Wednesday, February 1, 2012

100 Movies - No. 11: Bambi

11. Bambi (1942)
Family, Animation, Drama, 70 minutes
Directed by James Algar, Samuel Armstrong, David Hand, Graham Heid, Bill Roberts, Paul Satterfield and Norman Wright
Starring the voices of Hardie Albright, Peter Behn, Stan Alexander and Bobette Audrey

Bambi is a prime example of classic Disney. The main theme of the film is innocence, and it details the early years in the life of a young deer. I saw the film as a child and again recently when it was released on Blu-ray, and found that I had forgotten just how beautiful the story is.


Bambi is raised by his mother and befriends various other forest animals such as Thumper the rabbit and Flower the skunk. We see Bambi learn how to walk and talk, always with the help of his friends. Like any youngster, he’s curious about his surroundings. The film is full of scenes in which he discovers new things and learns how to interact with his environment.


The one scar on the film’s beauty is the death of Bambi’s mother. It happens offscreen, but it’s obviously something which could disturb small children. In fact, I know a few adults who won’t watch it because of that event. The remainder of the story is full of charm and we see how Bambi and his friends discover love and choose their mates.

The Blu-ray presentation is outstanding and the film looks great considering it’s almost 70 years old. Bambi gets my vote for the most beautiful story Disney has ever told.

If you like Bambi:

The most obvious suggestion is Bambi II, which shows how Bambi learns from his father. I can't vouch for the movie because I haven't seen it, but it wasn't well reviewed.

One film that I do think you will like if Bambi is your type of film is Dumbo. It's another classic Disney title dealing with the life of a young elephant. Like Bambi, there are some disturbing scenes. It's definitely a story that tugs at your heart.

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you'll know that I mention Hayao Miyazaki given even the slightest opportunity. My Neighbor Totoro and Ponyo contain some of the elements that make Bambi great. These are stories with a lot of heart and should appeal to adults as well as children.

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2 comments:

  1. ilove the movie bambie

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    Replies
    1. Me too. I love the feel of it and the innocence. One of Disney's best.

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