Bambi (2 Disc Special Edition)

Amazon.co.uk Review

It always comes up when people are comparing their most traumatic movie experiences: "the death of Bambi's mother," a recollection that can bring a shudder to even the most jaded filmgoer. That primal separation (which is no less stunning for happening off-screen) is the centerpiece of Bambi, Walt Disney's 1942 animated classic, but it is by no means the only bold stroke in the film. In its swift but somehow leisurely 69 minutes, Bambi covers a year in the life of a young deer. But in a bigger way, it measures the life cycle itself, from birth to adulthood, from childhood's freedom to grown-up responsibility. All of this is rendered in cheeky, fleet-footed style--the movie doesn't lecture, or make you feel you're being fed something that's good for you. The animation is miraculous, a lush forest in which nature is a constantly unfolding miracle (even in a spectacular fire, or those dark moments when "man was in the forest"). There are probably easier animals to draw than a young deer, and the Disney animators set themselves a challenge with Bambi's wobbly glide across an ice-covered lake, his spindly legs akimbo; but the sequence is effortless and charming. If Bambi himself is just a bit dull--such is the fate of an Everydeer--his rabbit sidekick Thumper and a skunk named Flower more than make up for it. Many of the early Disney features have their share of lyrical moments and universal truths, but Bambi is so simple, so pure, it's almost transparent. You might borrow a phrase from Thumper and say it's downright twitterpated. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Your mother can't be with you any more.......2008-01-05

Designed in the Disney hay-day of great movies like "Fantasia" and "Song of the South" this shows what animation and great music was and could be now with a little effort.

The story which is a little easer to take than the book chronicles the life of a young prince "Bambi" his friends and how he grew and matured. He transforms through many rights of passage and takes his place in the forest society.

The down side of the story is the demise of Bambi's mother which though innovative for the time traumatized many children. To this day you hear it is a classic "but I can not bring my self to watch it." How ever this presentation is more of a symphony based on the characters from the story in the Disney tradition.

Many of the uncredited voices were of famous people; many of them were famous after this film was made.

Bambi's back and better than ever!.......2007-07-25

You'd have to have a heart of stone not to fall for Bambi. For me, it's Walt's crowning achievement, and when I watch it today, it still gives the same feeling of nostalgia as it did when I was six years old. In fact, I find even more thought-provoking than I did when I was a child.

But what is it that makes Bambi stand out for me? There's magic here alright, but not the fairy magic like in so many other Disney films. There's humans, but they never appear on screen. I think that I was captivated by the way the musicians, the animators and the artwork all become synchronised, like the natural sounds of a real forest. What makes Bambi so wonderful is the feel of being so close to nature. During the scene where it starts to rain, we see Bambi's fascination with the little raindrops. As each little drop lands softly on something, we hear a little note from the orchestra. It is just so well synchronised, and it shows just how much love and dedication was put into it.

Also, Bambi flawlessly flips from mood to mood. We watch a scene that is sad, dark and melancholy. It all fades to black, and we are greeted with something light hearted, colourful and joyful. In many other films, something like that would stick out like a sore thumb, but somehow, in an almost magic way, that does not happen with Bambi.

What really annoys me is when I see people bash Bambi and call it 'anti-hunting pro-PETA trash.' I'm sure that when Walt Disney made this, he had nothing of the sort in mind. It also annoys me when I see people making a big deal out of one of the most touching and heartbreaking scenes in Bambi. (you know the one I'm talking about!) Sure, it's a poignant scene, but it is also only one tiny fraction of the actual film. So why must people take the Mick out of it, if there is no Mick to take? (That doesn't sound right!)

As you can see, I adore this classic. So therefore, I'm overjoyed at how much care Disney has put into this Special Edition. There's plenty of extras here, from games for the young (and young at heart!) to information on how Bambi was made and filmed. We also have the original theatrical trailer (boy has it aged!) and there's a beautiful little short called the Old Mill, amongst lots of other stuff.
Also, the film has been cleaned up and remastered so now we are seeing Bambi as it might have looked when it first came out. The picture quality is a real improvement over my old video tape.

So what are you waiting for? Get this now, before Disney locks it up again.

A compassionate masterpiece.......2007-05-26

Walt Disney's 'Bambi' is a masterpiece. There are moments where you can nitpick, when Bambi's mother died we then go into a joyful scene very suddenly, and some of the songs sound a little dated in their arrangement, but they're good tunes nonetheless.

Bambi is the star, but Thumper isn't far behind with his infectious joie de vivre, and that irritating thumping greeting!

The film isn't twee, as the death of Bambi's mother is dealt with in almost a matter of fact way, when Bambi's father says, rather coldly, "Your mother can't be with you anymore."

The animation is wonderful, and was groundbreaking for the early '40s. The other magical moments are when Bambi shyly discovers love, and when he reunites with his father again. The dark terror of the animals fleeing the forest, when its's burning, is also impressively conveyed.

The film has quite a strong moral stance, and man is portrayed as cruel. Notably, this was a film made when animal welfare issues were not deemed as important as they are today.

You won't find many better animated films than this one.

The DVD of the film has some very interesting extras, and is especially of interest to anyone interested in the mechanics of animation. We also see how 'Bambi' was made.

- Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.

This Disney Sequel That is A Masterpiece.......2007-04-19

I used the reviews here to decide whether to buy this DVD or not. Too often I have bought a sequel - straight to DVD - Disney film and found that it has not been a patch on the original.

This film however breaks the mould, it fills in the huge void that was left at the end of the original. Telling the story of how Bambi and his father got on between his mother dying and Bambi being grown up. The animation was superb and the storyline charming. It was full of the usual aaahhh moments, and also had some great humour in it which still has me giggling when I think about it.

On top of all this Disney didn't seem to feel the need to overfill it with songs which in my opinion sometimes spoil it. If you want a great film, and you loved the original then buy Bambi 2 because whether you are a child or adult I am sure that you will love it.

The greatest animated film of them all........2007-04-14

Some sixty five years after it was made and this delightful film still ranks as one of the finest pieces of cinema ever made. Disney created a handful of masterpieces, but for sheer gracefulness and eloquence none are finer than "Bambi". The film is so good that it can be enjoyed by anyone of any age and I say that regardless of the few minutes of trauma in the last three quarters, although it has to be said that this mood soon passes for a truly breathtaking forest fire which is exhilarating and brilliantly realised. What makes this movie so special is that within its running time of 70 minutes there is every season, every element and every emotion within the human condition as played through the lives of the forest animals, seamlessly woven together to create a magical whole. There is no other film in history to contain all of life's experiences in such a uniquely subtle way. Disney is so masterful that even a small hint of sex creeps into the narrative but rendered so playfully that the viewer barely notices. The animation itself is incredible if not miraculous. It simply hasn't dated despite our hard-nosed love of CGI and special effects in contemporary cinema. "Bambi" works on so many levels that it is actually quite staggering, you could write many books based on one theme that the film conveys. If you have seen this film as a child and want to recapture your first experience of it then you will be surprised that it's impact has been enhanced as you have grown older. If you are a parent and are thinking of buying this for your child then you should not hesitate for a second. "Bambi" is a joy from beginning to end, sentimental without being saccharine, joyous without being ponderous and morally sound throughout. There is no finer package out there for an animated film and despite all the praise I have heaped on the movie I must say that we are also dealing with a great piece of twentieth century art here, one that will stand the test of time for all eternity.

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