Highlights: I really enjoyed this movie for a number of reasons. It’s shorter than some of the other Disney movies, which I appreciate. There’s also just so much cuteness going on, especially in the beginning with all of the baby animals! The songs are good and the plot is simple but nice, and it definitely makes me emotional.
Low points: This movie makes me sad because of how much Dumbo is picked on! Even though it’s ultimately a happy ending, it still really does tug at my heartstrings. In the end it’s a story about bullying, and I know a lot of us can relate to that. Also, while the pink elephant scene is fun, I think it goes on for too long. It has nothing to do with the plot and ends up feeling like filler.
Music: I feel like all of the songs work really well in the movie, and there aren’t any that I don’t like. I love Casey Jr. because it reminds me so much of being in the Disney parks now, but it’s also just a fun song in its own right. And Baby Mine is a beautiful little lullaby.
Villain rating: There’s no main villain here, but a few smaller characters that contribute to the problem. The other elephants are just mean, making fun of Dumbo because he’s different. They are probably the worst, though the clowns and the circus owner are a bit cruel in their own ways. And the crows also make fun of Dumbo, but no one is particularly “villainous”. In some ways it hits closer to home, because the villainy is just like what many kids (and adults, for that matter) experience in their daily lives.
Fun fact: Dumbo was originally intended to be a short, but Walt felt it deserved to be a feature length film in order to fit in everything that he wanted to tell about it.
Where in the World? The Dumbo ride is one of the most popular and well known children’s rides in all of Disney World. In addition, it’s recently got a makeover as part of the new Fantasyland expansion. They added a second set of flying elephants, as well as a Big Top and an interactive queue area. The Casey Jr. train gets some love as well with a splash area created for children.
My personal rating: I have to go with an 8 out of 10. It’s a classic and just so charming. As hard as it is to watch what they do to Dumbo throughout the movie, the ultimate triumphant ending makes it all worth it.
What do you think of Dumbo?
A great classic!
I love the ‘Roustabouts’ song!
I agree the theme of bullying is as important as ever. I know there are folks who think the pink elephants on parade song was inappropriate for children. 🙂
It’s amazing what some people think is inappropriate for children. We had a display of banned books up at work and people couldn’t believe there would be a reason that a book like Charlotte’s Web and Where the Wild Things Are were banned.
Agree with the pink elephants… definitely goes on a bit too long. In some ways, I think these kind of villains are worse than the big scary monster kind. They were so mean… and I just don’t do mean!