This DVD was probably created as Disney’s quick, kiddie answer to the surging patriotism in the United States after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. As American consumers were buying flags in record numbers, Disney artists were likely tossing through tinny stacks of old film reels, scavenging for old pro-American cartoon clips that could be spliced into a new collection for kids. Only one of the four cartoons on this disk is new. The other three have the familiar look and sound of Disney past, and if you are American, you’re guaranteed to have seen these three cartoons more times than you could have counted during your own childhood.

I’ll forgive Disney for cashing in on our heightened American-ness right now. I recognize our need to feel truly united after an event like the attacks on New York and the Pentagon, and focusing on the stories that define our nation is one way to do that. Disney attempts to give children that feeling of unity with American Legends, stories of four American “heroes” of years past. However, the cartoon selections on the disk are poorly chosen, and the disk itself is overpriced.

Make money fa$t — turn your old cartoon shorts into quick ca$h! This overpriced, lackluster package from Der MausHaus features four animated shorts: “John Henry,” “Johnny Appleseed,” “Paul Bunyan” and “The Brave Engineer.” In between, James Earl Jones hosts dull, eye-stabbing video introductions, all of which look and sound like they were made for public-access TV. Opening and closing credits have been snipped from each short, which will doubtless ensure the wrath of animation purists. Still, you don’t have to be an animation buff to get riled at this release.

The only new material here is “John Henry,” though it’s hardly a worthy tribute to the legendary “steel-drivin’ man.” The idea behind this short is solid, and the folk-influenced visuals are frequently intriguing — which leads to the impression that, under the right circumstances, this could have been a classic short film. But a compressed running time and obviously rushed animation virtually guarantee a third-rate product. (In the mid-1940s, Puppetoon producer George Pal directed a stop-motion short on John Henry, which earned praise from the NAACP and still holds up to scrutiny. Skip Disney’s “John Henry,” and see George Pal’s instead.)

The other three shorts in the program are leftovers from the Disney vault. “Johnny Appleseed” comes from the 1948 package feature _Melody Time_; it practically oozes schmaltz (as well as an insistent work-for-the-common-good ethic that seems vaguely Soviet). “Paul Bunyan” is a sad effort from the late 1950s with mostly limited and recycled animation. The worst of the lot, though, is “The Brave Engineer,” a desperate attempt to capture some of the nuttiness of Warner Bros. cartoons. It’s dull and hectic, but not much else.

Shame on Disney for foisting this tripe on an unusupecting public. _American Legends_ may be the worst video release in the studio’s history.

I must admit I didn’t do my research. I was expecting a collection of all new video shorts instead of one new and three older cartoons. While I thought the John Henry cartoon was fast-paced and visually exciting, the others showed their age. I had a hard time maintaining interest so I’m sure it was difficult for my six and four year olds. I doubt that this video will spend much time in our VCR. I would recommend this only to those nostalgic for forty year old cartoon shorts.