10 Huge Changes In The Live-Action Dumbo Remake
From its lack of singing crows, to its weirdly anti-Disney implications.
Tim Burton's live-action Dumbo remake succeeds on a number of levels. Aside from the sheer aesthetic joy of any adventure complemented by Burton's signature visual style, the film offers some great moments with competent actors such as Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Colin Farrell and Eva Green. More than anything, it tells a largely new story that incorporates moments from the original without leaning too heavily on the familiar.
This was the right choice for a film like Dumbo. Deviating from the source material can allow a remake to stand on its own merit, as seen in films such as Maleficent and Pete's Dragon. Rather than rehashing a fairly simple storyline, the live-action Dumbo remake takes the story in new directions.
Not all changes, however, will be received kindly. Tim Burton's Dumbo departs from the original in a few ways that hurt both the story and its underlying themes. Occasionally, attempts to avoid controversy associated with the 1941 classic create the impression of a film trying too hard to stay woke.
While thankfully few of the following 10 deviations fall into this category, some are certain to leave viewers wondering what Burton and Disney were thinking.
Warning: Beware of some jumbo-sized spoilers in the following entries.
10. Dumbo's Mother Is Kind Of A Murderer
The first act of the remake is weirdly reminiscent of Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. Much like Tom Felton's character in Rise, the man responsible for looking after Dumbo's mother is an animal-hating psychopath who just happens to work with animals for a living. Elephant tender Rufus both physically and verbally abuses Dumbo's mother, often without the slightest provocation.
One of these moments leads to Mrs. Jumbo's eventual separation from her son. As the circus audience mocks Dumbo for his giant ears, Rufus goes back to Mrs. Jumbo's holding area to rub it in. She charges out to protect her baby, but Holt Farrier gently steps in and calms her down. Since this is the type of film that rightfully associates hating animals with cartoonish levels of villainy, Rufus barges in with a whip and incites Mrs. Jumbo's anger all over again for pretty much no reason.
Mrs. Jumbo's rage throws the circus into chaos, bringing down the big top and crushing Rufus under the debris. Circus owner Max Medici is forced to sell her, since killer elephants tend to be bad for business.
Those familiar with the 1941 version may recall that Mrs. Jumbo was originally put in solitary confinement for spanking a bully. The remake still justifies her actions on the basis that she was protecting her child, but it might not be as easy for some viewers to sympathize this time around.
If anything, they might sympathize with the man who paid good money for an animal that commits voluntary manslaughter every time someone makes fun of her son's ears.