Dumbo (Big Top Edition)
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Movie Reviews of Dumbo (Big Top Edition)
Movie Review: Indispensable Disney Film Receives Deserved "Big Top" Treatment
Summary: 5 Stars
Walt Disney's beloved, modest classic "Dumbo" carries a different history than most in the studio's library. It lacked "Fantasia's" groundbreaking animation/music choreography. Its story wasn't as familiar as timeless tales of Snow White, Cinderella, or Alice in Wonderland Disney stamped as its own. Its dialogue was sparse, its main character silent. Even its home video history is unique, being Disney's first "classic" title released to the format and consistently in print while Disney withdrew and re-released others.
But 1941's "Dumbo," deservedly updated in this deluxe "Big Top" edition, was Walt Disney's favorite films (he says so in one of the DVD's bonus features.) It's no surprise; this simple story of a long-eared, baby elephant, cherished by his mother, mistreated by nearly everyone else and eventually victorious, addressed themes of maternal love, perseverance, and self-esteem covered in Disney and other children's films to this day.
The movie is still a speedy 64 minutes (which cynics would say is about your wait for Dumbo's Disney World ride). Yet young Dumbo and his mother's story are fully and economically told around them through characters like Timothy Mouse, jazz-jiving crows (singing the musical highlight "When I See An Elephant Fly") and elephants cruel and catty (at the circus) or pink and near psychedelic (in the film's fantasy sequence). "Baby Mine," where Dumbo's mother cuddles and rocks him through circus prison bars, is among animation's most moving scenes.
Besides the TV "Disneyland" intro, the "Big Top" edition also holds two Disney "Silly Symphonies" ("Elmer Elephant" the better of the two), a newly sung "Baby Mine," a Dumbo DVD storybook, matching cards and an appreciation led by film critic Leonard Maltin. Overall, this "Big Top" edition gives "Dumbo" the well-deserved treatment its hero received at the end of the film. It's indispensable for Disney fans, an essential diamond among children's films.
Movie Review: childhood favorite
Summary: 5 Stars
Dumbo is the story of a baby elephant born with enormous ears. When the other circus elephants reject him, and his mother is locked away as a "mad elephant" for trying to protect her baby, Dumbo's only friend turns out to be Timothy, the circus mouse. Together, they learn that huge ears can be an asset.
This movie has much to recommend it. It's only an hour long, which means it won't bore kids beyond their attention span. Its message of treating those with differences or handicaps fairly and kindly is important for everyone to hear.
Best of all, it has some wonderful musical numbers. "Baby Mine" still brings tears to my eyes all these years later, and "When I See an Elephant Fly" is hysterically funny to those old enough to understand the word play. But "Pink Elephants" has got to be one of the most inventive and clever numbers ever devised. The constantly morphing elephants of this sequence were all hand-drawn -- no computers used at all!
Caution: This movie was made in the 1950's, and there is some ethnic stereotyping that can be offensive. For instance, the ringmaster, who has a thick Italian accent, is somewhat of a buffoon. Also, the musical number "When I See an Elephant Fly" is sung by crows that are clearly meant to be African Americans. They use some poor grammar and in other ways conform to common stereotypes of the times. However, I believe that little children won't understand the stereotype, or it can be dealt with by explaining that the crows don't go to school, so they don't talk correctly. Adults will know better and will be able to enjoy the clever word play in the song.
Another caution is that the stork delivers the circus animal babies. That might take some explaining!
Movie Review: I've Seen Everything
Summary: 5 Stars
"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.
Movie Review: Perfect!
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Movie Review: Still a classic movie. Not much difference from the 60th Anniversary Edition
Summary: 5 Stars
I, like many, grew up watching "Dumbo" over and over again. It was one of those movies that you never could enough of and, at a little over an hour in running time -making it Disney's shortest full length feature- time truly flew while you were enjoying it. Today, it's been 65 years since the movie's release and the emotions it stirs remain intact.
As for the extras included in the DVD, I found the audio commentary just as useful and enlightening (in terms of information about the people making the movie) as the 14-minute long featurette "Celebrating Dumbo", which was more like a promotional piece than an in-depth look at the making of the film. There is also a couple of fun pre-Dumbo shorts, "Elmer Elephant" and "Flying Mouse". Most of the bonus features are designed for children, including sing-along songs from the movie, a read-along storybook titled "Dumbo's Big Discovery" and a fun Disneypedia game called "My First Circus".
In all honesty it doesn't seem to offer much more than the 60th Anniversary Edition released five years ago. I can't see enough justification for this release. However, a classic is a classic, so those who didn't get the previous edition, get this one. You will be delighted. Those who own the previous edition, you are safe to skip this one.