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Film Title: Dumbo

 Best for ages: 4 and up.

Movie Website:  Click Here

Year Released: 1941

Rated: G (US)

The Review

   The world can be a cruel place, especially for anyone who is different. I would like to think that is what Walt Disney had in mind when he created the animated film Dumbo. With bullying recently being an issue that has been part of social media and an issue that pop stars, movie star and politicians are focusing their eyes on;   Dumbo is the perfect film that depicts the hardships of being different. Many may find the film to be sad and depressing due to all the mockery and hardships Dumbo is put through in the film. However, the real meaning behind the story is that of overcoming the negative and creating a positive out of it.

  Dumbo is about a baby elephant with big ears. When Dumbo is first delivered to his mother by the stork, all the other female elephants are delighted to see the little guy. That is until he sneezes and his big ears shoot out from behind his head. He soon becomes the laughing stock of the whole circus.  During his first show, Dumbo is made fun of by a young boy who pulls on his ears. As any parent would do in such a situation, Dumbo’s mother protects her son from the boy, but is later locked up by the ringmaster of the circus and declared a mad elephant. Because of the incident no one else in the circus, not even the other elephants are willing to help Dumbo. However, a mouse named Timothy likes Dumbo and feels the boy has something to prove and works with him. When their first attempt fails, and results in the collapse of the circus tent, the team is forced to perform with the clowns. The duo then goes on a bit of an adventure, drinking spiked water, and taking on a murder of crows that make fun of Dumbo. However, when the crows realize what they have been though, they give Dumbo a feather in hopes that he can fly. Turns out Dumbo can fly with his ears and he plans to prove to the world that his ears are not a curse but a special part of him. The next night, during a big part of the circus, Dumbo proves to the whole circus community that he is main attraction material and soon becomes famous around the world.

   I really like this movie for so many reasons. First off it is a film that is about a character overcoming some of life’s obstacles. You have this character with a deformity, something that makes him different and yet instead of hiding, he braves the humility and dislike and tries his best to do his job. Dumbo also accepts that he is different, and although his ears bother him, by the end of the film he embraces his big ears and uses them to help him better himself.  This is one of the first Disney classics that my four year old daughter actually sat through the whole thing. With the exception of the pink elephant music number; she really liked the movie. She not only enjoyed the film, but also understood it. The questions came after about how it’s alright to be different and that everyone has something different about them that is good. I was proud of her for understanding the film. She proved to me that positives can come out of watching a film that may come off as a negative one. Sure, the film is a bit dated and you have smoking, and even underage drinking in the film. However, these are the minor mishaps the film has for being a film of it’s time.

   The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack has a ton of features. The film has an all new digital restoration with enhanced picture and sound. On both the Blu-ray and DVD there are never before seen deleted scenes and songs, Taking Flight: The Making of Dumbo, The Magic of Dumbo: A Ride of Passage – A look at the Dumbo Disnyland ride and Audio Commentary. The feature exclusive to Blu-ray include the featurette Celebrating Dumbo, Two Animated Short Films, What Do You See? Decipher the scrambled images in the game, a trivia game for all ages, Art Galleries and more.

    Overall, The 70^th Anniversary Edition of Dumbo is unlike any other Disney Classic film that has been released on Blu-ray. Not only does the movie look great with its new transfer, but it also has enough special features to keep you and your family busy for hours. This is the perfect disc to introduce this classic Disney film to a whole new generation. Dumbo is a must buy on Blu-ray and would make the perfect gift for the coming holiday season.

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