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Rating:  - Absolutely wonderful in every way
For some reason, I never saw most of the Disney classic movies when I was growing up - but I'm certainly having a good time watching them all these years later. Dumbo, of course, may be the most beloved Disney film of them all - despite the fact that it is relatively short (64 minutes), sports a pretty simplistic style of animation, and features a main character that never speaks a single word. The film's popularity is due in large part to the story itself, as there is a little bit of Dumbo in all of us. At some time, we've all been embarrassed by our appearance, laughed at and snubbed by those around us, and been made to feel like a complete loser.
Everyone knows the story already. Poor little Dumbo, with his big ears, is ridiculed and called a freak by the other elephants, harassed by kids going in to see the circus, separated from his mother, and eventually made into a clown, the very embodiment of his unhappy life. Only little Timothy Mouse befriends him, and his spirit of optimism and commitment to help Dumbo prove himself are needed more than ever when things go from bad to worse. In the end, the very thing that makes Dumbo different turns out to be the source of his greatest strength. The message of the film is pretty simple: believe in yourself, even when others put you down and, for heaven's sake, don't make fun of someone just because he looks different. Dumbo is also a story about love, particularly the love between a mother and child, and the importance of friendship.
Classic Disney films such as this are both wonderful and remarkable - yet so many of them are also sad. I imagine that children, while they will certainly understand the themes of this story, don't connect to the film on the same emotional level as I do as an adult. I really got emotional watching this - right from the start, with the sadness exuded by Mrs. Jumbo as she watches children being delivered to seemingly every one but her. It's tough watching Dumbo suffer ridicule and embarrass himself further by tripping over his big ears, suffer a cruel separation from his mother, and mope around with those tears spilling out of his big blue eyes, but I made it through all of that OK. Then came the scene where he visits his mother in her solitary confinement. If Leonard Maltin can admit that this film makes him cry every time he watches it, so can I. I don't know how anyone can get through that visitation scene without shedding at least one tear.
I said the animation was relatively simplistic, but that does not mean it isn't spellbinding, nor does it mean you won't encounter any scenes that are rather stunning in detail. Some of the professionals interviewed in a 15-minute featurette included on the DVD do a great job of pointing out the most remarkable scenes (and everyone has something to say about the Pink Elephant sequence, which is just bizarre and certainly memorable). Other special features include an audio commentary by film historian John Canemaker, a short, one-minute introduction to the film by Walt Disney himself, a photo gallery of conception art and storyboards, a video of the song "Baby Mine" performed by Jim Brickman with Kassie DePalva, and two short cartoons, Elmer Elephant and The Flying Mouse. Additional bonus materials aimed more specifically at young viewers are Sing Along Songs for Look Out for Mr. Stork and Casey Junior, a DVD storybook which children can read along with, and a "My First Circus" game that teaches children about the different kinds of animals normally found in a circus.
In a perfect world, Disney would just send a free copy of Dumbo to every set of parents in the country. Since that isn't economically feasible, I hope that as many parents as possible do make Dumbo a part of their children's young lives. This classic animated film is everything you would expect from Walt Disney - and more.
Rating: - Jumbo Jr. Flys High
Dumbo has no big ambitions in story or art and was made with a mediocre budget. Still, it's a timeless classic with a story that resonates just as effectively today as when first released in 1941. Its charming characters will still bring audiences to tears and the music will stay with you long after the lights come back up. This film is simply bursting with heart and soul.
Is there anyone who doesn't cry when Mrs. Jumbo, locked in her cell, cuddles and swings her Jumbo Jr.? The sequence is a masterpiece. Combining the psychological pain we feel at the separation of parent and child, a beautifully touching song and warm, subtle character animation. But the truly amazing thing is that tucked into this unassuming little story is the highly imaginative pink elephant sequence, the greatly comic "When I See An Elephant Fly" and a few nods to German expressionism. Quite a combination, and proof that Dumbo is much more than just a distraction for the kiddies.
Dumbo was not given the extensive restoration that Snow White was given a few years ago and a bit of dust and scratches are seen throughout the film. But this is still the best the film has looked on home video. In fact, it appears to be the same transfer from the 60th Anniversary DVD of 2002. Even the menu screens are the same. All that's been added are a few games for the younger set and a music video for "Baby Mine"performed by Jim Brickman and Kassie DePriva. Not included from the 60th Anniversary release are a music video for "Baby Mine" performed by Michael Crawford, two trailers and a segment from "The Reluctant Dragon" that explains how the Casey Junior voice was achieved. Thankfully, the highly informative commentary by John Canemaker is included on this new release as well.
Also on this DVD are two animated shorts that pre-date Dumbo yet mirror some of its themes, and a 15 minute "documentary" that's really just myriad Disney alumni heaping praise on Dumbo. It's always good to hear great things about Dumbo but something a bit more in-depth and behind the scenes would have been better.
All in all this is a very solid release of Dumbo that should not be passed up by anyone who missed out on the 60th anniversary release. Its a film that the entire family will enjoy for many years to come. For those that already have the 60th Anniversary edition, this Big Top edition doesn't add enough to justify the purchase.
Rating: - Disney updates its "Dumbo" DVD for a new generation of fans
For the first generation of Disney animated films the most emotional moment has been and will always be when Bambi's mother is shot. Chandler Bing is correct, that all they did was "stop drawing the deer," but that is why we talk about the magic of animation and movie making. But the second most emotional film experience is the classic Disney collection has to be "Dumbo," which also deals with the fear of being separated from your mother (albeit with a decidedly happier ending), but which deals as well with the pain of facing discrimination because of the way you look. Consequently, this 1941 film has a couple of compelling universal themes. Then you throw in some solid songs (including Disney does Dali with "Pink Elephants on Parade") and a colorful animated train to along with the cute title character and you have a real winner. I assume I am preaching to the choir here, because it strikes me as silly to tell anybody what the story of "Dumbo" is about. The question is whether you want to pick up this "Big Top Edition" DVD, which despite the price is only a single disc.
"Dumbo" is only 64-minutes long, which RKO Radio Pictures thought was too short to release as an A picture, but then originally it was going to be a 30-minute featurette before it was expanded. Along with "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Dumbo" is the only classic Disney film to use water colored backgrounds, which were less expensive than the gouache and oils used for both "Pinocchio" and "Bambi." Since both "Pinocchio" and "Fantasia" were, believe it or not, failures at the box office initially and did not turn a profit until they were re-released. "Dumbo" only cost $812,000 and by grossing over $2.5 million in its original release actually earned more than both "Pinocchio" and "Fantasia" combined in terms of their original grosses. Ultimately the simplicity of both the story and the animation style contributed largely to the success of the film because it proved that a story is more important than creative animation ("Fantasia" did not have an overriding narrative) and that that the characters matter more than the backdrop (the rainstorm in "Bambi" might be the crowning achievement of the studio in terms of drawing, but it is not as meaningful as the looks on the faces of Mrs. Jumbo and her baby in this movie). So this might be the shortest of the Disney animated features, but in its own way it remains one of the most important.
There is almost a sense that the DVD extras threaten to overwhelm the simple little movie (notice you usually have to light up the magic feather to make selections). There are a pair of Silly Symphonies that actually relate to the main feature, with 1936's "Elmer Elephant," where we learn how you kiss if you have a trunk and what else big ears can be used besides flying, and 1934's "The Flying Mouse," in which the original blue fairy grants a young mouse his wish about being able to fly ("I would like to be a bird, and go sailing through the sky"). There are a pair of sing alongs with "Look Out for Mr. Stork" and "Casey Junior" (but not "When I See an Elephant Fly"?). There is a music video of Jim Brickman on piano and Kassie De Palva singing "Baby Mine" (replacing Michael Crawford from the 60th Anniversary Edition DVD of the film). Adults can enjoy the audio commentary with animation historian John Canemaker, who details the history of the film and explains why it works. After countless commentary tracks where actors are trying to remember what happened in the movie they are watching, it is great to hear somebody as well prepared as Canemaker, and if you want to know where you get your money's worth with this DVD, then I would say right here with what Canemaker provides.
But that does not matter, because of the scene where Dumbo goes to visit his mother when she is locked up as a "Mad Elephant," and their trunks touch, and she cradles her baby in her trunk, you simply have to cry. They did not need "Baby Mine" being sung in the background. You can make the argument that Dumbo is the triumph of the underdog, which does for little boys what the story of the Ugly Duckling does for little girls (we are talking culturally, going back centuries and not about contemporary gender issues). Cinderella just has to become a princess to live happily ever after, but Dumbo has to win the respect of the other elephants by doing something and the important lesson is that he does not change his appearance. The fact that Dumbo does not have to change makes it a valuable lesson for all youngsters. The only educational downside here is that the magic flower is revealed to be a placebo, which is not exactly a card in the parental deck that you necessarily want the kiddies to understand at too young of an age.
Rating:  - Big, in many ways
Story: Mrs. Jumbo is a circus elephant who wants a baby. As the circus packs up and heads for the next town, a flock of storks arrives to deliver animal babies (see note below), but Mrs. Jumbo gets no bundle of joy. Wait! One stork arrives late, and Mrs. Jumbo gets an adorable baby elephant, who happens to possess truly enormous ears (e.g., they are so long that he trips on them sometimes). Mrs. Jumbo loves her baby, but the other elephants are condescending and rejecting of this baby with the strange ears. What to do? Timothy Q. Mouse befriends Jumbo, Jr., whom everyone calls "Dumbo," and tries to help the little elephant fit in. The first attempt at finding Dumbo a niche in the circus is a disaster, and he is made into a clown, which horrifies the other elephants. Plus, when a boy visiting the circus is mean to Dumbo, and Mrs. Jumbo defends him, Mrs. Jumbo gets locked away. Timothy and Dumbo eventually discover that Dumbo has a quality that could make him the star attraction. I won't divulge what that quality is, but it is certainly something to crow about.
Technical: The colors are beautiful and lush, although they do not quite match the lush beauty of "Bambi." The sound quality is excellent. The animation is remarkable, especially for the circus train, which is just as alive as any of the people or animals. The high level of animation in the train is a Disney feature that is seen in many of their films, and is seen as recently as in their recent "Chicken Little." I must add, though, that Disney's animation from 1941, when this film was originally made, seems very two-dimensional, as compared with today's computer-generated graphics. It is still beautiful to watch, though. There are also some very nice children's songs in "Dumbo" as well.
Special features: The special features include two animated shorts. "Elmer Elephant" is about a young elephant who attends the birthday party of his girlfriend, Tillie Tiger, only to be harassed by the other party attendees, because of his big nose. Elmer ends up being a hero, though, because of his trunk. In "The Flying Mouse," a young mouse daydreams about flying, saves the life of a beautiful butterfly, and is granted a wish by a fairy. He gets wings, and can fly, but this does not turn out to be everything he thought it would be. There is also a learning game for young children to learn about animals, and a sing-along section with the songs from the movie.
The Stork Issue: The film starts with stork delivering babies to the animals. If parents have already explained the facts of life to their children, this segment might be confusing to the kids. If parents have not yet had The Tazlk with their children, the stork thing might have to be explained, and it could open the door for further explanation. By the way, one possible explanation for the stork-baby connection dates back to Europe hundreds of years ago. Storks often roosted and nested on the roofs of people's homes, near the chimney, where it would be warm on cool Spring nights. Which homes were most likely to be kept nice and warm? Those with newborn babies. Hence, storks often nested near the chimneys of homes where newborn babies lived.
The Alcohol Issue: There is a sequence in "Dumbo" where the clowns are celebrating how much Dumbo added to their part of the show, and they are drinking. One bottle of liquor gets spilled into a tub, and Dumbo later drinks from it, not knowing about the liquor, to stop his hiccups. The animators had a field day depicting the results, with psychedelic dancing pink elephants and a montage of fantastic scenes that hippies from the sixties must love. My point is that parents might need to talk about this scene with their children, as it certainly makes intoxication look interesting and fun.
In watching "Dumbo," I was struck by how we have changed. The story is basically sweet and naive, and I wonder if today's children will find it attractive. It does not have as much action or suspense as many of today's animated pieces have. What it does have, is a lot of heart.
Bottom line: This is a very nice film for little children, but there are a few points that might necessitate a parent-child discussion.
Rating: - A classic Disney story
I had to scratch my head when I saw that Disney was re-releasing "Dumbo" at the end of this month. The 60th anniversary edition pretty much covered the gamut of bonus features and improved animation. What could possibly be done on this new version? Not much.
The story of a baby elephant named Dumbo with big ears who is treated as if he was freak by the other elephants remains timeless as ever. With the help of his mouse friend Timothy, Dumbo comes to terms with his unique physical appearance and eventually comes to appreciate his rather large ears. After all these years, I still enjoy "Dumbo" as much as I did the first time I saw it in elementary school. I still get all choked up when Dumbo goes to visit his mother which is very sweet yet sad. "Baby Mine" still gets to me after all these years.
This version of "Dumbo" is definitely geared more towards the younger generation with the games & activities, music, and bonus shorts. Is this worth $29.99? Not really but if you get it a cheaper cost, then it is worth it for your kids. The 60th anniversary edition is much better for adults who want to own this classic animated film.
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