Paul Bunyan (film): Difference between revisions

Paul Bunyan
Paul Bunyan
Directed by	Les Clark
Story by	Lance Nolley; Ted Berman;
Produced by	Walt Disney
Starring	Thurl Ravenscroft; Dal McKennon;
Narrated by	Parley Baer
Music by	George Bruns
Animation by	John Sibley; George Nicholas; Bob Youngouist; George Goepper; Fred Kopietz; Ken Hultgren; Jerry Hathcock; Jack Parr; Jack Boyd (effects animation);
Layouts by	Homer Jonas; Jack Huber;
Backgrounds by	Walt Peregoy
Production; company	Walt Disney Productions
Distributed by	Buena Vista Distribution
Release date	August 1, 1958;
Running time	17 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

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Paul Bunyan is a 1958 American animated musical short film produced by Walt Disney Productions.^[1] The short was based on the North American folk hero and lumberjack Paul Bunyan and was inspired after meeting with Les Kangas of Paul Bunyan Productions, who gave Disney the idea for the film. The film was directed by Les Clark, a member of Disney's Nine Old Men of core animators.^[1] Thurl Ravenscroft starred as the voice of Paul Bunyan. Supporting animators on the project included Lee Hartman.^[1]

Paul Bunyan received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short of 1958, losing to the Looney Tunes cartoon Knighty Knight Bugs,^[2] starring Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam.

DTV sets clips of the short to Annette Funicello's Tall Paul and is featured in an episode of Sing Me a Story with Belle.

Plot

Following a violent windstorm on the coast of Maine, lumberjack Cal McNab spots a giant cradle washed up on the beach containing a giant baby boy. The lumbering-town adopts and raises the boy, giving him the name Paul Bunyan. One Christmas, the town gives Paul a double-bladed axe to help chop down timber. Paul's work clears open land and allows for the town's expansion of buildings, but Paul is too big for it and decides to move out west.

Paul continues to help clear land for farmers in the midwest. During a fierce blizzard, Paul rescues a giant flash-frozen ox that had turned blue from the cold. Paul adopts the ox and names him Babe. During the following spring, Paul and Babe's footprints through the snow filled up with water and became known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes". Paul eventually clears the trees from North Dakota and South Dakota, digs the Missouri River to flow the logs downstream to the sawmills, and builds Pike's Peak as a lookout. He creates the Grand Tetons while playing rough with Babe, and makes Yellowstone Falls as a shower bath.

Paul's work opens up the American west to trade; soon a slick-talking salesman named Joe Muffaw encourages the loggers to "get with the times and become modern" by using steam-powered chainsaws to cut trees, and a steam train to transport the timber (up until this point Babe would haul the timber to the river on a wooden sled). Paul protests that nothing can replace the heart and soul of himself and Babe, while Joe counters that his steam-saw and engine can cut and haul more timber than any man or ox, and the two men decide to host a tournament with only one rule, that whoever creates the highest pile of lumber at the end of the contest will be declared the superior way. Paul and Joe work tirelessly throughout the tournament cutting down trees, with Babe furiously racing against the steam train. When time is up, the referee measures Paul Bunyan's pile as 240 feet, even and the men cheer. The referee then measures Joe's pile as 240 feet and one quarter inch, thus Joe wins. Paul and Babe despondently walk off into the sunset, never to return, but one of the men decides to record the legend of Paul Bunyan and Babe for posterity's sake. Some say they went up to Alaska, and that the Aurora Borealis is really just Paul and Babe playfully wrestling in the snow.

Cast and crew

Voice: Thurl Ravenscroft
Chorus: The Mellomen
Director: Les Clark
Producer: Walt Disney
Writers: Lance Nolley, Ted Berman
Character animators: John Sibley, George Nicholas, Bob Youngquist, George Goepper, Fred Kopietz, Ken Hultgren, Jerry Hathcock, Jack Parr
Music: George Bruns
Lyrics: Tom Adair
Art director: Eyvind Earle
Additional voices:
- Dal McKennon as Cal McNab
- Parley Baer as Narrator / Chris Crosshaul
- Ken Christy as Shot Gunderson
- Bob Amsberry as Joe Muffaw

Home media

The short was first released by Walt Disney Home video through VHS in March 1983 under the title "American Heros".^[3] It has been released numerous times since which include December 6, 2005, on Walt Disney Treasures: Disney Rarities - Celebrated Shorts: 1920s–1960s.^[4]

Additional releases include:

1995: Favorite Stories: Paul Bunyan (VHS)
2001: Disney's American Legends (VHS and DVD)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Wolfe, Jennifer (2012-12-31). "Animator Lee Hartman Dies at 82". Animation World Network. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
^ "1958 academy awards". Retrieved 2007-09-20.
^ "New Video Software Releases" (PDF). Cashbox. Vol. 44, no. 30. December 12, 1982. p. 13.
^ "Disney Rarities - Celebrated Shorts: 1920s - 1960s DVD Review". DVD Dizzy. Retrieved 14 February 2021.

External links

Paul Bunyan at IMDb

[awn-1] Wolfe, Jennifer (2012-12-31). "Animator Lee Hartman Dies at 82". Animation World Network. Retrieved 2013-01-06.

[1958_academy_awards-2] "1958 academy awards". Retrieved 2007-09-20.

[CB12181982-3] "New Video Software Releases" (PDF). Cashbox. Vol. 44, no. 30. December 12, 1982. p. 13.

[4] "Disney Rarities - Celebrated Shorts: 1920s - 1960s DVD Review". DVD Dizzy. Retrieved 14 February 2021.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Infobox film
 | name = Paul Bunyan
-| image =
+| image = Paul Bunyan (Disney film).jpg
-| image_size =
 | caption =
 | director = [[Les Clark]]
 | producer = [[Walt Disney]]
+| story = {{Plainlist|
-| writer = Lance Nolley<br>[[Ted Berman]]
+* Lance Nolley
+* [[Ted Berman]]
+}}
 | narrator = [[Parley Baer]]
-| starring = [[Thurl Ravenscroft]]<br>[[Dal McKennon]]
+| starring = {{Plainlist|
+* [[Thurl Ravenscroft]]
+* [[Dal McKennon]]
+}}
-| music = [[George Bruns]]<br>[[The Mellomen]]
+| music = [[George Bruns]]
-| cinematography =
+| animator = {{Plainlist|
-| editing =
+* John Sibley
-| studio = [[Walt Disney Feature Animation|Walt Disney Productions]]
+* [[George Nicholas (animator)|George Nicholas]]
-| distributor = [[Buena Vista Pictures Distribution]]
+* Bob Youngouist
-|released= August 1, 1958
+* George Goepper
+* Fred Kopietz
+* Ken Hultgren
+* Jerry Hathcock
+* Jack Parr
+* Jack Boyd (effects animation)
+}}
+| layout_artist = {{Plainlist|
+* Homer Jonas
+* Jack Huber
+}}
+| background_artist = Walt Peregoy
+| studio = [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Walt Disney Productions]]
+| distributor = [[Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures|Buena Vista Distribution]]
+|released= {{Film date|1958|08|01}}
 | runtime = 17 minutes
 | country = United States
-| language =
+| language = English
 | budget =
 | gross =
 }}
-'''''Paul Bunyan''''' is a 1958 [[animated film|animated]] [[musical film|musical]] [[short film]] released by [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Walt Disney Studios]]<ref name=awn>{{cite news|first=Jennifer|last=Wolfe|title=Animator Lee Hartman Dies at 82 |url=http://www.awn.com/news/passing/animator-lee-hartman-dies-82 |work=[[Animation World Network]]  |publisher= |date=2012-12-31 |accessdate=2013-01-06}}</ref> It was based on the North American [[folk hero]] and lumberjack [[Paul Bunyan]]. The film was directed by [[Les Clark]], a member of [[Disney's Nine Old Men]] of core animators.<ref name=awn/> [[Thurl Ravenscroft]] starred as the voice of Paul Bunyan. Supporting animators on the project included [[Lee Hartman]].<ref name=awn/>
+'''''Paul Bunyan''''' is a 1958 American [[animation|animated]] [[musical film|musical]] [[short film]] produced by [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Walt Disney Productions]].<ref name=awn>{{cite news|first=Jennifer|last=Wolfe|title=Animator Lee Hartman Dies at 82 |url=http://www.awn.com/news/passing/animator-lee-hartman-dies-82 |work=[[Animation World Network]]  |date=2012-12-31 |access-date=2013-01-06}}</ref> The short was based on the North American [[folk hero]] and lumberjack [[Paul Bunyan]] and was inspired after meeting with Les Kangas of Paul Bunyan Productions, who gave Disney the idea for the film. The film was directed by [[Les Clark]], a member of [[Disney's Nine Old Men]] of core animators.<ref name=awn/> [[Thurl Ravenscroft]] starred as the voice of Paul Bunyan. Supporting animators on the project included [[Lee Hartman]].<ref name=awn/>
-''Paul Bunyan'' received an [[Academy Award]] nomination for [[Academy Award for Animated Short Film|Best Animated Short]] in 1959, but lost to [[Warner Bros. Cartoons]]' Looney Tunes cartoon ''[[Knighty Knight Bugs]]''.<ref name="1958 academy awards">{{cite web |url=http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0148765.html |title=1958 academy awards |accessdate=2007-09-20}}</ref> It was also included on the 2002 DVD release ''[[Disney's American Legends]]''
+''Paul Bunyan'' received an [[Academy Award]] nomination for [[Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film|Best Animated Short]] of 1958, losing to the ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' cartoon ''[[Knighty Knight Bugs]]'',<ref name="1958 academy awards">{{cite web |url=http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0148765.html |title=1958 academy awards |access-date=2007-09-20}}</ref> starring [[Bugs Bunny]] and [[Yosemite Sam]].
+[[D-TV|DTV]] sets clips of the short to [[Annette Funicello]]'s ''[[Tall Paul (song)|Tall Paul]]'' and is featured in an episode of ''[[Sing Me a Story with Belle]]''.
 ==Plot==
-Following a violent windstorm on the coast of [[Maine]], lumberjack Cal McNab spots a giant [[Bassinet|cradle]] on the beach containing a giant baby boy. The town adopts and raises the boy, giving him the name Paul Bunyan. One Christmas, the town gives Paul a double-bladed [[axe]] to help chop down timber. Paul's work clears open land and allows for the town's expansion of buildings. Unfortunately, Paul is too big for it and decides to move out west.
+Following a violent windstorm on the coast of [[Maine]], lumberjack Cal McNab spots a giant [[Bassinet|cradle]] washed up on the beach containing a giant baby boy. The lumbering-town adopts and raises the boy, giving him the name Paul Bunyan. One [[Christmas]], the town gives Paul a double-bladed [[axe]] to help chop down timber. Paul's work clears open land and allows for the town's expansion of buildings, but Paul is too big for it and decides to move out west.
-Paul continues to help clear land for farmers in the [[Midwestern United States|midwest]]. During a cold blizzard, Paul rescues a giant [[oxen|ox]] that has instantly become frozen, turning blue from the cold. Paul adopts the ox and names him [[Babe the Blue Ox|Babe]]. During the following spring, Paul and Babe's footprints through the snow filled up with water and became known as the "[[Minnesota|Land of 10,000 Lakes]]." Paul eventually clears the trees from [[North Dakota]] and [[South Dakota]], digs the [[Missouri River]] to flow the logs downstream to the sawmills, and builds [[Pike's Peak]] as a lookout. He creates the [[Grand Teton National Park|Grand Tetons]] while playing rough with Babe, and makes [[Yellowstone Falls]] as a shower bath.
+Paul continues to help clear land for farmers in the [[Midwestern United States|midwest]]. During a fierce blizzard, Paul rescues a giant flash-frozen [[oxen|ox]] that had turned blue from the cold. Paul adopts the ox and names him [[Babe the Blue Ox|Babe]]. During the following spring, Paul and Babe's footprints through the snow filled up with water and became known as the "[[Minnesota|Land of 10,000 Lakes]]". Paul eventually clears the trees from [[North Dakota]] and [[South Dakota]], digs the [[Missouri River]] to flow the logs downstream to the sawmills, and builds [[Pike's Peak]] as a lookout. He creates the [[Grand Teton National Park|Grand Tetons]] while playing rough with Babe, and makes [[Yellowstone Falls]] as a shower bath.
-Paul's work creates the career of logging, in which ordinary men follow suit with their axes. However, soon a slick-talking salesman named Joe Muffaw encourages the loggers to forget that work and "be modern" by using gas-powered chainsaws and a steam train to transport the timber (up until this point Babe would carry the timber to market on his back). Paul protests that nothing can replace the heart and soul of himself and Babe, and the men decide to host a tournament with only one rule, whomever creates the highest pile of lumber at the end of one's day work will be declared the superior logger, and the men will adopt the ways of the winner. Paul and Joe work tirelessly throughout the tournament, with Babe furiously racing against the steam train. When time is up, the referee measures Paul Bunyan's pile as 240 feet, and the men cheer. The referee then measures Joe's pile as 240 feet...and one quarter inch. Although most of the men don't think that quarter of an inch was a big deal, the rule was whomever made the highest pile, thus Joe wins. Paul and Babe despondently walk off into the sunset, never to return, but one of the men decides to record the legend of Paul Bunyan and Babe for posterity's sake. Some say they went up to [[Alaska]], and their playful wrestling is what causes the [[Aurora Borealis]] in the night sky.
+Paul's work opens up the American west to trade; soon a slick-talking salesman named Joe Muffaw encourages the loggers to "get with the times and become modern" by using steam-powered chainsaws to cut trees, and a steam train to transport the timber (up until this point Babe would haul the timber to the river on a wooden sled). Paul protests that nothing can replace the heart and soul of himself and Babe, while Joe counters that his steam-saw and engine can cut and haul more timber than any man or ox, and the two men decide to host a tournament with only one rule, that whoever creates the highest pile of lumber at the end of the contest will be declared the superior way. Paul and Joe work tirelessly throughout the tournament cutting down trees, with Babe furiously racing against the steam train. When time is up, the referee measures Paul Bunyan's pile as 240 feet, even and the men cheer. The referee then measures Joe's pile as 240 feet and one quarter inch, thus Joe wins. Paul and Babe despondently walk off into the sunset, never to return, but one of the men decides to record the legend of Paul Bunyan and Babe for posterity's sake. Some say they went up to [[Alaska]], and that the [[Aurora Borealis]] is really just Paul and Babe playfully wrestling in the snow.
 ==Cast and crew==
-* '''Voice''': ''[[Thurl Ravenscroft]]''
+* '''Voice''': [[Thurl Ravenscroft]]
-* '''Chorus''': ''[[The Mellomen]]''
+* '''Chorus''': [[The Mellomen]]
-* '''Director''': ''[[Les Clark]]''
+* '''Director''': [[Les Clark]]
-* '''Producer''': ''[[Walt Disney]]
+* '''Producer''': [[Walt Disney]]
-* '''Writers''': ''[[Lance Nolley]]'', ''[[Ted Berman]]''
+* '''Writers''': Lance Nolley, [[Ted Berman]]
+* '''Character animators''': John Sibley, George Nicholas, Bob Youngquist, George Goepper, Fred Kopietz, Ken Hultgren, Jerry Hathcock, Jack Parr
-* '''Music''': ''[[George Bruns]]''
-* '''Lyrics''': ''[[Tom Adair]]''
+* '''Music''': [[George Bruns]]
-* '''Art Director''': ''[[Eyvind Earle]]''
+* '''Lyrics''': [[Tom Adair]]
-* '''Character Design''': ''Milt Banta''
+* '''Art director''': [[Eyvind Earle]]
-* '''Layout''': ''Jack Hannah'', ''George Kreisl'', ''Volus Jones'', ''Mary Blair'', ''Ollie Johnston'', ''Thor Putnam'', ''Don Da Gradi'', ''Yale Gracey'', ''McLaren Stewart''
-* '''Animation''': ''John Sibley'', ''Bob Youngquist'', ''Fred Kopietz'', ''Jerry Hathcock'', ''George Nicholas'', ''George Goepper'', ''Ken Hultgren'', ''Jack Parr''
-* '''Key Assistant Animator''': ''John Wilson''
-* '''Assistant Animation''': ''[[Iwao Takamoto]]'', ''Walt Clinton'', ''[[Marc Davis (animator)|Marc Davis]]'', ''[[Norm Ferguson (animator)|Norm Ferguson]]'', ''Ollie Johnston'', ''Bill Keil'', ''John Lounsbery'', ''Murray McClennan'', ''Lester Novros'', ''[[Ben Sharpsteen]]'', ''Clair Weeks''
-* '''Key Clean-up Artists''': ''Hugh Fraser'', ''Phil Duncan'', ''Judge Whitaker'', ''John Sibley'', ''Art Babbitt'', ''Marc Davis'', ''Harvey Toombs'', ''Al Coe'', ''Ken O'Brien'', ''Jack Campbell''
-* '''Inbetween Checkers''': ''Jack Dunham'', ''John Hench'', ''Pat Matthews''
-* '''Inbetweeners''': ''Kay Wright'', ''Gene Hazelton'', ''Paul Murry'', ''Milt Kahl'', ''Ken O'Brien'', ''Ward Kimball'', ''Blaine Gibson''
-* '''Effects Animation''': ''Bill Tytla''
-* '''Key Coordinating Animators''': ''George Rowley'', ''Jack Boyd''
-* '''Background Supervision''': ''Ralph Hulett''
-* '''Background''': ''Art Riley'', ''Menton Huebner'', ''Thelma Witmer'', ''Ray Huffine'', ''Jimi Trout'', ''Dick Anthony'', ''Al Dempster'', ''Art Landy'', ''Eyvind Earle'', ''Frank Armitage'', ''Ken Anderson'', ''Tom Codrick'', ''McLaren Stewart'', ''Al Zinnen'', ''Claude Coats'', ''Maurice Noble''
-* '''Background Design''': ''Edgar Starr'', ''Claude Coats'', ''Brice Mack'', ''Samuel Armstrong'', ''Yale Gracey''
-* '''Background Keys''': ''Bill Tytla'', ''Fred Moore'', ''Norman Ferguson'', ''Hamilton Luske''
-* '''Special Effects''': ''John Hench'', ''Les Clark''
-* '''Animation Checking''': ''Don Da Gradi'', ''Al Zinnen'', ''Kendall O'Connor''
-* '''Final Checking''': ''Hugh Hennesy''
-* '''Ink and Paint Supervisor''': ''Bob McIntosh''
-* '''Inkers''': ''Edna Disney'', ''Lillian Disney'', ''Hazel Sewell''
-* '''Painters''': ''Retta Davidson'', ''Marjorie Ralston'', ''June Patterson'', ''Jeanne Lee Keil'', ''Rae McSpadden''
-* '''Education Consultant''' ''[[Charles Vidor]]''
 * '''Additional voices''':
-** ''[[Dal McKennon]]''	as Cal McNab
+** [[Dal McKennon]] as Cal McNab
+** [[Parley Baer]] as Narrator / Chris Crosshaul
+** [[Ken Christy]] as Shot Gunderson
+** [[Bob Amsberry]] as Joe Muffaw
+==Home media==
+The short was first released by Walt Disney Home video [[Walt Disney Home Video (VHS)|through VHS]] in March 1983 under the title "American Heros".<ref name="CB12181982">{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d3/CashBox_US_1982-12-18.pdf|title=New Video Software Releases|magazine=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]|date=December 12, 1982|volume=44|issue=30|page=13}}</ref> It has been released numerous times since which include December 6, 2005, on ''[[Walt Disney Treasures: Wave Five#|Walt Disney Treasures: Disney Rarities - Celebrated Shorts: 1920s–1960s]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Disney Rarities - Celebrated Shorts: 1920s - 1960s DVD Review |url=https://www.dvdizzy.com/disneyrarities.html |website=DVD Dizzy |access-date=14 February 2021}}</ref>
+Additional releases include:
+* 1995: ''Favorite Stories: Paul Bunyan'' (VHS)
+* 2001: ''[[Disney's American Legends]]'' (VHS and DVD)
 ==See also==
@@ Line 73: / Line 84: @@
 ==External links==
-* {{Bcdb title|4178|Paul Bunyan}}
 * {{IMDb title|0052056|Paul Bunyan}}
 {{Paul Bunyan}}
+{{Disney's Short films}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Paul Bunyan (film)}}
-[[Category:1958 animated films]]
+[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
-[[Category:Disney animated short films, 1950s]]
+[[Category:1950s Disney animated short films]]
-[[Category:American films]]
+[[Category:1950s children's animated films]]
-[[Category:Animated short films]]
-[[Category:1958 films]]
 [[Category:Paul Bunyan]]
 [[Category:American folklore films and television series]]
-[[Category:Films based on folklore]]
+[[Category:Animated films based on folklore]]
 [[Category:Films produced by Walt Disney]]
 [[Category:Films set in Maine]]
-[[Category:Film scores by George Bruns]]
+[[Category:Films scored by George Bruns]]
+[[Category:Films directed by Les Clark]]
+[[Category:Films with screenplays by Ted Berman]]
+[[Category:American animated short films]]
+[[Category:Animated films about cattle]]
+[[Category:Animated films set in New England]]
+[[Category:Animated films set in the Midwestern United States]]
+[[Category:Films set in North Dakota]]
+[[Category:Films set in South Dakota]]
+[[Category:Films set in Colorado]]
+[[Category:Films set in Wyoming]]
+[[Category:Animated films set in the Western United States]]
+[[Category:Disney animated films based on fairy tales]]
+[[Category:English-language short films]]
+[[Category:1958 animated short films]]

v t e Paul Bunyan
Film	Paul Bunyan (1958) Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan (2013) Bunyan and Babe (2017)
Music	Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (soundtrack) Paul Bunyan (operetta)
Art	Statues of Paul Bunyan Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox Portland, Oregon Paul Bunyan Land
Literature	Ol' Paul, the Mighty Logger
Related	Paul Bunyan in popular culture "Simpsons Tall Tales" Paul Bunyan's Axe Paul Bunyan Trophy Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon