When asked my favorite Disney movie, “Bambi” always makes my top three. I have a small “Bambi” apparel collection, worn frequently, and I’ve been avidly listening to (and trying to live inside) the soundtrack for years. As much as I’m a high profile “Bambi” fanatic, I’ve realized recently; I haven’t actually seen “Bambi” in years. Probably close to a decade, and defiantly only once if ever outside of the realm of childhood. After the death of the talented and inspirational artist Tyrus Wong (you should definitely read his story), I decided to revisit this childhood favorite. I wanted to see if “Bambi” could actually live up to how I was remembering the film from hearing the music, and through years clouded by childhood nostalgia. The long and short of it is yes. Yes it could. Here are my thoughts as it did just that.
Oh, my goodness those first notes of “Love Is A Song That Never Ends” get me every time, and yes hearing it over the opening credits does make it better.
That forest! I remember learning from my VHS that it was animated with layers painted onto separate sheets of glass, and is just creative genius.
I totally forgot about the entire opening sequence.
Oh, wow the animation is brighter than I remember.
Nice move, Disney, on making Thumper's eyes a different color than his mom and sisters! Did not notice that before.
Every single frame is just art, okay?
Oh, I forgot about “What cha gonna call him?” Iconic.
Wow, that mole that says “Nice sunny day!” between burrowing? I did not catch that joke before.
Thumper is... definitely honest.
It’s all so wholesome! I can’t handle this!
Oh wow the rain falls at you.
Gah! The glittering droplets after the rainstorm just…
Why didn’t I appreciate this duck before?
Faline needs to chill out.
Oh, that scene with Bambi in the cattails wasn’t 10 minutes long? Time really does work differently for children.
How did they do that? How do we feel exactly what Bambi is feeling as this deer looks right into his soul?
Dude, Bambi just… run where all the other deer are heading, and your mom will be with them. Your family is wasting time by looking for each other before finding safety.
Snow!
“Winter sure seems long!” Bambi, I feel you!
I knew it was coming... I knew and it still got me.
There's such a huge shift in tone with "Let's Sing A Gay Little Spring Song," it's hard to appreciate how wonderful this song really is. At first anyway.
We all grew up to be owl.
How did Bambi change so much over one season? Less than one season! (From the first spring grass in winter to fully spring.) Seriously from his birth in the spring to sometime in winter he went from this:
to this:
and then just in the span of the remainder of winter he went from that to this:
How?
Oh please, we know you were just pretending to not notice Thumper was watching.
Whoa! Mr. Deer, she’s clearly not interested in you! She’s already picked Bambi, and not something you can win through a fight!
Did Thumper, and Flower have to ward off anyone else for their new girlfriends? Also, don’t their girlfriend’s get names? I'll save a feminist critique for another day.
"I Bring You A Song"! I’ve played this so many times. Seventy one according to my iTunes account, but then with Spotify and iPods I know it’s been more than that. The point is, wow. I love this song, and the animation is so stunning it was like hearing it for the first time. Continuous chills.
So many crows! And fire! I did not remember this.
Okay, deer need to make a new rule: when all the deer or animals are running for their lives away from something, you should run too and don’t stop and look for your loved one. If they do the same you will find each other! You’re all killing yourselves trying to look! If Bambi and Faline just left without all this "Bambi?" "Faline?" "Bambi!" "Faline!" nonsense there wouldn’t have been a dog chase and the movie could have been resolved a lot sooner with less stress for the characters.
Whoa, what? I did not know Bambi was shot!
“Get up, Bambi!” Iconic! I’d be lying if I said I never thought this to myself on mornings that felt particularly early.
Did the bullet just graze him? If the bullet was still there, are these deer even equipped to handle that situation?
Aw, little Thumpers, I forgot about you guys!
Yes, time is cyclical. Renewal. It’s all so beautiful, I tell you.
Yes! Reprise “Love Is A Song That Never Ends”!
Side note, every song I mentioned had the word "song" in it. I'm trying to not be repetitive with writing "song," but wow there's only so much I can do.
That was only an hour and six minutes? An hour?! I need more…
I didn’t know it was possible, but yes I definitely love Bambi even more than before.
