Watch Melody Time

Melody Time, released in 1948, is an animated musical film directed by Jack Kinney, Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, and Wilfred Jackson. It is a compilation of various musical segments, each featuring different stories and musical styles. The movie is the tenth and final entry in the package films series by Disney. The film has a total of seven sequences, each featuring different stories and characters. The first segment features footage of various birds, including owls, woodpeckers, and bluebirds, accompanied by a song performed by The Andrews Sisters.

The second segment tells the story of a lazy, fun-loving bear named Bumble Boogie, who is pursued by a swarm of bees through a surreal landscape filled with musical notes, instruments, and shapes. The music for this sequence is an adaptation of Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee, performed by Freddy Martin and His Orchestra.

The third segment is titled "Johnny Appleseed" and is about a folklore hero, John Chapman, who traveled across America planting apple trees. The music for this segment was composed by Johnny Burke and James Van Heusen, and the narration is provided by Dennis Day.

The fourth segment, titled "Little Toot," is based on a children's story by Hardie Gramatky. It tells the story of a little tugboat who wants to be like the big ocean liners. The music for this segment is a variation of the song "Blow the Man Down" and is performed by the Andrews Sisters.

The fifth segment is titled "Trees" and is an adaptation of Joyce Kilmer's poem of the same name. The segment features a mix of live-action footage of nature scenes and animation that illustrates the poem's verses. The music for this segment is composed by Oscar Rasbach, with lyrics by Kilmer.

The sixth segment is titled "Blame It on the Samba" and features Donald Duck and José Carioca, both from the previous film, Saludos Amigos. They are joined by a new character, a Brazilian parrot named Aurora Miranda, who sings and dances along with them. The segment features a mix of live-action footage of carnival scenes and animated characters. The music for this segment is composed by Dorival Caymmi.

The final sequence is a tribute to the American cowboy, featuring the popular western singer and actor Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger. The sequence is titled "Pecos Bill" and tells the story of a legendary cowboy who is considered the bravest and strongest in the West. The music for this segment is composed by Eliot Daniel, with lyrics by Johnny Lange and Hy Heath.

Melody Time was released to mixed reviews but was still considered a financial success. It is notable for featuring a mix of animation styles, including several unique styles not typically associated with Disney films, such as the art deco-inspired animation in the "Bumble Boogie" segment.

Overall, Melody Time is a charming film that captures the various musical and cultural styles of the time. With its mix of animation, live-action footage, and popular music, it's a time capsule of the era that is still enjoyable today.

Melody Time is a 1948 animated movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 15 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.1 and a MetaScore of 69.