User blog:ARTaylor/75 Years of Bambi

Today marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the premiere of Bambi. Based on the 1923 Austrian book Bambi, a Life in the Woods, the film was the fifth feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios. The film follows a white-tailed deer, the prince of the forest, as he grows up, learns about friendship and family, and deals with the threat of man.

The movie was not a critical nor financial success at the time it was first released. With World War II in full swing, Disney was cut off from the highly profitable European theaters and limited in the United States and eventually lost money. Critics complained that Disney had abandoned the fantasy of their earlier features. It was also highly criticized by the hunting community who felt the movie demonized their sport. Even Walt's daughter Diane felt that Bambi's mother should not have been killed.

However, the film was rereleased several more times, starting in 1947, eventually recouping its losses. Since then the film has grown in appreciation and is now considered one of the greatest films of all time. The infamous death of Bambi's mother has been cited as one of the darkest moments in children's film history. Former Beatle Paul McCartney credited the scene for his interest in animal rights. The film became a symbol for fire prevention. Disney loaned the characters to be used in a public-service campaign but eventually pulled them directly leading to the creation of Smokey the Bear. Disney eventually allowed the United States Forest Service to use the film in further PSAs. It was included in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. It was followed by a direct-to-video sequel that took place in the film's time jump.