Dumbo

This is clearly one of the great animated features of all time. How it squeaks by with a mere 7.4 voter average while all sorts of contemporary crap does far better is a mystery and a tribute to the downward spiral in cinematic taste. DUMBO is my favorite of all the classic Disney films (a group which ends with JUNGLE BOOK, completed after Walt's death). Nothing since then has been able to recapture the magic. Walt may have been, according to some people, a fascist and an anti-Semite, but he was also a genius.

Things that make this movie great:

The animation (I used to work at a zoo, and while the real elephants did little talking or singing the animators captured their body language incredibly well.)

"Pink Elephants on Parade".

Effective but not over-the-top heartstring tugging.

The musical crow number ("When I See an Elephant Fly"). I'm disappointed to discover the voice actors (Including Cliff Edwards, "Ukelele Ike" and the voice of Jiminy Cricket) were white guys playing black --- I was hoping they were some cool unknown black combo --- but it's a terrific number anyway.

The 64 minute running time. It starts, tells it's simple story, then knows when the hell to get off the stage. I wish more film makers had that ability.