We’re both a little reluctant to move on to the next film. If you’ve caught up on our last adventure, you’ll probably understand why.
It’s an unfair comparison, perhaps. Our next blog is about an actual film, rather than an experiment in music/colour/LSD [delete as appropriate]. I begin by summing up the general sentiment in the room.
J: I am so glad that this isn’t Fantasia.
You should be too.
A: This is going to be so different. So much shorter, with real characters and an actual story.
Imagine that! A story!
You can probably sense a lot of bad feeling from our previous viewing – Andy’s portrayal in blog form did not do justice to my displeasure of that torturous experience. Imagine a black hole sucking up all enjoyment of Disney and you’re about halfway to understanding my experience with FANTASIA. I was not a fan.
We hit play, unwilling to deal with the trailers this week. The 3D menu is a bit much for 1941, considering people haven’t yet invented the third dimension. (Andy’s Fact Corner: The third dimension exists.)
Almost as soon as we hit the button we’re greeted by the film in a tumultuous manner.
A: Oh!
Andy jumps, clearly unprepared for the drama that is DUMBO. I point out the obvious.
J: The writing for these credits is all very circusy!
A: Yeah, it’s sort of like this film is set in a circus.
J: Heh, oh yeah.
It’s been a long time since I’ve watched DUMBO, I’ve forgotten pretty much all of it, except for the elephant. I am aware there is an elephant in it.
Suddenly, storks.
J: Is this where the idea of storks bringing babies comes from?
A: Maybe. I’m not sure. I’ll look it up.
J: There are so many logistical and scientific problems with this I’m not even going to attempt to combat them.
A: Oh, good!
J: Like, how can a stork even carry a baby without gravity doing its thing?
A: I thought you just said-
J: Shush.
It turns out the storks’ gravity-defying abilities are the least of our worries.
A: How does that work? The planet literally has the names of places etched onto it?
J: There’s probably a bit of artistic licence involved.
A: It looks weird.
J: Agreed.
The implausibility of the situation is remedied by CUTE BABY ANIMALS.
J: Aww, cute!
We spend a bit of time cooing over these baby animals. Andy inevitably gets broody. I do not approve of this.
A: I want one!
Luckily the conversation is cut short by the arrival of a sad elephant, before any adoption papers are signed.
A: It looks like she’s been waiting all day for that parcel delivery, and it just hasn’t arrived! I know how she feels.
J: I bet she took a day off work too. She should get compensation.
A: Amazon Prime has clearly disappointed.
She should have opted for special delivery to avoid disappointment.
Worry not, Mrs Dumbo, Thomas the Tank Engine is here to save the day!
To my dismay, The Hogwarts Express is not here to deliver babies, but is instead transporting all of these animals. It finally clicks.
J: Oh I see, it’s a travelling circus.
A: Well observed.
I feel proud ofs myself.
Mrs Dumbo takes one last look out for that parcel – nothing.
A: I feel for her. This is just like me glancing out of the window before I have to leave, hoping that POP Vinyl gets delivered on time.
J: Yes, I see how that is comparable to the delivery of a baby.
A: How do you know it’s even a baby?
J: It seems pretty obvious!
A: You didn’t know it was set in a travelling circus…
J: …Fair point.
The train starts to move, like a person running. The whistle both whistles and says ‘All Aboard’ at the same time. It’s all a little bizarre. (SPOILER ALERT: This is not the most bizarre thing in this film. Not by a long shot).
There is singing, both inside and outside the film.
A: Casey Junior’s coming down the track!
I don’t know this song, but it’s pretty simple. The inevitable happens.
A: Casey Junior’s coming down the track!
J: Coming down the track!
A: With a smoky stack!
After a brief musical interlude, we resume normal service.
A: Ah, so that’s where her parcel is.
J: Bloody Royal Mail!
A: How is that parcel not sinking into the cloud?
His question is quickly answered.
A: Oh, fair enough.
The late delivery-bird jumps off the cloud after confirming his location, and swoops down from what seems like outer space towards Florida.
A: You can literally see the train on the map!
J: How big is that train?!
A: “This enormous train will devour us all!”
J: It’s just like the great wall of China! Although you can’t actually see that from space.
A: Maybe Florida is just that small?
Lots of cute metaphors about delivering babies are going on here, but sometimes it’s taken a little too far.
J: He is literally leaning on a baby.
A: Well, let’s just pray it’s bubble-wrapped!
J: Think about that for a moment, babe.
A: …Ah.
Who on earth is this delivery for?
At this point, we find out that Dumbo’s mum is actually called Mrs Jumbo!
J: Huh, I always figured her name would be Mrs Dumbo.
As you can see, Mrs Jumbo didn’t’ stick for very long.
Just to really hammer the point home that this is a delivery, Mrs Dumbo has to sign for it.
A: Recorded delivery. Probably sensible.
J: What happens if she refuses delivery? Does it get sent back to the warehouse?
A: Disney clearly did not think this metaphor through all the way.
They did, however, create a singing stork, so all is well.
We are introduced to the little bundle of joy.
A/J: Aww!
He is pretty adorable. We spend a lot of time cooing over this tiny nelly; Andy gets broody again, this time for baby elephants. The other nellies do the same – at least, until they see his ears.
The other elephants are all horrified at the ginormousness of the ears.
J: I find it strange these elephants are so flabbergasted by his ears.
A: They are pretty big, to be fair, imagine if you came out with ears like that!
I ponder the image for a moment, and consider.
J: Yeah, but he was delivered via stork, which would be far more unusual and/or gasp-worthy.
A: Touché.
I also ponder the image of me being delivered via stork, in a tied up bag, while being leaned on. Err.
Andy gets all self conscious.
A: His ears are almost as big as my nose!
J: …
A: 😦
The other elephants all laugh and poke fun at the minutes-old baby. But it’s okay, because he gets wrapped up in his own ears and cuddles with mum. All is right again.
The cuteness doesn’t last for too long, however, as Disney switches directly to racism. Exciting stuff.
A: Is that a whole bunch of faceless black people piling out of a single carriage?!
J: Yay! Our first instance of racism in a Disney film!
A: Probably gonna see a lot more of this sort of thing.
J: I guess this was inevitable. This was made in the 40s. They didn’t even have iPhones back then.
A: Imagine that…
My face betrays my fear of this world distinctly lacking in Apple products, and full of racism.
iPhones aside, it’s strange to see the strong hints of slavery the film is drawing up for us. The faceless workers are putting up the tents in the rain, working directly with the elephants while chanting together.
It’s harrowing enough to watch a film about circus animals, but then to apply the same imagery to actual people? Andy sums it up well.
A: This makes for pretty uncomfortable watching.
I silently agree.
J: I want to go back to watching Dumbo be adorable. 😦
(NB: We’ve got a long way to go before we stop seeing blatant and/or subtle racism in Disney films – The Princess and the Frog came out in 2009, and we won’t be seeing that for at least one gaysdodisney year. That film probably marks the end of Disney’s race problem. In the mean time, we think it’s pretty important to point out this stuff.)
J: I wonder how Song of the South compares?
A: Not favourably.
On the bright side, my wishes are soon granted, and we see adorable shots of Dumbo helping the guys out!
J: Phew! Now I feel better. Look at his adorable face!
We celebrate the end of that uncomfortably racist scene – the film joins in, with the use of a band!
We also get a lot of images of animals locked up in cages.
J: I am not a fan of this film so far.
The circus is celebrating its arrival in town – clowns are on display, animals are parading. the works!
A: There’s a lot of clowns here. Did people think clowns were scary in the 40s?
J: I guess not! They seem pretty harmless here.
A: Suddenly introducing killer clowns would make for a bizarre Disney film.
J: But probably the most exciting one we’ve seen so far. I say bring on the killer clowns!
Sadly, no killer clowns arrive. Instead, we are treated with more adorable segments of Dumbo action. Excellent!
J: Why put such a cute animal in such a horrible setting? It’s very sad!
A: Maybe it’s trying to point out how horrible animal circuses are?
J: Maybe. From what we’ve seen so far, that seems weirdly progressive, though.
At least Dumbo has his Mum, though.
(lol foreshadowing)
The peace doesn’t last long.
A: Is that the ginger donkey-boy from Pinocchio?
J: It does look a lot like him!
A: I bet he’s here to stir up some shit.
Indeed he is. He pokes fun at Dumbo for his giant ears, and Mrs Dumbo gets pretty mad. The next thing we know…
…Dumbo’s lost his Mum. Whoops.
Dumbo’s pretty sad at this, so starts to look towards the other elephants for comfort. This does not go well. They bitch about him – a lot.
A: I can’t believe they’re being so horrible about Dumbo!
J: He is literally a day old and they’re treating him like a circus clown.
The other elephants continue to stir the shit-pot.
A: Such judgemental bints.
A: It’s like watching Loose Women, except they’re all elephants.
I refrain from making the obvious joke laid out in front of me.
They unanimously agree that he is no longer an elephant.
J: This seems very unusual. How can they decide he’s not an elephant? He is clearly an elephant.
A: They probably mean in a societal sense, babe.
I throw Andy a sharp look for subtly knocking down my overzealous pickiness. He knows this look well.
This is all pretty sad for Dumbo, but fear not! Friends can be found in the post peculiar of places. Dumbo’s ends up being in a mouse.
A: Hey, Mickey!
J: You’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow my mind.
Apparently one of The Rescuers is here to save the day.
J: What’s with this obsession of small helpful animal guides? First Jiminy, now this mouse.
A: I wonder what his name is?
I am already one step ahead.
J: Timothy Q. Mouse.
Thanks, Google. (Andy’s Fact Corner: Never mind. Google has made me useless.)
A: His surname is mouse? Imaginative. Wonder what the Q stands for.
J: Qt?
Upon further googling, our favourite Disney Wiki tells us that it stands for Quentin. Not Cutie. (Andy’s Fact Corner: *waves sadly*)
And so Timothy Quentin Mouse saves the day for Dumbo, by terrifying the other elephants.
J: Are elephants actually scared of mice?
A: Yes.
Andy seems pretty confident about this assertion. I seem doubtful.
J: Hmm. I’m gonna have to check that out.
In my bid to try and prove Andy wrong (a habit of mine), I do so. The internet says findings on such matters are non-existent or inconclusive. I guess there just haven’t been that many experiments involving large herds of elephants and mice. Shame. (Andy’s Fact Corner: October 2016-December 2016. Gone but not forgotten.)
In any case, no experiments are needed to prove that this would not be their reaction.
A: They deserve it.
Indeed they do.
Timmy O’Toole wanders off in search of Dumbo. Unfortunately for our mousy friend, Dumbo is also an elephant, and so naturally is also scared of him. His solution? Peanuts!
After taking a good ol’ sniff at Timothy Quentin Mouse’s nuts, Dumbo presumes he is safe.
A: And just like that, I guess they’re best friends.
Not quite. First, Dumbo needs to stare at him for a bit.
There we go. Best friend status achieved.
J: What’s in it for this guy? He’s being ultra nice to Dumbo.
A: Maybe he’s got a complex and dark back story that allows him to sympathise with Dumbo.
J: Ooh, intriguing! Disney should make a prequel about him.
A: Timothy Q. Mouse: ORIGINS.
It seems all Timothy Quentin Blake wants for Dumbo is fame and fortune. This is obviously easily achievable with the help of the American dream, so our hero sets out to make it happen.
Apparently he does this by dressing as the KKK and listening out for the ocean inside of a mans ear.
He also spends a bit of time chatting up Dumbo to the circus-man.
J: Huh, does this mean he can be understood by humans?
A: I guess so.
Timothy Quentin Tarantino’s actions seem to work, and the Fat Controller has been Inception’d by his idea – that Dumbo is a star!
“Mario likes that idea!”
I kid. He isn’t called Mario.
And just like that, we’re suddenly in a circus.
A: That was quick. He obviously didn’t need much briefing.
J: He is clearly a natural circus elephant.
Within a few short moments, a seemingly impossible elephant pyramid is formed.
J: I’ve seen a lot of magic and stuff in Disney films so far, but that elephant pyramid really takes the biscuit.
A: It’s very impressive!
J: I wonder how the physics of it work.
Hint: they don’t.
The pyramid of elephants (?!) is not long for this world, however. After a brief pep talk by his mousy friend, Dumbo fucks it all up with his massive ears.
J: Because if something was going to knock down a pile of elephants carefully arranged on top of a small ball, it was going to be a slight knock…
A: Are these the fabled flying elephants?
J: Probably not.
We’re treated to some lovely shots of elephants tumbling through the are in an extraordinary fashion.
Somehow, all this mayhem manages to destroy the whole tent.
J: Weren’t hundreds of people just watching a show in that tent?
A: Not anymore! Now they’re all suffocating in a collapsed tent!
At least Dumbo has his flag.
We are not relieved to see that the other elephants survived. They are, however, all bandaged up.
A: I am pleased to see them in pain.
J: They are pretty dreadful elephants.
As are the humans, apparently, as soon as Dumbo has had is traumatic experience, he’s dressed up as a baby clown… on top of a burning building.
J: This seems somewhat dangerous.
A: Unlike all the other stunts performed in this tent?
J: I’m amazed anyone ahs come to watch this one, after the diabolical show the night before.
A: Imagine the trip advisor reviews…
J: “Pretty incredible show, but the tent fell on me and I died, which I’d consider a downside.”
Such shenanigans are irrelevant to the clowns, who just seem to be enjoying throwing water on Dumbo.
J: This is just so cruel!
A: It seems like the world is out to get Dumbo!
It gets worse.
😦
The circus-peeps celebrate their victory at humiliating Dumbo.
J: Business is business I guess.
A: Apparently there’s a lot of money in humiliating a baby elephant!
Dumbo has a bit of a cry at his current situation. Working in a horrible circus, mum locked up, and shunned by his family. Life is pretty poo for Dumbo.
But at least he’s got Timothy Quentin Mouse.
J: Timothy Mouse is so nice! I wonder why?
A: Sympathy. Or an ulterior motive to get rich from Dumbo’s clown-related fame and fortune?
J: Ahh, we have seen through his plan.
It’s not long until we’re eating our words. Dumbo’s mouse friend decides to take him to see his mum, in what is possibly one of the most emotional and heart-breaking scenes we’ve seen in a Disney film so far. (Andy: Yep. Even worse than when Geppetto was waiting for Pinocchio to come home. These films are wrecking me.)
A: Now I feel bad for suggesting Timothy even has ulterior motives.
J: This is so lovely yet also sad! I’m very confused with emotion right now.
The scene shows different animals snuggling with their mum, we can’t help but feel there’s some sort of message being portrayed here.
J: Disney’s really trying to tug on the heartstrings with this family message!
Andy sees my teary face.
A: Well, it’s working.
J: Shush, you.
It seems everyone’s got a mum at the moment! Except poor Timothy.
A: They seem to be making it a point that Mouse-Tim is the only one here without a mum.
J: I wonder what happened to her…
Disney’s attempts to go deep with subtle backstory is intriguing.
J: Maybe she abandoned Timothy at the circus and ran away because she couldn’t take care of him.
A: Who knows.
Super Dumbo Bros. go for a bit of a wander after some mum-cuddles, and end up taking a drink from a bucket of water accidentally alcohol’d by one of the circus peeps. Dumbo does not take this well, apparently.
J: Yeesh, that’s quite a reaction to it!
A: At the ripe old age of two days old, Dumbo takes his first swig of the good stuff!
J: Seems like a reasonable age to start drinking.
A: He does need the escapism, after all he’s been through.
Bizarrely, this two day old elephant becomes drunk.
J: He’s drunk after one sip?!
A: Can’t blame him for being a lightweight at that age.
J: Just like me!
A: You were drinking at that age?!
J: Obviously not (I think). I meant that I’m also a lightweight.
The mouse is a lightweight too, apparently, despite being significantly older than Dumbo.
(Andy: LOL he’s floating on a bubble. He’s literally a lightweight looooooooooooool. Bye)
A: Wow, he’s drunk after one sip too.
J: And he must be older than two days old, he speaks perfectly good English!
A: …you do know mice can’t speak, right?
J: Fair point.
Dumbo and Co. start playing with bubbles, which suddenly start morphing into pink elephants. A song erupts. We’re getting weird again.
We’ve had enough of weird Disney interludes at this point.
A: Oh god, it’s like Fantasia all over again.
J: Nah, this actually makes a little bit of sense… in a story sense, at least.
J: What on earth was in that bucket?! Why are they hallucinating? I’, pretty sure people don’t hallucinate elephant bubbles when drunk.
A: Maybe it was really old bucket water. Or LSD.
It aint no sexy belly-dancing elephant, though.
But that is!
J: Sexy elephant dancing. Woo!
A: This is such obvious filler.
J: And yet Disney made a whole 2 hour film dedicated to this sort of filler.
It goes on for a long time.
A: Judging by these side effects, they’re gonna wake up with one killer hangover.
J: He’s gonna have to phone in sick at the circus.
A: I don’t think circus animals get sick days. Or rights.
J: Injustice!
It turns out they did have a killer hang over, so much so they ended up in a tree.
Normal night out, then.
A: How did they end up in a tree?
J: I feel like that is a vital plot point that may lead to the as-yet-unheard of flying.
It seems amidst all the racism at the start of the film, we almost completely forgot about the well-known, stereotype birds! Exciting stuff. (Andy’s Fact Corner: The main one – that cigar-wielding fellow down there – is actually named Jim Crow, who I will leave you to Google).
A: Yay! More racism!
J: At least they do some fun singing this time.
After a brief interlude engaging with the birds, the duo realise their in a tree. After a stumble to the ground, Timothy Quentin Mouse comes to a startling conclusion.
J: By jove, he’s got it!
Mousey boy comes to the not-insane conclusion that Dumbo got up the tree by flying.
A: Oh, maybe he hasn’t got it.
J: We both know he does fly in this film, but what on earth would make someone jump to the conclusion that they flew up a tree, rather than… y’know, climb?
A: Probably still high on whatever the hell was in that bucket.
J: I want what they’re having
The birds think this idea is just as implausible as I do, and express their dissatisfaction in song, while also enjoying a little light spanking.
And s the famous song begins, and something clicks in Andy’s brain.
A: House fly? Peanut stand? Ha, these are puns!
J: Have you seriously only just noticed that?
A: It’s been a long time since I last watched this film!
J: For someone so good with puns, I am not impressed.
After the musical magic has died down, Mouse-man decides to test his theory of flying by pushing Dumbo off a cliff. Yeah.
J: Wow, they’re just gonna push him off? have they thought about the possibility that he might not be able to fly and will plunge to his death?
A: Doesn’t look like it!
J: It would make for a much shorter film, and quite the genre shift.
A: The film’s ending in a few minutes.
J: Is it!?
A: Yep! Only an hour long.
J: Wow, that was quick. This film’s a rollercoaster.
The flying works, to everyone’s surprise.
A: if everyone is so shocked at his ability to fly, they really shouldn’t have pushed him off a cliff in the first place.
J: Agreed.
Timothy’s cunning plan to leech of Dumbo’s soon-to-be fame and fortune is drawing near. Now Dumbo knows how to fly, it’s time to put it to good use.
AT THE CIRCUS!
J: Wonder what’s gonna happen to Dumbo when the world discovers his a flying elephant.
A: Scientists will dissect him, discover his secret, and pass his gift across the world.
J: You mean you don’t just need giant ears to fly? I was hopefully to learn!
A: Your ears aren’t that big.
J: Not compared to your nose.
A: 😦
There’s a brief moment where they lose the ‘magic feather’ and think they’ll fall to their deaths, but nobody is fooled, and Dumbo pulls it off at the last second.
Everyone is very shocked. Even the man with the buns!
A: Wheeee!
And just like that, Dumbo’s making headlines!
J: It says miracle mammoth. I understand it’s for alliterative effect, but he’s not a mammoth. (Andy’s Fact Corner: Look out for the actually-happening-at-the-time WWII stories in the rest of the paper there.)
But what’s happened to Dumbo? Andy was right. (Andy’s Fact Corner: What do you do without me?)
A: I was right! The scientists have dissected him and turned him into planes!
Psych. All is well for Dumbo.
J: Yay! He got his mum back.
A: What an abrupt ending.
And so another film ends – this time with the looming image of a killer clown looking upon us. They were in the film after all.
fin.
And so we’re done with another film. But what did we think?
A: I loved it. Honestly, I think that may have been my favourite one so far. That scene with Dumbo and his mum through the cage bars cuddling each other’s trunks is the first thing we’ve watched so far that made me well up. It was very easy to watch and very feelgood. Shame about all the racism.
J: It was way better than Fantasia. It was also short, which my note-taking fingers appreciate. However, the story is very simple and there’s not really that much going on. It’s all still very bizarre – it feels like they’re still experimenting with these first few films. The emotional imagery and themes are nice, though.
Next week – A DEER!
GAYS DO DISNEY 