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On August 13, 1942, at the Carthay Circle in New York, Bambi made his debut. one of the most mature and saddest works in the cinematography of Disney, the first to show death directly to children, the story of the little fawn Bambi, who 80 years later continues to cry.
The death of Bambi’s mother by the hand of a hunter set a precedent in children’s animation cinema, as it was the first time this theme was shown so obvious to children.
Walt Disney defended the idea that death must also be present in his stories: “I don’t think there is a need to lighten the facts for children, both in life and in the cinemaHe argued, according to the book The Walt Disney Archives.
A scene from Bambi. The Disney classic turns 80.
grow and learn
The film tells the story of how this shy fawn who lives with his mother in the woods, little by little, makes new friends like Thumber the rabbit, Flower the skunk and Faline the fawn, while learning great lessons from his mother. .
When he loses her, Bambi moves in with his father, the Grand Prince of the Forest, and later, becomes a young and strong deer, who will have to fight for the love of his life Faline, the doe he met as a child, and faces his worst enemy, man.
The genesis of the project came from director Sidney Franklin, who acquired the rights to the book in 1933 Bambi. Story of a life in the forest (1923) (Bambi. Eine Lebensgeschichte aus dem Walde), by the author The Austrian Felix Salten, e told Walt Disney about the possibility of making an animated film about it.
This classic wasn’t made overnight, but It was the result of a long process.. The first conversations took place in 1933, but at that time Disney had not yet considered making animated films, as the first was Snow White and the 7 Dwarfsin 1937.
It was in April of that year, in the midst of producing its first feature film, that Disney again contacted Franklin to purchase the rights to the film. bambi and formally hires him to collaborate in the adaptation of the screenplay.
This was to be the second film from his studio after Snow Whitebut the difficulty of reflecting the movements of animals with absolute fidelity ended up delaying it for five years.
Little deer in the studio
Among other animals, two small fawns arrived at the studio so that, in the following years, the animators could do it observe them, study them and draw them in all their stages of growth, as well as the way they had to move. Much of the appeal of the backgrounds and characters was due to the Chinese artist Tyrus Wong.
However, despite all the efforts made by both Disney and his team and the large budget, bambi was not well received. Critics have emphasized the harsh nature of his narrative, considering it unsuitable for children.
Upon its release in 1942, “Bambi” was not well received. Critics found him cruel to children.
On the other hand, while the mimicry of the protagonists, based on the gestures of real children, fascinated viewers, some experts considered the softening of animals to be extreme.
Released in the middle of World War II, bambi losses recorded at the beginning. But a year later, in 1943, it was nominated for three Oscars (Best Sound, Best Song for love is a song and Original Music Composition), and once the war was over, in 1947 returned to theaters, this time with considerable success.
bambi It is considered today a gem and in the list of the ten best animated films in the history of the American Film Institute (AFI) occupies the third positionbehind Snow White Y Pinocchio.
Disney managed to create an unforgettable character and a film full of emotion and subtlety. And that’s it bambi he not only recounts the wanderings through the forest of a fawn with his friends, but he also talks about them the importance of friendship, love and courage to face the most difficult moments in life.
Source: EFE / Silvia García Herráez
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Source: Clarin
