Blissful, playful, moving and inspiring, Walt Disney's "Bambi" is a precious jewel that will last longer than most of us will. Indeed, it has a timeless quality, matched with a charming music score and wonderful character voices. Pauline Kael of The New Yorker poked fun at the voice-changes when the infant animals grow up over winter (sort of a puberty-in-the-thicket), but what other way was there to show the passage of time and how it changes everything, even the woodland creatures we take for granted? It's an amazing achievement. The song score never elicited a hit the size of, say, "When You Wish Upon a Star", but it does feature the sprightly "Little April Showers", which underscores the very best sequence. ***1/2 from ****
151 Reviews
One of Walt Disney's most essential and fundamental classics with a lot of unforgettable and heart-warming scenes
ma-cortes6 April 2019
Enduring , overwhelming Disney's true vintage film about the moving adventures of a charming fawn , being a colorful and brilliant description of the changing seasons , Woods life and weather conditions notably leading to the attractive snowy , winter season. It is a heart-rending as well as heart-warming story of a young fawn growing up in the forest , concerning his adventures , fríenships , pursuits , fights and distresses . And , describing the often harsh education of a newborn , especially dealing with his friendship with an equally young rabbit called Thumper, a ground-drumming hare that unexpectedly proving to be the star of the show, and both of whom accompanied by a sympathetic skunk .
Superbly made action scenes with spectacular scenarios and breathtaking chases along with a witty dialog , all of them combine to provide an excellent movie and impressive appeal . Beind based very loosely on the book by Felix Salten , taking parts here and there . While the likeable animals are all given attractive human traits , as Bambi, Thumper the rabbit that still steals the show and Flower the Skunk , all of them are like members of rogue gangs of teens usual in the forties . Babycham shots occupy only a fraction of the running time in this flick , the remaining results to be a strikingly impressionistic renditíon of life in the meadows and Woods, and other rest containing some extremely sentimental set-pieces . Silhoutte , bizarre scenes , panorama , glmmer shades , some dark images and the cod use of classy soundtrack recall the best moments of another vintage Disney : "Fantasía" .
It contains wonderful and delightful songs composed by Frank Chuchill and Edward Plumb , including the following titles: Let sing a gay little spring song , Love is a song , Little April Shower , Twitter, The Thumper song .This enchanting motion picture , only released in video in 1994 , was very well realised with great sensibility and dignity , and from Disney's richest period , when produced such great hits as Snowwhite , Pinocho , Dumbo , Fantasía , Cinderella and subsequently Peter Pan , Sleeping Beauty , Jungle book , Aristocats , 101 Dalmats and many others. This Bambi displays splendid and colorful frames , interleaving magnificent animation with vulgar Americana style.
Rating 8/10 . It stands as one of the greatest kiddies' movies all of time , a genuine perennial tale from generation to generation. It proves that Disney animation is still the best to be found , here including some unforgettable and immortal images. As the movie turns out to be still an altogether a gorgeous and overwhelming experience to watch. This top-notch , irresistible tale is recommended for both , children and adults , but tinies should have an adult standing for their reactions to the fate of Bambi's mummy .
Superbly made action scenes with spectacular scenarios and breathtaking chases along with a witty dialog , all of them combine to provide an excellent movie and impressive appeal . Beind based very loosely on the book by Felix Salten , taking parts here and there . While the likeable animals are all given attractive human traits , as Bambi, Thumper the rabbit that still steals the show and Flower the Skunk , all of them are like members of rogue gangs of teens usual in the forties . Babycham shots occupy only a fraction of the running time in this flick , the remaining results to be a strikingly impressionistic renditíon of life in the meadows and Woods, and other rest containing some extremely sentimental set-pieces . Silhoutte , bizarre scenes , panorama , glmmer shades , some dark images and the cod use of classy soundtrack recall the best moments of another vintage Disney : "Fantasía" .
It contains wonderful and delightful songs composed by Frank Chuchill and Edward Plumb , including the following titles: Let sing a gay little spring song , Love is a song , Little April Shower , Twitter, The Thumper song .This enchanting motion picture , only released in video in 1994 , was very well realised with great sensibility and dignity , and from Disney's richest period , when produced such great hits as Snowwhite , Pinocho , Dumbo , Fantasía , Cinderella and subsequently Peter Pan , Sleeping Beauty , Jungle book , Aristocats , 101 Dalmats and many others. This Bambi displays splendid and colorful frames , interleaving magnificent animation with vulgar Americana style.
Rating 8/10 . It stands as one of the greatest kiddies' movies all of time , a genuine perennial tale from generation to generation. It proves that Disney animation is still the best to be found , here including some unforgettable and immortal images. As the movie turns out to be still an altogether a gorgeous and overwhelming experience to watch. This top-notch , irresistible tale is recommended for both , children and adults , but tinies should have an adult standing for their reactions to the fate of Bambi's mummy .
Not at all like its sentimental reputation
heckles5 August 2000
I was staying over at the home of my three-year old niece; after everyone had gone to bed, I found and popped this title in the VCR. I had only a rough familiarity with the plot (like everyone, I knew Bambi's mother gets killed) and was also aware that "Bambism" has been used as describing a overly sentimental love of wildlife.
Oh wow. I found that while this movie certainly has a heart for its characters, it is not at all sugarcoated about the realities of animal life. Consider the following points it makes:
1) Animals do not live in nuclear families. Bambi lives with his mother only, his presumptive father is off in the background.
2). Animals often go hungry in the winter.
3). Male animals must be prepared to fight rivals as a prelude to mating.
4). Man (here assisted by canine lackeys) is easily the most dangerous threat creatures face.
Rather than putting a Hollywood gloss on animal life, "Bambi" if anything is better than what would be made today. Remember that the same studio recently put Hercules into a doting nuclear family, the actual circumstances of the hero's birth apparently thought too scandalous for contemporary children to be exposed to (though one presumes ancient Greek children handled them well enough).
Plus when you consider that a large sector of the populace takes a "humanity couldn't possibly be at fault" attitude toward the decimation of animal populations, you know that Point 4). above would today be softpedaled if not entirely neutralized by the addition of sympathetic human characters. Look what happened with the otherwise excellent TBS production of "Animal Farm."
And the animation!! The gorgeous, pencil-drawn Impressionistic renditions of the rhythms of the woodlands makes you wonder if modern animators haven't been spoiled by computer graphics. I'm only sorry I probably won't ever see this film in a theatre, as it was meant to be seen.
As cliche as it may sound, this is a timeless film for all ages. I cannot praise it highly enough.
Oh wow. I found that while this movie certainly has a heart for its characters, it is not at all sugarcoated about the realities of animal life. Consider the following points it makes:
1) Animals do not live in nuclear families. Bambi lives with his mother only, his presumptive father is off in the background.
2). Animals often go hungry in the winter.
3). Male animals must be prepared to fight rivals as a prelude to mating.
4). Man (here assisted by canine lackeys) is easily the most dangerous threat creatures face.
Rather than putting a Hollywood gloss on animal life, "Bambi" if anything is better than what would be made today. Remember that the same studio recently put Hercules into a doting nuclear family, the actual circumstances of the hero's birth apparently thought too scandalous for contemporary children to be exposed to (though one presumes ancient Greek children handled them well enough).
Plus when you consider that a large sector of the populace takes a "humanity couldn't possibly be at fault" attitude toward the decimation of animal populations, you know that Point 4). above would today be softpedaled if not entirely neutralized by the addition of sympathetic human characters. Look what happened with the otherwise excellent TBS production of "Animal Farm."
And the animation!! The gorgeous, pencil-drawn Impressionistic renditions of the rhythms of the woodlands makes you wonder if modern animators haven't been spoiled by computer graphics. I'm only sorry I probably won't ever see this film in a theatre, as it was meant to be seen.
As cliche as it may sound, this is a timeless film for all ages. I cannot praise it highly enough.
Why can't they make more of these?
thniels14 February 1999
I will not comment on the plot or the philosophical aspects of this movie - I will simply ask this: Why can't they make more of these?
It is very beautifully drawn. No attempts to make fire or water or panoramas look real. They are simply drawn in that beautiful pencil characterizing the entire movie. No happy songs or foolish games. Just a life-cycle portrayed in it's blinding realism.
Look, the water is stiff!
It is very beautifully drawn. No attempts to make fire or water or panoramas look real. They are simply drawn in that beautiful pencil characterizing the entire movie. No happy songs or foolish games. Just a life-cycle portrayed in it's blinding realism.
Look, the water is stiff!
The last of its kind
Spleen18 July 1999
Walt Disney didn't make another full-length animated film until 1950, by which time his golden age had well and truly passed. Was `Bambi' a quiet, gentle farewell, then? If you haven't seen it you could be forgiven for thinking so; and the slightly over-sugared opening scenes might confirm this view. But prepare to be jolted out of your seat. The forest contains darkness as well as light. The gunshots that ring out across the silences are truly alarming (and there are many ways Disney and Hand make them more alarming: consider the scene where a flock of birds are cowering in the grass, until one decides to fly into the air and risk death rather than put up with the suspense). Also worth noting about `Bambi' is its use of psychological colour. In at least three key scenes, the colour scheme shifts wildly, not because the sun has set or anything of that kind, but in order to illustrate Bambi's psychological state. Particularly fine is the scene where he is running away from the clearing in fear and the world turns into just a few pale and dirty shades of yellow.
The greatest thing is the way Disney manages to convince us that there is nothing else in the world, outside the forest. Not once do we see a horizon. Nor do we sense one. By some standards not much happens in the forest - a few deaths, a few births, what else is new? But when the forest is the whole world they matter a good deal.
The greatest thing is the way Disney manages to convince us that there is nothing else in the world, outside the forest. Not once do we see a horizon. Nor do we sense one. By some standards not much happens in the forest - a few deaths, a few births, what else is new? But when the forest is the whole world they matter a good deal.
Bambi - the real Disney treasure
StartingAllOver1420 August 2007
As a kid I was a huge fan of "Bambi" because of it's sincere and simple story, it's great nature settings and it's lovable characters. I still enjoy this movie now as an adult. The animation is absolutely stunning, especially the forest. The characters are lovable (especially Thumper) and Bambi is a simple character that you really can relate to.
The score is great. The songs may not be Disney's most memorable tunes, but I liked the song in the rain sequence, "Little April Shower". Although the story is quite simple, it's still a story that everybody can relate to, with romance, humor, sadness (although I didn't cried) and good excitement. But the ending is a little bit sentimental, so that's why this movie doesn't get a higher vote from me. But still, "Bambi" certainly is a Disney classic in my eyes.
The score is great. The songs may not be Disney's most memorable tunes, but I liked the song in the rain sequence, "Little April Shower". Although the story is quite simple, it's still a story that everybody can relate to, with romance, humor, sadness (although I didn't cried) and good excitement. But the ending is a little bit sentimental, so that's why this movie doesn't get a higher vote from me. But still, "Bambi" certainly is a Disney classic in my eyes.
The last film of Disney's Golden Age
MissSimonetta6 September 2013
Bambi (1942) is often sneered at by contemporary film goers my age. In their minds, outside of the death of Bambi's mother, the film is a cutesy little joy ride about a happy little deer and his happy little forest friends frolicking about grassy meadows. They also find it much too slow and lacking in plot for their interests, instead switching on the film's spiritual successor The Lion King (1994), which most of my generation holds up as the greatest animated film of all time.
No offense to The Lion King, but it doesn't even come close to touching the greatness of Bambi. Outside of a few whimsical moments, this is a dark film about the cycle of death and life. It's more of a meditative piece than a traditional narrative, which will not appeal to those who absolutely require a detailed plot. The animation and backgrounds are breathtaking. Like the other early Disney features, there's strong traces of German expressionism in there (ex. the fight between Bambi and a rival deer is mostly shown in silhouette and violent colors, Bambi and Faline's dreamlike run through the meadow, etc.).
The atmosphere is not as cutesy as people recall. There is an undercurrent of dread to the whole thing, a sense of danger. As beautiful and enchanting as the forest can be, it is also dangerous. The way man is handled in the film is surprisingly mature: instead of putting the main characters against a laughable caricature, mankind's presence is unseen and feels more like a natural disaster than a living entity. In fact, Bambi might be one of the most adult films in the Disney animated canon. Ignore its saccharine reputation and give it another look.
No offense to The Lion King, but it doesn't even come close to touching the greatness of Bambi. Outside of a few whimsical moments, this is a dark film about the cycle of death and life. It's more of a meditative piece than a traditional narrative, which will not appeal to those who absolutely require a detailed plot. The animation and backgrounds are breathtaking. Like the other early Disney features, there's strong traces of German expressionism in there (ex. the fight between Bambi and a rival deer is mostly shown in silhouette and violent colors, Bambi and Faline's dreamlike run through the meadow, etc.).
The atmosphere is not as cutesy as people recall. There is an undercurrent of dread to the whole thing, a sense of danger. As beautiful and enchanting as the forest can be, it is also dangerous. The way man is handled in the film is surprisingly mature: instead of putting the main characters against a laughable caricature, mankind's presence is unseen and feels more like a natural disaster than a living entity. In fact, Bambi might be one of the most adult films in the Disney animated canon. Ignore its saccharine reputation and give it another look.
Disney's Truest Masterpiece--Man Is In The Forest!
Doylenf18 March 2001
From the opening scene where the multiplane camera glides through a quiet forest until the stirring forest fire climax, a viewer has to be aware he is watching one of the all-time great films. So much of the cycle of life is covered that it's hard to realize the film is a mere 69 minutes. In a book called 'The Making of Bambi', Ollie Johnston reveals that originally there was much more footage that Disney eventually trimmed, cutting out whole sequences before the film previewed. Obviously, he made a wide decision.
There is no extraneous scene here, it moves seamlessly through its cycle of life story with the charming animal creatures carrying the story to its logical conclusion. The background music complements all of the drama and comedy. The storm sequence is the most beautiful blend of music and drawings ever achieved by the Disney artists. The naturally drawn deer are the result of months of careful preparation and study, giving the entire film the feel of a nature study as well as giving the audience great entertainment.
The choral work is extremely effective, particularly on songs like 'Love Is A Song' (Oscar nominated), 'I Bring You A Song' and 'Little April Shower'. The impressionistic forest glows with a life of its own and is the real star of the film, thanks to the influence of Japanese artist Tyrus Wong. No wonder this was Disney's favorite film. It will stay fresh and young forever. An awesome achievement!
In conclusion, having done some choral work myself as a glee club singer, I especially appreciated the great contribution made by the mixed chorus (male/female) that does such a wonderful job on all of the choruses that blend so seamlessly with the rich background score. Truly exceptional choral vocals conducted by Charles Henderson.
There is no extraneous scene here, it moves seamlessly through its cycle of life story with the charming animal creatures carrying the story to its logical conclusion. The background music complements all of the drama and comedy. The storm sequence is the most beautiful blend of music and drawings ever achieved by the Disney artists. The naturally drawn deer are the result of months of careful preparation and study, giving the entire film the feel of a nature study as well as giving the audience great entertainment.
The choral work is extremely effective, particularly on songs like 'Love Is A Song' (Oscar nominated), 'I Bring You A Song' and 'Little April Shower'. The impressionistic forest glows with a life of its own and is the real star of the film, thanks to the influence of Japanese artist Tyrus Wong. No wonder this was Disney's favorite film. It will stay fresh and young forever. An awesome achievement!
In conclusion, having done some choral work myself as a glee club singer, I especially appreciated the great contribution made by the mixed chorus (male/female) that does such a wonderful job on all of the choruses that blend so seamlessly with the rich background score. Truly exceptional choral vocals conducted by Charles Henderson.
Best classic Disney in my opinion!
joaosantos-078772 May 2016
Bambi is simply amazing , fun , beautiful and inspiring , it was surely a film that marked my childhood and even today admire , the soundtrack is incredible and unique , the characters are very charismatic , and especially the own protagonist is too cute , enchants anyone, even being a cute movie , it has its serious and extremely sad parts , also has romantic parts that are very pleasant , Bambi matures over the film along with the other characters , I love with all my heart all of them, this film for me has no defect , Bambi is charming, exciting and fun , any child would love this movie that deserves to continue passing from generation to generation , a work of art like this deserves to never be forgotten
Enjoyable for little children
flyingamon13 April 2011
I have seen this one as a kid in theater and I haven't seen it again until a few years being an adult. Although I liked Thumper and remembered the scene in which Bambi and his friends are sliding on the ice pretty well, this movie wasn't memorable for me like for example Snow White, Aristocats or 101 Dalmatians were. Watching it again I found myself to be mostly bored for the lack of some kind of interesting story. The characters are cute nonetheless. I can understand that children will still like it as I can still enjoy watching children's movies as an adult. I guess Bambi is just not for me.
Appealing, Thoughtful Animated Classic
Snow Leopard10 March 2005
The characters and story from Walt Disney's adaptation of "Bambi" still hold up as well as they ever did. The animation, likewise, still looks very attractive and detailed. It's understandable if the animation in itself doesn't strike everyone now as being particularly impressive, given the many recent achievements in animation, but in itself it is an excellent job with the resources of its time. It all makes for an appealing and thoughtful classic that is still well worth seeing.
The main characters are well-chosen, especially Bambi himself and the always-engaging Thumper. Some of the best scenes are simply those of the various animal friends playing together the scene of Thumper and Bambi on the ice being perhaps the most endearing of all. The change of seasons is used to great effect, both aesthetically and in advancing the story and its themes.
It's pretty interesting to contrast "Bambi" with "The Lion King", by no means to decide which is 'better', but rather to take note of the slightly different ways in which they handle some very similar material. Both present the story of a young animal 'prince', the way he explores and learns about his world, and the ways that he must adjust to the tragedies and challenges of adulthood. There are also a number of other interesting similarities. Bambi is at once the more innocent, yet also the more somber of the two.
One very interesting difference is that the greatest threats in "Bambi" come from humans, who are wholly external to the world of the characters, and over whose actions the animals have no control, whereas in "The Lion King" the threats and conflicts are all amongst the animal characters themselves. Both movies deserve to be ranked among the very best animated features of their eras, so there's no need to prefer one over the other it can just make for even more interesting viewing to notice how these differences help to give each of the two movies its distinctive character.
"Bambi" is the kind of movie that can stick in your mind for many years, especially if you first saw it when young. The characters and many of their adventures make it very appealing, often even adorable, and yet it also portrays some of the most serious (and frightening) things that can happen in the lives of the young. It's a fine movie that accomplishes a lot, and it has held up quite well over the years.
The main characters are well-chosen, especially Bambi himself and the always-engaging Thumper. Some of the best scenes are simply those of the various animal friends playing together the scene of Thumper and Bambi on the ice being perhaps the most endearing of all. The change of seasons is used to great effect, both aesthetically and in advancing the story and its themes.
It's pretty interesting to contrast "Bambi" with "The Lion King", by no means to decide which is 'better', but rather to take note of the slightly different ways in which they handle some very similar material. Both present the story of a young animal 'prince', the way he explores and learns about his world, and the ways that he must adjust to the tragedies and challenges of adulthood. There are also a number of other interesting similarities. Bambi is at once the more innocent, yet also the more somber of the two.
One very interesting difference is that the greatest threats in "Bambi" come from humans, who are wholly external to the world of the characters, and over whose actions the animals have no control, whereas in "The Lion King" the threats and conflicts are all amongst the animal characters themselves. Both movies deserve to be ranked among the very best animated features of their eras, so there's no need to prefer one over the other it can just make for even more interesting viewing to notice how these differences help to give each of the two movies its distinctive character.
"Bambi" is the kind of movie that can stick in your mind for many years, especially if you first saw it when young. The characters and many of their adventures make it very appealing, often even adorable, and yet it also portrays some of the most serious (and frightening) things that can happen in the lives of the young. It's a fine movie that accomplishes a lot, and it has held up quite well over the years.
A great classic...
Cephyran17 November 2004
Bambi is a good movie. Not only is it effective in occupying the kids for an hour, but it has an emotional impact that still resonates with people of any age. The characters are all fun to watch, and it is very easy to sympathize with every one of them. That is where Disney has the real power - emotional impact. The music, the color, and the writing is modeled in such a way that you know you'll have a tear in your eye after watching certain scenes.
Of the early Disney movies (pre-1960), this is probably my favorite. It's really cute, effective, and a proud landmark of the classic animation. It's more reputable than the recent cookie cutter movies that can be cranked of the computers every four months. If you have children, they will enjoy this movie. You will too.
Of the early Disney movies (pre-1960), this is probably my favorite. It's really cute, effective, and a proud landmark of the classic animation. It's more reputable than the recent cookie cutter movies that can be cranked of the computers every four months. If you have children, they will enjoy this movie. You will too.
Excellent Disney classic
pmcollectorboy22 September 2000
This is one awesome animated movie. If there are people out there who don't love this movie, they either have hearts of stone or bricks for brains. This is a simple, charming and heartwarming tale of innocence and the joys of youth. It doesn't need slam bang violent action or hokey bad humor. This movie, instead, flows naturally. The songs are also great, not the big, overblown affairs that modern Disney likes to do nowadays. They are charming, well sung and well scored, and more than one is about love. The movie itself seems to glow with a light so pure, it's almost angelic. The characters are also great. Bambi, Thumper, and Flower are adorable and well developed characters. The things they do and say will melt your heart. And not a stupid sidekick in sight. While this movie might not be as popular or as grand as Snow White or Pinocchio, grandness isn't usually such a good thing. Both of those movies don't have quite Bambi's charm or innocence, and both stop just short of being rather sadistic, Snow White especially. This is my second favorite animated movie, with only The Fox and the Hound topping it in my heart. I recommend Bambi to any Disney lover. They don't make them like this anymore. This is a perfect family movie. Modern Disney can never touch this. 10/10
Sentimental (maybe bit schmaltzy), but beautifully made and affecting
jamesrupert20144 March 2019
The film follows Bambi's first year of life in the forest, from his initial awkward steps to the birth of his own fawns. Comical at times, tragic at others, the film is typical of the highly anthropomorphic vision of nature common in animated features. Bambi himself is not a particularly interesting or memorable character, so the real draw of the film is the sumptuous animation, especially the fabulous multi-plane images of the forest. Apparently animating the deer was challenging but the artists struck a good balance between realism and fantasy (Bambi's body is more deer-like than his face). The style of animation varies throughout the film (e.g. Almost surreal in 'fight scene' between Bambi and Ronno, impressionistic in the meadow, etc,) but the imagery is beautiful throughout. The voices are fairly typical for a Disney film (although, unusually, the young animals were voiced by children) and fans will instantly recognise the voice of Flower the skunk (as an adult) as being Sterling Holloway, who voiced Winnie the Pooh in 1966's "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree". The film's score is good (although not in the same league as those in the studio's preceding animated features (Snow White, 1937; Pinocchio, 1940; Dumbo, 1941 (or Fantasia, 1940, which was not original music)). I found it amusing that when the young male animals met flirtatious females, they would go rigid with excitement, a gag usually assumed to be somewhat Freudian in the more adult Warner Brother's cartoons (as an example, "Red Hot Riding Hood" (1943) stands out). I enjoyed "Bambi" but admittedly I'm only a couple decades younger than the film and far removed from the target audience. I don't know what young eyes not tinged with nostalgia will make of this generally sweet and gentle tale of soft-spoken, polite, and cute forest animals. I hope that they enjoy it.
My third favourite Disney classic - a gorgeous, heart-warming story! :)
Mightyzebra23 February 2007
This film is receiving a lot of bad reviews on this website. WHY? "The cover will gather dust" indeed! Not while I'm around!
Anyway, this famous and popular film is about a little fawn/calf (young red deer are called calves and he might be a red deer) called Bambi, who is learning to live in the forest with his mother and two main friends to play with, Thumper and Flower. Also, Bambi is not just any fawn/calf. He's the young prince! Will he manage to take his rightful place as great prince of the forest?
I love and have loved this film for about 90% of my life. It is a beautiful classic, has stunning animation, a good story and I love all of the characters, except for the baddie dogs at the end. They are the only baddies you see on screen - and I like that.
So if you haven't watched this classic, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING THEN? Watch it, you're guaranteed to love it! :) ;) :()
Anyway, this famous and popular film is about a little fawn/calf (young red deer are called calves and he might be a red deer) called Bambi, who is learning to live in the forest with his mother and two main friends to play with, Thumper and Flower. Also, Bambi is not just any fawn/calf. He's the young prince! Will he manage to take his rightful place as great prince of the forest?
I love and have loved this film for about 90% of my life. It is a beautiful classic, has stunning animation, a good story and I love all of the characters, except for the baddie dogs at the end. They are the only baddies you see on screen - and I like that.
So if you haven't watched this classic, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING THEN? Watch it, you're guaranteed to love it! :) ;) :()
Just A Wee Babe In The Woods?
StrictlyConfidential4 April 2020
When it comes to pre-CGI animated feature films from Hollywood's "golden era" (1935-1955) - I, personally, rank "Bambi" from Disney Studios as being one of the very best and most commendable pictures of all.
Yes. This film's story definitely does start off on a typical "cute'n'cuddly" note that is certainly guaranteed to appeal to all of the kiddies in the audience.
But, for me (as a grown-up) - It's when Bambi matures into full-animal adulthood that this picture's story takes on a whole new perspective and actually delivers a bit of a wallop as it makes some very powerful statements in regards to man's overall attitude towards the welfare of wildlife and of nature.
Yes. This film's story definitely does start off on a typical "cute'n'cuddly" note that is certainly guaranteed to appeal to all of the kiddies in the audience.
But, for me (as a grown-up) - It's when Bambi matures into full-animal adulthood that this picture's story takes on a whole new perspective and actually delivers a bit of a wallop as it makes some very powerful statements in regards to man's overall attitude towards the welfare of wildlife and of nature.
A classic that will never be forgotten
Funkypizza20013 January 2003
BAMBI
A Helpless little deer is born by the name of Bambi. He is born among the forest to a grateful Mother. Bambi meets some animal friends for himself, A rabbit named Thumper and a skunk named Flower. Bambi falls in love while he grows up along side his friends. The troubles of the wild life strike when a hunter kills Bambi's mother.The troubles of the emotional for every animal in the forest. A beautiful ending concludes this masterpiece.
This Disney movie has been passed from from one generation at a time. "Bambi" captures your heart and it's one of those movies you can't wait for your own children to see, and then they pass it down to their children and so on. "Bambi" is one of Disney's best and an American treasure.
I give it ***** stars out of *****.
A Helpless little deer is born by the name of Bambi. He is born among the forest to a grateful Mother. Bambi meets some animal friends for himself, A rabbit named Thumper and a skunk named Flower. Bambi falls in love while he grows up along side his friends. The troubles of the wild life strike when a hunter kills Bambi's mother.The troubles of the emotional for every animal in the forest. A beautiful ending concludes this masterpiece.
This Disney movie has been passed from from one generation at a time. "Bambi" captures your heart and it's one of those movies you can't wait for your own children to see, and then they pass it down to their children and so on. "Bambi" is one of Disney's best and an American treasure.
I give it ***** stars out of *****.
Very empty
briancham19942 June 2020
A classic animated film with a life full of lessons.
akruse8427 March 2004
Bambi comes into this world with his mother tending to his needs. Bambi goes around looking at his environment and finds friends. He finds a rabbit named Thumper and a skunk that he calls Flower. Then these friends learn from each other. Thumper tells the famous saying,"if you can not say anything nice, then do not say anything at all." I think that everyone should live by that rule. Them Bambi meets Faline, which is a fawn. They all grow up and Bambi and Faline fall in love. Bambi learns life long lessons in this movie from everyone else. So, this movie will help children learn just like Bambi. It states the facts on how everyone should eat their greens. In the beginning is shows all of the different types of animals. Then winter comes and the animals go and hibernate. The most important thing to learn is that danger is out there, and everyone needs to be careful. This movie is a very cute, short, and enjoyable movie. This movie is short, and it is good for children to watch. Most of the time movies are too long, and children will not sit still long enough for the end of the movie. "Bambi" is a very vivid and interesting movie. Besides all of the violence, this is a perfect movie for children to learn about different animals, and life long lessons.
Bambi
dilipbts10 June 2020
The watercolor-type animation in here is tough to beat, even almost 65 years after it was made. It still looks good, very good. I don't know if this kind of artwork was ever duplicated so the film is worth owning for that alone.
The story is as simple: a deer's life, from birth to experiencing life in the forest and then having a fawn of his own. He has two cute friends: "Thumper" the rabbit and "Flower," the squirrel. Liberal critics all love this film because it had a strong anti-hunting message Even though they are never shown, the hunters kill the nice animals and set fire to the forest! However, to be fair, they don't dwell on this. Overall, it's a positive film with the usual happy ending.
The story is as simple: a deer's life, from birth to experiencing life in the forest and then having a fawn of his own. He has two cute friends: "Thumper" the rabbit and "Flower," the squirrel. Liberal critics all love this film because it had a strong anti-hunting message Even though they are never shown, the hunters kill the nice animals and set fire to the forest! However, to be fair, they don't dwell on this. Overall, it's a positive film with the usual happy ending.
One of Disney's greatest animated classics
gab-fan227 August 2013
Bambi is a remarkable film that captures the innocence and beauty of life, its challenges as we get older and nature being disrupted and damaged by "Man." Bambi is one of the shortest feature films ever but what it lacks in length it makes up for in depth. The animation in this film is extraordinary every setting looks like oil pastels on canvas as we see the wonder of nature with its waterfalls, trees and beauty of animals and plants during the various changes in nature.
Bambi is born in Spring a time of rebirth and beauty as leaves come return, flowers bloom and the world awakens from winter's cold grip. We see Bambi struggle to walk as he always falls down and as he tries to talk which are extremely humorous and give him the characteristics of a baby. We see his friends Thumper and Flower interact and have fun w/ Bambi and their innocence also builds up their happiness and bliss as their like young kids wandering around in the beauty of spring and the forest around them which protects them from harm. The dynamic Bambi and his mother share are poignant also as we see her nurture and instruct her son on how to act, walk and be around other animals and the love they exude for each other is also a shining staple of maternal love which again gives us a genuine attachment to this story .
However, as Bambi grows his mother takes him to the meadow where we 1st observe the threat of "man." His mom warns him not to rush onto the meadow and soon we 1st hear "Man" coming as the colors in the scene suddenly shift from light to dark as the forest are suddenly being overwhelmed by fear and chaos. Man's theme is a haunting piece of music that can only be matched with its power and intensity by Bernard Herrman's extraordinary score in Psycho and Carpenter's Halloween. Both movies capture horror because we don't know who is behind the actions in the film and why they're happening. By not showing "man" the viewer is terrified cause man's identity is unknown and they kill and torture animals for no apparent reason.
As we move to Winter, the animation is gorgeous particularly the scene of Bambi and Thumper on ice. The wonder of this scene is the use of snow which is striking much like the thunderstorm sequence in how nature can be so beautiful and dangerous at the same time at different times. It's also ironic that in winter, as Bambi and his mother are out grazing at grass that man's theme comes and as his mother realizes what's going on she orders Bambi to the thicket. He makes it but as we discover she doesn't murdered by "man".
While this scene is tragic and sad, it's a bit over-hyped as the "most tragic moment in film." The fact that this was the 1st time Disney showed us a realistic moment in life when someone dies and nothing can alter this and that it occurred just as winter was ending perhaps gives this scene the tragic feel and notoriety it's gotten over the years. The fact that Bambi's mom ran behind him intentionally so to shield her son from harm is the true heartbreak of this scene : Sacrificing your own life so your child can have a future.
As Spring comes again, we see Bambi ,Thumper and Flower as adults terrified of falling into "twitterpating" or love as owl describes it. Sure enough they all do and in Bambi's case its with faline the doe he met in the meadow as a child. We soon see the spring breeze of petals and song cascade as Bambi and Faline fall in love and Spring again gives birth to something love and beauty. But as the warmth continues, Man appears again with their campfire and Bambi is warned by the prince of the forest that man is back in greater numbers. Here man's theme becomes so unnerving as the sound grows louder and louder as the animals flee into the forest and it's as though we hear the footsteps of man creeping in to kill anything in their path.
The gunshots come and once more the color scheme changes as nature is being killed and hurt by "man. The fire which may have been intentionally set by man wipes out the forest and nearly Bambi and his father who barely escape along with other animals in the forest. At the end, Spring returns and bliss and happiness return as leaves and trees are growing back, and a new generation is coming to see Faline give birth to 2 new fawns .
Bambi isn't a perfect film and its flaws are somewhat stark especially how Bambi becomes and adult full of bliss only months after his mom dies. This simply makes no sense and for me damaged my connection to these characters and kills the film, until it picks up when man returns to the woods. Also the scene where Bambi and the other deer fight over Faline while dramatic, is odd because we have no background to who he is(Bambi 2 explains this.) Also after her death, Bambi's mom is never mentioned again which is odd cause Bambi seems to have no issues dealing with her demise. It's a shame cause up to the death of his mom, Bambi is a perfect film and these flaws make this a very good, but not GREAT film.
However, this is a shockingly simple moving and poignant film of human innocence, growing up, sacrifice and the horror of people who'll murder and destroy nature and humanity out of greed or sport. If someone ever asked me to see a film that captured the fear of how "man" is corrupting the world around us, Bambi would be my unanimous choice.
Bambi is born in Spring a time of rebirth and beauty as leaves come return, flowers bloom and the world awakens from winter's cold grip. We see Bambi struggle to walk as he always falls down and as he tries to talk which are extremely humorous and give him the characteristics of a baby. We see his friends Thumper and Flower interact and have fun w/ Bambi and their innocence also builds up their happiness and bliss as their like young kids wandering around in the beauty of spring and the forest around them which protects them from harm. The dynamic Bambi and his mother share are poignant also as we see her nurture and instruct her son on how to act, walk and be around other animals and the love they exude for each other is also a shining staple of maternal love which again gives us a genuine attachment to this story .
However, as Bambi grows his mother takes him to the meadow where we 1st observe the threat of "man." His mom warns him not to rush onto the meadow and soon we 1st hear "Man" coming as the colors in the scene suddenly shift from light to dark as the forest are suddenly being overwhelmed by fear and chaos. Man's theme is a haunting piece of music that can only be matched with its power and intensity by Bernard Herrman's extraordinary score in Psycho and Carpenter's Halloween. Both movies capture horror because we don't know who is behind the actions in the film and why they're happening. By not showing "man" the viewer is terrified cause man's identity is unknown and they kill and torture animals for no apparent reason.
As we move to Winter, the animation is gorgeous particularly the scene of Bambi and Thumper on ice. The wonder of this scene is the use of snow which is striking much like the thunderstorm sequence in how nature can be so beautiful and dangerous at the same time at different times. It's also ironic that in winter, as Bambi and his mother are out grazing at grass that man's theme comes and as his mother realizes what's going on she orders Bambi to the thicket. He makes it but as we discover she doesn't murdered by "man".
While this scene is tragic and sad, it's a bit over-hyped as the "most tragic moment in film." The fact that this was the 1st time Disney showed us a realistic moment in life when someone dies and nothing can alter this and that it occurred just as winter was ending perhaps gives this scene the tragic feel and notoriety it's gotten over the years. The fact that Bambi's mom ran behind him intentionally so to shield her son from harm is the true heartbreak of this scene : Sacrificing your own life so your child can have a future.
As Spring comes again, we see Bambi ,Thumper and Flower as adults terrified of falling into "twitterpating" or love as owl describes it. Sure enough they all do and in Bambi's case its with faline the doe he met in the meadow as a child. We soon see the spring breeze of petals and song cascade as Bambi and Faline fall in love and Spring again gives birth to something love and beauty. But as the warmth continues, Man appears again with their campfire and Bambi is warned by the prince of the forest that man is back in greater numbers. Here man's theme becomes so unnerving as the sound grows louder and louder as the animals flee into the forest and it's as though we hear the footsteps of man creeping in to kill anything in their path.
The gunshots come and once more the color scheme changes as nature is being killed and hurt by "man. The fire which may have been intentionally set by man wipes out the forest and nearly Bambi and his father who barely escape along with other animals in the forest. At the end, Spring returns and bliss and happiness return as leaves and trees are growing back, and a new generation is coming to see Faline give birth to 2 new fawns .
Bambi isn't a perfect film and its flaws are somewhat stark especially how Bambi becomes and adult full of bliss only months after his mom dies. This simply makes no sense and for me damaged my connection to these characters and kills the film, until it picks up when man returns to the woods. Also the scene where Bambi and the other deer fight over Faline while dramatic, is odd because we have no background to who he is(Bambi 2 explains this.) Also after her death, Bambi's mom is never mentioned again which is odd cause Bambi seems to have no issues dealing with her demise. It's a shame cause up to the death of his mom, Bambi is a perfect film and these flaws make this a very good, but not GREAT film.
However, this is a shockingly simple moving and poignant film of human innocence, growing up, sacrifice and the horror of people who'll murder and destroy nature and humanity out of greed or sport. If someone ever asked me to see a film that captured the fear of how "man" is corrupting the world around us, Bambi would be my unanimous choice.
Not bad
davidftolson-3537528 July 2020
An enduring classic
goya-422 September 2000
Bambi is one of Disney's greatest...About the life of a young newborn deer and the triumphs and tragedies it endures from birth until adulthood..Quintessential Disney that is a must see..Released in 1942 so there are some WW 2 metaphors if you read between the lines (or it may just be me) One of the greatest family films of all time..on a scale of one to ten...10
Sad.
invisibleunicornninja17 April 2018
A real tearjerker!
TheLittleSongbird25 February 2009
Bambi is short, but I don't care, because so was Dumbo, which is also very sad but beautiful, however I have always preferred Bambi despite the fact I could really empathise with Dumbo. Bambi is a gem, and overshadowed slightly by the flawless Beauty and the Beast and the stunning Lion King. This classic is right up there with the greats, and was coincidentally Walt Disney's personal favourite. The animation is unparallelled. Those shots of the forest at the beginning were just extraordinary, and it was so colourful and stylised. Another plus was the orchestral score which was so beautiful, that alone reduced me to tears. It matched the animation beautifully, which seldom happens in animation. The characters were both funny and touching, and the story simple and timeless. I laughed so much at Thumper, when he was teaching Bambi to speak. Bambi was great to watch too and so adorable, and I was among the majority who cried when his mother died, because this film was so educational thanks to her. The animals as adolescents aren't quite as appealing as when they were children, but Bambi and Faline's romance was one of the character highlights. The best aspect for me, was that they made the enemy so mysterious. We hear about them, and see what they do, but we don't see them face to face. That is what made the characters so appealing to the audience. This is one of the few films, where you care for everybody you are introduced to. In conclusion, a funny and ever-touching underrated classic. 10/10. Bethany Cox
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