Bambi (U)

Don't get me wrong: I've loved many of the new computer-animated flicks that have come out in the last decade or so (A BUG'S LIFE and the SHREK movies remain my personal favorites of the genre). All the same, it's refreshing to get away from the rampant celebrity voices and pop culture gags that are the hallmarks of this newer breed of 'toon and revisit some of the classic animated movies that preceded them, and what better place to start than with the long-awaited DVD debut of BAMBI?

Playing more like an extended 'Silly Symphony' short with its limited dialogue and numerous musical cues, it remains a crowning achievement in the dying art of hand-drawn animation. Its rich, sumptuous visuals positively shine in this newly restored edition, and the characters remain just as charming sixty-plus years after the film's initial 1942 release. Despite a bare-bones plot that makes THE LION KING look like Hamlet by comparison, BAMBI still packs an emotional wallop. Don't forget that this was the first Disney flick to kill off one of its main non-villain characters; for many pre-schoolers growing up, the death of Bambi's mother by hunters was the shot heard around the world.

Many of the DVD extras are of the usual Disney assortment, including games for the kiddies and a preview of an upcoming direct-to-video sequel, BAMBI AND THE GREAT PRINCE OF THE FOREST (which begs the question: is there any movie in their vaults that isn't off-limits to, third-rate revisiting? What's next? HOW SNOW WHITE GOT HER GROOVE BACK?). By far the most interesting extra is a dramatic reading of transcripts from story meetings that the late Walt Disney held with his animators that plays along with the film as a makeshift commentary track. His steadfast attention to every detail reminds you that, before becoming an expert merchandiser and theme park mogul, he was an artist first. Still, it's the film itself that remains the star of this 2-disc package, one that fits very comfortably with the other milestones from its era, a still awe-inspiring run that includes SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARVES (1937), PINOCCHIO (1940), FANTASIA (1940), and DUMBO (1941).