It’s fantastic that Disney is re-releasing some of their golden age classics and now its turn for that giant eared baby Elephant… the famous Dumbo! Ignore the political incorrect name for now but Dumbo is an animated classic that truly showcased the artistic abilities of Disney during the 40's.

For me, whenever I think of Dumbo, I think of a simpler time and still fondly remember seeing this film at the movies with my mum. Even years later, the movie still had a powerful impact on me and unlike the CGI animated movies today, there is something special about hand drawn movies. For the purists, Dumbo was the fourth feature film by Disney and was originally released in 1941 as World War II was about to erupt. This film was the perfect recipe for a country in turmoil.  

Based on the book by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl, Dumbo is the story of a baby elephant named Jumbo Jr. but because of his overgrown ears and clumsy nature, he is dubbed Dumbo by the other elephants. With no friends in the circus, Dumbo is also ridiculed by the other members of the circus and generally more often than not, he is always the joke of others. Thankfully for Dumbo, he has one friend, a small mouse and together, they become the best of friends in this tale about overcoming the odds which is quite reminiscent of the Ugly Ducking. And for the stuff of dreams... who would believe an elephant could fly!

Even after 70 years, it’s a blessing that this movie is still so endearing and the message of Dumbo is as strong as it is now as it was when it was first released. To those who have never seen this movie before, cute sums it up rather well, especially with the main character Dumbo who is really a kind hearted goof. The most memorable scene in Dumbo is when he gets moved from his mother who goes a little wild from all the teasing that her son endures and dare I say, it almost brought a tear to my eye. Nonetheless, this is a film that can be watched by everyone and I’m sure with its 70^th anniversary release, Dumbo will find some new fans in this sometimes crazy world that we live in. 

On  Blu-ray, Disney should be commended on the restoration of this 70-year old film which has been cleaned up tremendously, without taking away anything from the original animation. Even though the colours are sharper, the film still has this golden age look to it which is a little muted at times. The soundtrack even boasts a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 which may not blast your surround sound system but there are a few scenes in the movie that are actually quite impressive, audio wise, like the Pink Elephants on Parade.  

For special features, Dumbo the 70th Anniversary Edition is oozing with a plethora of entertaining titbits which gives us an almost unrestricted viewing of the creation and history of this film. From deleted scenes to sound design and even trailers, I was quite impressed on what Disney had collected for a film that is 70-years old.

Just check out the list of special features below; 

DELETED SCENES
BACKSTAGE DISNEY
Taking Flight: The Making of Dumbo
The Magic of Dumbo: A Ride of Passage
Sound Design Excerpt from “The Reluctant Dragon”
Celebrating Dumbo
Original Walt Disney TV Introduction
TRAILERS
ART GALLERIES
BONUS SHORTS
Elmer Elephant
The Flying Mouse
DISNEY FAMILY PLAY
Disney Family Play: “What Do You See?” Game
Disney Family Play: “What Do You Know? Game
Final Thoughts? 

Disney have brought back a true classic on Blu-ray which pays true homage to the original release and I’m sure is just as magical as it was then, as it is now. The story dates extremely well but the star of this movie is the amazing hand drawn animation and character designs. Filled with emotion and wonder, Dumbo is a must see classic! Brilliant!