It's striking to consider that this movie, made in 1942, involved nine directors—David Hand overseeing the project, with James Algar, Samuel Armstrong, Graham Heid, Bill Roberts, Paul Satterfield, Norman Wright, Arthur Davis, and Clyde Geronimi handling individual sequences. Something I wasn’t aware of until recently is that Bambi isn't solely a Disney creation; it’s adapted from Felix Salton’s 1923 book, *Bambi, A Life In The Woods*, written by the Austrian author and hunter. It’s surprising to learn that. Bambi isn’t simply about a young deer growing up in the forest—it's fundamentally about nature’s struggle for survival against human actions that lead to animal species disappearing. Some scenes are surprisingly intense for what is considered a family movie, and I'll discuss those shortly. The film opens by introducing us to characters like Thumper with his pink nose, Flower, a timid skunk, Friend Owl, and the awakening of the forest animals as a new fawn is born to an unnamed doe, who we discover is the son of the Forest Prince. What stands out most about this animation is the meticulous detail given to all the wildlife, beyond just Bambi’s birth—his early stumbling steps and his initial bond with Flower and Thumper are particularly charming. I like the moment he slips on the ice; it's endearing, showing that he hasn't fully mastered his body yet. The introduction of his father is quite regal; The Prince has a dignified presence, and this is when Bambi first sees what mature deer do—rushing at each other with antlers and playfully clashing horns. There’s also an amusing scene where Bambi meets Faline, a young female doe who's the first of his kind he encounters, revealing some awkwardness. As an adult, I find her teasing somewhat irritating, but as a child, I fondly remember it as his first interaction with a girl—it reminds me a bit of *The Lion King* and Nala later on. When winter arrives, at the very first sign of new green grass, Bambi’s mother warns him to run into the thicket and not look back. The sound of a gunshot and Bambi's cries for his mother are heartbreaking—when he finds his father, who solemnly tells him that his mother will never return, it almost ruined the film for me; it was such a sad, dark moment. Another scene I appreciate is when Friend Owl explains love to the now-grown Bambi, Thumper, and Flower—it's eerily comical. I’d forgotten that Bambi himself also gets shot, though I do remember the fire man caused and how many animals had to abandon their homes. The frantic pigeon flying into the air and getting shot was especially upsetting. In some ways, this film conveys a similar message as *The Lion King*, with themes of birth, relationships, rebirth, and a continuing line of royalty among forest creatures. I believe it still holds up well and is genuinely beautiful. It’s a good family movie to watch and enjoy. I give it four stars—Bambi's mother’s death remains upsetting; did it really need to be so harsh?

Source on TMDB