Hello, everybody. I would like to take a moment and ask something about one character from my favorite childhood movie. A character who is in charge of making sure the business doesn't go under whether his intentions are good or not. A man who is responsible for bringing smiles to thousands of children through educated performing animals and comedic humans. I'm talking, of course, about the Ringmaster from Walt Disney's Dumbo.
http://www./wp-content/uploads/2017/01/RingmasterDumbo.jpg
Now when it comes to Disney films in the Golden Era which include Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi, Dumbo is different due to the fact that there is no true villain. Sure the Ringmaster locked Mrs. Jumbo in the slammer for going rouge and have Dumbo be placed in the clown act after the whole "Pyramid of Pachyderms" fiasco, but I don't think that makes him an actual villain but he did it to make sure the circus doesn't go belly up because of some bad publicity. If anything, Dumbo has suffered more abuse and neglect from the clowns and the gossiping elephants than the Ringmaster. The way I see it, The Ringmaster is just another businessman that's trying to put on a decent show for a profit, even if it means pushing the animals harder then it may be good for them as well as not paying the roustabouts and clowns properly.
Despite not being a true villain, The Ringmaster's alignment has been swapped around over the years since Dumbo's release. On one hand, in the Disney Parks, he's been seen in parades from time to time like in Tokyo Disneyland's Jubilation with no sign of villainy in him. On the other hand, though, in the Disney Interactive game called "Disney's Villains' Revenge", He is one of the four villains alongside Captian Hook, the Evil Queen, and the Queen of Hearts who changed the endings to the stories so they're the ones that prevail over the heroes. Not only that but the Ringmaster is also considered a villain in the Disney Descendants universe with a daughter named Hermie Bing after the Ringmaster's original voice actor. The most interesting take on the Ringmaster's alignment is in the 2019 remake when he is split into 2 separate characters with a more kind-hearted ringmaster named Max Medici while the villain role belongs to V. A. Vandevere.
In short, I think the Ringmaster shouldn't be considered a villain but rather a person who runs his circus in a very questionable manner. But that's my opinion. What do you guys think? Should the Ringmaster really be called a villain?
http://www./wp-content/uploads/2017/01/RingmasterDumbo.jpg
Now when it comes to Disney films in the Golden Era which include Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi, Dumbo is different due to the fact that there is no true villain. Sure the Ringmaster locked Mrs. Jumbo in the slammer for going rouge and have Dumbo be placed in the clown act after the whole "Pyramid of Pachyderms" fiasco, but I don't think that makes him an actual villain but he did it to make sure the circus doesn't go belly up because of some bad publicity. If anything, Dumbo has suffered more abuse and neglect from the clowns and the gossiping elephants than the Ringmaster. The way I see it, The Ringmaster is just another businessman that's trying to put on a decent show for a profit, even if it means pushing the animals harder then it may be good for them as well as not paying the roustabouts and clowns properly.
Despite not being a true villain, The Ringmaster's alignment has been swapped around over the years since Dumbo's release. On one hand, in the Disney Parks, he's been seen in parades from time to time like in Tokyo Disneyland's Jubilation with no sign of villainy in him. On the other hand, though, in the Disney Interactive game called "Disney's Villains' Revenge", He is one of the four villains alongside Captian Hook, the Evil Queen, and the Queen of Hearts who changed the endings to the stories so they're the ones that prevail over the heroes. Not only that but the Ringmaster is also considered a villain in the Disney Descendants universe with a daughter named Hermie Bing after the Ringmaster's original voice actor. The most interesting take on the Ringmaster's alignment is in the 2019 remake when he is split into 2 separate characters with a more kind-hearted ringmaster named Max Medici while the villain role belongs to V. A. Vandevere.
In short, I think the Ringmaster shouldn't be considered a villain but rather a person who runs his circus in a very questionable manner. But that's my opinion. What do you guys think? Should the Ringmaster really be called a villain?