Disney Era Analysis – Bambi

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As mentioned in a previous blog post, I’ll be writing analysis content on all 60+ Disney animated feature films and their film making eras.

The first era is the Golden Age, which ran from 1937 to 1942 and started with Disney’s debut animated feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. As mentioned in my previous blog post, the Golden Age is known for setting the now-famous features in Disney’s animated feature films – being based on fairy tales, taking well-known literature and turning it into a child-friendly film, movies about and from the perspective of anthropomorphic animals, exaggerated villains, musical moments, adventures, and comedic sidekicks.

So how did Bambi measure up to these now-famous features and was it the right film to end the Golden Age?

Being based on fairy tales:

Bambi is based on the 1923 Austrian novel, Bambi, a Life in the Woods. The novel is not a fairy tale, but rather a coming-of-age novel with some fairytale elements, like the character of the Great Prince of the Forest, and Bambi later becoming a Prince, as he is the Great Prince’s son. The novel also contained real-life themes such as environmentalism and persecution.

Taking well-known literature and turning into a child-friendly film:

As mentioned above, the film is based on the 1923 novel, Bambi, a Life in the Woods. According to IMDb, the novel actually wasn’t written for children and Walt Disney toned down much of the material to make the film child-friendly. 

Movies about and from the perspective of anthropomorphic animals:

This film is all about Bambi and the other animals in the forest. While humans are mentioned and framed as villains due to their hunting, no human is ever seen onscreen.

Exaggerated villains:

As mentioned earlier, humans are framed as the villains of the film but don’t actually appear onscreen.

Even though humans don’t appear onscreen, I don’t think their villainy in the film is exaggerated. They are hunting animals, are ruthless, and ultimately their own selfish actions led to the catastrophic forest fire that nearly killed all of the animals.

Interestingly, I read there were plans to show humans onscreen but Disney and his team decided against it. I feel that this was a better move as it made the film and the themes within it stronger and more emotive for the audience, and their appearance wouldn’t have added anything.

Musical moments:

Interestingly, this is one of very few Disney animated feature films where the songs included were not sung onscreen by any of the characters. They were sung offscreen by either a solo artist or a choir and because of this, it has been viewed as a non-musical film.

Contributing to its full circle nature, Love is a Song, is heard at both the beginning and end of the film, with a reprise of the song being heard at the end.

The other original songs: Little April Shower, Let’s Sing a Gay Little Spring Song, and Looking for Romance (I Bring You a Song), were crucial for the film’s storytelling, with the first two songs showing the passing of time, and the third song contributing to the character’s evolution and the ending of the film.

Adventures:

I wouldn’t say that there are the traditional adventures in Bambi that are seen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio, however I feel that this film has adventures of its own, more like minor adventures. These minor adventures include Bambi and his friends wandering around and playing in the forest, and Bambi and his mother going to the meadow.

Comedic sidekicks:

Thumper and Flower are the comedic sidekicks in Bambi as Bambi’s best friends, and the Friendly Owl is another comedic sidekick, acting as a father-like figure to Bambi, Thumper, Flower, and some of the other animals in the forest, and is viewed as an unofficial authority figure by nearly everyone.

On a personal note, I found Flower and the Friendly Owl (especially when he gives his ‘Twitterpated’ talk) hilarious.

My overall thoughts:

As I was watching Bambi, I was reminded of all of the Golden Age’s previous films in one way or another – the colour palette and watercolour-like backgrounds reminded me of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi being taught how to walk and talk by others reminded me of Pinocchio and Dumbo, some of the animation (particularly the fast-paced animation with the animals running away from the gunshots, and Bambi running during the fire) reminded me of the animation in Fantasia, and the circular narrative structure of the film also reminded me of Dumbo.

I also appreciated the innocence vibe that the film evoked, a vibe that was also present in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and Dumbo. I also appreciated that the film and its story went at a slower pace to the Golden Age’s previous films.

For these reasons, I feel that Bambi was the best film to end the Golden Age.

The next part of the Disney Era Analysis series will be released next week and will focus on the Wartime Era and the first film within that era, Saludos Amigos.  

Fun Facts and Trivia:

  • Bambi was Walt Disney’s personal favourite of all his animated feature films.
  • Some scenes with the forest animals and fire are unused footage from Pinocchio.
  • Two asteroids have been named after Bambi and Thumper.
  • There are approximately 1,000 words of dialogue in total. This didn’t surprise me, I made a note as I watching the film that there was very little dialogue.
  • Thumper and Flower are original Disney creations.
  • Bambi doesn’t speak until 13 minutes into the film.
  • Several American film critics (in the 1940s) gave Bambi negative reviews, primarily because it lacked the fantasy elements of Disney’s then-previous films.
  • Bambi was the first Disney animated feature film released following the entry of the United States of America in World War II.
  • When the word ‘twitterpated’ was being used in the film, my mind kept thinking about Twitter.

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