Remaking Dumbo: A Dumb Idea?

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I see that a remake of Dumbo is to be released. Starring Danny de Vito, who I always get mixed up with Joe Pesci. I reckon Danny would have been just as funny in ‘Home Alone,’ but I’m not so sure about ‘Good Fellas.’ The ‘do I amuse you’ scene just wouldn’t be the same if it was Ray Liotta and de Vito. I would keep expecting Annie to pop up somewhere. I didn’t laugh once during ‘Twins.’

This is not a unprovoked attack on the pint sized performer, however. It’s about sequels. Or more specifically, remakes. Why do the Hollywood moguls insist on remaking movies which were perfectly fine and in no need of such a revamp. Especially classics such as ‘Dumbo.’ Maybe I’m an old grouch but doesn’t it take away from the magic of the original? Or have they simply run out of ideas?

Now, before you all start I haven’t seen the ‘Mary Poppins’ remake. But Fionnuala and the kids have and tell me it’s very good. Plus Emily Blunt is in it. I can find no fault with Emily Blunt. I could watch Emily Blunt watching paint dry on a wall. She was excellent in ‘Girl On A Train,’ despite being far too glamorous to portray the pathetic, wretched character in the book of the same name.

But, la Blunt is la exception. Will they be remaking ‘Frozen’ in another 50 years? Perish the though and, no, I won’t let it go. Emma Watson? Don’t start me. ‘Beauty and the Beast’ was perfectly fine the way it was. I stand to be corrected but what are your thoughts? Have you been horrified at news your childhood classic is being remade? Or can they be an improvement on the original?

Answers on a postcard please. Or, alternatively, leave your comments below.

Published by Fractured Faith Blog

We are Stephen and Fionnuala and this is our story. We live in Northern Ireland, have been married for 17 years and have three kids - Adam, Hannah and Rebecca. We hope that our story will inspire and encourage others. We have walked a rocky road yet here we are today, together and stronger than ever. We are far from perfect and our faith has been battered and bruised. But an untested faith is a pointless faith. Just as a fractured faith is better than none at all. We hope you enjoy the blog.

41 thoughts on “Remaking Dumbo: A Dumb Idea?”

  1. As much as I dislike the horde of remakes that Disney is doing, this one actually looks like it might be a suitable follow up. I’m not even the biggest fan of Tim Burton (last decade or so at least), but I’m hoping that the Dumbo remake proves to be a fun spectacle.

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  2. Hi.
    Hope All well.

    Hmm.?.
    In Our World. Legends
    some. Seem to be. Enhanced.
    With a Retellings.

    Others… not so. Much.
    Much is said that. Dumbo.
    Was a Prototype Novelty Toy. With
    Storyline. Added. Helen Aberson.
    Illustrated: Harold Pearl/Helen Durney.

    …To recover financial losses incurred in Fantasia.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbo

    AnyWays. Means…
    Still Love the Flappy Ears.
    Take Care. Till Next… Shiro

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  5. I adore the Beauty & the Beast remake for a whole host of reasons and thoroughly enjoyed Cinderella, too. But I agree on the point that studios seem tired/low on ideas… and feel audiences have played a role in that, as well it’s a vicious cycle!

    Dumbo is one of my least favourite disney films, so am excited to see how this one goes. It strikes me as more a re-imagining, rather than a flat out remake.

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  6. I never liked the original story but my take is STOP REMAKING OLD STORIES & START WRITING NEW ONES. I think it speaks volumes that here in the 21st century, Disney can ONLY remake old movies & parts 3,4,5,6,7 etc. of existing movies but NEVER EVER something new. & they are never truly original. They are always “inclusive” & always have BAD MUSIC. Remember when Disney had tunes that made you want to sing along? Even if you didn’t really like the movie? (I admit, I have never been a fan of Disney movies, with a very few exceptions, Bambi is one & Thomasina the cat is another).

    & who the F mixes up Danny DeVito & Joe Pesci? That’s like mixing up a Philly Cheese Steak & a Pepperoni Pizza. I mean, gimme a break already. But maybe I’m being too much an American here.

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  7. We have a tendency to have do-overs. Look at fashion trends! I was a very hard no on the idea of leggings again other than for exercise. But, guess who rocks them more often than I care to admit?! This girl! I agree- maybe it’s easy money to remake a classic? I absolutely loved the movie “A Star is Born” and apparently that is a remake? I didn’t even know? Maybe it is that certain remakers feel they have a different angle to express? I want to see Dumbo. I enjoyed Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. I do have a theory about the whole Disney plot line and them always killing off at least one parent- but that’s a whole different blog. Everything old becomes new again. Superficial material version of reincarnation?

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  8. Dumbo is my least favorite movie so in my opinion it can only go up from where it is! I still want watch it though, lol! I don’t see these movies as remakes I see them more as just what they are live action version of the movie. I 100% agree with you on Emily Blunt. I absolutely love that woman. She’s perfection 💕💕 Im 50/50 about remakes. But true classics should be left alone

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  10. I agree that Dumbo doesn’t need a remake, but for completely different reasons. Disney and the rest of Hollywood need to stop this remake-palooza with everything. It shows how creatively bankrupt the mainstream movie industry is. As far as the issue of Dumbo, I have to shake my head. Yes, I saw that movie as a kid, but when I saw it as an adult I was shocked by how racist the movie got. You had the faceless Black workers who talked about never learning to read or write while slaving away and then the crows…they sounded so stereotypical and the lead one’s name is Jim which has horrible implications if you know about American history. I understand wanting to remake one of the older films, there’s a huge glut of that going on with all the major studios. While I don’t hate remakes on principle, it is a trend that really needs to stop.

    I have issues with that and the upcoming Lion King remake since the latter A) isn’t a real live action movie (no human characters!). B) The Elephant Graveyard situation has unfortunate anti-Black implications with the hyenas and is similar to the Congolese and Namibian genocides. C) That movie ripped off so much from the 60s anime Kimba the White Lion and still never owned up to it. D) Trademarking the phrase “Hakuna Matata”. They wouldn’t trademark another non-English phrase like “C’est La Vie”, “Mazel Tov”, or “Erin go Bragh”, would they?

    Whew! That was a big rant there. I’ll just stick with indie movies and international films, thank you very much.

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  11. We watched the live action of “Jungle Book.” Most of it was okay; did NOT like King Louie/Christopher Walken.

    I believe Disney is making them as a way to bring back the old stories in a related-enough way to sell more crap (as is their usual motivation).

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  12. I’ve enjoyed some of the re-makes but I too was surprised with the remake of Dumbo. I loved the movie as a little kid and that part where his Mom is locked up and rocking him makes me cry every time! However, in the reactionary culture we have now that insists on being mad at everything and the bad reputation this particular Disney classic has for its controversial portrayals of race, I was really surprised they would dare to pull this one out of the dark dusty vaults! I was looking forward to Aladdin but Will Smith as the Jini has me doing a double take right now. Same in the reaction to the remade “Beauty and the Beast”, the old one is still the best!!! I think I’m just tired of seeing the same old stories told a “not so new way”. I actually got in a Twitter fight about Toy Story 4 with someone the other day over this…lol why can’t Hollywood/Disney come up with any new ideas? I’m ready for a new story!!!

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  13. I kind of like sequels. I actually loved beauty and the beast with Emma in it. I love cartoons even though I am five minutes from old. I loved the sequels to Indiana Jones and National Treasure. So I guess I say, just depends on the movie.

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  15. I have never been a fan of remakes. I think it lacks the creativity that the industry is supposed to be providing, especially given the prices. That said, I did not see Mary Poppins remake, but heard it was about the children’s children? Saving Mr Banks was wonderful! Tim Burton’s Dumbo is supposed to be a work of creative genius according to the actors. I think I will check this one out on the big screen.

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  16. Frozen Two is coming soon! Oh Joy! More songs to drive the adults crazy (though I will admit that I have belted out Let It Go a time or two while frustrated after work). I loved Dumbo as a kid so I’m kinda excited to see this live action play out. Aladdin not so much.

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