A beautifully realised milestone in children's animation that balances outright sentiment with gentle wit, and negotiates its darker moments with skill.
Bambi (1942)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:38
Fresh:34
Rotten:4
Average Rating:8/10
Consensus: Elegantly animated and deeply touching, Bambi is an enduring, endearing, and moving Disney classic.
Runtime: 69 mins
Genre: Childrens
Synopsis: A fawn named Bambi is born, destined to become "Prince of the Forest." He soon befriends other woodland creatures such as Flower, a bashful skunk, and Thumper, an outgoing rabbit. As the years... A fawn named Bambi is born, destined to become "Prince of the Forest." He soon befriends other woodland creatures such as Flower, a bashful skunk, and Thumper, an outgoing rabbit. As the years pass, they encounter a number of life's lessons in the woods, including the death of Bambi's mother at the hands of hunters. Eventually, Bambi comes of age, completing the cycle of life and taking his father's place. Based on the classic novel by Felix Salten, BAMBI demonstrates the strength of family values and camaraderie. Director David Hand adds a mixture of great songs and life-like backgrounds to make this early Disney film an unforgettable film classic for all ages. [More]
Starring: Peter Behn, Paula Winslowe, Bobby Stewart, Cammie King
Starring: Peter Behn, Paula Winslowe, Bobby Stewart, Cammie King, Donnie Dunagan, Hardie Albright, John Sutherland, Sam Edwards, Sterling Holloway, Ann Gillis
Director: David D. Hand
Director: David D. Hand
Producer: Walt Disney
Story: Felix Salten
Composer: Frank Churchill, Edward Plumb
Reviews for Bambi
From Disney's richest period, interleaving splendid animation with vulgar Americana.
The fun and fear, the silliness and heartbreak, are taken to vivid extremes by Walt's entwining of high art and what snobs will always deride as Disney-kitsch.
For the first time, Disney has done his backgrounds in oils instead of watercolors. The result is striking.
People just really like cuddly animals, and there's not a dang thing you can do about it.
With an emphasis on character development over plot, the film isn't quite as accessible as some of Disney's more recent efforts...
In 1942, the emotional scene in which Bambi's mother is killed by hunters was controversial: Some critics charged that it traumatized young children while defenders claimed that it was honest, realistic, and less graphic than its depiction in the book.
This animated feature based on Felix Salten's book about the coming of age of a fawn and his various forest friends (including the beloved Thumper) does convey some of the primal emotional power of Disney's features during this period.
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