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105 reviews in total

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71 out of 84 people found the following review useful:
Not at all like its sentimental reputation, 5 August 2000
Author: heckles from St. Albans, VT

I was staying over at the home of my three-year old niece; after everyone had gone to bed, I found and popped this title in the VCR. I had only a rough familiarity with the plot (like everyone, I knew Bambi's mother gets killed) and was also aware that "Bambism" has been used as describing a overly sentimental love of wildlife.

Oh wow. I found that while this movie certainly has a heart for its characters, it is not at all sugarcoated about the realities of animal life. Consider the following points it makes:

1) Animals do not live in nuclear families. Bambi lives with his mother only, his presumptive father is off in the background.

2). Animals often go hungry in the winter.

3). Male animals must be prepared to fight rivals as a prelude to mating.

4). Man (here assisted by canine lackeys) is easily the most dangerous threat creatures face.

Rather than putting a Hollywood gloss on animal life, "Bambi" if anything is better than what would be made today. Remember that the same studio recently put Hercules into a doting nuclear family, the actual circumstances of the hero's birth apparently thought too scandalous for contemporary children to be exposed to (though one presumes ancient Greek children handled them well enough).

Plus when you consider that a large sector of the populace takes a "humanity couldn't possibly be at fault" attitude toward the decimation of animal populations, you know that Point 4). above would today be softpedaled if not entirely neutralized by the addition of sympathetic human characters. Look what happened with the otherwise excellent TBS production of "Animal Farm."

And the animation!! The gorgeous, pencil-drawn Impressionistic renditions of the rhythms of the woodlands makes you wonder if modern animators haven't been spoiled by computer graphics. I'm only sorry I probably won't ever see this film in a theatre, as it was meant to be seen.

As cliche as it may sound, this is a timeless film for all ages. I cannot praise it highly enough.

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56 out of 62 people found the following review useful:
The last of its kind, 18 July 1999

Author: Spleen from Canberra, Australia

Walt Disney didn't make another full-length animated film until 1950, by which time his golden age had well and truly passed. Was `Bambi' a quiet, gentle farewell, then? If you haven't seen it you could be forgiven for thinking so; and the slightly over-sugared opening scenes might confirm this view. But prepare to be jolted out of your seat. The forest contains darkness as well as light. The gunshots that ring out across the silences are truly alarming (and there are many ways Disney and Hand make them more alarming: consider the scene where a flock of birds are cowering in the grass, until one decides to fly into the air and risk death rather than put up with the suspense). Also worth noting about `Bambi' is its use of psychological colour. In at least three key scenes, the colour scheme shifts wildly, not because the sun has set or anything of that kind, but in order to illustrate Bambi's psychological state. Particularly fine is the scene where he is running away from the clearing in fear and the world turns into just a few pale and dirty shades of yellow.

The greatest thing is the way Disney manages to convince us that there is nothing else in the world, outside the forest. Not once do we see a horizon. Nor do we sense one. By some standards not much happens in the forest - a few deaths, a few births, what else is new? But when the forest is the whole world they matter a good deal.

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33 out of 35 people found the following review useful:
A Disney film with a lot of heart, 21 September 2004

Author: Kristine (kristinedrama14@msn.com) from Chicago, Illinois

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

If you talk to anyone about what film messed them up mentally as a child, Bambi is a guarantee to be in that list. Who hasn't named this film as one of the saddest movies of all time? The funny thing is, this is a children's movie! It's made by Disney! I'm convinced that Disney had to tear us down just so they could build us back up, my goodness, we are Disney Marines! Bambi is one of the training videos to make us tough, because if you can make it through this film without crying that proves that you have no heart and are dead inside. Bambi despite being one of the saddest movies of all time still has a lot of heart and is one of the best in the Disney classics. With it's beautiful animation, charming characters and breathtaking story this is a movie that no one should miss.

In a forest thicket, a doe gives birth to a fawn whom she names Bambi. After he learns to walk, Bambi befriends Thumper, a young rabbit; then, while learning to talk, Bambi meets a young skunk whom he calls "Flower". After Bambi has completely learned how to talk, his mother takes him to the meadow, a place that is both wonderful and frightening. Bambi's mother warns him that deer are unprotected in the meadow as there are no trees or bushes to hide them, so they must take great care for their own safety. Bambi and his mother go to the meadow and discover a patch of new grass, as they eat, his mother senses a hunter and orders Bambi to flee. As they run, gun shots ring out. When Bambi arrives at their thicket, he discovers his mother is no longer with him. He grows up and learns the way of surviving being an adult deer.

I do have one small problem with the film, after the tragic scene where Bambi's father tells him that his mother can no longer be with him indicating that she's dead, you're tearing up painfully and then all of a sudden it cuts to this wonderful magical music with birds and flowers! What kind of a mind screw is that?! "Be sad, be painfully sad, you are so sad that you want to fill an ocean with your tears of sadness…NOW BE HAPPY", I just don't get that part. However all that aside, Bambi is still a good Disney film, but it is a hard one to watch. I still think kids are a lot stronger than adults give them credit for, like I said, this movie may be a tear jerker, but it's a wonderful story of friendship and coming of age. Disney doesn't hold back when it comes to delivering a good message, bad things do happen, but we can still be a good person and live life like it was meant too. I recommend Bambi to anyone, it's a good movie with a lot of heart, just have a box of tissues ready when you watch it.

8/10

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30 out of 34 people found the following review useful:
What animation can evoke when it's done just right, 24 November 2002

Author: moonspinner55 from redlands, ca

Blissful, playful, moving and inspiring, Walt Disney's "Bambi" is a precious jewel that will last longer than most of us will. Indeed, it has a timeless quality, matched with a charming music score and wonderful character voices. Pauline Kael of The New Yorker poked fun at the voice-changes when the infant animals grow up over winter (sort of a puberty-in-the-thicket), but what other way was there to show the passage of time and how it changes everything, even the woodland creatures we take for granted? It's an amazing achievement. The song score never elicited a hit the size of, say, "When You Wish Upon a Star", but it does feature the sprightly "Little April Showers", which underscores the very best sequence. ***1/2 from ****

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28 out of 31 people found the following review useful:
Disney's Truest Masterpiece--Man Is In The Forest!, 18 March 2001

Author: Neil Doyle from U.S.A.

From the opening scene where the multiplane camera glides through a quiet forest until the stirring forest fire climax, a viewer has to be aware he is watching one of the all-time great films. So much of the cycle of life is covered that it's hard to realize the film is a mere 69 minutes. In a book called 'The Making of Bambi', Ollie Johnston reveals that originally there was much more footage that Disney eventually trimmed, cutting out whole sequences before the film previewed. Obviously, he made a wide decision.

There is no extraneous scene here, it moves seamlessly through its cycle of life story with the charming animal creatures carrying the story to its logical conclusion. The background music complements all of the drama and comedy. The storm sequence is the most beautiful blend of music and drawings ever achieved by the Disney artists. The naturally drawn deer are the result of months of careful preparation and study, giving the entire film the feel of a nature study as well as giving the audience great entertainment.

The choral work is extremely effective, particularly on songs like 'Love Is A Song' (Oscar nominated), 'I Bring You A Song' and 'Little April Shower'. The impressionistic forest glows with a life of its own and is the real star of the film, thanks to the influence of Japanese artist Tyrus Wong. No wonder this was Disney's favorite film. It will stay fresh and young forever. An awesome achievement!

In conclusion, having done some choral work myself as a glee club singer, I especially appreciated the great contribution made by the mixed chorus (male/female) that does such a wonderful job on all of the choruses that blend so seamlessly with the rich background score. Truly exceptional choral vocals conducted by Charles Henderson.

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34 out of 43 people found the following review useful:
A classic that will never be forgotten, 3 January 2003

Author: Funkypizza2001 from New Jersey

BAMBI

A Helpless little deer is born by the name of Bambi. He is born among the forest to a grateful Mother. Bambi meets some animal friends for himself, A rabbit named Thumper and a skunk named Flower. Bambi falls in love while he grows up along side his friends. The troubles of the wild life strike when a hunter kills Bambi's mother.The troubles of the emotional for every animal in the forest. A beautiful ending concludes this masterpiece.

This Disney movie has been passed from from one generation at a time. "Bambi" captures your heart and it's one of those movies you can't wait for your own children to see, and then they pass it down to their children and so on. "Bambi" is one of Disney's best and an American treasure.

I give it ***** stars out of *****.

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24 out of 28 people found the following review useful:
Excellent Disney classic, 22 September 2000

Author: Mario Rodgers from San Antonio, TX

This is one awesome animated movie. If there are people out there who don't love this movie, they either have hearts of stone or bricks for brains. This is a simple, charming and heartwarming tale of innocence and the joys of youth. It doesn't need slam bang violent action or hokey bad humor. This movie, instead, flows naturally. The songs are also great, not the big, overblown affairs that modern Disney likes to do nowadays. They are charming, well sung and well scored, and more than one is about love. The movie itself seems to glow with a light so pure, it's almost angelic. The characters are also great. Bambi, Thumper, and Flower are adorable and well developed characters. The things they do and say will melt your heart. And not a stupid sidekick in sight. While this movie might not be as popular or as grand as Snow White or Pinocchio, grandness isn't usually such a good thing. Both of those movies don't have quite Bambi's charm or innocence, and both stop just short of being rather sadistic, Snow White especially. This is my second favorite animated movie, with only The Fox and the Hound topping it in my heart. I recommend Bambi to any Disney lover. They don't make them like this anymore. This is a perfect family movie. Modern Disney can never touch this. 10/10

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21 out of 26 people found the following review useful:
An enduring classic, 22 September 2000

Author: goya-4 from PA USA

Bambi is one of Disney's greatest...About the life of a young newborn deer and the triumphs and tragedies it endures from birth until adulthood..Quintessential Disney that is a must see..Released in 1942 so there are some WW 2 metaphors if you read between the lines (or it may just be me) One of the greatest family films of all time..on a scale of one to ten...10

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20 out of 25 people found the following review useful:
Unique Animation That Still Looks Great, 4 May 2006

Author: ccthemovieman-1 from United States

The watercolor-type animation in here is tough to beat, even almost 65 years after it was made. It still looks good, very good. I don't know if this kind of artwork was ever duplicated so the film is worth owning for that alone.

The story is as simple: a deer's life, from birth to experiencing life in the forest and then having a fawn of his own. He has two cute friends: "Thumper" the rabbit and "Flower," the squirrel. Liberal critics all love this film because it had a strong anti-hunting message Even though they are never shown, the hunters kill the nice animals and set fire to the forest! However, to be fair, they don't dwell on this. Overall, it's a positive film with the usual happy ending.

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18 out of 23 people found the following review useful:
Appealing, Thoughtful Animated Classic, 10 March 2005
Author: Snow Leopard from Ohio

The characters and story from Walt Disney's adaptation of "Bambi" still hold up as well as they ever did. The animation, likewise, still looks very attractive and detailed. It's understandable if the animation in itself doesn't strike everyone now as being particularly impressive, given the many recent achievements in animation, but in itself it is an excellent job with the resources of its time. It all makes for an appealing and thoughtful classic that is still well worth seeing.

The main characters are well-chosen, especially Bambi himself and the always-engaging Thumper. Some of the best scenes are simply those of the various animal friends playing together – the scene of Thumper and Bambi on the ice being perhaps the most endearing of all. The change of seasons is used to great effect, both aesthetically and in advancing the story and its themes.

It's pretty interesting to contrast "Bambi" with "The Lion King", by no means to decide which is 'better', but rather to take note of the slightly different ways in which they handle some very similar material. Both present the story of a young animal 'prince', the way he explores and learns about his world, and the ways that he must adjust to the tragedies and challenges of adulthood. There are also a number of other interesting similarities. Bambi is at once the more innocent, yet also the more somber of the two.

One very interesting difference is that the greatest threats in "Bambi" come from humans, who are wholly external to the world of the characters, and over whose actions the animals have no control, whereas in "The Lion King" the threats and conflicts are all amongst the animal characters themselves. Both movies deserve to be ranked among the very best animated features of their eras, so there's no need to prefer one over the other – it can just make for even more interesting viewing to notice how these differences help to give each of the two movies its distinctive character.

"Bambi" is the kind of movie that can stick in your mind for many years, especially if you first saw it when young. The characters and many of their adventures make it very appealing, often even adorable, and yet it also portrays some of the most serious (and frightening) things that can happen in the lives of the young. It's a fine movie that accomplishes a lot, and it has held up quite well over the years.

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