Dumbo Special Edition Combi Pack (Blu-ray + DVD)

Dumbo was probably the first Disney film I ever saw. I remember popping my old video tape into the player, sitting through all the previews and copyright warnings, and then smile with joy as the opening credits came up. I loved Dumbo because it was colourful and fun, despite the intense cruelty that our little protagonist and his mother go through.

Of course, there were some things I noticed that I'd been blind to at the age of three. For example, there are a few WWII refernces - I'll leave you to figure them out. Another example is the crows. They sound a lot like the stereotype of black people in America at the time. This might seem a little insensitive, but trust me, there's worse things out there. Dumbo is not racist. Remember that those crows, aside from Timothy Mouse, are the only characters who feel sympathy for Dumbo. I feel that the crows all share a close bond and that they are somewhat outcasts too. And oh yes, they have the most catchy and irresistable song!

Dumbo is such an adorable little elephant. Like similar characters such as Pinocchio and Bambi, he has that round 'pudding like' charm. This gives him the appeal of a human baby. He has adorable little blue eyes which give away all his emotion. He does not speak a single word and yet he moves you to tears. It's the way he acts and his innocent expressions that really talk to you. As well as not being much of a talker, Dumbo isn't much of a thinker either. He just naively follows Timothy mouse, all in his own little world.
The other characters are interesting too. Timothy is a fiesty little rodent with a kind heart. The other elephants remind me of the girls at my school who like nothing more than to gossip. I might also mention the train - Casey Junior. He seems to be alive but he isn't creepy. (Thomas the Tank Engine scared the heck out of me!) He has his own catchy rhythm which is just pure fun to listen to. The Ringmaster has the most funny expressions too!

The soundtrack is a real treat. If you do not tear up during 'Baby Mine,' then please see your doctor for your heart has turned into coal. 'Pink Elephants on Parade' is a funny but slightly disturbing sequence that gets stuck in your head with it's clever lyrics and artistic animation.

Dumbo is a very colourful film, but there are times when life in the circus can be very bleak. In an attempt to protect a her youngster from some harassing boys, Mrs Jumbo is cruelly seperated from her baby and poor Dumbo is ignored by the other elephants. The film expertly conbines the romantic view of the circus - bright lights and colours, animals and clowns with the realities - greed, hard work and animal cruelty. Anyone who thinks that some circuses can be 'humane,' then they'd better see Dumbo as it will change their mind.

Bambi may be at the top for me, but Dumbo is just too good to put down. For a film that's only sixty minutes long, it's a real emotional feast upon the eyes and the mind.
However, I'm only giving four stars because Dumbo really needs restoring and remastering. Hope there's a Platinum Edition coming soon.

Walt Disney's charming fantasy reminds you of why his movies became so successful over the years, and why they remain in the public consciousness. The classic story of the eponymous pachyderm, rejected at birth due to his enormous (even for an elephant) ears, melds humour, pathos, surrealism (the pink elephants segment in the middle is inspired) and tells a smashing story.

Along with his mouse friend, Timothy, Dumbo learns to put his ears to good use, and ends the film both adored and happy. The animation is simple but effective, and the voice artists are spot-on. My 5 year old can't get enough of this DVD, and at 64 minutes long it never outstays its welcome.

As the 'Golden Age' of the Disney studio almost came to a close, 'Dumbo' is the film that is most commonly remembered as being an integral release. It saved the business after the financial losses of Pinocchio and Fantasia before it, but did so astonishingly with such economy and simplicity.

This is the most striking aspect about Dumbo - its sheer emotional power through simple production. The story itself only runs for 64 minutes, yet in many respects, this condensed running time allowed for a more concise film. As for the plot, we see the animals from a travelling Circus receiving their new-born from the 'Delivery Stork', only for the very last delivery to be a baby elephant with unusually large ears. In response to name his mother chose ('Jumbo'), her female companions cruelly rename him 'Dumbo' due to his silly appearance.

Forget the usual heros and villains - for Dumbo, it is a chapter-like story that rides on the emotions. The best scene of the film (and possibly, one of the saddest in movie history) is that of the baby elephant visiting his mother, who had recently been locked in her own trailer as she scared the guests when Dumbo is taunted. Neither of them can see each other through the tiny barred-window, leaving them to stroke each through through the limited space. Its a lesson for any aspiring animator as the frame holds on Dumbo looking up at his mothers trunk, leaving the tears to fall down his eyes. You can't watch it without welling up.

The film contains every attribute you would want in the space of an hour, though. As well as this emotion, the Crows bring some humorous relief to the viewer with their wise-cracking talk and singing, while the 'Pink Elephants' scene dabbles in the surrealism that was in fashion at the time, with the likes of artists such as Salvador Dali.

This may not be a 'Diamond Edition' (for some strange reason), but the restoration says otherwise. It is yet another flawless Lowry-Digital remastering that astonishingly reveals many original colour consistencies on the cels, and really brings out the lush softness of the water coloured backgrounds. Although the film grain has been removed like all the recent Lowry efforts, you could argue that grain wasn't an intended product of the production. Quite simply, the artwork has never been clearer, which is all the more important for Dumbo as there are so many dark/night scenes.

As for additional content, the Blu-Ray contains a modest amount of extras (not a patch on the Diamond/Platinum Editions), but it should be enough for most people. The DVD is also included as with most Disney packages now, and it is all presented in a lovely shimmering slipcase.

In short, Dumbo my not be the most glamorous or technically advanced film the studio produced, but this only balanced the production over to a wonderful plot and use of imagery. The restoration is perfect (both visually and the audio) and at these prices, paying a few quid less for the stand-alone DVD version just doesn't make sense. Top marks Disney!

Tom Cat