Dumbo Will Make You Believe

March 29th, 2019 by justJENN

The original story of “Dumbo the Flying Elephant dates back to 1939, authored by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl. Walt Disney purchased the rights to the story and made the produced the feature film in 1940, and a beloved classic was born.

Now 79 years later, visionary director Tim Burton has brought a new live-action flying elephant to life in a way only he can. Circus owner Max Medici (Danny DeVito) enlists former star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) to care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock in an already struggling circus.

When the crew discovers that the sweet baby elephant can actually fly, the world takes notice, especially eccentric entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton). He enlists the circus group to come to his very own over-the-top big top, Dreamland where Dumbo and aerial artist, Colette Marchant (Eva Green) become a dynamic duo. But all is not what it seems in Dreamland.

I’ll admit, remaking classic Disney films pulls at my heartstrings. It’s hard to let go of the originals you love so dearly, but this movie exceeded my expectations, with it’s own added story elements and glorious production design. The theme of family ran throughout, and how the dynamic doesn’t always have to do with blood-relation, but who you surround yourself with. Small moments—song choices, visuals—that harken back to the animated movie, made this new version even more endearing and a new classic that I can’t wait to see again and again.

Dumbo opens in theatres everywhere on March 29th!