Bambi marks the end of the Golden Age of Disney Animation. An era that established the studio as one of the giants of Hollywood and laid the foundations for what was to come next. It’s also a film that will break your heart a thousand times over and still leave you coming back to revisit its gorgeous world and touching story time and time again.
Spring has sprung and the animals of the forest are excited to greet the new prince of the forest, a fawn named Bambi (Bobby Stewart, Donnie Dunagan, Hardie Albright & John Sutherland). We watch Bambi grow and learn over the following year, before the untimely death of his mother (Paula Winslowe) in winter. We then return to Bambi some time later when he is fully grown, where he returns to the forest to reunite with old friends Thumper (Sam Edwards) and Flower (Sterling Holloway), as well as fall in love with the doe Faline (Ann Gillis).
Like Dumbo before it, Bambi is extremely short, coming in at around seventy minutes. This does result in the story feeling a little thin at times as it has such a large amount of ground to cover. Most of the film is spent with Bambi as a child where he learns about the world with his mother by his side, meeting new people, learning to walk and talk, and playing in the nearby meadow. This is also where the film is at its best. Watching Bambi learn about the world is captivating and often gives you as the viewer a greater appreciation for the little things in nature that you often miss.
The film takes a page out of Fantasia’s book in terms of the animation feeling as though it is led by the music. Whilst this may not have been the intention, the sound is such an integral part of Bambi. There are lots of musical numbers which simply focus on the wonders of nature, giving viewers a visual treat to some wonderful music.
Spring has sprung and the animals of the forest are excited to greet the new prince of the forest, a fawn named Bambi (Bobby Stewart, Donnie Dunagan, Hardie Albright & John Sutherland). We watch Bambi grow and learn over the following year, before the untimely death of his mother (Paula Winslowe) in winter. We then return to Bambi some time later when he is fully grown, where he returns to the forest to reunite with old friends Thumper (Sam Edwards) and Flower (Sterling Holloway), as well as fall in love with the doe Faline (Ann Gillis).
Like Dumbo before it, Bambi is extremely short, coming in at around seventy minutes. This does result in the story feeling a little thin at times as it has such a large amount of ground to cover. Most of the film is spent with Bambi as a child where he learns about the world with his mother by his side, meeting new people, learning to walk and talk, and playing in the nearby meadow. This is also where the film is at its best. Watching Bambi learn about the world is captivating and often gives you as the viewer a greater appreciation for the little things in nature that you often miss.
The film takes a page out of Fantasia’s book in terms of the animation feeling as though it is led by the music. Whilst this may not have been the intention, the sound is such an integral part of Bambi. There are lots of musical numbers which simply focus on the wonders of nature, giving viewers a visual treat to some wonderful music.
I’m sure we all remember our childhood trauma from when Bambi’s mother dies just over halfway through the film, but revisiting Bambi as an adult makes me realise just how brutal the film is at times. There’s always this lingering threat present, the unknown, and Bambi’s lack of awareness of this makes me as an adult viewer anxious all the time. The final stages of the film see Bambi being hunted by presumably the same hunter that killed his mother, and then a fire breaking out in the forest and the critters needing to escape their burning homes. It’s surprisingly violent at times, but not in a way that’s unsuitable for children. It simply shows how brutal nature can be sometimes, and usually made even worse when humans get involved.
Bambi is a gorgeous film to watch though. For me it is the peak of Disney’s Golden Age animation with some genuinely beautiful environments as well as highly detailed character models. Combined with the musical timing Bambi is a real treat for the eyes and ears. So, whilst the story may be somewhat lacking, you’re still engrossed by the dancing colours and exquisite patterns.
Bambi is without a doubt still worth revisiting today. Like most of the Golden Age films it can seem antiquated at times, but unlike the others Bambi does not need much to succeed. It’s a simple story, told beautifully. You just need to be emotionally stable enough to face the heartbreak all over again.
Bambi is a gorgeous film to watch though. For me it is the peak of Disney’s Golden Age animation with some genuinely beautiful environments as well as highly detailed character models. Combined with the musical timing Bambi is a real treat for the eyes and ears. So, whilst the story may be somewhat lacking, you’re still engrossed by the dancing colours and exquisite patterns.
Bambi is without a doubt still worth revisiting today. Like most of the Golden Age films it can seem antiquated at times, but unlike the others Bambi does not need much to succeed. It’s a simple story, told beautifully. You just need to be emotionally stable enough to face the heartbreak all over again.