Dumbo was the first, but certainly not the last, time in history when the Walt Disney Animation Studio was struggling to make ends meet and thus was forced to churn out a subpar movie in terms of quality. Fantasia, the previous Disney film, had been a catastrophe in the box office, and thus Dumbo was made with a very limited budget to earn some quick cash.
And it shows. As a child you probably didn't really notice, but watch Pinocchio/Fantasia and this back to back and you can see that the animation level is nowhere close. The character models are simplified, the movement seems jerky and/or too fluid, like everyone is made of melting wax, the lines are somewhat rough and even the backgrounds are not that impressive. Of course, this is only when compared to Disney's previous standards. By any objective measure this is a well-animated film.
And what it loses in aesthetics, it more than makes up in characters and charm. The story of Dumbo, a young elephant born with ears way too big, is a string-tucker beyond comparison. The story is also short and sweet enough that Dumbo doesn't overstay his welcome, and contains some really memorable scenes, like the Pink Elephants on Parade or Dumbo's mom's lullaby to her son. Good stuff in general. It's not the most complex of stories, but it's a lot better than it has any right to be, given the film's rushed nature.
And that's Dumbo. It's probably meant for younger children than the typical Disney film, but like most films from the self-proclaimed greatest animation studio on Earth, it has some good material for adults to appreciate as well. I'm glad this film allowed them to stay on their feet.
And it shows. As a child you probably didn't really notice, but watch Pinocchio/Fantasia and this back to back and you can see that the animation level is nowhere close. The character models are simplified, the movement seems jerky and/or too fluid, like everyone is made of melting wax, the lines are somewhat rough and even the backgrounds are not that impressive. Of course, this is only when compared to Disney's previous standards. By any objective measure this is a well-animated film.
And what it loses in aesthetics, it more than makes up in characters and charm. The story of Dumbo, a young elephant born with ears way too big, is a string-tucker beyond comparison. The story is also short and sweet enough that Dumbo doesn't overstay his welcome, and contains some really memorable scenes, like the Pink Elephants on Parade or Dumbo's mom's lullaby to her son. Good stuff in general. It's not the most complex of stories, but it's a lot better than it has any right to be, given the film's rushed nature.
And that's Dumbo. It's probably meant for younger children than the typical Disney film, but like most films from the self-proclaimed greatest animation studio on Earth, it has some good material for adults to appreciate as well. I'm glad this film allowed them to stay on their feet.