Bambi [Blu-ray] [1942] [US Import]

Bambi by today's standards of scripting and animation can all too easily be dismissed as a naïve, cutesy Disney standard from a bygone era. However, it survives as a master class in animated film, a major influence on all that came after it, and without any doubt a masterpiece of its time. To demonstrate, here are the three major ingredients in an animated film - animation, story and music...

The animation is flawless, the character design impeccable, the backgrounds works of art. The fire, water and snow effects today would be credited to a Pentium Processor near you, but in Bambi's day were all lovingly crafted by pen and brush, and stand up admirably in direct comparison. The dreamlike variation of shades to convey moods and emotions is yet more artistic insight that soon became the norm.

Bambi's narrative might seem simple and linear today, but the basic values have been recycled by many modern animated classics. A young creature, son of the king, loses a parent, falls in love with a childhood friend, survives a fire in his homeland before rising to the top, fathering the next generation and completing the circle of life. Replace the B with an S and transpose the vowels... fluke? I think not.

Finally, and this is what is most criminally overlooked about Bambi, the music is utterly beautiful. It is quite possibly the best soundtrack in any Disney film. Disney regulars Plumb and Churchill and have made some wonderful music but this must be some of the best and most credible in its own right. If you like Tchaikovsy, it is worth buying this film just for the music; maybe even Stravinsky-lite by the end. The songs interspersing the orchestral score are truly uplifting and memorable - try getting April Showers out of your head in a hurry. The icing on the cake is the immaculate synchronisation with the animation, the way every note coincides with a footfall, a tail wag, a drop of rain; it must have been a painstaking labour of love.

Once you have collected all the Fliks, Nemos, Sullys and Woodys of this world on DVD, don't forget spare a few bob for dear old Bambi. This disc, with typically convincing Special Edition extras, is the one to buy.

The first time I saw this film as a child I cried. 25 years on, watching it for the second time, I cried again. Such is the beauty and power of Walt Disney's classic film which is, without a doubt, a masterpiece. The animation is wonderful (in the days before computers), the animals adorable and the music moving. Walt Disney was able to portray the life of a deer in the forest in such a simple, yet truly touching way, that it parallels the lives of us all growing up and learning about good and bad. One picture very clear from the film is how we, mankind, are seen to be destructive and outside of nature (you will see how well Disney showed this by change of music, colour and words such as "Man...has entered the forest"). But... nature always wins in the end. Watch, enjoy and hopefully be moved by Disney's magical masterpiece.

You'd have to have a heart of stone not to fall for Bambi. For me, it's Walt's crowning achievement, and when I watch it today, it still gives the same feeling of nostalgia as it did when I was six years old. In fact, I find even more thought-provoking than I did when I was a child.

But what is it that makes Bambi stand out for me? There's magic here alright, but not the fairy magic like in so many other Disney films. There's humans, but they never appear on screen. I think that I was captivated by the way the musicians, the animators and the artwork all become synchronised, like the natural sounds of a real forest. What makes Bambi so wonderful is the feel of being so close to nature. During the scene where it starts to rain, we see Bambi's fascination with the little raindrops. As each little drop lands softly on something, we hear a little note from the orchestra. It is just so well synchronised, and it shows just how much love and dedication was put into it.

Also, Bambi flawlessly flips from mood to mood. We watch a scene that is sad, dark and melancholy. It all fades to black, and we are greeted with something light hearted, colourful and joyful. In many other films, something like that would stick out like a sore thumb, but somehow, in an almost magic way, that does not happen with Bambi.

What really annoys me is when I see people bash Bambi and call it 'anti-hunting pro-PETA trash.' I'm sure that when Walt Disney made this, he had nothing of the sort in mind. It also annoys me when I see people making a big deal out of one of the most touching and heartbreaking scenes in Bambi. (you know the one I'm talking about!) Sure, it's a poignant scene, but it is also only one tiny fraction of the actual film. So why must people take the Mick out of it, if there is no Mick to take? (That doesn't sound right!)

As you can see, I adore this classic. So therefore, I'm overjoyed at how much care Disney has put into this Special Edition. There's plenty of extras here, from games for the young (and young at heart!) to information on how Bambi was made and filmed. We also have the original theatrical trailer (boy has it aged!) and there's a beautiful little short called the Old Mill, amongst lots of other stuff.
Also, the film has been cleaned up and remastered so now we are seeing Bambi as it might have looked when it first came out. The picture quality is a real improvement over my old video tape.

So what are you waiting for? Get this now, before Disney locks it up again.