Bambi was an ambitious step toward the artistic nature of animation that Walt had begun with Fantasia, but coupled with a strong narrative outline (it also remains the closest Disney animation ever got to the live-action True Life Adventures, which Bambi pre-empted by almost a decade). Disney’s aim of perfection even led one animator to remark that cameras might have well been taken out and real deer photographed, a sentiment echoed by the critics who had loved and laughed at Snow White and Dumbo but balked at the new film’s “wildlife illustrations”. The film didn’t do much better domestically, where critics complained that the picture was not uplifting enough.
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Due to ongoing technical finessing, the Studio’s complete dedication to Snow White, Pinocchio and Fantasia, the 1941 Cartoonists’ Strike, plus the onslaught of World War II, which led to the unexpected surprise smash of the delightful Dumbo, it seemed that Bambi kept on getting pushed back and back.įinally, the film was released as the Studio’s fifth animated feature in 1942, at a time when Disney’s foreign markets were cut off and revenue was thin. The Silly Symphony The Old Mill (found in the supplementary section of the original Platinum Edition, and thankfully carried over here if only in standard definition) was a testing ground for the highly stylised but realistic approach that Walt was striving for. Originally put into production alongside Snow White (it was always an alternative to Walt, should the animating of human figures in that film prove too ambitious at the time), the rights to Felix Salten’s story were purchased in 1936 and artwork development began immediately. Bambi, however, handles the whole original “ Circle Of Life” theme a little more subtly…
Both stories feature an animal kingdom youngster, who loses a parent and must get over that fact in order to continue living their lives and find their place in the world around them. If The Little Mermaid was the next generation of Disney artists’ take on the Snow White-styled fairy-tale, Beauty And The Beast the film where they surpassed themselves technically on all levels to create a masterpiece worthy of Pinocchio and Aladdin their knockabout comedy Dumbo, then Bambi would surely rank as being looked upon as the inspiration behind The Lion King. However, we are finally due to be able to soar with Dumbo later this year, for his correct 70th anniversary year (after the rest of the world received a year-early release in early 2010), and whatever the markings – or not – on the packaging, it’s always nice to be reacquainted with Bambi, one of Walt’s most involving features.
It’s a small note, to be sure, but it just seems that these landmarks seem to be rather haphazardly recognized by Disney Home Video, who often issue titles a year out of sync with any particular release date milestones.
Oh deer! It seems Disney’s anniversary-marking department has dropped the ball again, and instead of delaying Bambi’s release until this time next year when it could have celebrated its 70th birthday, the film arrives in a gorgeous new high-definition release without any such distinguishing designation. Slowly, Bambi comes to realise that there is much more he has to learn, especially when he meets a young female fawn, Faline, and not least when he must come to respect his father, the Great Prince Of The Forest, and his warnings of the devastating effect of “man” in the forest… New life arrives in the woods with the birth of little deer Bambi, the new Prince of the forest, who is adopted as a friend by the lively rabbit Thumper, taking it upon himself to teach Bambi about his world.
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Walt Disney Productions (August 21 1942), Walt Disney Home Entertainment (March 1 2011), Blu-ray and DVD discs, 70 mins plus supplements, 1080p original Academy 1.33:1 high-definition, DTS-HD High-Resolution 7.1 and Original Restored Mono, Rated G, Retail: $39.99
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