Bambi voice actor Donnie Dunagan says today's Disney movies lack Walt Disney's sensitivity. Bambi, released in 1942, was one of Disney’s first feature-length films. Following the success of Dumbo, the project was directly overseen by Disney himself and quickly became a national sensation upon releasing in theaters. The vibrant colors and beautiful animation helped set the film apart from some of the studio's prior films.
The movie is based Felix Salten's book, detailing the life of Bambi, a young deer destined to be the future prince of the forest. The character made such an impact that it is actually the name and icon of Germany's oldest and most coveted media award. Audiences spanning generations have fallen in love with the character and his friends as the animals grew up before their eyes onscreen. Although the Walt Disney Company has produced over a hundred films, Bambi is still adored by many, and is considered one of Disney’s greatest cinematic masterpieces.
The animation pioneer may have passed away in 1966, but his company has continued to thrive and grow. In recent years, Disney has been able to acquire other major companies such as ESPN, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and many others. However, Dunagan, who voiced young Bambi, tells ILiveInDallas.com about his encounters with Walt and reflects on how Disney films have changed without the direction of the company’s founder. Ultimately, Dunagan says, Disney wouldn't approve of the movies being made in his name today:
It is so messy today that I don’t think they have the sensitivity that Mr. Disney had in his productions. I’ll give you a good example… World War II in Europe is going on... That was the environment when Mr. Disney was getting ready to show Bambi. I was there when he first saw the take of Bambi’s mother being shot. He called a pause and he looked at the production people and said to take it out because it had an image of her being shot with a bullet hole and her face grimacing as she was getting ready to die. He said, 'Take that out. Just suggest that the mother was shot.'... So, when you watch Bambi, it’s just a suggestion that they’re both shot, both the mother and then later me... Even then, when the mother was shot, although it was just a suggestion, I saw mothers put their hand over the children’s eyes... Think of that in contrast to today, with the movies where there’s somebody blown away every 15 seconds. What a contrast! Mr. Disney was very sensitive about those things…"
Audiences who have seen Bambi are very familiar with the traumatizing scene Dunagan details. The death of Bambi's mother is one of the most memorable scenes in the film and, arguably, one of the most emotional moments in any Disney movie. Horror author Stephen King even referred to Bambi as the "first horror movie" he ever saw. Even though the death scene is extremely moving, it is a drastic contrast to those in more modern Disney films, such as the scene where Clayton's neck is snapped in Tarzan or the beheading of Thanos in Avengers: Endgame.
In the studio's defense, practically all popular entertainment has transformed since the 1940s, containing material that would have been considered taboo at that point in time. However, Bambi proves that much of the blood, violence, and profanity seen in modern movies is unnecessary. One can only speculate what the founder would think of the social and political controversies facing Disney today, but there's little argument that his involvement in the classic movies created a unique feel that has not been duplicated since.
Source: ILiveInDallas