DVD Reviews

Bambi (Two-Disc Diamond Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo) – Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll Mar 3, 2011, 12:31 GMT

For the first time ever, the wonder, music and majesty of one of Walt Disney\'s greatest triumphs comes alive in glorious detail through the magic of Blu-ray high definition! Now Bambi, Walt Disney\'s beloved coming-of-age story, will thrill a new generation of fans with its breathtakingly beautiful animation, soaring music and characters who will touch your heart-Bambi, the wide-eyed fawn, his playful pal Thumper, the loveable skunk Flower and wise ...more

A film that has made many a vegetarian, but stands as one of Walt Disney’s masterpieces.  It turns out that the villain is us, but I’ve not exactly seen deer, rabbits, and skunks chatting away in the forest either.  What is 100% true is that Disney has produced another stunning Blu-ray.

The forest is abuzz with excitement as Friend Owl (Will Wright) is awakened from his nap to go and witness the birth of a new fawn.  The mother deer (Paula Winslowe) names the newborn Bambi (voiced by Bobby Stewart, Donnie Dunagan, Hardie Albright, and John Sutherland during his lifetime). 

Bambi quickly befriends the rabbit Thumper (Peter Behn, Tim Davis, Sam Edwards), the skunk Flower (Stan Alexander, Tim Davis, Sterling Holloway), and female fawn Faline (Cammie King, Ann Gillis).  We follow our forest friends through all the circle of life as they grow older, face hardships, and fall in love.  Prepare to shed a tear or two. 

Walt Disney planned to make Bambi, based on the book Bambi, A Life in the Woods (1923) by Felix Salten, his second feature but adapted the more adult book would take enough time that it would end up his fifth feature.  It would also be the first time he employed the multi-plane camera system, after testing it out on a short with breathtaking results, and it would add a depth of field that amazed. 

The resulting film would astound visually, but would also pluck at the heart strings and anyone attesting to stoicism when Bambi’s mother makes her exit would be lying to you. 

It’s a classic all around and its simplistic story is used masterfully, maybe unlike animations that we’re used to seeing in our modern times.  Bambi is a convergence of the talents of the Disney Company that produces a film that is universally cited as one of the best in the genre.

The film is a treasure and the high definition transfer only adds more grandeur to that depth that the multi-plane camera produces. 

Bambi is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (1.33:1) and you can also add DisneyView art to get rid of those black pillar bars.  Special features are in high definition unless noted.  The newest addition is the picture-in-picture “Inside Walt’s Story Meetings” which dramatically recreate his story and sweatbox sessions with the animators and filmmakers. 

Also new is the “Disney Second Screen” app that syncs up your laptop or iPad with the film, high-def interactive galleries, and the interactive “Big Book of Knowledge.” 

Older features ported over include the 50 minute (SD) “A Prince is Born” making of, 8 minutes of deleted scenes (two in HD, two in SD), a 2 minute deleted song, the 9 minute “Inside the Disney Archives,” the 7 minute (SD) “Tricks of the Trade” vintage look at the multi-plane camera, the 9 minute (SD) “Old Mill” short that first used the camera (and won an Academy Award), and the 2 minute trailer (SD).  Disc two is a DVD copy of the film. 

Highly recommended in all departments, Bambi is one of Disney’s greatest works.   Keep the tissues handy and prepare not be snacking on meat products when viewing though. 

Visit the DVD database for more information.