Walt Disney's Bambi Movie Review

In 1937, Walt Disney had a dream. A dream of creating an animated motion picture that looked and felt natural. It took five years for the dream to be brought to life.

Walt spared no expense, doing whatever was required to create the movie that he pictured in his mind. His animators were given special art lessons in order to learn how to animate real animals; real deer lived in the studio; and, even when the project encountered economic difficulties, Walt persevered letting nothing get in the way of his dream.

Finally, in 1942, Walt Disney released Bambi, his fifth animated classic movie. Today, Bambi is a fan favorite and in 2011 it was released on Blu-ray and re-released on DVD from Disney's Vault, representing Bambi's first time fully remastered, in high definition and on Blu-ray disc.

On this page find out when Bambi was released and read a bit more about the movie. You will also find a discussion about what Bambi is rated and what ages it is considered appropriate for. It is hard to have such a conversation without giving away the secrets of this movie so please be aware that the debate features SPOILERS.

• ACTORS: Hardie Albright, Stan Alexander, Bobette Audrey, Peter Behn, Thelma Boardman
• DIRECTORS: Bill Roberts, David Hand, Graham Heid, James Algar, Norman Wright
• WRITERS: Carl Fallberg
• RATED: G (General Audience)
• STUDIO: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
• ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE: August 13, 1942
• DVD RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2011
• RUN TIME: 70 minutes

"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 Friend Owl. Plus, all-new immersive game and special features that reveal the extraordinary creative process behind the making of this timeless classic take you deeper into Bambi's world than ever before. Walt Disney's Bambi is an experience you will never forget-now more brilliant than ever on Blu-ray."

Is Bambi okay for my children to watch?

Bambi is a tough story. The story of a deer growing up in the forest, which is not always wonderful, even when Disney-ized. I have seen this movie deemed appropriate for children aged five and up AND deemed inappropriate for anyone under 12.

Home Video Companion for Parents (shown below) recommends it for children 12 years and up. That seems old for an animated movie but it perhaps is fair given the disturbing messages in this movie. They had this to say about Bambi, "Bambi is nihilistic, sexist, brutal piece of work that depicts a world of absentee fathers and passive mothers - a place where fighting is the way to achieve a goal, and killing something to be accepted." Excellent animation. Excellent music. NOT for children or preteens.

Seem extreme?

Common Sense Media recommends it for ages five and up. They say that this movie is disturbing for children and that the violence is very realistic, making it memorable in a bad way. That it "packs an emotional punch." and that it "is a more intense movie than parents may remember."

And of course, there is always the death of a central character to deal with.

That is quite a range in age recommendations, surely worthy a discussion. I recommend that you should be aware of the issues in this movie and that you consider watching it without your children present first.

The OFFICIAL movie rating for Bambi is G, G for General Audiences.

anonymous: my sister had to take me out of the movie theater as I was so upset when Bambi's mother died 50+ years ago! I have watched the entire movie since then and i still cry! I would not recommend it for any age!

anonymous: I am 53 years old and remember the movie with a child's horror when Bambi's mother was shot. Looking back I realize the violence may be reality in an animal's life, but not something I will expose my grandchildren to under the age of eight. I had nightmares for years. I was probably 6 or 7 yrs old at the time.

anonymous: I saw it over 30 years ago when I was under 8 and all remember is the mom getting shot. It left a horrible memory. My mother-in-law let my children see it, and I don't think she should have.

tandemonimom lm: Yes, for some, but you have to know your children and their level of sensitivity. For some, definitely not.