The Music and Magic of the Disney Animated Canon, Vol. 5: Bambi

Cafe Society
1

The Music and Magic of the Disney Animated Canon, Vol. 5: Bambi

Songs:

“Love is a Song”
“Little April Shower”
“Let’s Sing a Gay Little Spring Song”
“Looking for Romance (I Bring You a Song)”

Previous Threads:

  1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs [The Music and Magic of the Disney Animated Canon, Vol. 1: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board]
  2. Pinocchio [The Music and Magic of the Disney Animated Canon, Vol. 2: Pinocchio - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board]
  3. Fantasia [Happy 75th to Disney's Fantasia! - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board]
  4. Dumbo [The Music and Magic of the Disney Animated Canon, Vol. 4: Dumbo]

Bambi is a relaxing movie to watch-- in parts. Bambi’s early childhood is full of wonder and discovery from the moment he’s born, makes his first friends, learns to walk and talk, and gets awkward with a girl. He soon learns that there are hidden dangers he must be aware of, however, from Man, who is never seen, making him scarier than anything the animators could have come up with.

It is Man who takes his mother away from him in the middle of a harrowing winter, in a heartbreaking moment that traumatized many children of all generations. It was the beginning of the “Disney Missing Parent Syndrome”, but it would actually be some time before we see another parent killed-- it wouldn’t happen again until 1981’s The Fox and the Hound.

Spring comes along, and Bambi, Thumper, and Flower get twitterpated in a hysterical scene. Flower’s helpless laugh, Thumper’s twitching, and Bambi’s walking on air are all played wonderfully. Shortly after this, we get our first great Disney fight scene, as Bambi has to battle to keep his new mate, Faline.

Their life together isn’t idyllic, however. Man returns to the forest, this time with dogs, and causes a runaway forest fire that must both be escaped.

I love the soundtrack of this movie, how instruments demonstrate rain drops, for example. My favorite song with lyrics has got to be the amazing love song “Looking for Romance”, which has never been covered, as far as I know.

What are your thoughts on this fifth movie in the Disney Animated Canon?