BAMBI

US, 1942, 72 minutes, Colour.
Directed by David Hand.

Bambi is one of the earliest of the Walt Disney animation features. it was released in 1942, five years after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It was popular in its time and has continued to be very popular with audiences and is considered an animation classic.

The film is based on the book by Felix Salten. The characters are vividly portrayed, the drawings of the forest are very beautiful. There is 'Disney' comedy with some of the animal characters, especially Thumper the rabbit. There is a musical score which includes songs: 'Love is a Song', 'Let's Sing a Gay Little Spring Song', Twittipated', 'The Thumper Song' and 'Little April Shower'.

There is a gentleness in the presentation of Bambi, along with the facing of cycles in nature, hunters in the forest, fires. It combines all the elements for family entertainment.

1. The impact of Bambi in its time? Its delight for audiences? An animation classic?

2. The quality and style of the animation: animals, the human aspects of the animals? Beautiful as well as pretty? Humour and seriousness? Colour, shading? Action sequences such as the fire?

3. The introduction of the songs and their location through the film? Adding to mood and character?

4. The audience aimed at? Age? Perennial appeal?

5. The creation of the forest, forest life, the animals, the birds, the passing of the seasons, the generations? The deer as the royalty in the forest? The orderly life of the animals? The contrast with the panic when humans were in the forest?

6. The focus on the deer: the stance of the father, the role of the mother, the birth of the baby, the baby learning? Bambi as a character? The friendly animals, Thumper and Flower? Bambi learning to speak, learning to walk, on the ice? The delight of the young lawn? The boundaries of the forest and staying within? The introduction of Felice? The role of the father in the forest? The shooting of the mother? Pathos? Bambi becoming Prince of the Forest?

7. Thumper and his humour, song? Flower? The atmosphere of spring, love and dreams? The rivalry of the deer and their fight?

S. The savagery of the hunt, Felice, the dogs, the leaping, the animals being shot?


9. The drama of the fire and the animals being saved?

10. The life cycle of the forest and Bambi becoming Prince?