Dumbo

Episode Summary


Erin 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 Bibliography


Andrews, 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/Dumbo


Gullickson, 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.html


LPA issues statement to abolish the “m” word. (2015, September).
Little People of America.
 https://www.lpaonline.org/the-m-word


Longworth, 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/45778139


Longworth, 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/64754971


Mettler, 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-nonsense


Sharpsteen, B. (Director). (1941). Dumbo [Film]. Walt
Disney Productions.