Dumbo

Episode SummaryErin and Rachel unpack Disney’s pachyderm-focused 1941 film, Dumbo. This beloved classic helped Walt Disney Studios recover financially from previous box office busts and an animator strike. Despite being the shortest Disney animated film at only 64 minutes, there’s no shortage of racism, sexism, or horrifying elephant-based hallucinations. Episode BibliographyAndrews, T. (2019, March 29). The original ‘Dumbo’ was decried as racist. Here’s how Tim Burton’s version addresses that. The Washington Post.https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/03/29/original-dumbo-was-decried-racist-heres-how-tim-burtons-version-addresses-that/Booker, M. K. (2010). Disney, Pixar, and the hidden messages of children's films. Praeger. Davis, J. M. (2002). The circus age: Culture and society under the American big top. University of North Carolina Press. Dumbo. Wikipedia.https://web.archive.org/web/20200420212521/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DumboGullickson, B. (2019, April 1). ‘Dumbo’ Began Life As A Failed Novelty Concept. Film School Rejects. https://filmschoolrejects.com/dumbo-history/Kirst, S. (March 22, 2019). The tale behind Dumbo, from Dick Case: How the little elephant took off in Syracuse. Syracuse.com. https://www.syracuse.com/kirst/2015/10/the_tale_of_dumbo_from_dick_case_the_little_elephant_took_off_in_syracuse.htmlLPA issues statement to abolish the “m” word. (2015, September). Little People of America.  https://www.lpaonline.org/the-m-wordLongworth, K. [Host]. (2015, March 31). 39: Star Wars Episode XIII: Walt Disney (39) [Audio  Podcast Episode]. In You Must Remember This. Stitcher. https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/stitcher/you-must-remember-this/e/45778139Longworth, K. [Host]. (2019, Oct. 21). 146: Disney’s Most Controversial Film (Six Degrees of Song of the South, Episode 1) (146) [Audio Podcast Episode]. In You Must Remember This. Stitcher. https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/stitcher/you-must-remember-this/e/64754971Mettler, K. (May 2, 2016). After 145 years, Ringling Bros. Circus elephants perform for the last time. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/05/02/after-145-years-ringling-bros-circus-elephants-perform-for-the-last-time/Norman, F. (n.d.). Black crows and other PC nonsense. Mr. Fun’s Journal. https://floydnormancom.squarespace.com/blog/2019/4/27/black-crows-and-other-pc-nonsenseSharpsteen, B. (Director). (1941). Dumbo [Film]. Walt Disney Productions.