Way back in 1942, exactly 75 years ago this August 21st, Walt Disney Pictures released their fifth animated feature film,Bambi. Just the mention of that title probably conjures one specific memory for Disney fans who last watched this beloved classic years and years ago, a memory of a traumatic death that occurs roughly halfway through the film’s 70-minute runtime. But there is so much more to the story ofBambi, both in the on-screen retelling ofFelix Salten’s 1923 novel and in the behind-the-scenes drama of the production that weathered labor strikes, technical challenges, and the horrors of World War II. Luckily, the 75th anniversary Blu-ray of Disney’sBambidoes a solid job at providing context for everything from the film’s story, to its technological and artistic achievements, to the minor miracle it ever got made at all.
Bambiis the fourth Disney film to be released as part of the company’s Walt Disney Signature Collection, succeeding the Platinum Edition and Diamond Edition lines. Fans and collectors will get much more than the feature film with this Blu-ray/DVD combo; it comes packed with special features that reveal never-before-seen characters, plot lines and side-stories that never made it into the final film, and featurettes exploring the incredible achievements made by the studio’s artists and technical staff. And rather than simply acting as additional material or trivia, watching these bonus features actually changes the way you’ll approach the film itself, having gained a new respect for its cutting-edge animation and use of an impressionistic art style courtesy of Chinese immigrant and artist, the lateTyrus Wong.
For a glimpse behind the scenes ofBambi’s 75th anniversary edition, be sure to check outChristina’s interviewwith the film’s two leads:Donnie Dunagan(the voice of “Young Bambi”) andPeter Behn(the voice of “Young Thumper”). You’ll certainly find out more about them and other cast members in the Blu-ray’s special features, but it was a rare treat to be able to talk with two octogenarians about their experiences acting underWalt Disneyand how that film has affected their lives going forward. Still more good news is the fact that video interviewsBambiartists, actors, and writers have been archived over the years and have been gathered together on this Blu-ray in order to provide fans with incredible insight into the history of the film.
And the film itself is nothing short of amazing, either! If it’s been a while since you’ve seen it, it’s time to giveBambianother watch with fresh eyes. It really is refreshing to see how much time the animators took with the film; there’s no rush to force the story from one beat to the next, no hyperactive characters–okay, Thumper is alittlehyper–taking over the scenes, and no desire to give audiences an easy out by avoiding difficult subject material. In other words, it stands out from the majority of today’s animated feature films.
There are a lot of ways to enjoyBambi, either with your friends and family, or as a solo watch. The story may be well known, but do yourself a favor and take time to just focus on the film’s musical score throughout the picture; it’s not only phenomenal in its own right, it also perfectly matches up with the story’s pivotal moments and acts as a sort of narrator for the film that’s largely devoid of exposition. Even the very specific use of silence during two climactic moments in the film are masterfully arranged, a fact pointed out to me by the bonus feature that focused on the film’s music. You can even mute the picture completely and just allow yourself to be drawn in by the film’s technologically advanced (for the time) presentation of depth using the Disney-engineered multiplane camera or the sweeping, emotionally resonant backgrounds painted in Wong’s impressionistic style. There’s so much to love and enjoy here that it makes Disney’s Signature Collection edition ofBambian easy sell.
Some of the special features you’ll find on this edition are laid out below:
Studio Stories:Bambi- In this selection of interviews from 1956, Walt Disney himself talks about his team of animators learning animal anatomy by observing live animals at the studio and his decision to send cameramen out into the woods to capture animals in their wild habitat. In a funny anecdote, he admits that he put “not good” character artists onto an effects team in order to study and reproduce raindrops, clouds, dust, and explosions, making them look better by experimenting with things like breaking glass, bubbles, and slow-motion drops. Disney also reveals that the 1937 short “The Old Mill” was used to develop the “multiplane camera” which was central to the ability to add depth in the screen by using layers of paintings on glass.
Animator Floyd Norman Introduces Deleted Scenes- Get insight on two deleted scenes. In one, Bambi disappeared into a snowdrift, which was brought to life through rough sketches and added dialogue after the fact; the scene was ultimately changed to the one with Thumper teaching Bambi to walk on ice. Another deleted scene features characters that never appeared in the final film: grasshoppers, an army of ants, and Bobo the rabbit, who eventually became Thumper. There’s a full grasshopper and ants sequence that plays out in concept art, but it was all scrapped since it took away from Bambi’s story.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in “Africa Before Dark” by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks– This rediscovered short film sees Oswald riding an elephant through the African savannah while other animals play. Oswald is, surprisingly, a hunter, however his guns tend to fail him, either going limp or shrinking down to nothing. This short, long thought lost, was recently discovered at Vienna’s Austria Film Museum. The Walt Disney Animation Studios restoration is accompanied by live orchestration from the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra with music by six-time Emmy award-winningMark Watters.
The Bambi Effect– This deeper dive into the history ofBambitackles everything from the process of creating cartoonish animation animations by studying live animals and anatomy; the decision to use Tyrus Wong’s impressionistic art and his influences that are still being seen today in modern films; early female animators likeRetta Scott(Disney’s first credited female animator who headed up the film’s dog-chase sequence),Elizabeth CaseZwicker (who animated the birds inSleeping Beauty)andMary Blair, who created concept art forCinderellaandAlice in Wonderland; to the brand-new effects department created by Disney to work on raindrops, fire, smoke, water, and snow.
Bambi Fawn Facts:Kid-friendly trivia on deer, skunks, rabbits, and forest life.
Some other classic bonus features that have appeared on previous releases ofBambiare collected here as well. They include:
Classic Deleted Scenes with commentary by Disney historians Charles Solomon and Paula Sigman-
Deleted Song: “Twitterpated”
The Making ofBambi: A Prince Is Born
Tricks of Our Trade (Excerpt)– This trip into Disney’s archive reveals a video of Walt Disney showing off a blueprint for the multiplane camera, along with the studio’s original camera and how aMickey Mouseshort was animated, along with a final demonstration of the finished work. By using transparent sheets of celluloid (inked and painted), each cel was photographed while the background was moved a fraction of an inch each time. As cool as it was to see in action, this also demonstrated the limitations of using the old-fashioned, flat background, like its static appearance and the unchanging proportions of things like the moon as you go into or out of the scene. The creation of the multiplane camera gave depth to the backgrounds and greater control over apparent depth.
Inside the Disney Archives– Disney animator Deja visits the Disney Research Library to take a peek at the vault, specifically to look atBambiart. There are concept art/sketches forRalph Wright’s gag involving a squabbling chipmunk and squirrel, and the owl. There’s also art for a sequence with bees, in which one zipped into Bambi’s ear and somehow ended up in his stomach. The grasshopper artwork is revealed as well, alongside Tyrus Wong’s impressionistic artwork samples. One story sketch features the shadow of man with a gun, though man never appears in the film. There’s also a look at Bambi’s evolution from realistic deer to anthropomorphic/”humanized” animal with a childlike face, and backgrounds from forest and fire sequences inspired/influenced by Wong’s work. There are even stills of an out-of-picture sequence of animation showing Bambi reacting to something that startled him, demonstrating off counter-movement, perspective shifts, and other animation details.
“The Old Mill” Animated Short– A fantastic visual and musical display of animal life occupying an old, dilapidated, and nearly demolished mill, used as test animation for the multiplane camera
The Golden Age– A featurette on the artwork and animation style ofBambifrom Disney historians, animators, directors. This video plays up Disney’s contribution to expanding the artists’ abilities and styles, and touches upon the film’s music, artistry, and effects work once again.
Original Theatrical Trailer– “Walt Disney, the World’s Greatest Storyteller, tells the greatest love story the world’s ever seen!” The trailer touts the book and focuses on the “twitterpated” animals, makingBambiinto more of a love story than a coming-of-age story.
