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Rating:  - A Good Edition
I can't add anything about the movie itself. The only reason to buy these special editions is for the extra features. Behind the scenes stuff, how the movie came about, interviews with actors who did the voices, ect. If you care about those things, this is a great set. If you don't, there is no reason to upgrade.
Rating: - I've Seen Everything
"When I See An Elephant Fly" is just one of a number of classic songs performed in the short and sweet Walt Disney classic, "Dumbo." This wonderfully touching film about a young elephant who doesn't fit in speaks volumes to viewers both young and old. More than just a simple cartoon, this story shows how someone who's different deserves just as much respect as any other person. Jumbo, Jr. (Dumbo's real name) is protected by his mother from bullies until she's punished for defending him in a chaotic tangle with other elephants. He's befriended by the loyal Timothy Q. Mouse (Edward Brophy), who teaches him to keep his head up and be happy just as he is.
This DVD features a number of extras including the obligatory passable music video, a cartoon short of "Elmer Elephant" and "The Flying Mouse," sing along songs and an excellent read along storybook.
Some have stated that this film is racist and/or unsuitable due to the crow characters. To be honest, these characters are some of the most endearing in my opinion. Their song, "When Elephants Fly," is one of my personal Disney favorites. Some even go so far as to say the the "drunk" scene goes too far for small children. Guess what, folks, I'd much rather my child see a drunk mouse in a Disney feature than a drunk uncle on Christmas day! This story teaches tolerance, forgiveness, and that bullies are the only ugly ones around.
I highly recommend this tale to anyone who's a fan of Disney, anybody with children, and fans of animation as well.
Rating: - Jumbo Fun
Although I was quite small when first I saw Dumbo, I well remember the impressions it left me: crows singing (and a nice job of it, too) about butterflies, house flies and elephant flies; clowns acting in goofy and potentially dangerous ways; mean matronly elephants shunning a baby; knots coming inexplicably apart when babies landed by their intended parents; "pink elephants on parade" (raised in a mercifully moderate-drinking household, I just went along with the notion too much drink did odd things to us).
Seeing this version carefully applied to DVD is a delight all over again. Sometimes analog to digital suffers in transition: not so in this case. All the artistry, free-wheeling fun and pathos is sharpened and brightened in this DVD, which offers plenty of sidelights for the curious or enthralled. Well worth owning and re-visiting.
Rating: - Great Movie
I remember it well from my youth, from my children's youth, and I even like it now. Disney the old fashion way.
Rating: - Perfect!
Disclaimer- I have not seen the Big Top Edition, I have the 60th Anniversary edition. This is a review of the film.
It is amazing that this film was made 65 years ago. This bright, crisp, colorful film with it's excellent soundtrack and music is just captivating. My 3-year old is currently fixated with "Gumbo"-- meaning that this is the DVD that will be in the single disc rotation for the next couple weeks or so.
Yes the crows are incredibly non-PC, and that is the one place where the film shows it's age-- but that just adds to the film now. It isn't like a child would ever pick up on the racial overtones of the crows without a frame of reference.
One sequence that is still freaking me out is the Pink Elephants on parade sequence. I guess I am a little surprised this is from 1940; some of the things like the reference to Technicolor I would never have thought would be from the 40s. And the morphing and dancing elephants sequence seemed like it would have belonged more in a 60s acid movie than in a 40s kids cartoon. If the hippies had DVD they would have loved tripping out to that.
But all in all this is a nearly perfect movie, but one that might get overlooked my many parents who are picking up Nemo, Cars, or Aladdin. Don't overlook this movie.
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