Disney’s Bambi turns 75 and has aged very well in new Blu-Ray release

If you’re still crying over Bambi’s mother then you might want to pick up the 75th Anniversary edition of the film in a new Blu-Ray release. Walt Disney’s fifth animated masterpiece looks as beautiful as it ever has. Even more its message of the beauty of nature is as important as ever.

“Bambi” was released in 1942 during World War II and took over five years to make due to its exquisite hand-drawn artwork and attention to detail. Beloved by generations, “Bambi” holds the No. 3 spot on the American Film Institute’s “10 Top 10,” honoring the 10 greatest animated films of all time. The timeless tale features an adorable young deer named Bambi who explores the wonders and challenges of the woods with his playful pal Thumper, the lovable skunk Flower, and wise Friend Owl – and ultimately fulfills his destiny as prince of the forest

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1, but with a new 1080p High Definition edition, you’ll also enjoy the 7.1 DTD-HDH audio if you have the equipment to handle that sort of thing.

I enjoyed the plentiful bonus features in the set including these new ones:

• The Bambi Effect – “Bambi” was full of innovations for its time. Let’s take a look at how those past innovations affected future Disney animated titles all the way up to today.
• Studio Stories “Bambi” – This is a brilliant addition. It features recordings of Walt Disney and his animators. Listen in on intimate moments where he discusses the challenges, pitfalls and triumphs during the production of “Bambi.”
• Deleted Scene: Bambi’s Ice and Snow – Bambi coaxes Thumper and his brothers and sisters to come play on the ice during the first snow.
• Deleted Scene: The Grasshopper – A grasshopper confronts Bambi and Thumper and finds himself in quite a predicament.
• Bambi Fawn Facts – Think you know everything there is to know about Bambi and his forest companions? Well, it’s time to discover some fun real-life facts about the creatures that live in the forest he calls home.
• Oswald the Lucky Rabbit; “Africa before Dark” – Great to see Walt’s Oswald in a a classic animated short.
• Celebrating Tyrus Wong (Digital HD edition only) – One of the real gems of this set worth getting the digital edition, it is a heartfelt look at the man who played a key role in the success of “Bambi.” Much like Mary Blair and Eyvind Earle, Tyrus Wong had a unique signature style all to his own. The soft water-colored backgrounds and beautiful palettes in “Bambi” were inspired by Tyrus’ concept art paintings.

While this is the second blu-ray edition of “Bambi” the new bonus features and terrific transfer make this a must-have edition to your Disney library. Pick it up on Amazon where you can save up to 50% off and your purchase helps support The Disney Blog.