DUMBO - DVD review

In 2001 Disney released their Sixtieth Anniversary Edition of "Dumbo," but I was a little disappointed with the picture quality. In their new "Big Top Edition," Disney engineers have provided a new digital transfer that looks better than the old one, and they have supplied a few additional bonus items as well.

It's hard not to like this classic animation from 1941 about the adorable little elephant with the gigantic ears. Some folks consider it the best thing Disney ever did, a sweet tale filled with rollicking gags, tuneful music, yet sadness and heartache, too. That I've never personally found it as satisfying as its three predecessors in the Disney stable--"Snow White," "Pinocchio," and "Fantasia"--should not deter potential buyers of the DVD, especially buyers with young children. Both the movie and this spanking-new Big Top Edition have a lot going for them, not the least being the bundle of bonuses found therein.

"Did you ever see an elephant fly? Well, I seen a horsefly. I seen a dragonfly. I seen a housefly. But I be done seen about everything when I see an elephant fly."

The story, as you probably know, is a heartbreaker at first. Dumbo is born to a circus elephant whose friends all consider the newborn infant a freak. Even the stork (voiced by Sterling Holloway) who brings him has suspicions. Dumbo's ears, you see, are as big as the rest of his body. The poor dear has to endure the taunts of the other performers and finds little chance of fitting in. The only creature that befriends him is Timothy Q. Mouse (performed by the voice talents of character actor Edward Brophy, who practically steals the show). Together they form a bond of friendship that carries Dumbo through the darkest days.

The gloomiest of these times is when Dumbo's mother lashes out at a group of spectators who ridicule her baby. The mother is labeled mad and destructive, and she's chained in a cage. Probably the most touching scene is where Dumbo cuddles up to his mother in her cell, both of them outrageously and unfairly condemned as outcasts in an uncaring world. But then something happens. Returning to their own tent, Dumbo and Timothy stumble upon a bucket of water that has accidentally been spiked with champagne, and both of them get tipsy. After a brief Pink-Elephant dream sequence, they wind up in a tree being laughed at by a flock of crows. Cliff Edwards, also known as Ukulele Ike and the voice of Jiminy Cricket, here performs the voice of the leader of the singing birds. But back to that tree: How did they get up there? Easy, for a flying elephant. Once Dumbo recognizes his talents, they brush the dark clouds away, he earns his rightful place in the world, and he's back in his mother's arms.

"Dumbo" is a brief, simple fable of social prejudice and eventual redemption, a fable with a moral victory and a happy ending. It was based on a children's illustrated book that Disney had bought in 1939, originally to have been a short subject. It still is a kind of extended short, which in a way makes it even better because there isn't a whole lot of story line involved to get stretched much further. At little more than an hour, "Dumbo" is probably Disney's briefest full-length animated feature. The kids will like that, too, since the film's conciseness won't tax their patience or their endurance for long.

There are, nonetheless, a few lingering doubts I have about the film. The first is the animation itself. Some of it is gorgeous, like the opening sequence in the rain, but much of it looks ordinary. Gone are many of the beautiful, photorealistic backgrounds of Disney's three earlier full-length animated films, replaced by little or no backgrounds at all. Well, I understand that this was one of Disney's lowest-budget movies, so I suppose something had to go. The second thing I found wanting was the music. This is ironic and undoubtedly peculiar to me alone since the movie won an Academy Award for its musical score, and its big number, "Baby Mine," earned an Oscar nomination. Still and all, there's nothing in it to compare to "When You Wish Upon a Star," "Heigh-Ho," or "Some Day My Prince Will Come." Among the songs in "Dumbo," in addition to "Baby Mine," are "Casey Junior," "Song of the Roustabouts," "Pink Elephants on Parade," and my own preferred, "When I See An Elephant Fly." The latter is sung by five black crows, a group that conveys an uneasy racial stereotype that in today's world the Disney Studios might have given second thoughts to.

Video:
For their previous edition of "Dumbo," Disney gave us a picture that did not appear to have been the kind of re-cleaned, restored picture we find on "Snow White" or the latest "Lady and the Tramp," which was a little disappointing. This time, Disney engineers provide a new digital transfer that improves the situation. The image quality is generally crisp and sharp, the detail is vivid, and the colors, particularly reds and oranges, are bright. More important, I didn't notice as much grain as I did throughout the earlier transfer of the film. Nor does the screen show much evidence of the slightly flickering light and dark areas or minor age spots I saw before. I still don't think this is the best restoration Disney has done on one of their older films, but I cannot imagine anybody complaining about it. Indeed, it's quite lovely to look at.

Audio:
As before, the audio track is a Dolby Digital 5.1 remix that spreads the sound across the speakers, but it continues to seem like very narrow stereo or maybe an expanded mono. The result, though, is pleasing and sounds a lot like the audio work Disney did on "Snow White."

Extras:
For extras, the Disney folks provide more than ever. We get all of the things found on the previous edition and more. First, let me tell what's repeated. There is the commentary track with animation historian John Canemaker, a rather straight-faced fellow who provides a wealth of background information on the film. Then, there are two animated short subjects, "Elmer Elephant" and "The Flying Mouse" to further entertain youngsters in the home. For those so inclined, there's Uncle Walt's original TV introduction to the film. In addition, there are Sing-Alongs of "Look Out for Mr. Stork" and "Casey Junior." And there is an extensive gallery of "Dumbo" artwork; seventeen scene selections and a chapter insert; English, French, and Spanish spoken languages; and English captions for the hearing impaired.

Now, let me tell you what's new. There is a DisneyPedia feature called "My First Circus," a game of identifying and learning about various circus animals. Next is a DVD Storybook: "Dumbo's Big Discovery," that children can read for themselves or have read to them, followed by a music video, "Baby Mine," performed by Jim Brickman and Kassie DePaiva. After that is a fifteen-minute documentary on the film, "Celebrating Dumbo," hosted by Leonard Maltin and featuring various film critics, film historians, and Disney filmmakers. Finally, there are Sneak Peeks at nine other Disney titles, and in the keep case a "Dumbo Matching Game" of learning cards. The keep case is further enclosed in a beautifully illustrated and embossed slip cover.

If there's anything I'm still not happy about, however, it's Disney's so-called "Fast Play." At start-up, before going to the main menu, viewers can hit "Fast Play," thinking that it will take them directly to the movie. Instead, it takes them to a set of Disney movie trailers before the main feature begins. It strikes me as a deceptive ploy to get younger children to watch the promos.

Parting Thoughts:
After the experimentation Disney did in "Fantasia," some viewers will be glad that in "Dumbo" the Disney studios got back to their roots with a genuinely charming, innocent short feature. Nevertheless, I still find the daring "Fantasia" a more rewarding overall experience. But I'm an adult, not a kid, and for a kid, "Dumbo" is hard to beat.