Dumbo

In the 1941 animated film, Mrs. Jumbo is hit with whips by circus workers and declared 'mad' after she defends Dumbo from bullies, leading to her being chained and locked in a cage. She also spanks a boy with her trunk. In the 2019 live-action remake, Holt Farrier punches an animal handler in the face, which is presented as deserved due to the handler's cruelty towards the elephant. A man is implied to die during an elephant rampage, with his covered body shown being loaded into a vehicle. Animals are frequently shown shackled and caged. The film also features a fire that traps characters, including Holt and his children, in a burning circus tent.

In the 1941 animated 'Dumbo,' clown artists are shown having celebratory drinks and becoming drunk after a successful show. Dumbo and Timothy the mouse unknowingly drink champagne from a water trough, leading to them becoming drunk and experiencing a hallucinatory 'Pink Elephant' sequence. Timothy the mouse is also depicted smoking a cigar. In contrast, the 2019 live-action 'Dumbo' only features a brief, humorous reference to alcohol when a clown brings champagne but is told that babies (referring to Dumbo) cannot have alcohol.

The 1941 animated 'Dumbo' includes the extremely sad scene of Dumbo's mother, Mrs. Jumbo, being locked away and the heartbreaking separation between Dumbo and his mother. The 'Pink Elephant' sequence, a hallucination resulting from accidental alcohol consumption, is often described as bizarre, trippy, and potentially scary or disconcerting for young children. The 2019 live-action 'Dumbo' has a darker visual aesthetic typical of Tim Burton, which some children might find spooky. Themes of parent separation, death, and animal cruelty are central and can be very distressing. Specific intense scenes include the 'Nightmare Island' attraction, a large mountain structure with a glowing skull-like face, Dumbo being trapped on a burning platform during a fire in the circus tent, and children being pursued by a menacing security staff member.

In the 1941 animated film, Dumbo is subjected to ridicule and bullying from the other elephants and human children for his large ears, being called a 'freak.' Mrs. Jumbo's act of defiance in protecting Dumbo from bullying leads to her imprisonment. In the 2019 live-action 'Dumbo,' Max Medici's cheeky monkey repeatedly irritates him and is shoved into a drawer, played for comic effect. Holt Farrier's punch against a cruel animal handler is depicted as a justified act of rebellion against cruelty. The film also features children Milly and Joe defying villainous V.A. Vandevere's exploitative plans to reunite Dumbo with his mother, showcasing a positive form of rebellion against injustice.