The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS for the new live-action Dumbo.
It was clear from the very first trailers that the live-action Dumbo was going to tell a very different story than the original animated classic. Throughout the film's promotion, we were introduced to entirely new characters and settings that showed us the new film would definitely not be a standard remake. The original Dumbo was a movie without a villain, and the new version never entirely tipped its hand in that regard during marketing. It seemed clear that Michael Keaton's character was being set up as the bad guy, but details were left to a minimum. Still, I found myself watching the new film in utter amazement this week when I realized that the villain in Disney's newest movie... is basically an evil Walt Disney.
Michael Keaton plays the role of V.A. Vandevere in the new Dumbo. In the film, as soon as he learns of the existence of the flying elephant, he travels to the Medici Brothers circus in order to obtain the spectacle for his own entertainment venue. However, Vandevere doesn't run a competing circus. Instead, he has build an entertainment mecca, a massive complex where people come from all around to see a variety of different shows and experience unique attractions. It's called Dreamland. He built a theme park.
Micheal Keaton doesn't bear any physical resemblance to Walt Disney in the film; the trademark mustache is missing, but the parallels are clear. The character certainly has other influences as well, like Thomas Edison, who by all accounts actually was an asshole like Vandevere. There's maybe a little J.D. Rockefeller and J.P Morgan there as well, but Walt Disney certainly has a lot in common with this entire class. All are titans in an industry that they've largely created themselves. Of course, Disney is the only one who also built a theme park.
The existence of the park isn't the only connection to Disney. When we first meet Vandevere, he convinces Danny DeVito's Max Medici that the days of the circus are numbered. Now, rather than forcing a show to travel around the country to where the guests were, the way to be successful is to build a permanent entertainment installation and make the guests come to you.
This was basically the entire argument that led to the creation of Disneyland in the first place. Walt wasn't necessarily trying to put the circus out of business, but it's absolutely true that he wasn't a huge fan of the carnivals and circuses that were the popular form of "family" entertainment in the days before his theme park. He found them to be dirty, thought many of the attractions to be cheap and felt they were mostly only fun for kids, leaving their parents to sit around, probably drinking, while the kids went on the rids. He wanted a place where parents and their kids could have fun together.
It seems like Vandevere built his park simply because it's less work to build a fixed location complex then one that travels. The rationale is different, but the result is the same. It's these simple twists that make Michael Keaton's character the "evil" version of the real man.
You simply can't have a villain who owns a theme park and not make people think of Walt Disney. The man and the concept are forever linked together. However, things go so much further than that. Vandevere's Dreamland has attractions that are specifically designed to remind guests of early Disneyland attractions, like the Carousel of Progress and Rocket to the Moon. Dreamland is actively trying to make you think about Disneyland.
This decision, needless to say, is remarkable. Walt Disney is still very much idolized within the company that bears his name. The idea that a villain could be created that would even suggest Walt himself is a thing to behold. Walt Disney's reputation has been an important pillar of the entire company for decades, making the idea that he could inspire a villain seem impossible before now. When Walt Disney was alive he was very careful about the reputation he cultivated. He was very open and honest about this, saying once...
Ive worked my whole life to create the image of what Walt Disney is. Its not me. I smoke, and I drink, and all the things we dont want the public to think about. My whole life has been devoted to building up this organization that is represented by the name Walt Disney'
V.A. Vandevere has clearly done this too. When he first arrives at the Medici Brothers circus, everybody is in awe of him. When he shows up in his own theme park, he gets noticed. He clearly has his own public persona.
After Walt's passing, the company that carried on his name continued to build up the image of who Walt Disney was. Even as recently as 2013, when Tom Hanks, the nicest actor who ever lived, played the man himself in Saving Mr. Banks, it was a major breakthrough just to have a shot of Disney holding a lit cigarette. Many old publicity images of the man where he was holding a cigarette would actually airbrush it out of the picture. That film never showed him actually smoking it, of course. That would have been a bridge too far, but that's how carefully the Walt Disney legacy is guarded.
Walt Disney wasn't perfect, he was just a person. However, as has happened with many real people who have obtained such massively popular reputations, there has been a backlash. A lot of the negative things that have been reported about Walt Disney are utterly untrue (that's an entirely separate column), but that hasn't stopped many from viewing the man as exactly the ruthless capitalist monster that Michael Keaton portrays in Dumbo. That's all the more reason that this fictional character in this movie is shocking to see.
V.A. Vadevere is an over-the-top cartoon villain. He intentionally screws Max Medici and everybody in the circus to get what he wants. He orders Dumbo's mother killed to eliminate her as a distraction. He pushes his performers to perform in unsafe circumstances to make the show better. All of this is out of a desire for money.
While V.A. Vandevere may be all about watching his theme park make money, Disney once said of his business of making movies...
We dont make movies to make money, we make money to make more movies.
V.A. Vandevere clearly has far more capitalistic notions than this when it comes to his theme park. He wants Dumbo because Dumbo will bring him money. That money can be used to grow his business. Greed is a fairly common motivation for villains in Disney movies today, so Michael Keaton's character falls right in line with that, but in Walt's day, painting making money as a bad thing was much less prevalent.
This is because Walt Disney himself was an unapologetic capitalist. If there's a difference between Walt Disney and V.A. Vandevere in this regard, it's only by a matter of degree. This is the same Walt Disney who has successfully and permanently linked his name to centuries-old fairy tales. He took public domain concepts that cost him nothing, and created versions that for many are now the standard, making him and his company rich in the process. Maybe Walt saw financial success as a means to an end, rather than an end to itself, as Vandevere seems to, but both of them were certainly focused on making their businesses financially successful.
V.A. Vandevere isn't Walt Disney, but let's not pretend that nobody on the production of the new Dumbo didn't make that connection, just as I, and many others, already have. That's assuming that it wasn't the goal from the outset. They knew the link would be made, and they went ahead with it. I can't decide if this decision is simply insane or the bravest thing that the Walt Disney Company has ever done. This likely won't change many opinions on old Uncle Walt, for good or ill, but it causes me to look at his company in a whole new way.
The Avengers: Infinity War Prelude comic has offered up a look at the finale of Captain America: Civil War and fleshed it out even further. According to the comic, when Steve Rogers showed up to
Hawkeye's Heartbreaking Scene Was Originally in Avengers
All I know is that after seeing the Paul Rudd figure for Ant-Man and The Wasp, I'm starting to think that Hasbro could make a killing on a line made up solely of Rudd's other iconic characters. That's something to think about going into your screening of Ant-Man and The Wasp , which hits theaters this Thursday night, especially if Scott
How Paul Rudd Made It Easy For Hasbro To Perfect Its Ant-Man
Why Samuel L. Jackson Probably Won't Be In Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time In Hollywood June 8, 2018 News No comments It's no secret that Quentin Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson enjoy working together.
Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Has Added
The slasher flick is both a loving tribute to John Carpenter's iconic original and a worthy follow-up. Now, we've got the new theme song from Carpenter, his son Cody and Daniel Davies, which is a scintillating tweak to the original. You can listen to the new Halloween theme below, which is the first song on the official soundtrack:
15 Terrifying Facts About John Carpenter's Halloween | Mental
mentalfloss.com/article/59788/15-terrifying-facts-about-john-carpenters-halloween
15 Terrifying Facts About John Carpenter It doesn't matter how many times you've seen it; John Carpenter's Halloween, which was released 40 years ago, will always be required viewing for the
Halloween (2018) - Full Soundtrack OST - YouTube
"Avenge the fallen" memes are going viral and it's all thanks to the new Avengers: Endgame posters. The hype for Marvel's upcoming film Avengers: Endgame is unreal. Ever since Avengers: Infinity War came out last year, fans have been desperate to find out what happens to our favourite team of heroes next.
Avenge the Fallen Meme: New 'Avengers: Endgame' Posters
Jared Leto plays an American soldier who joins the Japanese Yakuza in Netflix's trailer for The Outsider. The Netflix movie also stars Tadanobu Asano (Thor: Ragnarok), Rory Cochrane (Argo), Shiori Kutsuna (My Back Pages), and Emile Hirsch (Speed Racer).
The Outsider Official Trailer (Jared Leto Yakuza Netflix
Feb 11, 2019 · Hiring Bryan Singer To Direct 'Red Sonja' Was Always A Disastrous Idea there are plenty of female filmmakers who could handle a big-budget Red Sonja Tomb Raider, etc.) and then asking
Bryan Singer's Red Sonja Is Now On Hold - Movie Breaking News
Milos Forman Dead: Oscar-Winning Director Was 86 - Variety
Crazy Rich Asians' Henry Golding Explains Why He Originally Said No To The Movie Movies August 17, 2018 No Comments This weekend sees the release of the romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians , a flick that is based on the bestselling book by Kevin Kwan.
Henry Golding - Wikipedia
Dwayne Johnson has released a new photo from the set of Disney's Jungle Cruise movie, in which he is playing the part of a riverboat captain named Frank.. The black-and-white picture shows Johnson in a boat captain's getup working on his wooden boat with a bucket and a brush.
Dwayne Johnson's Jungle Cruise Moves Back to 2020 Release Date
How Much Avengers: Infinity War May Make Opening Weekend
Bill And Ted Face The Music Has Found Their Excellent Daughters. Bill And Ted Face The Music Has Added Another Returning Character. Bill And Ted 3's Official Release Date Has Been Announced.
Bill & Ted - Wikipedia
Nine months after Michelle Pfeiffer's casting in Ant-Man and the Wasp was announced, we finally have our first look at her as Janet van Dyne.
New Ant-Man & The Wasp poster gives first look at Michelle
Dr. Evil makes a TV appearance after getting 'fired' by the Trump administration Television April 5, 2018 Mike Myers revived his Austin Powers character for Jimmy Fallon's monologue on Wednesday night.
Dr. Evil Gets Fired from Trump's Cabinet (Jimmy Fallon
best online movie streaming site
queen movie streaming
it movie streaming free
nonton movie streaming
online hindi movie streaming
movie streaming best
my hero academia the movie streaming
movie streaming illegal
movie streaming guide
the kid who would be king full movie streaming
best movie streaming reddit
how safe are movie streaming sites
movie streaming roku
si doel the movie streaming
zac efron ted bundy movie streaming
movie streaming release dates
krampus movie streaming
top movie streaming sites
english movie streaming free
movie streaming websites 2019
movie streaming hd free
movie streaming high quality
movie streaming best sites
movie q streaming
is a movie streaming online
vice movie streaming reddit
what is amazon movie streaming
best free movie streaming sites 2018
movie streaming monthly subscription
inside out movie streaming
movie streaming popcorn
movie streaming korea
movie streaming ps4
movie streaming hindi
movie streaming now
wonder movie streaming
movie streaming on ps4
movie streaming yify
movie streaming apps for iphone
movie streaming links reddit
yify movie streaming
movie streaming template
movie streaming tagalog
indonesian movie streaming online
indian movie streaming
english movie streaming sites
dragon ball super broly movie streaming
online free movie streaming
online bollywood movie streaming
get out movie streaming
the best free movie streaming sites 2018
movie streaming gb usage
movie streaming releases
is this movie streaming
movie streaming buffering
john wick 2 full movie streaming
paid movie streaming sites
movie streaming free trial
how movie streaming sites
movie i don't know how she does it streaming
movie streaming india
movie streaming like showbox
coco full movie streaming
is movie streaming legal
qnap movie streaming
mandy movie streaming
john wick 3 full movie streaming
after full movie streaming
danur 2 maddah full movie streaming
best free movie streaming websites
movie streaming channels
movie streaming meaning
pengabdi setan full movie streaming
worst movie streaming online
mary queen of scots movie streaming
movie streaming finder
movie streaming library
online free movie streaming sites
what is the best movie streaming app
dilan 1990 full movie streaming
movie streaming philippines
movie streaming quora
will hunting movie streaming
zero movie streaming
android movie streaming app
free movie streaming 123
movie streaming mac
groundhog day movie streaming
free movie streaming yidio
xbox one movie streaming sites 2019
movie streaming websites ps4
movie streaming laws
movie streaming unblocked
movie streaming free online
what is the best movie streaming
up movie streaming
movie streaming us free
it movie streaming hd
yes free movie streaming
if looks could kill movie streaming
movie streaming viooz
one two jaga full movie streaming
movie streaming sites 2019
xbox movie streaming apps
glass movie streaming
shoplifters movie streaming
the lego movie streaming
streaming movie zero
movie streaming xyz
the little engine that could movie streaming
go movie streaming
movie streaming urls
movie streaming website template
movie streaming box for tv
zero movie streaming online
best worst movie documentary streaming
movie streaming xbox 360
movie streaming hd online
movie streaming options
classic movie streaming
kursk movie streaming
movie streaming ios
reddit movie streaming
top free movie streaming sites
vacation movie streaming
why did i get married full movie streaming
hd movie streaming sites
moonlight movie streaming
best movie streaming sites free
movie streaming hd
is movie streaming illegal in germany
the best movie streaming sites
will you be there movie streaming
what is the best movie streaming app for firestick
best movie streaming sites 2018
uri movie streaming
movie streaming raspberry pi
movie streaming revenue
#Movies #watchos4 #filmography #watchestyle #watchingthesunset #blacktech #merica #blackqueen #birdbox #Filma #TvSeries #watchuswork #tvroomdesign #watchcrazy #watchmaniac #funnytime #holiday #watchluxus #blacksocialmedia #filmizle #filmlover #watchalert #blackiflix #watchblogger #fourthofjuly #WatchJunkie #FreeMovies #moviesstreaming #movieaddict #america #blackhistory365 #watchtattoo #slay #blackking #SomosTuConexi #bff #hostales #CASAMXhostales #blavity #putitinreverseterry #Filma24 #4thofjuly #watchnerds #watchmvmt #filmtavsiyesi #murica #watchhill #blackbusiness #sandrabullock #watchmovies #Serialemetitrashqip #WatchRoss #watchcandy #WatchMovies #movietime #watchfamily #Filmametitrashqip #watchbrandname #americanflag #Zgerdhiu #filmyorumu #netflix #independenceday #Seriale #watchful #saladetv #watchenthusiasts #getsome #watchdose #melanin #watchphoto #watchthemoonrise #watchpornid
0 comments:
Post a Comment