Dumbo (1941)
Dir. Supervising Director: Ben Sharpsteen; Sequence Directors: Norman Ferguson, Wilfred Jackson, Bill Roberts, Jack Kinney and Samuel Armstrong
Based Upon:- Dumbo, the Flying Elephant (American Roll-A-Book, 1939) by Helen Aberson
The One Where
Everyone seems to think to think it’s reasonable to abandon/put in mortal danger what is effectively a baby.
General Viewing Notes
It’s surprisingly short, clocking in at a minimalist 64 minutes (which technically these days would probably qualify it as a short film), but that’s no bad thing. After the experimental exercise that was Fantasia, we’re back in more traditional Disney territory now with cute character designs, songs and a story with a moral. The one thing that is slightly different is that there’s no real villain to speak of in this one - no one’s out and out the “baddie”.
Disney Tropes
- Small Animal Sidekick - Following on from Jiminy Cricket, we have another small animal as a sidekick to the main character in the form of Timothy Mouse.
- Parental Separation - Alright, it’s not the full-on “Death Of A Parent” that will become a staple of most Disney and kids films in general but Mrs Jumbo does spend most of the film forcibly separated from her child.
It’s That Voice Again
A couple of first appearances for vocal artistes who will become regulars in Disney films throughout the next couple of decades. Sterling Holloway voices the Stork and will later become known for Kaa in The Jungle Book, Flower in Bambi, The Cheshire Cat in alice In Wonderland and, most famously, Winnie The Pooh. Verna Felton voices both the Elephant Matriarch and Mrs Jumbo and will go on to provide voices for the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, Winnie (another elephant) in The Jungle Book, Aunt Sarah in Lady And The Tramp, Flora in Sleeping Beauty and The Queen Of Hearts in Alice In Wonderland.
Things You Notice As An Adult
- I loved the “Pink Elephants On Parade” segment as a child but it is genuinely creepy and borderline terrifying in places. The shot of an elephant composed entirely of elephant heads is genuinely the stuff of nightmares.
- Also, the whole catalyst for the Pink Elephants sequence is a child getting accidentally pissed. Not something that you’re likely to see in a modern children’s film (if you’re about point out Elliott getting pissed by psychic link in E.T., that film’s nearly 40 years old so I don’t think you can call it “modern” anymore…)
- The crows - to a modern sensibility, they are a little problematic. Are they out and out racist? They’re certainly uncomfortably close to stereotypical racist portrayals of the time. That said, they’re the only characters (other than his mother and Timothy) who seem to actually display any empathy for Dumbo. I think I’m going to take the easy way out on this one and just leave them be...
Classic Songs - Are They?
Yes, definitely. Pink Elephants On Parade” and “When I See An Elephant Fly” are definite classics but I’d forgotten about “Casey Junior” (ludicrously catchy) and “The Song Of The Roustabouts” (definite shades of Heigh ho).
Any Good Then?
Absolutely. Dumbo himself is utterly charming in the way that they have animated him and the plot, characterisation and music all move along at such a brisk pace that the film is over before you know it. This very much fits the template for a Disney animated film and has justifiably earned its place as a classic.
Next One Of These
My least liked Disney film (out of all the ones I’ve seen) and one I’m not looking forward to...
No comments:
Post a Comment