Product Description

The forest comes alive with BAMBI, the critically acclaimed coming-of-age story that has thrilled and entertained generations of fans. Now digitally restored with state-of-the-art technology, BAMBI sparkles in this new Special Edition. This grand adventure is full of humor, heart, and the most beloved characters of all time -- Bambi, the wide-eyed fawn, his playful pal Thumper, the lovable skunk Flower, and wise Friend Owl. Featuring breathtakingly beautiful artwork and Academy Award(R)- nominated music (1942, Best Scoring Of A Dramatic Or Comedy Picture and Best Song, "Love Is A Song") Bambi's story unfolds from season to season as the young prince of the forest learns valuable lessons about friendship, love, and the miracle of life. Everyone will be "twitterpated" by this endearing classic tale of BAMBI, one of Walt Disney's greatest triumphs and a film experience you'll never forget.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8335 in DVD
• Brand: Disney
• Published on: 2005-03-01
• Released on: 2005-03-01
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Special Edition, NTSC
• Original language: English, Spanish, French
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 70 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
It always comes up when people are comparing their most traumatic movie experiences: "the death of Bambi's mother," a recollection that can bring a shudder to even the most jaded filmgoer. That primal separation (which is no less stunning for happening off-screen) is the centerpiece of Bambi, Walt Disney's 1942 animated classic, but it is by no means the only bold stroke in the film. In its swift but somehow leisurely 69 minutes, Bambi covers a year in the life of a young deer. But in a bigger way, it measures the life cycle itself, from birth to adulthood, from childhood's freedom to grown-up responsibility. All of this is rendered in cheeky, fleet-footed style--the movie doesn't lecture, or make you feel you're being fed something that's good for you. The animation is miraculous, a lush forest in which nature is a constantly unfolding miracle (even in a spectacular fire, or those dark moments when "man was in the forest"). There are probably easier animals to draw than a young deer, and the Disney animators set themselves a challenge with Bambi's wobbly glide across an ice-covered lake, his spindly legs akimbo; but the sequence is effortless and charming. If Bambi himself is just a bit dull--such is the fate of an Everydeer--his rabbit sidekick Thumper and a skunk named Flower more than make up for it. Many of the early Disney features have their share of lyrical moments and universal truths, but Bambi is so simple, so pure, it's almost transparent. You might borrow a phrase from Thumper and say it's downright twitterpated. --Robert Horton

DVD features
The little deer is over 60 years old, but he's never looked better. The 1942 Disney film has been painstakingly restored for DVD so that almost every trace of dirt and damage is gone, and the colors are brilliant. It might not look as sharp as modern films, but that's due in large part to the film's gauzy style. The Disney Enhanced Home Theater mix provides a much fuller sound than the original mono option, but is not very aggressive about using the rear speakers. (Unlike on other Disney DVDs, there is no other English Dolby 5.1 option.) In lieu of a commentary track, there's a "dramatic reenactment" reading of early discussions of the film between Walt Disney and his team. The reading accompanies the film (with insets of sketches and stills) and illustrates how closely the finished product embodies the original vision. That's further shown in the second disc's bounty of archival material. Particularly interesting is a look at the authentic art materials stored in the vaults. There are a variety of proposed characters and scenes that never made it into the film in order to keep the story streamlined. As another example, one of the deleted scenes has been reconstructed using sketches, voice-overs, and music, and it's a perfectly fine moment of Bambi discovering snow, but it's not really needed alongside the classic ice scene. A very fine 53-minute documentary discusses the production and even interviews some of the voice actors. Kids get fewer extras than grown-ups, but they can play a multi-part game (memory, counting, etc.), read along with a Thumper story, and see some footage of real animals juxtaposed with their animated counterparts. --David Horiuchi