Bambi (2-Disc Special Platinum Edition) Reviews

• A simple little film -- NOT!

  
  By A26TSW6AI59ZCV on 2004-07-10
  On one level, "Bambi" is just a little, animated film, just under 70 minutes, that tells the story of an orphaned deer growing up. Right? And an acorn is just a nut.
  
  "Bambi" was made in 1942, but is still impressive in its animation, even in comparison to the computer-generated graphics of today. The colors are so lush, that you want to freeze some of the frames and hang them up on your wall. The beauty of Nature is captured here as well as in any film, animated or not.
  
  "Bambi" is the story of one deer, but it is also a case study in the very basics of life: parental love, loss and grief, friendship, loyalty, balancing risk and need, growing toward independence, being at one and in harmony with Nature, and romantic love. It is a small film that covers more ground than many epic, megabuck productions.
  
  "Bambi" did something else significant: for many, it altered people's view of deer and their relationship to Man. I recently read a study that looked at this issue, and one finding is that two things decreased markedly after the release of "Bambi": involvement in deer-hunting, and the value people in general place on deer-hunting.
  
  Sometimes, in simplicity, there is perfection.
  
  

• Still a Classic

  
  By A27BY97QQS36V3 on 2005-02-23
  I remember being mesmerized by Bambi at the drive in as a kid in the early 70's, and then again on TV but, what a fantastic restoration.
  
  I have to thank Amazon.com for providing this before the actual release date and I was amazed at the restoration. I am not going to review the story as it is a classic and most know what it is about. I will review the repackaging and upgrade of the classic. The new DVD provides extra outtakes that haven't been seen before and the new coloration is fantastic. Gone is the sort of gloomy non crisp colors and in its place are wonderful bright colors.
  
  Fantastic redo! If you have kids they will love this updated version. If you just like Disney Classics than you will also want to own this one.
  
  
  

• Classy presentation of classic film

  
  By AQP1VPK16SVWM on 2005-03-05
  Walt Disney opened the vein of fear that drives children and adults alike with his animated classic films. Disney understood, like the Grimms before him, that the same fears are at the heart of what motivate children as they do adults. In the uncertain and haunted world of the 40's where war and loss hung like a specter stalking every aspect of American life, Disney mined that vein of fear, loss and death and turned it on its head recognizing that the optimism and can-do attitude of the American dream could triumph but not undo the nightmares of the past. That's why Walt's films continue to resonate today even with fancy computer animated effects and larger than life villains. He knew that the worst monsters could be our next door neighbors. Disney adapted a modern sensibility to the same fears that the Grimms paraded in their tales.
  
  That's why "Bambi" despite its pacing from a slower, less attention challenged era still has power and poignancy. As a kid everything you need to know about life can be learned from a Walt Disney film. The loss of innocence, the cruelty of others, the compassion of friends and the big "D" all crop up in every Disney film. It's ironic because Disney's films, unlike other animators of the time, weren't afraid to tackle the very things that both scared and delighted kids. The two big themes that figure in Disney films rear their heads in "Bambi" when death and the cruel world outside try to erase Bambi's innocence from existence. We're immediately thrown into Bambi's world and his life with his mom. When Bambi's mom is killed he becomes an orphan adopted by his new found friends Thumper and Flower. Kids will love the interaction between these characters. While the film's pacing may be a tad slow for children below the age of six used to the rapid fire editing of "Aladdin" and more recent Disney classics, the colorful landscape and the delightful characters will keep most children entranced.
  
  
  
  Featuring a terrific restoration, "Bambi" has never looked better on DVD. Like many films of the era "Bambi" was shot on nitrate stock which disintegrates fairly rapidly over time so the miracle here is that it looks as good as it does (due to careful care) and the magic of digital technology. The images sparkle with a crystal clear image almost too perfect. The rich color, deep dark blacks and detail in the images are truly astonishing. The remastered sound makes fairly good use of the 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround medium as well. Given that the original film's soundtrack was mono, the surround speakers are used surprisingly well. You'll have to reset your expectations though as this 60 year old film wasn't designed with any of our home theater equipment in mind.
  
  "Bambi" has a forest full of extras in this two disc set. The most important extras on the first DVD is the comparison between the finished film along side images from story meetings, script notes, surviving production drawings and other items that give you a sense of the preparation that went into making this animated classic. We get to see the amazing restoration process for the film itself from the cleaning of the original nitrate negative (stored at the Library of Congress) to the expansion of the original soundtrack for home theater equipment and movie theater exhibition. There's also the classic award winning animated short "The Old Mill". Again, many of Disney's cartoons from the 30's and 40's don't have the manic energy we've come to expect in our post-Looney Tunes/Animanics world but the quieter, slower qualities are actually appealing after one too many frantic animated adventure. "Tricks of the Trade" was originally shot for the Disney's TV show in the 50's and takes us behind-the-scenes allowing us to see the difficult and time consuming process of making animated feature films before the advent of computers. "The Art of Bambi" allows us in the Disney archive to see the surviving preproduction artwork, design elements and storyboards. "Disney Time Capsule" provides viewers with a glimpse into the world that spawned "Bambi". "The Forest Adventure Game" will be entertaining for most children over the age of six as it may take a bit too much skill for anyone below that age to master. There's also two surviving deleted scenes (which is a surprise given the age of the film but Disney is nothing if not methodical). We learn a bit about America during World War II and the type of society that America was creating for itself. "Bambi's Forest Friends" focuses on how deer live in the wild. We also get the original theatrical trailer (which provides an interesting contrast to the restored film). Most of these extras will be of interest more to the adults that grew up watching "Bambi" in theaters, on TV and early home video.
  
  An engaging film from another era that still has tremendous power and is entertaining, "Bambi" has never looked this spry before. I imagine that this DVD looks better than the original release did in the 1940's as resolution and theater standards were quite different then.
  
  
  

• Re-release of updated Bambi - Not!

  
  By A122KKQX1B7RS9 on 2005-05-27
  I was disappointed in this updated version - I have seen this movie since I was a young child every year it was shown in the theaters. I looked forward eagerly to when it came out on video. But was very disappointed as they had cut out several parts of the movie that had been shown in the theater version. I figured that when they remastered it digitally on DVD, they would add those parts back. But they didnt. They cut out the part where Bambi is fighting with Rono in the clouds - no loss there. But they also cut out one of the very best parts where the Owl is talking to the youngsters about being Twiterpaited then starts singing the twiterpaited song. "Everybody's twiterpaited in the spring, skunks smell sweet, rabbits sing, daffodils go daffy when the bluebells ring, the whole wide world's in love. When you can't control a grin, when your head's inflated. Love just socked you on the chin, pal your twiterpaited! Anyway. It is one of the best parts and I was really saddened that they didnt include it in the movie.
  
  But the color is good and it will always be a classic. Just wish they had included "ALL" of it.
  
  

• Restoration too clean, grain and shimmer gone, magic dies.

  
  By A37OFN1V723DC3 on 2005-03-01
  What the chain of command at Disney from executive to computer restoration "genius" seems to have missed is that this film perhaps above all others needs to keep the grain and shimmer from the original medium: film. This could have been done on DVD - you can control everything - but what we have here is antiseptically clean and dead. The image is so crystal clear you can see the prosaic brush strokes on the background. There is no "weaving" or slight unsteadiness caused by the minute variations in the sprocket holes in camera or projector. The result is that the image ceases to "breathe", or to seem as if it is photographed by a real camera in real time, but instead looks like a still shot of a tacky greetings card. This is particularly noticeable when there is no character in the shot, or when the camera has taken several extra frames of a cel where a character pauses between actions. Grain and film vibration were the unintentional and largely unrecognised secret extra ingredients that gave this and other classic animated films true sparkle and the illusion of life. Now they are gone.
  
  The rest of the DVD, the care, the extra features, are all exemplary and deserve admiration and in a way the clean-up job is remarkable and fascinating. But the slightly sad thing is that there is not a prayer that anyone at Disney will ever admit that any cog in their million-dollar restoration machinery has got it wrong. After all the investment, the reputations at stake, the thousands of accolades for the enhancement, the self-congratulatory "how Bambi was restored" featurette, who is going to dare to consider that rock-solid backgrounds and shimmerless grain-free texture might not after all be what does justice to this great work?
  
  
• The Film That Spurned Disney's Fascination With Nature
  By A3O9LMY2DTV2B2 on 2001-11-18
  It's been critisized by some for its use of violence in depicting a natural wildfire which causes the death of Bambi's mother (not easy to explain to young children); and its been critisized by others as being "anti-human', or man, for its depiction of the hunting scene where animals are being shot at, including Bambi, who is himself wounded by a hunter. Yet, "Bambi" has come to represent the gentler side of Disney. For what it's worth, after the release of "Bambi", in 1942, Walt Disney began a long and fascinating affair with nature, and ultimately produced many fine nature documentaries, and nature themed films, none of which may have come to fruition without "Bambi". With hardly any words spoken throughout its entirety, "Bambi" relies heavily on its breathtaking scenery, and wide range of color to depict the landscape. The forest looks almost lifelike; and the fire is almost too real.

  In the opening scene of "Bambi" it is springtime, the beginning of new life. Bambi is born. During his first days, Bambi's mother teaches him such things as how to walk. He makes friends as well; Thumper, a rabbit, and Flower, a skunk. They also help teach Bambi the ways of the forest.

  When Bambi is first exposed to a meadow, his mother tells him it is a wonderful place, but he needs to remain cautious. Later, he finds out why, when man enters, causing all the deer to scramble for saftey in a frenzied flight. So now Bambi has been introduced to man, a creature he needs to fear if he is to stay alive.

  The season changes to fall, and then to winter, rapidly. And soon spring is again on the horizon. And then ... the fire. In all the confusion, Bambi loses sight of his mother. After he reaches safety, Bambi inquires about his mother. He is told, "Your mother can't be with you any longer".

  Bambi must face the new season without his mother now. When spring arrives, he, Thumper and Flower have grown. Bambi is attracted to another deer, Faline. They kiss, and Bambi is instancely in love. However, Bambi must put his feelings aside when man re-enters the forest. Again there is another scramble for safety. Faline is being tailed by some hunters, and Bambi goes in to help her, getting shot in the process. He makes it to safety, but must contend with another forest fire, set by the hunters who were camping nearby.

  The cycle is thus complete. And new life is being born, and will continue to be born, live and die. There will be new perils to face, and new wonders to discover. This is the essence of "Bambi"; that nature is a continuous cycle of life and death, and eveything in-between is a wonderous adventure, and that all living creatures must live their lives to the fullest.

  There is the subtle message intertwined, as well, that man can, and must. control certain elements of nature, if nature is going to continue to thrive. The second fire was the fault of man, caused by accident, but avoidable, which may have inadvertantly killed animals before it was extiguished. And man must learn to control himself, for if he does not, then he will not only destroy nature, but himself.
  
  

• BAMBI to DVD in 2005!!
  By on 2003-11-04
  Bambi will be released in Disney's Platinum series in 2005, followed by the Jungle Book in 2006 and Cinderella in 2007.
  For more releases visit my post under aladdin (platinum series collection)
  
  
• don't it always seem to go?
  By A1DMOOFE9R8N5U on 2005-02-22
  First the restoration of this film for the DVD release is superb. It's easy to forget just how stunning early 40's Disney animation is. Also, while I've always been a fan of Fleicher's mid-30's rotoscoping, the multi-plane technique that Walt's studio perfected is both more subtle and impressively realistic. (On the second disc in this set you will find the 1937 "silly symphony" The Old Mill, which is an earlier demonstration of this technology.)
  
  Second, I can't imagine a better, more gentle introduction to children about the cycle of life. The story's simplicity and the naivete of the young characters is still pretty heartgrabbing, even for an aging boomer. Such innocence!
  
  There is also profound sadness in the lateness of the hour regarding the loss of paradise. Sixty years ago this film warned against the danger of man's encrouchment. At this point much worse damage has been done by chainsaws and toxic runoff, than by hunters' bullets. I pray that our children and their's still have time to absorb the lesson we didn't regarding the gift and responsibility of stewardship.
  
  
• Why the Complaints about Violence? This is NOT for Kids!
  By on 2005-04-17
  This is NOT a children's film. The review calling parents whose children cried at this film 'bad parents' is completely ignorant, close-minded, two-faced and immature. that's why I'm writing this review. Thank you to those people who didn't find that childish review helpful.
  
  First of all, like I said, the film wasn't for children alone. With the themes of hunting, it has a message aimed at adults.
  
  Young Bambi lost his mother. That's a harsh reality many children have faced. It's time the rest of the world face it. In case you don't notice, many children live in poor, third-world, war-torn countries where parents are killed by PEOPLE WITH BIG BUTT-UGLY GUNS and children left alone to fend for themselves. That's a reality. We should try to educate children about this, and help those in need, not hide our own children from this difficult truth.
  
  Second of all, as for the sexual innuendo, what do you expect? Bambi's mother was a deer! Deer don't wear clothing. In fact, in the entire movie, no animal wore clothing! It's their nature! No anthromorphisism, please! It's no different from going into a hospital and seeing a new mother nursing her baby. If you ask me, a bit of knowledge on sexuality is healthy for children. Then they'll understand it better later on when they have to.
  
  And as for Bambi's name, complaining about it is childish, especially when you consider the fact 'bambi' in Indian means 'baby.' If you have a problem against strippers using this name, complain to the strippers, not the people at Disney Studios.
  
  The final fall; people complaining about the animation. Face it: the animation is beautiful. Don't forget; it's from 1942. Really impressive for 1942. Besides, it's character development, and the story, not the animation, that makes a movie a good movie. Think: Shark Tale?
  
  The message of Bambi is that although there may be bad in this world, there is always hope, and good to oppose it. In Bambi, that hope came in the forms of bravery and sacrifice. The Prince of the Forest delivered all the animals from Humans once, and did it for his son again when Bambi was shot. Bambi saved Faline from the dogs. Although Bambi's mother was shot, with her shooting, her son was saved. Frankly, I don't see how this differs much from what we saw on battlefields during wars, or even what is happening in third-world countries today. In fact, the Messiah Himself was sacrificed for the sake of Mankind, for love, and for eliminiating evil.
  
  I know how many parents wish for their children to live a perfect, unspoiled existence, with no films on reality to mar that dream. We all want that sort of unmarred world. But wait now: that perfect, unspoiled world does not exist. It never has, as long as civilization has existed. There was bad in the world before, and there is now. That's the message the film is sending at us. Bambi's careless childhood was quickly run over with the responsiblilties of adulthood, and all the evil leaking in. But bravery and sacrifice can help to make this world better. That is the message of Bambi, and it is a good one. If children are not educated about the bad things in the world, they will find it difficult to cope with such things in real life. Showing your children this film and the realities of the world, and possibly making them cry at this is NOT BAD PARENTING. Keeping your children 'safe' from knowing about these things is BAD PARENTING.
  
  So thanks to all those who placed this film on the best viewing lists.
  
  
  
  
  
• Enchanted like a child
  By A1IANEBSMVGHS9 on 2005-07-11
  I grew up watching several Disney movies: Dumbo, Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio, you name it. But as odd as it may sound, I never saw Bambi. So, I had regular expectations about it when we recently bought it: I had heard great things about it, but it wasn't on the same level as the other Disney classics I already knew by heart. Well: I was floored and enchanted like a child, when I saw it.
  
  The quality of this movie was unbelievable. It took animated features to a whole new level, with the introduction of new shooting techniques to provide a more realistic feel of depth. The storyline was simple, yet touching, like most early Disney movies. Actually, one of the best features the DVD offers is a recreation of the storyboarding/storywriting sessions between Walt Disney and his team, which gives you a feel for the understanding of the audiences they had, and how the final product came about.
  
  I tip my hat to Disney once more, with a movie that is bound to become another classic in our collection, one that our son will grow up watching.
  
  
• Walt Disney's greatest
  By A3OBBWCDNIYT8D on 2000-07-28
  "Bambi" is said to have been Walt Disney's favorite picture, and it's no wonder of that. This movie has my favorite songs from any Disney picture I've seen, including "Love Is a Song" and "Little April Shower." My favorite character is, of course, Thumper. He steals the whole show and he has a lot of great lines, which are usually hard to find in animated films nowadays. I hope that the Disney company will re-release this classic in theaters or on video, but one thing I hope they don't do is sell a whole lot of merchandising on it. Almost every Disney movie these days does that. Anyway, one more thing I want to say about this movie. The scene where Bambi's mother dies has left an emotional and lasting impact on generations of children who saw it. Although I'm only 16 years old, I saw this movie about a month ago and I felt the same way during that scene. That is what made Bambi so different from Disney's other efforts and what made it so important.
  
  
• A Unique Entry in the Disney Canon
  By A2I6MHMAZZDCRX on 2001-08-17
  Bambi is a coming of age story that follows the first year in the life of a young buck. While he explores his world, he makes friends with Thumper the rabbit and Flower the skunk and experiences all the joys, sorrows, and dangers of life.

  Bambi is different from other Disney movies in that it doesn't have any humans in it. Still, the impact of man is felt several times in the course of the story. Overall, the movie is a series of smaller moments, many of them classic - Bambi discovering ice, the naming of Flower, all three of them falling in love, Thumper quoting his father, etc.

  The artwork in this film is beautiful. Many of the backgrounds look like they were painted using watercolor, a look they used extensively in the late 70's. Still, it really works well here. The animal movement is the best yet, even while making them semi-human.

  To me, this movie doesn't have the same appeal as Snow White, Dumbo, 101 Dalmatians, or some of Disney's other movies. Still, it's a movie I enjoy, and I recommend it to everyone who enjoys classic Disney animation.
  
  

• Classic Disney, before they got off track
  By A9BFYTWJB5IF on 2005-03-04
  I give this movie five stars for several reasons. But the main reason is because if I were to look back at the "classic" Disney movies and pick one that exemplified all that they were about, Bambi would be the quintessential movie.
  
  I can say, being a 25 year old male, that this is one of the cutest and saddest movies I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of cute and sad movies. I'm sure I saw it several times when I was a little kid, maybe even a baby. And I liked it then. But I'm surprised to find out that I probably like it even more now. I find it very refreshing to watch a movie that can go ten minutes or so with no dialogue, and still tell a story. It's never slow, and always far from boring. I don't think I found the movie funny when I was a kid, but Thumper cracks me up now. I think my favorite part is where Bambi is learning new words.
  
  A previous reviewer, defending the movie, said the story wasn't simple. I disagree. But I think that the simplicity of the movie is one of the strong points in it. The filmmakers relied on simplicity and the beautiful animation of nature to carry the story. And although we still have beautiful animation in Disney movies (Aladdin, for example), however different the style may be, the stories have become more complicated, for lack of a better word. And it's not just the stories, Disney keeps trying to outdo themselves in all areas, most annoyingly editing. I love Aladdin, and think it's almost on par with the Disney classics of 50+ years ago. However, I think it suffers from too much "razzle-dazzle" editing and fast animation. I couldn't even get through Hercules (only Disney movie I have never fully watched) because it annoyed me so much. This is what movies have become thanks to the mtv-style editing and "in your face" presentation that people will pay for. That might just be my opinion, and not hard evidence to criticize a movie, but that's what I think. I don't need an epileptic seizure to enjoy a movie.
  
  All in all, Bambi is a great example of how a short, simple movie can live on LONG after its release.
  
  PLUS - I had to open it and pop it in right when I got it to see what the next classic is coming out. I'm so excited to see that CINDERELLA COMES OCTOBER 4TH!! Might be my favorite of them all.
  
  
• You Must Be Kidding
  By A2RJW5D2J8SG8B on 2005-03-04
  The Snooty Movie Critic, whose review gave this masterpiece just one star, must either be the world's greatest jokester or the world's greatest fool.
  
  
• In Advance of PETA and the Ecology Movement: BAMBI
  By AINLA3BDYC455 on 2005-03-09
  It is impossible to believe that any child who sees Bambi's mother shot to death by a hunter will ever grow up to be one. Will he or she ever want to handle a gun at all? One might even wonder how anyone who loved Bambi could enjoy a dinner of Veal Parmigiano, but perhaps that goes too far for most. One can also think, as Man destroys the edenic forest by failing to watch over his campfire, of the rivers he is polluting and the atmosphere he is poisoning with equal disregard.
  Viewing Bambi with my adult mind, I saw it for the powerful criticism of the human species that it was, rather than as a kiddie cartoon. In 1942 nature "grew back" despite the devastation, but those days were pre- nuclear. Will it still?
  Enough has been said of the magnificent restoration, the digital technology, the behind-the- scenes documentary. We are used to all that by now.
  I'm giving my five stars to the "message."
  
  
• I am "Twitterpated" for Bambi
  By A22S91YEO8DJBF on 2005-02-19
  I am very appreciative to Amazon.com, and Buena Vista Home Entertainment for sending my family and I this DVD (before it's public release March 1st).
  
  I have always loved this film. Bambi is a timeless treasure that I am glad I am able to share with my children.
  Made in 1942, the animation is flawless (my favorite scene is where it's raining, it's so perfect). The animators have truely captured the movement of each different type of animal that inspired the film. This is Disney at it's very best!
  
  Besides the wonderful animation, my children and I enjoy the humor. I love the owl talking to the older Bambi, Thumper, and Flower about all the animals being "twitterpated" in the Springtime; they all vow that it will never happen to them, but sure enough, one by one, they all fall victim to it.
  
  The flawless animation, the colorful imagery, cute, memorable characters, humor. Bambi is a true gem; a timeless treasure. A priceless Masterpiece.
  
  
• Disney's best golden age film it dosent get old over years
  By A1IUI3CJUMB7J0 on 2006-02-01
  One of disneys all time best film is now one of the best dvd's ever. The film is one of disney's best goldena ge films. As some of it's old films get old over time this one dose not. the film is the most emotion film ever made and will still put tears in your eys. One of disneys best films is great to watch over and over again espesially with this great new dvd edition.
  
  
• THE GREATEST MOVIE IN THE UNIVERSE!!!!!!!!
  By on 2006-04-21
  I am obsessed with Bambi! The animation is wonderful and the music is so beautiful! The movie gives me tingles and touches me! The features tell you how much thought was put into it! Whoever hates Bambi is stupid and absurd! The restoration amazed me, better than I expected! You can even compare the restoration to the Unrestored Original Theatrical Trailer! BUY IT THIS INSTANT!!!!!!
  
  
• One of the Greatest Animated Films of All Time
  By A2AOZQ3WTNVVOK on 2006-09-17
  If film makers could figure out how to make a film like "Bambi" every time, the art of film making would be just that; an art. "Bambi" is a tale that is for children. However, that tale contains every element present in the life of a typical child: friendship, love, parental protection, loss, fear of the unknown, and, of course, growing up. I am still astonished at how a film that clocks in at 69 minutes can capture the essence of life.
  
  "Bambi" is born into the world of the forest. Everyone calls him a prince. Bambi learns quickly that his world is full of friends, but he also soon learns that portions of the world are scary and unknown, with the scariest thing of all, the creature we never see, man. "Bambi" alternates between humor and fear, and yet, the theme of the movie is that all these things are a part of life.
  
  Of course, we know that in the end Bambi will overcome, giving children and adults everywhere a message of hope. No matter the traumas that we face in life, we have the ability to persevere. We have the ability to change our world. We have the ability to love and hope. We too can be Bambi.
  
  Few movies can touch "Bambi" in the skill of animation and direction. The plotting is phenomenally focused and fast-paced. This movie is one that every home should own, regardless of whether you have children or not.
  
  This review is based on a copy of the DVD provided to me by Amazon and Disney Studios.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  
  
• Don't warp young minds with this.
  By on 2001-11-04
  It's Disney, and the violence is handled mostly offscreen, so it gets a "G" rating. Still, this film annoys with its anti-human, anti-carnivore, and anti-male message.

  "Man" is the enemy. "Man's" hunting is portrayed as cruel and purposeless. "Man" sets fires for no reason. The fact that nature itself contains carnivores, whose hunting is not simply senseless violence to fill a villain role, is swept under the table. For that matter, human hunting of whitetail deer is not an act of senseless violence, either.

  In this film, women are the nurturers; men are distant leaders and fighters. "Man," of course, is the film's only real villain. Males must compete with one another for the females' attention.

  Am I reading too much Message into a simple Disney cartoon? Perhaps. This is, of course, a well-animated and well-told story. It deserves its classic status.

  But the entire genre of Disney and Disneyesque talking-animal cartoons, the ones that invite empathy with the beasts and cast humans in the villain roles, seems suspicious as propaganda to me. I don't think this picture is for children too young to critically examine its biases. If you spare your children Disney talking animal cartoons today, you may not to have a quarrel over vegetarianism on Thanksgiving eighteen years from now.
  
  

• The most magical Disney adventure
  By on 2004-12-12
  It's right up there with 'The Lion King'. TLK only wins a very close first place for its incredible score, ORIGINAL storyline, and unique characters. Bambi is actually based on a much more violent, provocative novel by Felix Salten. The softened-up movie version is most endearing! It reveals to children that there is more to life than princesses and computers and action figures--that nature is beautiful and exciting too. The heartwarming adventures of the spindly deer are funny and always tender. Bambi plays with Thumper, the rabbit--he's funny. Flower gets to be annoying with his goo-goo eyes and squeaky little voice, but isn't bad. The dangers of life in the forest are vividly highlighted, and, although it may cast a bad shadow on people who hunt for a living, it will also tell of the sorrow havocked by OVERHUNTING. The forest fire ("Man...is back") teaches the importance of preventing forest fires. Bambi's tender climb into adulthood will evoke feelings in everyone--except for close-minded :) people who believe that it is too cutsey-too. The animation and coloring are unbelievable for their time, and the soft watercolor backgrounds set a magical tone. The vocal score leaves something to be desired but the instrumental score is fantastic. This movie influenced 'THE LION KING'. It is an honorable, magical film. Pure Disney magic!
  
  
• Historically Powerful and Visually Brilliant Animated Film!
  By A6ADO7B6FUVN on 2005-03-04
  In a historical perspective Bambi is a powerful film, as it was released in the middle of World War II when the Germans and Japanese still were going strong on their invasion of the World. Many lives were lost on both sides during the war, as families were shattered and children would never again hear their fathers read a bedtime story. Death spread its darkness throughout Europe and Asia while in America death only came through a messenger. People feared the sound of unexpected door knocks, which could be the messenger of sorrow and grief. It was a time when mankind once again lost its innocence, as war, famine, disease, and other horrors haunted mankind. In this time Disney released its animated coming of age tale of a deer named Bambi.
  
  Bambi seems to function as an allegorical example of the war that the world faced through the depiction of the wildlife, as the animalistic characters faced troubles and happiness. However, the film keeps an innocent perspective on the difficulties that Bambi confronts. The story opens with scenes of a mysterious forest where things seem to continue without any consideration of what is going on in the world. Consequently, the audience is brought to Bambi who recently was born, as he struggles to gain control of his legs while many animals are present to witness his first wobbly steps. Bambi is clean and so it the spot where he was born, nothing is there to remind the audience of the difficulty of birth. This is an example of the story's illustrated innocence.
  
  Curious Bambi begins to observe and learn about the world through his buddy Thumper, a caring rabbit, which brings him on small adventure in the neighboring area. Nourishing friendship helps Bambi to say his first word, burd, which was supposed to be bird. Adorably the tale tells about Bambi's development, as his talk and walk steadily is improving. Eventually, Bambi's mother educates him about the dangers in the world, as she brings him to the meadow. This becomes Bambi's first lesson in being careful since danger might be lurking around the next corner.
  
  The innocence even exists when Bambi loses his mother, as it only displays an escape followed by a gunshot sound. Innately the audience will know what happened, as the sound will cue the viewers' consciousness in the direction of death. However, death is never truly dealt with by more than a couple of shed tears by Bambi, as big buck comes along and tells him it is time to go. The fragile moment of Bambi's loss could have been elaborated, however, Disney decided to tell a happy tale full of hope. This was probably something that was necessary in the time of war, as death was plentiful in the reels shown before the feature films in the theater in the 1940s.
  
  Instead of telling a story of the troubles that Bambi faces the film illustrates a tale of optimism and perseverance, as life will go on. The continued existence of Bambi shows that he is coming of age, as he later appears as a young buck with good morals and strong values. These values are depicted when another young buck threatens his first love.
  
  In the shadow of the war children and adults could seek the sheltering darkness of the film where they could escape horrors for a few minutes by watching Bambi. The people could later leave the theater encouraged and motivated that good things will happen. This was essential in troubled times such as during 1942 when war was burning in Europe and Asia. Disney brought this cinematic experience to the audience with a delicate touch without alarming, or spreading more fear into the audience, but rather empowering them, and leaving them with a positive experience that could mean a world of difference. Today the film still has this empowerment over the audience, as Bambi learns how to stand on his own four legs.
  
  
• A disney classic!
  By A1COW0UIB5HA9J on 2005-03-13
  
  This is the story of a young fawn deer named "Bambi" who has two friends, they are a skunk named "Flower" and a rabbit named "Thumper", his mother later gets killed and grows up to discover the wonders of life in the forest.
  
  A unique, memorable and inspiring disney movie that is considered to be Walt's personal fave of all his movies. I think it was later semi-remade as "The Lion King", which is another disney movie that has similar ideas just like this movie with the whole "Circle of life" idea, what makes it's a classic is the artwork, different kind of animation technics, music score and emotion.
  
  The new 2-Disc Platinum Edition DVD is awesome! simply stunning picture and sound done by THX and a handful of extras such as a full length Inside Walt's story meetings on Bambi, deleted scenes, games especially a virtual forrest, featurettes on the movie becoming a beloved classic, a sneek peek at the new Bambi movie coming next year, still galleries, a excerpt from Walt Disney Presents, the award winning " The Old Mill" short and the original theatrical trailer.
  
  This is a nessecery have for any animation and movie lover's DVD collection.
  
  
• Too violent for toddlers!
  By A1EPGMU0U5AFWW on 2005-03-16
  I bought this DVD for my two and half year old son and was horrified to see how violent it is. Bambi's mother is murdered by hunters, dogs maul deers, animals are burned in fires, deers fight and birds are shot. I know all the arguments about tapping into the fears of children, but in this case, I feel this movie creates, rather than taps into those fears. Stick to films like Dumbo or Nemo, which manage to communicate similar ideas in a less brutal manner.
  
  
• Gorgeous. Just..gorgeous.
  By A14OKJXPQ7F7GB on 2005-03-28
  I already owned Bambi on VHS, but when I saw the DVD edition was going to come out, I had to own it. The difference when compared to the VHS is amazing. Add the features and this 2-disc set is well worth it. The hand-restoration is just gorgeous, it brings the film to life with vibrant color, as it was so long ago on those screens in 1942, but still preserves the spark and innocence of the film as well, even keeping a little bit of 'grainy' feel to it.
  
  One can also really appreciate the care and technique of this set due to the fact that Disney has fired all of their 2-d animators, instead relying on computers for animation now.
  
  First, when I was viewing the trailer of the movie, I realized that the fight scene between Bambi and the other buck was nearly similar to the animation style of The Lion King, showing its timelessness and influence today. And of course, there is the birth/circle of life scene influence as well.
  
  Anyhow.
  
  'Inside Walt Disney's Story Meetings' is a fascinating look at the conception of Bambi. Disney well-known to act out the entire story for his animators and share with them his vision. Here, a recording ( with actors ) of the meeting is played and the artwork he is speaking about is shown as the recording plays. You get to see the process of idea translate to final product and the whole piece is really worth a look. This is to replace an audio commentary, and includes split-screens and this really is a gem to see, especially for any hard-core animation fan or Disney fan.
  
  'Deleted Scenes' contains two sequences that are comprised of storyboards, animated, and pulled from the Disney archives.
  
  'Games and Activities' is just that. A collection of games. Each clustered under a season, they range from catching falling objects, to manuvering Thumper off the ice before time runs out.
  
  'DisneyPedia' is a segment of real-life nature clips interspersed with clips from the film, and provides various nature facts and trivia.
  
  'What's Your Season' is a personality quiz that lets you take a simple test and determine your 'season' much like other personality quizzes.
  
  'Thumper Goes Exploring' is another addition for the children. It consists of a read-a-long about Thumper.
  
  'Virtual Forest' is a segment of a forest animated throughout the seasons.
  
  'Making of Bambi: The Prince is Born' is a great documentary that is divided into segments about the construction of the film. The Lion King parallels are touched on here, as is the importance of story, the loss of life, etc, as well as the revolutionary ( at the time ) animation process, the voice casting, the score, backgrounds, etc. It employs film clips, interviews, audio, animation and more to be a very interesting piece.
  
  'Restoring Bambi' is a look on how the film was hand-restored for DVD from an original print.
  
  'The Legacy Continues' is basically a teaser for straight-to-video release of what is essentially Bambi 2. The film will fill the gap between his relationship with his father and will be out in 2006.
  
  'Disney Time Capsule: The Year of Bambi' is a look at the events of 1942, the year the film was released.
  
  'The Art of Bambi' is a collection of images, 100s, of storyboards, sketches, concept art, backgrounds, posters, character design, etc. Pretty and worth a look.
  
  'Tricks of the Trade' features Walt Disney introducing and explaining the mechanics of the multi-plane camera which was a revolution in animation, allowing the artists/camera operators to split cels into different planes, and achieve better performances with panning scenes - such as Bambi's opener sequence. It is best to watch this, then the Old Mill or the opening of Bambi, to really appreciate this innovation.
  
  'Inside the Disney Archives' features another look into the archives, with cut art and concepts from the movie.
  
  'The Old Mill' is a classic cartoon that features the use of the multi-plane camera, and is just fun to watch, being one of the great 'Silly Symphonies' from way back when.
  
  'The Original Trailer' is the 1942 technicolor trailer that lured audiences to the film. It shows a great number of clips from the film and is a nice gem to have on DVD, considering its age.
  
  All in all, if you're a Disney fan, an animation fan, Bambi's 2 disc set was well worth the wait. The discs are a treasure trove of things for adults and kids alike, and really provide some great insight into this classic. Without which we wouldn't have films like 'The Lion King' of 'Finding Nemo'.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Not "The Incredibles"
  By A2CNQ1JV16GHW2 on 2005-04-03
  Although the animation is incredible. In fact, Walt Disney's gorgeously drawn paean to Nature is one of the most beautiful animated films ever made. And there are important Life lessons to be learned here as well, about love, loss, growth etc. Kids weaned on "The Incredibles" and "Finding Nemo," however, might be a bit bored. There's no plot to speak of, the music is corny, the humor quaint. Older kids in particular will probably want to switch to "Spider-Man 2" or their Nintendo. To be honest, as an adult Disney fan I much prefer "Pinocchio" and "Dumbo" from this period, both of which have great humor, plot and lots and lots of heart. (And they're beautifully animated as well.) My humble opinion: "Bambi" is obviously an important and significant achievement in animation. It's sweet, pretty to look at, but that's about all.
  
  
• zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  By AC2XK8NXBKAR9 on 2005-04-29
  having been an avid disney collector since the age i was when i first opened my eyes, i felt it was my duty to at least own a copy of bambi. god, i wish i hadn't.
  Bambi is towards the top of the top ten worst films category.
  theres only hype about it because mummy deer gets shot and it was disney's favourite film.
  the plot is terrible, the characters are boring and the music is tripe.
  one of my friends said that her fiance was going to buy the new disney dvd for valentines day - and was gushing about how sweet it was.
  i was like, WHY????????
  bambi is the worst disney film ever made, very closely followed by fanatasia.
  sorry, but its true.
  
  
• Classic
  By A27QBNTS1T9CZ6 on 2006-01-17
  I love classic disney movies, and this is one of them! Other than being digitally restored(original is still beautiful), it is a great classic story that every child should grow up knowing. Disney had always beaten others when it came to animation, they very carefully sketched picture after picture, to simulate the smoothest moving animation of its time.
  I love Bambi
  
  
• Wonderful, cute, and highly recommended!
  By A1ZAVMB4XZL8KA on 2006-02-02
  I rate "Bambi" with 5 stars because it is a wonderful story about an orphaned deer, and his fun-filled adventures with his friends, a skunk named Flower and a cute bunny named Thumper.
  
  The beginning is extremely sad, but the rest of the film is fun and light-hearted; especially, when Bambi tries to ice skate on a frozen pond in the forest.
  
  I highly recommend this film to children ages 10 and older because there is a death scene involved, which younger children may find rather disturbing because of the connotation of death.
  
  I know when I first saw Bambi I was only about 6 or 7, maybe even 5 and found this scene to be rather sad.
  
  In conclusion, this film is a wonderful Disney classic, but recommended for children ages 10 and above due to a death scene. Children being younger than 10 if they were to see this, may become visibly upset due to the connatation associated with death.
  
  The scene is not graphic, by any means, but the idea that something has died and isn't returning to the forest may upset young children.
  
  Buy it or rent it, you'll be pleased that you do!
  
  
  
  
  
  
• GREAT ANIMATION
  By A11833ACPYC85J on 2006-03-28
  the animation in this production is outstanding. you just can't compare todays computer enhanced art graphics with the real thing - God gifted artists using their intellect and talent and disipline to create thought provoking master pieces such as this. the beautiful back-drops in the film only add to this classic disney story, filled with all of the usual components that make disneys cachet of the animation market of this vein so successful : a morality story of some sort for young and old alike , lots of snappy characters and music, and lots and lots and lots of "crayons" !
  
  

• Lady and the Tramp (50th Anniversary Edition)
• Cinderella (Two-Disc Special Edition)
• Dumbo (Big Top Edition)
• Aladdin (Disney Special Platinum Edition)
• Peter Pan (2-Disc Platinum Edition)