MovieChat Forums > Bambi (1942) Discussion > I watched Bambi when I was 8 and it scar...

I watched Bambi when I was 8 and it scarred me for life.

posted 14 years ago by lpv_84
44 replies | jump to latest

I am now 26 and still can't bring myself to watch it again. I just can't. Parents are so worried about violence or sex on TV... let me tell you something: The death of a parent is far more traumatizing to an 8 yr-old, than watching someone get his eye drilled off in some horror film. I just think it's funny how we've grown up with these seemingly "innocent" films, that turned out to be a lot darker than anything shown today. This is rated G? Funny. But show any hint of sexual activity (kissing/ implied sex scenes), or profanity, or minimal violence and that's a no no.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] frenchnut 13 years ago

Same..I have only seen this movie once, just couldn't watch it again...and that was back in the early '90s when I was a kid. It's coming on the Disney channel next week..I'm recording it! I cried during the Lion King last week, so I'm assuming Bambi won't be an easy one to watch either :(

"If only I had an enemy bigger than my apathy I could have won.."

[–] apocalypse_please24 13 years ago

The strange thing is, watching Bambi again, I realize it affects me on an emotional level now even more than it did as a kid.

I watched it over and over when I was five to whatever age I was when the tape finally wore out, lol. I feel like I might actually be more saddened by it now if I watched it. When you're younger you don't really think about it as much. Not on a deeper level anyway.

[–] cowboykalira 12 years ago

This post and some rightfully downvoted reviews on the review pages show that we are becoming more and more infantile as a culture (and I'm speaking of the entire western culture, before you think I'm just another america-basher).

If we can't even deal anymore with a cartoon in wich a fictional deer loses its mother, that really says something. I respect anyone's freedom to feel sad for bambi, but gross exaggerations like "this movie scarred me for life", and statements suggesting this movie is not suitable for children are pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. And you may find that insulting, but what I find insulting is some creepy parent´s assumption that a child should be protected against even the mildest forms of drama or scary stories because they wouldn't be able to handle it.

As far as I can tell Bambi has been a children's favourite for over 70 years now, and rightfully so. If we are now going to suggest movies like this should be rated x for having a sad moment in it, we might as well stop telling stories to children at all, stick them in protectively foamclad rooms and put tape over their eyes and ears until they are 18. There is absolutely nothing in this movie that we need to keep children away from.

If anything there are valuable lessons to be learned from being exposed to loss and suffering in a fictional way before children have to experience those things in real life. It might help them understand better what losing someone, or feeling pain is like, in a safe way, where a parent can hug them and comfort them. Be thankful that you live in a world where your child can learn in this way, and not in one that bans children from engaging with a beautiful story because some ultrasensitive overcaring parent has forced their petty ideas about protection on all of us.

[–] a-2003 11 years ago

I'm 23 and I can't watch Bambi. I see a 30-second clip and I can't handle it.
I think what's pathetic is you calling someone you don't know pathetic.
I'd like to call you heartless but I don't know you so I won't.

What's truth got to do with anything?

[–] cowboykalira 11 years ago

I think what triggered my reply was not some personal sentiment, but the implication by some commenters that this movie was somehow "unsuitable for children".

I do not need to know someone personally to absolutely loathe a statement like that. It fits in with this overprotective parenting culture that is turning an entire generation into a bunch of cissies (and I don't mean their sexual orientation). Playing outside is too dangerous, Spongebob Squarepants is homosexual propaganda, and now Bambi is a brutal horror movie that "scars children for life".

I watched Bambi when I was seven years old, it was the first movie me and my dad ever went to see in the cinema. It was beautiful, heartwarming, moving, but most of all I understood this movie was basically explaining everything a child should know about all the aspects of a natural life: birth, growing up, having to learn to stand on your own two feet, dealing with a loss, falling in love, and finally, becoming a parent yourself.

There is a difference between a personal emotion, like yours (and wich I fully respect, even though I hate to think what would happen to you if an actual person, someone close to you died, if you can't even handle a drawing that stops moving), and the call to ban this beautiful piece of art for the under-twelves.

I wasn't scarred by Bambi. Watched it when I was seven. First time I went to the cinema with my dad. We laughed together at the clumsy iceskating scene, and he comforted me when Bambis mother got shot. He's a big tough guy, my dad, but watching Bambi together, he showed he could also be loving, caring, sensitive. Anyone wanting to take memories like that away from children in future should grow a pair, and shut the duck up.

[–] worstnameeverrightnow 12 years ago

it's scared with one r.

[–] MetFanMac 12 years ago

No, if you are traumatized by something you are said to be [mentally] scarred.

Supermodels...spoiled stupid little stick figures mit poofy lips who sink only about zemselves.

[–] preppy-3 12 years ago

I saw it as a kid and the mother's death didn't bother me in the least. Actually I saw it a few times as a kid and each time I was fine with it. Then I saw it as an adult and lost it completely when she was killed! Go figure! Actaully saw it in a theatre and there was a guy my age at the time (26) sitting next to me with his little 10 year old daughter. He lost it too when Bambi's mother got shot! The little girl was perfectly fine about it. When her father openly lost it she nudged him and whispered, "Daddy! Get a grip!" LOL I looked around the theatre. Most of the adults were ctying but ALL the kids were dry-eyed. Go figure!

[–] captainbible1138-428-348571 11 years ago

So is that why we can't have the strength of Disney back in the days of Snow White, Fantasia and Pinocchio?

Death is a part of life and this movie as well as Old Yeller and Lion King don't sugar coat that lesson to kids. If we choose to boycott these kinds of movies until they're adults, how do you think they'll be able to handle the deaths of their own family or even the intensities of R-rated movies?

Sex is one of those things kids should reach a certain age to be in a sex-ed class before they should be exposed to it.

Profanity is offensive to a great many people and kids like to parrot phrases uttered in every movie they see without know how to use those words. I got a taste of soap whenever I did as a kid. (ala A Christmas Story)

Besides, the death scene in this movie is handled in a clunky way. After the scene fades, it then cuts to springtime with birdies singing as if the death was forgotten. Almost like how Man of Steel handled its death scene of Zod.

[–] Swill_Merchant 11 years ago

That's amazing. I had already outgrown animation by age 8 and was watching Friday the 13th and Scream. No scarring done.

Bambi was something I would watch at 3 or 4, even though it was never one of my favorites.

[–] MsELLERYqueen2 10 years ago

My dad saw this in the late forties and he's still grumbling about what happened to Bambi's mom. Somehow, I've never seen this film!

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) & ElleryQueen

[–] Weber4278 10 years ago

Bambi was the first movie I ever saw in theaters...I had to be about 5 years old when my mom took me to see it. It will always be special for me because it was the first movie I ever cried at.

I think it was the first time I realized that losing a parent was a possibility, that such things can happen in life.

But it didn't 'scar' me for life...I still loved the movie, my mom just had to reassure me that Bambi's 'daddy' will take care of him and then I was fine...especially once the scene cut to Bambi as a grown-up and I saw that he was happy lol.

I think children shouldn't be sheltered from the hard realities of life, and the truth is...loved one sometimes do die, it's just a part of life. I think Bambi is a great way to introduce children to the idea of death because it shows that life goes on after tragedy... Bambi grew up to find happiness again.

That is a great message!

Someday I will show this film to my kids and you know what...I hope they DO cry! There is nothing wrong with being touched by a movie to shed a few tears, some of the best movies can be the most emotional.