Whoever said audiences aren’t interested in 2D these days can hunker down over a big plate of crow. The Walt Disney Co. says its re-release of Bambi sold nearly 1 million copies on DVD and VHS during hits first day of release on Tuesday. The timeless classic has enjoyed successful theatrical re-releases since its debut in 1942 and the restored, Disney Platinum Series DVD has been on many a fan’s wish list for some time.
For the benefit of the five people who haven’t seen the film, Bambi is the story of a young deer growing to adulthood while experiencing the adventure and danger of life in the forest. Along for the ride are his woodland pals Thumper the rabbit, Flower the skunk and the wise Owl. Legendary Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston contributed greatly to film’s artistry and timeless appeal.
Around 9,600 hours were spent restoring more than 110,000 frames of Bambi for this release. In addition, Disney has included such bonus features as never-before-seen deleted sequences, a making-of featurette, the interactive Forest Adventure Game, a sneak peek at the upcoming movie Bambi and the Great Prince of the Forest, a Disney Time Capsule for the year Bambi was released and Thumper Goes Exploring, an all-new story told with audio and text. There’s also a feature titled Inside Walt’s Story Meetings, which offers insight into the process of creating the film through actual discussions reenacted by voice actors and set to footage, sketches and other production items.
Released by Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Bambi Special Edition lists for $29.99 on DVD and $24.99 on VHS.
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