Thesis: Disney's feature-length, animated film "Bambi" is not simply a movie for children, an idea advanced by the notable "Disneyfication" of its story and characters. Rather, the Disney Company has been accused of incorporating outside influences and covert messages into the film's storyline. Such messages have the ability to influence audience members emotionally, psychologically, and intellectually, and have continued to do so since the film's original release in 1942. Conclusion: In conclusion, Disney's film "Bambi" has used covert messages and worldly influences to stir both emotional and motivational responses from its viewers.

Roger Ebert's review of Disney's Bambi in the Chicago Sun Times admits that it is one of the greatest "heartbreaking" movies of all time, but that it contains many messages that wash over viewers who do not take the time to ponder the film.  Ebert questions whether Bambi is appropriate for young children to watch since it contains some very serious matter, such as "sexism, nihilism, and despair" (Ebert 1).  Children learn such things as the absentness of fathers, the domestic role of mothers who carry the sole responsibility in raising their offspring, and that "courtship is a matter of 'first love'" where the way to win the affection of the opposite gender is through physical aggression (Ebert 1).

Ebert's thoughts and analysis of Disney's Bambi reveal some alternative explanations of covert messages witnessed throughout this film.  His work is relevant to this thesis because it expresses other possible interpretations of the movie.  Once again, the Disney Company has been accused of instilling their works with hidden messages and meanings, some of which were explored in other articles.  These messages have the ability to influence viewers, especially younger children in their formative years of development.  Here, there is a change from the usual fear that Bambi instills in children in regards to the death of Bambi's mother and rather shifts the fear to the children's parents, who may be shocked to learn of the messages the film is advancing.

 

Ebert, Roger. "Despite its Cuteness, `Bambi' is Serious Stuff." Chicago Sun Times. 1988.

David Wilkes's newspaper article entitled "After 66 Years, Bambi is Still Making Us Cry" informs readers that a recent poll reveals that the Disney animated film Bambi is considered the greatest "tear-jerker of all time," beating out other films such as Titanic and Ghost.  The impact of the film on viewers has caused great emotional reactions, such as Sir Paul McCartney's that led him to become interested in animal rights.  The article continues with studies that suggest that watching television shows or movies that showcase manipulation and aggression have a similar effect as from watching graphic violence, namely, viewers may be more aggressive and unkind.

Wilkes's article provides evidence of the reality that watching films can evoke emotional reactions from audience members.  Although Bambi is an animated film, it has been named one of the saddest movies of all time.  This is due to the combination of anthropomorphized characters and the film's focus on dealing with very real emotions and events that viewers relate to with great ease.  The greatest example of this in Bambi occurs when Bambi's mother is killed by hunters.  Although the actual action of the killing is never shown on screen, audiences have reacted consistently upon viewing this scene, that is, with great sadness.  Afterwards, Bambi is shown searching the snow covered ground for his mother.  His father then appears and states that "Your mother can't be with you anymore." People most likely relate to this particular scene because it showcases one of the greatest fears humans possess, the fear of losing a parent.  

 

Wilkes, David. "After 66 Years, Bambi is Still Making Us Cry." Daily Mail (London) 1st Edition (13 Oct 2008) 22.

Mark Henderson's article "Disney Cartoons 'Contain Hidden Messages on the Environment" talks of how Disney films, like Bambi, The Jungle Book, and Pocahontas, have continually played an important role in "educating the public about the environment" (Henderson 28).  Although Disney movies are generally viewed as "little more than escapism," many have featured messaged on "conservation and the relationship between people and the natural world" (Henderson 28).  Bambi significantly influenced many to become environmentalists and initiated a movement for environmental activism.

Henderson's article is significant because it demonstrates yet another effect the Disney film Bambi had on its audiences.  The idyllic portrayal of nature and animals influenced many people to become more aware of the threats humans pose to their natural environment.  According to the article, many conservationists and green activists cite Bambi as their initial impetus for becoming involved in environmental work.

 

Henderson, Mark. "Disney Cartoons 'Contain Hidden Messages on the Environment." The Times (London) Home News Section (25 Mar 2008) 28.

Ralph H. Lutts' article "The Trouble With Bambi: Walt Disney's Bambi and the American Vision of Nature" focuses on the scope of Disney's influence within the American culture.  His central argument throughout the text is that the character of Bambi "has played and continues to play" an important role "in shaping American attitudes about" and their "understanding of deer and woodland life" (Lutts 160).  Although Lutts mentions a few important effects of Bambi, including its impact on viewers, especially young children, regarding the loss of a parent, he mainly addresses the film's strong anti-hunting message. This message is conveyed to viewers on a purely emotional level.  Disney animators created a visual environment with loveable, sympathetic characters whose emotions are directly transferred to those of the audience members.  This, in turn, has resulted in the popularization of the name "Bambi" as being synonymous with the term "deer" and being sentimental (Lutts 168).  In addition to the support Bambi raised for opposition to hunting, the film caused a national debate over the timeless practice and raised many questions about the use of and necessity of it.

Lutt's article is important because it provides an example of how Disney movies influence the American public.  Not only did Bambi arouse anti-hunting advocacy, it also stirred a debate on a national level regarding hunting in general.  It demonstrates that Bambi was not simply a cartoon movie, but faced real-life problems, for instance, the harm of hunting and man's sometimes ignorant manners in dealing with nature.  This is seen when Bambi's mother is killed by hunters and later when the forest is set ablaze as a result of the careless hunters.  These scenes from the film evoke emotional reactions in the viewers and show them that they are responsible for nature and that care needs to be enforced in protecting it from destruction.

 

Lutts, Ralph H. "The Trouble With Bambi: Walt Disney's Bambi and the American Vision of Nature." Forest and Conservative History Vol. 36, No.4 (Oct 1992) 160-171.

Shelly R. Scott's article entitled "Conserving, Consuming, and Improving on Nature at Disney's Animal Kingdom" centers on Disney's use of the "fictional and artificial" in order to represent the real and how this "complicates the experience" of visitors (Scott 111).  He claims the Disney's Animal Kingdom represents the "Disneyfication" of nature, which shows that nature is something to be "contained, packaged, and used instead of respected and protected" (Scott 114).  In conjunction with the use of fake animals and costumed people, even the living animals in the park are trained to perform functions that revoke their realness and anthropomorphize them.

Additionally, Scott argues that the park teaches visitors "little about animals and how to protect them" and rather reinforces a "Judeo-Christian interpretation of humans' relationship with animals" (Scott 111).  This relationship is simply that animals function to serve humans.  This is witnessed in Old Testament writings where God gave the first humans dominion over the animal kingdom.  The Judeo-Christian imagery is noticeable throughout the park, especially in relation to the park's great Tree of Life.  Not only is the Tree of Life an allusion to the tree of life in the Garden of Eden, but it also reflects the idea of "human mastery...over nature" (Scott 114).  Other Judeo-Christian messages are evident within the DIsney Company too, namely, the idea that "one of the least animals have become the mightiest" (see Luke 9:48), with a mouse established as the ruler of the Disney empire.

Scott's article is extremely relevant because it addresses two key components of the Bambi thesis.  Firstly, Scott addresses the "Disneyfication" of nature and the anthropomorphism of Disney animals.  In regards to Bambi, both are evident within the film.  Bambi uses "allegorical anthropomorphism," where "animal characters stand in for people" in order to tell a story or teach a lesson.  This is used to relate humans with animals, a practice that can alter children's perception of nature and how they should react to it.  In this way, the film, just as the park, fails to teach children about animals and nature, an ideal Disney states as one of its objectives.  Secondly, the description of the Judeo-Christian elements expressed in the article is shown as an integral part of Disney's Animal Kingdom, and more broadly, the company itself.  This, once again, demonstrates how Disney incorporates messages into its work that can influence members of its fan base.  Although Bambi is not explicitly an advocate for Judeo-Christian ideals, there are a couple of elements that can be interpreted as such.  For example, the idea of being in love, having lifetime partners, and creating a family together, as seen with Bambi and his parents and then later with Bambi and Faline, can be viewed as a uniquely human experience and the fulfillment of the sanctity of marriage through the Church.

Scott, Shelly R. "Conserving, Consuming, and Improving on Nature at Disney's Animal Kingdom." Theatre Topics 17.2 (2007) 111-127.

 Dorothy Goldbart Clark's book review of Robin Allan's book entitled Walt Disney and Europe: European Influences on the Animated Feature Films of Walt Disney summarizes Allan's notion that Disney films had roots in "European cultural and artistic forces" (Clark 427).  From the onset of Allan's book he states that "Disney is an international institution" who borrowed from "European...literature, graphic and illustrative art, music and design, as well as upon European and indigenous cinema" in order to produce a new art form (Allan Preface, xv).  In short, Disney repurposed European sources with the goal of creating something new with his animated movies.  Allan reveals that the source of notable European influences stems from both Walt Disney's numerous trips to Europe and the company's employment of European artists.  Beginning as far back as the 1920's, elements from "vaudeville, the circus, European melodrama, as well as the graphic style of European newspaper cartoons and the European anthropomorphic tradition in illustrated art," was evident in Disney animated features (Clark 427, 428).

 Disney films have been known to contain influences and messages that result in effecting and eliciting responses from audience members.  These influences are not only found in the visual style of animation, but also are evident within ideals incorporated throughout the works, whether puposefully placed there or not.  Clark's review of Allan's work brings truth to this claim.  Although it focuses more specifically on the Disney Company's European influences, the article brings light to the overall notion of incorporating outside influences to their animated, feature-length films.

 

Allan, Robin. Walt Disney and Europe: European Influences on the Animated Feature Films of Walt Disney. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana UP, 1999.

Clark, Dorothy Goldbart. "Walt Disney and Europe: European Influences on the Animated Feature Films of Walt Disney." The Lion and the Unicorn 25:3 (2001) 427-432.