The Walt Disney Family Museum is celebrating the perpetual preservation of the beloved Bambi by the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry with two special screenings of the classic 1942 animated feature. Presented in our museum’s state-of-the-art digital Fantasia-themed theatre on Saturday March 3 at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m, these screenings—and supplemental discussions—will be free with museum admission.
Hosted by Disney Historian J.B. Kaufman, the screenings bookend a discussion of the our museum’s extensive collection of Bambi artifacts. Each screening includes a question and answer session.
Librarian of Congress James H. Billington selected Bambi, along with 24 other films from more than 2,000 nominations to be preserved as cultural, artistic and historical treasures in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.
One of Walt Disney’s timeless classics (and a personal favorite of his), this animated coming-of-age tale of a wide-eyed fawn’s life in the forest has enchanted generations since its debut 70 years ago.
"Bambi was one that we had a little trouble starting," Walt said, "because we had the book and we were trying to retain certain things from the book. And it was quite a fight there, ‘til we finally decided that for our medium there were many things in the book that were not right, and then we made the changes. And when we finally we got our own little plan for Bambi, why we begin to roll—we had a lot of fun with it."
Filled with iconic characters and moments, the film features beautiful images that were the result of extensive nature studies by Disney’s animators. Its realistic characters capture human and animal qualities in the time-honored tradition of folklore and fable, which enhance the movie’s resonating, emotional power. Treasured as one of film’s most heart-rending stories of parental love, Bambi also has come to be recognized for its eloquent message of nature conservation.
"There’s something in Bambi I think," Walt recalled, "that will last a long time."
Other Walt Disney films in the National Film Registry include Fantasia (1941), Pinocchio (1940), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs(1937), Steamboat Willie (1928), and Three Little Pigs (1933).
For each title named to the registry, the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation works to ensure that the film is preserved for future generations, either through the Library’s massive motion-picture preservation program or through collaborative ventures with other archives, motion-picture studios and independent filmmakers. The Packard Campus is home to more than six million collection items, including nearly three million sound recordings. It provides staff support for the Library of Congress National Film Preservation Board, the National Recording Preservation Board and the National Registries for film and recorded sound.
Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution. It seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions.
Hope to see you here to celebrate this milestone film and the honor of its preservation with us on March 3.