Bambi

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This one, for me, actually makes for a good conversation piece. It is not by any stretch of the imagination among my favourite of Disney's classic animated films, but at the same time, I can't help but praise it for some of the things it does. It makes for a few first-times for Disney animation, and is actually kinda revolutionary in its own right.

Not only is this the first time they've tried to pull off a coming-of-age story, it's also the first time they've gone full-tilt animals. It's our first real glimpse into the world of nature, and I have to say it does it beautifully. All of this would later lend itself to movies like 'The Lion King'. The artwork here is amazing, and the film invites us into the beauty of the forest. Being a nature guy, myself, I can really appreciate it. And that's really what this movie is all about. It's a very on-the-nose environmental message when you get right down to it.

Basically, this movie is about a young deer Prince named Bambi (Hardie Albright/Donnie Dunagan/John Sutherland) and his growing up in the forest. Here, we cover things like his friendships with a rabbit named Thumper (Tim Davis/Peter Behn/Sam Edwards) and a skunk named Flower (also Tim Davis/Stan Alexander/Sterling Holloway); a romantic interest in a fawn named Faline (Cammie King Conlon/Ann Gillis); what hibernation is all about; and his relationship with his mother along with the dangers of "man". Of course, we all know what happens there.

I can appreciate that it's offering a slice-of-life story from the perspective of forest-dwelling critters. Really, the film's simplicity is what makes it good. We're just watching a deer grow up in his environment and learn about new things every day - much like a human kid has to do in real life. It does a decent job when it comes to tackling certain subject matter, but I do have one big criticism and people might not take it so well.

Hopefully at this point in the game we all know the fate of Bambi's mother. If there was ever anything famous to come from this film, it's the teachings of death and loss it gives its younger audience. It's a harsh bit of film for any kid to see, and has been deem traumatic by many. But here's the thing - there's no mourning period for Bambi's Mom. His Dad just tells him she can't be with him anymore, Bambi looks sad, and the next scene is the brightest, happiest most WTF transition ever. Bambi's Mom is never mentioned again. The film might as well say to its audience "hey, shit happens, move on". It's no wonder kids had a problem with this. But I digress.

As I mentioned before, this isn't something I can just throw on and enjoy any old time. It's a very cutesy movie that also offers a heavy hand, and there's seldom any real middle ground. Though its simplicity is what makes it good, it's also often too simplistic when it comes to any story or characters. There's not a whole lot of dimension to anyone here. I do, however, see this one as more of a work of art than a family movie. So much of its appeal is in the artwork, and it's still awesome by today's standards. Not great for family movie night, but it does make for a decent escape into the Disney forest.

3/5

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