Dumbo (2019)

[Trilby]

How out of touch is Burton that he didn't think people would notice and/or care about that?

Again, I feel like this film was made to take a piss on the studio's legacy.

 

[Someone in a Tree]

I would honestly like to know what attracted Burton to this project. His involvement was announced all the way back in 2015, meaning he's stuck with it for a very long time, and it's hard to discern what he's talking about in the press interviews because he can't speak in coherent sentences. As shitty as his Alice in Wonderland was, it was easy to see why he'd be drawn to that material. Even though it's the most cartoonish of the original Disney features, Dumbo is also probably the most emotional. The scene at the very end where Dumbo embraces his mother with his ears is more touching than almost Burton's entire oeuvre.

 

[KillThemCrackasBabies]

Who wanted live action remakes in the first place?

Disney Corporate because $$$$

I've seen people saying this a lot but the Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast remakes are well reviewed and make insane amounts of money. I didn't realize how much BatB made until I looked it up, well over a billion. I assumed these things were duds left and right given how people kept talking about them, but between those two, Maleficent and Alice in Wonderland in 2010 (not counting the 2016 bomb sequel) the things are almost always huge hits.

 

[friedshrimp]

This one will bomb, tho. Tim Burton hasn't been relevant in years, and even amongst Disneyspergs Dumbo is one of the least popular movies. No pretty princess for little girls and womanchildren to cash in and obsess with.

 

[Red Hood]

I wish Tim Burton would go back to making his own movies instead of constantly remaking shit.

I do too, but at the end of the day he's basically making millions for zero effort, so I can't blame him too much.

 

[Muttnik]

The thing that shined about Burton was that apart from a unique design and visual style, he was really good at making movies about weirdos and social outcasts. You'd think he'd be a natural at this kind of thing since that's exactly what Dumbo is. The fact that he's become lazy at the thing that he does best says something about his artistic integrity. I don't know what the hell happened. The guy's tired and out of juice, I guess.

 

[GentlemanFaggot]

The thing that shined about Burton was that apart from a unique design and visual style, he was really good at making movies about weirdos and social outcasts. You'd think he'd be a natural at this kind of thing since that's exactly what Dumbo is. The fact that he's become lazy at the thing that he does best says something about his artistic integrity. I don't know what the hell happened. The guy's tired and out of juice, I guess.

The problem for me is that his visual style stopped evolving after a certain point. Back in the 90's and up to the mid 00's, his movies looked distinctive; you could still tell it was him but there was enough different in each to make them look like he was trying something new. He also did movies that were totally different, like Ed Wood (Which I love.).

Nowadays everytime I see one of the trailers for his movies it all looks very samey since Alice in Wonderland, I think. I can tell right away from the colors and the lighting, which are all very similar. Essentially, I find his "Creepy carnival," (Which is now literal in Dumbo's case) aesthetic to be played out and he has declared to himself that this is as far as he's going to go in terms of personal growth.

 

[Commander X]

A surprise endorsement for Dumbo!

Reactions to this tweet show that people are really shocked that the soulless business major stereotype son of a Wall Street investor whose entire career is tweeting dog pics while sounding retarded is a sellout to corporations, who would have figured that for the cretin who ruthlessly market researched and figured his brand of "heckin doggos henlo good puppers" garbage tweets would go viral and be marketable.

 

[Someone in a Tree]

The problem for me is that his visual style stopped evolving after a certain point. Back in the 90's and up to the mid 00's, his movies looked distinctive; you could still tell it was him but there was enough different in each to make them look like he was trying something new. He also did movies that were totally different, like Ed Wood (Which I love.).

Nowadays everytime I see one of the trailers for his movies it all looks very samey since Alice in Wonderland, I think. I can tell right away from the colors and the lighting, which are all very similar. Essentially, I find his "Creepy carnival," (Which is now literal in Dumbo's case) aesthetic to be played out and he has declared to himself that this is as far as he's going to go in terms of personal growth.

And that's why projects that would have been perfect for Burton 20 years ago just feel like questionable leftovers nowadays. If you can't tell from my username, I'm an enormous Sondheim fan. If Burton had made Sweeney Todd back in 1997, I would have been all over it. Instead, he made it in 2007, after exhausting his visual playbook on a series of projects that were becoming progressively mediocre, leaving audiences wondering why they're having meatloaf again.

 

[Xerxes IX]

This one will bomb, tho. Tim Burton hasn't been relevant in years, and even amongst Disneyspergs Dumbo is one of the least popular movies. No pretty princess for little girls and womanchildren to cash in and obsess with.

The one place Dumbo is popular is at the theme parks because little kids love the ride. Disney World even put in a second Dumbo ride because of the demand. The parks have other spinner rides like Astro Orbiter or the Aladdin flying carpets but none of them are 'iconic' as the elephants and aren't as popular.

Judging by the aesthetics the live action movie has jack shit all to do with 5 year olds liking the Dumbo ride, though.

 

[Travoltron]

Somebody spoil me on how they handle Jim Crow and friends.

 

[Someone in a Tree]

Somebody spoil me on how they handle Jim Crow and friends.

They're not in the movie. No talking animals.

 

[Jewelsmakerguy]

Somebody spoil me on how they handle Jim Crow and friends.

They don't. Got removed because "muh realism" and "muh racism".

 

[Someone in a Tree]

Dumbo does seem to be an odd choice to remake in this super woke age. In addition to the aforementioned crows, there is also the matter of the circus itself, with its forced animal performers. I guess general audiences only care about the circus if it features Hugh Jackman singing shitty songs.

 

[Travoltron]

Dumbo does seem to be an odd choice to remake in this super woke age. In addition to the aforementioned crows, there is also the matter of the circus itself, with its forced animal performers.

I don't know if it was intentional or not, but the original movie seemed to make that case that circuses were shitty. Animals getting abused, going berserk, drunken clowns, you name it.

 

[Someone in a Tree]

I don't know if it was intentional or not, but the original movie seemed to make that case that circuses were shitty. Animals getting abused, going berserk, drunken clowns, you name it.

You are correct. I think I was having my judgement clouded by the good small town circus vs. the evil corporate circus narrative that this new one pushes.

 

[SteelPlatedHeart]

Well, if you want to know what it’s about....

Spoiler: Full plot spoilers

In 1919, Equestrian performer and World War Iveteran Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) returns after the war to the Medici Brothers' Circus, run by Max Medici (Danny DeVito). However, the circus has run into financial troubles and Medici has been forced to sell the circus's horses, so Medici reassigns Holt as the handler for the circus's pregnant elephant Jumbo. Jumbo gives birth to a calf with abnormally large ears and Medici orders Holt to hide the ears before he'll allow the public to see the calf. However, the calf accidentally reveals his ears in his debut performance. The crowd mockingly names the calf Dumbo and pelts him with peanuts and other objects. Jumbo is distressed by Dumbo's treatment and rampages into the ring causing extensive damage and accidentally killing a member of the circus staff. Afterwards, Medici sells Jumbo in order to prevent a public relations disaster. Holt's children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) comfort Dumbo and realize Dumbo can fly by flapping his ears. They also discover that feathers are the key to Dumbo's willingness to fly.

In another performance, Dumbo plays the role of a firefighter to put out a fire with water sprayed from his trunk. However, the performance goes wrong and Dumbo is trapped on a high platform surrounded by flames. Milly risks her life to deliver a feather to Dumbo, giving him the confidence to fly. The audience is astounded when Dumbo begins to fly, and word of Dumbo begins to spread.

V. A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton), the owner of the Dreamland amusement park, approaches Medici and proposes a collaboration. Medici would become Vandevere's partner and the Medici Brothers' Circus's troupe would be employed to perform at Dreamland. Later, Vandevere demands that Dumbo should fly with trapeze artist Colette Marchant (Eva Green) on his back. However, their debut performance at Dreamland goes wrong with Dumbo nearly falling off a high platform leading to him trumpeting in alarm. Dumbo hears his mother's call in response and realizes that his mother is an exhibit elsewhere in Dreamland. Dumbo flies out of the circus ring and reunites with his mother.

Fearing that Dumbo's mother may become a distraction to Dumbo, Vandevere orders Jumbo to be taken away and killed. He also fires all of the Medici performers from Dreamland. When Holt and the rest of the Medici troupe learn Vandevere intends to kill Jumbo, they resolve to set both Jumbo and Dumbo free. The circus performers utilize their various talents to break Jumbo out of her enclosure while Holt and Colette guide Dumbo to fly out of the circus. Vandevere attempts to stop them, but accidentally starts a fire triggered by mismanagement of Dreamland's electricity system which spreads and destroys Dreamland.

Holt, Colette, the children, and the troupe bring the elephants to a port where Dumbo and Jumbo board a ship back to their native home. Afterwards, the Medici circus (now named the Medici Family Circus) is re-established and flourishes while Dumbo and Jumbo reunite with a herd of elephants in the jungle

 

[Trilby]

Well, if you want to know what it’s about....

Spoiler: Full plot spoilers

In 1919, Equestrian performer and World War Iveteran Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) returns after the war to the Medici Brothers' Circus, run by Max Medici (Danny DeVito). However, the circus has run into financial troubles and Medici has been forced to sell the circus's horses, so Medici reassigns Holt as the handler for the circus's pregnant elephant Jumbo. Jumbo gives birth to a calf with abnormally large ears and Medici orders Holt to hide the ears before he'll allow the public to see the calf. However, the calf accidentally reveals his ears in his debut performance. The crowd mockingly names the calf Dumbo and pelts him with peanuts and other objects. Jumbo is distressed by Dumbo's treatment and rampages into the ring causing extensive damage and accidentally killing a member of the circus staff. Afterwards, Medici sells Jumbo in order to prevent a public relations disaster. Holt's children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) comfort Dumbo and realize Dumbo can fly by flapping his ears. They also discover that feathers are the key to Dumbo's willingness to fly.

In another performance, Dumbo plays the role of a firefighter to put out a fire with water sprayed from his trunk. However, the performance goes wrong and Dumbo is trapped on a high platform surrounded by flames. Milly risks her life to deliver a feather to Dumbo, giving him the confidence to fly. The audience is astounded when Dumbo begins to fly, and word of Dumbo begins to spread.

V. A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton), the owner of the Dreamland amusement park, approaches Medici and proposes a collaboration. Medici would become Vandevere's partner and the Medici Brothers' Circus's troupe would be employed to perform at Dreamland. Later, Vandevere demands that Dumbo should fly with trapeze artist Colette Marchant (Eva Green) on his back. However, their debut performance at Dreamland goes wrong with Dumbo nearly falling off a high platform leading to him trumpeting in alarm. Dumbo hears his mother's call in response and realizes that his mother is an exhibit elsewhere in Dreamland. Dumbo flies out of the circus ring and reunites with his mother.

Fearing that Dumbo's mother may become a distraction to Dumbo, Vandevere orders Jumbo to be taken away and killed. He also fires all of the Medici performers from Dreamland. When Holt and the rest of the Medici troupe learn Vandevere intends to kill Jumbo, they resolve to set both Jumbo and Dumbo free. The circus performers utilize their various talents to break Jumbo out of her enclosure while Holt and Colette guide Dumbo to fly out of the circus. Vandevere attempts to stop them, but accidentally starts a fire triggered by mismanagement of Dreamland's electricity system which spreads and destroys Dreamland.

Holt, Colette, the children, and the troupe bring the elephants to a port where Dumbo and Jumbo board a ship back to their native home. Afterwards, the Medici circus (now named the Medici Family Circus) is re-established and flourishes while Dumbo and Jumbo reunite with a herd of elephants in the jungle

Now that is a typical WOKE ending if we ever needed one.

 

[neverendingmidi]

Well, if you want to know what it’s about....

Spoiler: Full plot spoilers

In 1919, Equestrian performer and World War Iveteran Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) returns after the war to the Medici Brothers' Circus, run by Max Medici (Danny DeVito). However, the circus has run into financial troubles and Medici has been forced to sell the circus's horses, so Medici reassigns Holt as the handler for the circus's pregnant elephant Jumbo. Jumbo gives birth to a calf with abnormally large ears and Medici orders Holt to hide the ears before he'll allow the public to see the calf. However, the calf accidentally reveals his ears in his debut performance. The crowd mockingly names the calf Dumbo and pelts him with peanuts and other objects. Jumbo is distressed by Dumbo's treatment and rampages into the ring causing extensive damage and accidentally killing a member of the circus staff. Afterwards, Medici sells Jumbo in order to prevent a public relations disaster. Holt's children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) comfort Dumbo and realize Dumbo can fly by flapping his ears. They also discover that feathers are the key to Dumbo's willingness to fly.

In another performance, Dumbo plays the role of a firefighter to put out a fire with water sprayed from his trunk. However, the performance goes wrong and Dumbo is trapped on a high platform surrounded by flames. Milly risks her life to deliver a feather to Dumbo, giving him the confidence to fly. The audience is astounded when Dumbo begins to fly, and word of Dumbo begins to spread.

V. A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton), the owner of the Dreamland amusement park, approaches Medici and proposes a collaboration. Medici would become Vandevere's partner and the Medici Brothers' Circus's troupe would be employed to perform at Dreamland. Later, Vandevere demands that Dumbo should fly with trapeze artist Colette Marchant (Eva Green) on his back. However, their debut performance at Dreamland goes wrong with Dumbo nearly falling off a high platform leading to him trumpeting in alarm. Dumbo hears his mother's call in response and realizes that his mother is an exhibit elsewhere in Dreamland. Dumbo flies out of the circus ring and reunites with his mother.

Fearing that Dumbo's mother may become a distraction to Dumbo, Vandevere orders Jumbo to be taken away and killed. He also fires all of the Medici performers from Dreamland. When Holt and the rest of the Medici troupe learn Vandevere intends to kill Jumbo, they resolve to set both Jumbo and Dumbo free. The circus performers utilize their various talents to break Jumbo out of her enclosure while Holt and Colette guide Dumbo to fly out of the circus. Vandevere attempts to stop them, but accidentally starts a fire triggered by mismanagement of Dreamland's electricity system which spreads and destroys Dreamland.

Holt, Colette, the children, and the troupe bring the elephants to a port where Dumbo and Jumbo board a ship back to their native home. Afterwards, the Medici circus (now named the Medici Family Circus) is re-established and flourishes while Dumbo and Jumbo reunite with a herd of elephants in the jungle

So it's like I expected. More focused on the human characters. The plot sounds more like the old 90's flick Dragonworld (my library had that way back when) more than the old movie.

 

[Kari Kamiya]

So it's like I expected. More focused on the human characters. The plot sounds more like the old 90's flick Dragonworld (my library had that way back when) more than the old movie.

At least Dragonworld had a puppet dragon (weird as it looked) and not creepy CGI.