There are reboots that are produced a mere ten to fifteen years after the originals, then we have a reboot of "Dumbo" which was produced 78 years ago. Now that's a reboot that can be justified. Most reboots are made to rake in the profits, because they are usually not very well executed, however this rendition of "Dumbo" was artistically created anywhere from the editing to the direction--and delineated with care and passion.
From Disney and visionary director Tim Burton, the all-new grand live-action adventure "Dumbo" expands on the beloved classic story where differences are celebrated, family is cherished and dreams take flight.
Circus owner Max Medici (Danny DeVito) enlists former star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell), after his stint in the Great War (WWI) and back without an arm, and his children, Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins), to care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock in an already struggling circus in 1919. But when they discover that Dumbo can fly, the circus makes an incredible comeback, attracting persuasive entrepreneur larger-than-life entertainment venture and aerial artist Colette Marchant (Eva Green) swoop in to make the little elephant a star.
Others to round out the cast are Alan Arkin as J. Griffin Remington, a circus backer, Roshan Seth as Pramesh Singh, Lars Eldinger as Hans Brugelbecker, Deobia Oparel as Rongo, Joseph Gatt as Neils Skellig, Miguel Munoz Segura as Ivan the Wonder and Douglas Reith as Sotheby.
This was directed by visionary filmmaker Tim Burton ("Pee-wee's Big Adventure" '85, "Beetlejuice" '88, "Batman" '89, "Edward Scissorhands" '90, "Ed Wood" '94, "Sleepy Hollow" '99, "Planet of the Apes" '01, "Big Fish" '03, "Corpse Bride" '05, "Alice in Wonderland" '10, "Frankenweenie" '12, "Big Eyes" '14, "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" '16) plus others, TV and shorts. One can always tell they are viewing a Burton film since his characters typically have a whimsical yet boldness feel about them. It's almost like watching a fairy tale what with the over-the-top characters his actors convey to the audience. Whether the characters have evolved from a previous work or they are new, the characters ring true with the different characters telling their story. If you're a Burton fan, as I am, his "Beetlejuice 2" has been announced. It was written by veteran Ehren Kruger ("Arlington Road" '99, "Reindeer Games" 2000, "Impostor" '01, "The Skeleton Key" '05, "Blood and Chocolate" '07, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" '09, "Tin Man" '14, "Ghost in the Shell" '17) plus others, TV and a video short, based on the novel by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl. Hence this amazing resume, this writer is a consummate pro and knows what it's like to create a fresh and original screenplay. Although this is a reboot, whereas the original's story centered around the animals, this version centered around the people and their story and how that story connected with the animals, specifically Dumbo and his mother Mrs. Jumbo. What makes this classic story resound is that it shows us that our differences can be embraced and that the connection of family trumps that of profit and success. This was a much needed message in 1941, but this message is as needed today as it was back then. Once again, Burton uses Danny Elfman for it's whimsical score and Colleen Atwood for the amazing costume design. He's used these consummate pros many times and repeatedly goes back to them with good reason. The visual effects predominantly created by MPC (Moving Picture Company), Double Negative and Framestore were seamless and simply enhanced the story and its characters.
Between the direction, writing, ensemble cast and production values, this film reeks of a fresh and original slant on an old, classic story replete with heart, family values, action and redemption all rolled up in a splendid, grandiose film to please one and all, old and young in an entertaining and thought provoking way. Caution: you will need a half box of Kleenex for this since it does pull the heart strings, but it definitely pulls them in a positive way.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG 112mins.
No comments:
Post a Comment