Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Blistering performances.

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. Sadly its not all that easy to find, I think its presently packaged with Wind in the Willows, which likewise falls into the same category of nearly forgotten and unappreciated genius.

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). However, I don't remember much about Mr. Toad, perhaps because I only saw it when I was a kid. 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). Despite not being something extraordinary, this cartoon remains entertaining and watchable.The designs are simple but good. The picture quality is okay. The characters are interesting.Ichabod Crane is probably the most original character ever created by Disney. He speaks and sings very little, but that's not what makes the difference. 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! Just hilarious!Brom Bones is the loser. But he's not a man to give up easily. 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. But he doesn't get rid of her easily.After all these comic gags, the dark side of this short begins. 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. He even has sweat running all over his face!But the darkest part is yet to come. When Ichabod and his horse leave, tension and suspense are present. In the meantime, we have some very funny moments. But when the Headless Horseman appears... well, all I have to say is that it becomes quite scary! For children it can be terrifying.The ending is somehow confusing. It makes me wonder what really happened to Ichabod Crane. Did he run away? Did he survive? 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.

It is. 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. On DVD it looks particularly nice, even when you can tell it's very outdated. 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.

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 film uses some voices in it, but is used rarely. It proves even without many voices of characters how colorful they still can be.