Tales of Washington Irving (1970 TV Movie) User Reviews

Some Tales from the Darkside stories by Washington Irving

[NutzieFagin · 8/10 · 8 January 2013]

I remember this little gem when I was eight yrs old. A toy company called Kenner toys brought this cartoon as a Halloween treat for the kids one Saturday afternoon. Being a kid who LOVED horror/ghost stories and monster flicks, I adored it!.

You could probably say Washington Irving was the Stephen King of his time who penned one of the greatest ghost stories, The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow. Back in his time, with no electricity for the night light, no modern conveniences, it was a spooky world. There are two stories presented here-The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. The Headless Horseman story is told like a ghost campfire story in the spooky dark woods. and there is a love triangle to add more climax and conflict. Rip Van Winkle is a dark little tale but more like a fairy tale with a lesson learned.

The animation is not all that good. But the spooky background drawings and chilling musical score is VERY intense, giving the viewer a feeling of always looking behind you expecting someone to say Boo! The cast consists of some very talented famous voices. Many old timers who remember such Hanna Barbara cartoons like The Flintstones and The Jetsons will recognize the voices. And of course, you will recognize the multi talented and multi voiced, Mel Blanc.

This cartoon is VERY hard to find in the main market and I wish they would copy it to DVD or BlueRay. I was lucky to get a VHS copy on E-Bay. But as for spooky Halloween entertainment, I would encourage adults and kids alike to see it. No big violence or gore, just ghostly entertainment on those oh so quiet dark nights to give us a chill or two.

Lost TALES

[BijouBob8mm · 20 June 2003]

Whatever happened to this atmospheric animated special? Back in the early 1970s, it was a television tradition to run this between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Briefly available on home video from MGM years ago, it seems all but forgotten today. Artwork using autumn colors told the tales of the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. Like the Chuck Jones production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL from around the same time, this showed animation's potential at being more than just routine kiddie fare. (And, unlike many current cartoons, it was not a 30 minute commercial for some name brand toy disguised as a special.) And look at some of the names in the cast list. This really deserves a revival, if not on TV then certainly on VHS or DVD.

The very spooky tales of Washington Irving

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 30 May 2013]

I remembered seeing this special as a child and being creeped out by it. From a young adult perspective, it is still as entertaining and creepy and holds up very well. The character designs do lack fluidity and finesse, but that was it really that I could find not so good. The colours and backgrounds have a very haunting style and really give a genuinely creepy atmosphere. The music score further adds to that notion, much of it evoked chills but that effect was made without it being too obvious. The dialogue is intelligently written, making it easy to understand for younger audiences while not feeling dumbed down for adults. The storytelling is faithful, well-paced and appropriately spooky. Sleepy Hollow gave me nightmares as a child, as an adult not so much but I have to admit it was hair-raising stuff. The characters are engaging and none feel superfluous to the storytelling. The voice work is top-notch from all involved, particularly from Ken Sansom, Don Messick and Mel Blanc. All in all, atmosphere and beautifully done. 9/10 Bethany Cox

In a word: SPOOKY

[barryhoman · 4 August 2011]

I'm glad I finally tracked down the title of this animated special - I watched when it came out in the fall of 1970, I was 11 years old and you know what? IT SPOOKED ME GOOD! I was transfixed by the whole atmosphere the animators put into both tales, first Rip van Winkle, but especially Sleepy Hollow!

It gave me nightmares, it wasn't just some goofy Disney ghost story; these cartoons dug a little deeper down, right into the impressionable mind of a juvenile. Something about this production struck a chord in my soul, and it's stayed with me my whole life.

I still remember those disconcerting images, like those of ghostly, spectral, whispery leaves falling against a dark patch of backdrop: the inky blackness of the woods beyond...what New England forests must have really looked like, back in Ichabod's time (move over Blair Witch!) - and the chilly music used throughout, but above all: it was the distinct pace of these stories that made it so uncanny; the person in charge of storyline and direction must have been a real talent.

Though not big-budget animation, I give this one a full rating, because of the lasting impression it made; it was unique.