We witnessed the Cinderella story. We lost ourselves in the Jungle Book. We fell in love with the with the Beauty and her beast.

This spring, another legendary story was revived. Dumbo, the classic Disney film that came out October 23, 1941, was given another life and a whole new perspective.

DUMBO GETS REAL

The beauty of the new Dumbo is, it feels so realistic and feeling like there is a elephant out there with big ears that can fly.  The new perspective, Dumbo comes to life becomes a real animal. In the cartoon, some kids were probably thinking what if this was real? It becomes real and then dreams come true for the children who watched the cartoon.

The message for this movie is don’t ever think that nothing possible. Always believe that we can do it. Dreams come true if we work hard enough to make that dream come true. Dumbo was afraid to fly but he had people helping him make himself fly. Some people are afraid to do their dreams but sometimes need a push to get them there.  

Caution for a little rough language. In some parts of the remake, one of the characters argues and is just about to to say a expletive. His children stop him and he apologized. In a PG movie, these scenes don’t seem necessary.

DUMBO’S TROUBLING HISTORY

The classic version highlights some racist scenes and a scene involving hallucinations due to intoxication. Playing to stereotypes, a group of black birds are pictured as African Americans of the time, with speech patterns and jazzy-gospel songs. The main bird, named Jim Crow, voiced by white actor Cliff Edwards, engages in the vocal equivalent of black face. The name “Jim Crow” references a law that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States. While watching the classic, children see black characters who work in the rain with no faces.

In the song Roustabout, the lyrics, “Grab that rope you hairy ape,” make the viewer cringing to feeling outright anger at the blatant racism.

The only characters who speak in the movie are white, dispensing even more tension.

Dumbo was upset because he didn’t want to dress up as a clown and started to hiccup. Timothy Q, the mouse who helps him by drinking some water from a bucket. A clown accidently dropped some champagne into the bucket, probably on accident. Dumbo and Timothy become intoxicated and begin to see things.  It was dealing with animal abuse and alcohol, this should not be in a kid movie.

This generation, watching the classic Dumbo might trigger some kids how sensitive kids are these days. The Dumbo now has some rough language but is good for both parents and children.

Dumbo, both as a classic and revitalized, is a magical experience on screen, displaying self-confidence. The adored elephant makes the audience think that anything is possible if they just believe in themselves.

A CRUEL CLASSIC DUMBO

In the classic Dumbo, a baby elephant is born with massive ears and a cruel nickname that sticks, Dumbo (Mel Blanc). Children begin to bully Dumbo at one of the circus shows. Dumbo’s mother, Mrs. Jumbo (Verna Felton), as any mother would do, protected him by attacking the children. It cost her. She was locked up for it.

After the incident, Dumbo is forced to dress up as a clown and perform dangerous stunts. He becomes lonely until a brown mouse named Timothy Q (Edward Brophy) scurries along and helps Dumbo believe that anything is possible. When Dumbo discovers that his massive ears can help him fly, he shows them off to the circus and becomes a big hit.

NEED A MOVIE RECOMMENDATION?

Looking for a feel good movie to watch with your mom on Mother’s Day? Make sure to pub Dumbo on your list. The magic and love that Dumbo shares is sweet to watch.

In the new Dumbo, Disney director Tim Burton creates a magical experience that expands with families to cherished, dreams to come true, and differences to bring together.

The circus owner Medici (Danny Devito) is struggling to keep his circus together. When a new baby comes along, the Medici Circus starts to change.

Siblings Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe Farrier (Finley Hobbins) join their parents in the circus until the father goes to war and their mother dies. When their father Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) comes back, he loses something during the war, his arm and couldn’t really do anything in circus.  

The family new job includes taking care of a baby elephant that was expected soon. During the night, the new baby was born with enormous ears that covered his big blue eyes.

When the baby elephant becomes frightened and tumbles out of the train cart, his big ears are discovered, which makes him a joke in the struggling circus. He, then, earns his name: Dumbo. Soon after, Millie and Joe find out he can fly just by the touch of a feather.

A mother has a baby whose ears are a few size too big, resulting in struggles because of being different. His difference allows him to become the star of the show because he discovers his flying talent.

Fast-Fact

• Walt Disney was uninterested in making the classic Dumbo. To get him interested, story men Joe Grant and Dick Huemer wrote up the film and left it on Walt’s desk every morning. Finally, Walt Disney ran into the story department saying, “This is great! What happens next?”

• December of 1941 the “Time” Magazine was planning to have Dumbo as their cover for  success but had to dropped it due to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

• The first Walt Disney animated feature (and still one of the very few) to be set in America.

• Racism? Yes there was racism in the movie Dumbo. At the end of the movie when they were staying up for the circus, there was faceless black men seen. This is characteristic of the time period because the 1940s was before the Civil Rights Movement.

DUMBO (2019)

Starring: Danny Vito, Colin Farrell, Nico Parker, Finely Hobbins, Michael Keaton, Eva Green, and Joseph Gatt.

LowDown: A elephant who has big ears who becomes a big hit at a struggling circus because he can fly.

Rated: Pg

Now showing at: any movie theater

The reviews of the new Dumbo has 47% rotten tomatoes and 58% audience score. The classic Dumbo is 7.4 rotten tomatoes. The negative elements in the classic Dumbo was there was alcohol the men were drinking and was dumped into the water while Dumbo and Timothy Q was drinking making them wild. The new Dumbo there are some things that may be inappropriate    to some viewers too.

Reviews:

New Dumbo= 9/10

Old Dumbo= 7/10