Why so much hype?

Such a frustrating disappointment

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

A young boy draws on the inspiration of legendary western characters to find the strength to fight an evil land baron in the old west who wants to steal his family's farm and destroy their idyllic community.Director Jeremiah S. Chechik brought us "national Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (a classic) and "Benny and Joon" (a cult hit), and then this. Despite a great cast, it just sort of flops around and goes nowhere. The plot really ought to be: kid hangs out with legendary figures, ruins their lives. Why they put up with him is beyond me.One of the more disappointing things, actually, is how little we get of Calamity Jane. For me, if I had Catherine O'Hara on my payroll, I would find a way to expand her part. But I guess not. I will give them credit for Paul Bunyan, though, as their interpretation is certainly unique.

i've always felt this movie was far better than it's critical and overall reputation. even the Disney studio and Disney fans seem to neglect and ignore it. too bad because it's so well made and intelligent that it should be appreciated more than it is.a almost virtually unrecognizable Patrick Swayze gives a powerful and memorable performance that i think is one of the best of his career and one of the best Pecos Bill interpretations. all the performances here are well done, but it is Swayze's "Pecos" that stands out.director Jeremiah Chechik gives the film a elegant look that is unusually refined for family films of this kind. not to mention a effective sense of history. the photography and set design are imaginative and stylized and convey American wild west history with good authenticity. especially notable is the design of Scott Glen's villain's ominous looking train.the film also amusingly and accurately, conveys these early American legend stories fear of progress and the machine/industrial age, that was such a common theme with stories like 'Paul Bunyan' and 'John Henry'.so much of this is so well done that you almost hate to quibble about it but i feel it does have a basic flaw. i think the film is probably too refined and intelligent. because of that, somehow they forgot to breathe a little more life into the whole thing. the film feels a bit more cold and detached than a wild western adventure really should. i can't believe i'm saying this, but the film should have been a little more "dumbed down". it could use a little more silliness to it because of it's fanciful subject matter. Walt Disney himself wasn't always worried about seeming anti-intellectual or using common slap stick which is evident from the approach often given earlier Disney live action films.but i am glad for the intelligent approach here and the film definitely captures the spirit and essence of American frontier legends.

Some of us may wonder how appropriate it was for Disney to make a movie linking American legends and historical events, but I wish to assert that "Tall Tale" is worth seeing. It portrays a boy (Nick Stahl of "In the Bedroom") joining up with Pecos Bill (Patrick Swayze), Paul Bunyan (Oliver Platt) and John Henry (Roger Aaron Brown) to fight a developer (Scott Glenn) in the American West in 1905. The movie sort of gives one the feeling that these tales may have had some truth to them. I recommend it.Oh, and although Catherine O'Hara only appears in one part (as Calamity Jane), she steals the scene there.

I am only commenting on this "movie" because of previous criticisms listed above. This "film" was never in cinema houses because it was produced as a children's special for HBO. It's really too bad that others can't manage to see it through the eyes of its intended audience: a seven-year-old who is enthralled by the likes of Patrick Swayze, Oliver Platt, Scott Glenn, Catherine O'Hara, Roger Aaron Brown, Scott Wilson, William H. Macy and Burgess Meredith acting out his/her favorite childhood stories. Come on! Who WOULDN'T have fun watching this cast? I, for one, am glad that there is still mindless, FUN entertainment for children to watch in between the movies we adults view that are full of explosions, blood, gore and full frontal nudity. I'm certainly no prude, and I don't even HAVE children -- I just remember fully what it was like to be a child!