bombersflyup Dumbo is a unique animation, though short and thin story wise.Minus the standout moments, for the most part it's an odd mixture of cuteness and cruelty. My favourite parts of the film are the comedy parts; the two waking up in the tree with the crows and the clowns skit putting out the fire. The pink elephants scene is completely nuts.

Sean Lamberger One of Disney's classics, though after seventy-five years its reputation may have outpaced the film itself. After the financial disappointments of Pinocchio and Fantasia a year earlier, the studio tightened its belt on Dumbo in an attempt to make up for the losses. It worked in one sense, giving Disney the box office victory it needed, but that penny-pinching and corner-cutting hurt the finished product. It's astonishingly short, barely weighing in at an hour including credits, which forces a sudden, jarring climax. The story's pace is quite smooth until then, taking its time to build characters and back-story, so by contrast the immediate rush to wrap everything up in a frenzied flash is disruptive. While it's cruising along in the first half, though, things are good enough. Speckled with colorful characters and a fresh circus setting, it bottles that classic, emotive Disney magic while still taking a few risks. The infamous pink elephant scene, in particular, is an unexpectedly surreal animator's playground that's several decades ahead of the curve. I was shocked to find offbeat similarities Danny Elfman's work in the film's score, too, which may suggest an even broader influence. Playful and heartfelt, though deeply under-cooked, Dumbo feels like a breezy short story when compared to the richer, more complete films elsewhere in the studio's early catalog.

Hitchcoc When I hear "Baby of Mine" sung (most recently by Bette Midler), my mind goes back to the little elephant whose mother has been put away for trying to protect her baby. This is a story of relentless bullying by forces dedicated to making life miserable for Dumbo. He is naive and resilient but there is so much cruelty in his life. There is gossiping and small-mindedness by those who hold the power. Meanwhile, Dumbo and his little mouse friend try to find a niche for him in the circus. But he keeps treading on his ears and falling down. The animation is cool and some of the songs are enticing. If you love a story about and underdog (under-elephant?) don't hesitate.

aileencorcoran What strikes me about this film is its length and simplicity. It's only over an hour long, and the main character is silent. It's a simple story about an outcast trying to get along in an unjust world with the help of an unlikely friend. It's simple, to the point and the underlying message touched me more than it ever did as a child.Disney's fourth animated classic tells us the story of Jumbo Jr., or Dumbo. Dumbo, the large eared, big hearted child of Mrs Jumbo, is ridiculed by the rest of the elephants at the zoo. He's very close to his mother, and is devastated and left alone when she is locked away after defending her son from a nasty little boy. Rejected from his kind, and the laughing stock of the circus, Dumbo is befriended by Timoty Q Mouse, who sees nothing wrong with the youngster's apparent disfigurement. With Timothy's help, the silent elephant learns that it matters not what one looks like, but what you're made of, and that you can learn to use your weakness as your vehicle to achieve greatness.Dumbo himself is just adorable. I love silent characters like this, who convey emotion through action, expression and noises. He says so much by saying so little. I loved him.The message of hope in the face of adversity is profound and done beautifully here. It isn't hammered in. It teaches us not to judge on looks alone, but to look beyond it. An age old lesson, but done here so well that it feels fresh and new. As someone with disabilities, this film touched my heart; Timothy is truly what a great friend should be. If there was more people like him, we'd have far less problems in the world. The relationship between Dumbo and his mother is just lovely, and the song "Baby Mine" made me see how much I love my own mother. I feel for little Dumbo; my mother is my rock, and if I lost her I don't know what I'd do. He's a brave little guy, no doubt.It surprised me that the humans and circus workers didn't seem to hate Dumbo at all. It was all the elephants (and that one boy who took it too far). Your own kind can me much crueler than others.The animation is beautiful, especially the little details they added such as rain and flags blowing in the wind. I was pleased that the animators showed Dumbo and his mother rocking side to side after being separated; this is a tell tale sign of depression in elephants.The music is lovely. I've always liked the choir in these older Disney films. In the opening song, they mentioned my hometown, County Cork, which surprised me a great deal. The crow scene didn't bother me in the slightest, I actually found them quite funny. It's a product of the times, and they sing that awesome song. The Pink Elephant scene dragged on a bit too much for me, but the song was cool. I better mention that there's flashing lights in this sequence.The length of the movie is perfect. Any longer and it would have overstayed its welcome. What a lovely little film. A great introduction to Disney for children, and such a pleasure to revisit now as an adult.