epilogue. Ken O'Brien animates Brom and Katrina, and Hugh Fraser animates Ichabod; Fraser's animation is from an earlier scene, possibly to minimize costs on the segment.

To wrap this thread up nicely, here's the Headless Horseman song sequence—music only! (Credit to YT user Andrii Svystun for obtaining the full instrumental.)