The Lion King vs Bambi

[DisneyFan09]

First of all I’ll have to apologize if this topic has already been discussed. I tried to look for a similar thread, but couldn’t find any. At least I tried, though. So if there is already a similar thread out there that I couldn’t find; I’m sorry.

Now back to the topic; Both Lion King and Bambi have some obvious similarities; Both films takes place in naturalistic surroundings. Both films are about animals (yes, I don’t count the unseen Man in “Bambi”, considering the fact that they were never seen). Both films are about a Prince who’s growing up. Both Princes looses their most beloved parent as a child. Both Princes takes their fathers place as an adult. Both Princes befriends their love interest as a child and falls in love with them as an adult. Both films have a fire sequence at the climax of the movie. Both movie ends with the Prince reproducing themselves (if you’ll exclude the fact that Bambi wasn’t with his kids at the end of the movie). There’s no denial that Lion King is very inspired from Bambi, just with a more developed story.

Now, which movie do you like best?

As I love both, I must say both movies have their special qualities about them. The Lion King has a better story and better songs. However, Bambi has more sincerity and has better characters, though the story is kinda sugary, especially at the end.

And least, but not least; Please explain why you like Bambi or Lion King better. Don’t just write the name and leave without explaining your opinion. Sorry if it seems like I’m bitching, but I want a compelling discussion.

[Angeldude98]

I actually like both. Each is very special in its own way, and each is a product of their own time. The Lion King got rave reviews for its use of CGI and its sophisticated animation, and also because of its songs which were done in a style that was hugely popular back in the 1990's. However, Bambi was made in 1942 and was just as highly praised for its animation sophistication. The opening sequence done with the multiplane camera was praised as a technological marvel back then, and so was the detailing that was used for the Little April Shower sequence. I think both of these films are very special. Yes, they are similar but they were made each in a different time period, and were made to appeal to the audiences of their time. I love Lion King's strong story and catching music, and I adore the classic feel and the sweetness of Bambi.

[Dr Frankenollie]

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[Disney's Divinity]

The Lion King. Bambi is beautiful, has a definite mood and a great soundtrack--its cast of characters is also superior--but the film just leaves me cold. A major example is how, every time I watch LK and Mufasa dies, I cry like crazy, but I'm unaffected when Bambi's mother is shot. Then again, I believe Bambi is less concerned with giving a sweeping, touching narrative, and more with expressing the cyclical and callous nature of life.

[DisneyFan09]

The Lion King. Bambi is beautiful, has a definite mood and a great soundtrack--its cast of characters is also superior--but the film just leaves me cold. A major example is how, every time I watch LK and Mufasa dies, I cry like crazy, but I'm unaffected when Bambi's mother is shot. Then again, I believe Bambi is less concerned with giving a sweeping, touching narrative, and more with expressing the cyclical and callous nature of life.

I understand why. I always getting a little moody when I see how Bambi looks for his mother, while I'm completely heartbroken when Simba sobs over his dads body. However, the fact how both different films deals with this issue is quite remarkable. Most people associate "Bambi" with the death of his mother. Yet its just a minor component of the coming-of-age story. While in "Lion King", the death scene has a major part in the puzzle and the whole story centers around the death of Mufasa.

[Super Aurora]

Lion King cause Lions are >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>than silly Deer and would eat them.

[Semaj]

While I've got nothing against Bambi, I hate that there's such a stigma it inadvertently helped build, that Disney is all about the "cutesy" stuff. And that the film is "inappropriate for children" because of the death of Bambi's mother alone. People just can't seem to grasp that Disney's earliest films were NOT made just for kids.

The only real thing going against The Lion King is the alleged plagiarism from Kimba the White Lion, despite the fact that the film also borrows from several other sources that would render such a claim irrelevant. While not my favorite of the Renaissance films, it's still a very well-made one with a very powerful message that even applies to the Disney studio itself.

[ajmrowland]

i personally would love to see MAD tackle the plagiarism issue.

TLK. it's more fun overall.

[blackcauldron85]

I like both. Neither is my absolute favorite Disney film, but I enjoy them both very much.

The opening sequence done with the multiplane camera was praised as a technological marvel back then

To me, that's one of the most breathtaking openings from a visual standpoint...Pinocchio's I think would be my absolute favorite, just thinking off the top of my head, but Bambi's is beautiful.

Bambi lacks the humor of The Lion King; Thumper's humor is more aww-shucks than Timon & Pumbaa's all-out hilarity.

both happen to be slight cases of style-over-substance.

You don't think that the stories or characters hold up to the artistic styles???

despite being unseen, Bambi's Man is an effective and detestable antagonist

I think that that's a good point. Fearing the unknown...

I think that it's interesting, just the artistry of Bambi, completely done without computers. Had it been made today, would the fire be CGI? I've always thought that the wildebeest stampede in TLK is epic, which it is, and the CGI wildebeest are very well done, but it just makes me...happy? knowing that Bambi's beauty was all hand-made.

[disneyhv996]

Both are my top 2 Disney Animated films. I love The Lion King a little more than Bambi.

[Dr Frankenollie]

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[Lazario]

I think they're both unbelievably overrated movies with characters that are about as deep and multi-layered as cardboard.

But The Lion King is slightly less old-fashioned and obnoxiously cloying, has better tension for tension's sake, a very good villain song, and visually it's just a more satisfying movie than Bambi.