Melody Time

A mostly underwhelming anthology film, Melody Time boasts seven segments centered around songs of a decidedly (and predominantly) lackluster nature – with the picture, as a result, often feeling much, much longer than its 75 minute runtime. The movie’s failure is especially disappointing given the predictably stellar bent of its animation, as Melody Time has been infused with stirring, striking visuals that are almost (but not quite) strong enough to compensate for the otherwise uninvolving atmosphere – with the arms-length feel perpetuated by a recurring emphasis on hopelessly forgettable songs and musical numbers. (This is especially true of the bland, underwhelming Once Upon a Wintertime digression.) And while the film contains a small handful of agreeable interludes (eg Blame It on the Samba possesses a vibrant energy that’s otherwise absent within the proceedings), Melody Time is ultimately unable to hold the viewer’s interest and attention on anything resembling a consistent basis – which does, in the end, secure its place as a rare failure within Disney Animation’s early days.

** out of ****