Hard Pass on Disney’s Bambi Remake
It wouldn’t be a month without Disney announcing another live action remake of one of their animated movies and essentially ruining your childhood. The studio that brought you Cinderella again, Beauty and the Beast again, Aladdin again, Dumbo again, Lady and the Tramp again, is gearing up for their next big production. Get ready for it.
They are bringing Bambi and all its depressing glory to life on the big screen.
The cartoon that taught you that humans suck and mommies die is getting a live action remake ala The Lion King. Real deer. Fake mouths. Awkward AF.
Bambi joins a long list of Disney live action remakes already in the works. This summer, we get a Mushu-less Mulan, whose titular actress sparked controversy for supporting police violence against pro-democracy protestors in China and the irony is definitely not lost on us. There’s also a Harry Styles-less Little Mermaid in preproduction. Although I appreciate Disney taking a progressive step forward with the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel, that storyline does not age well for the 21st century. Also, didn’t we just have the dumpster fire of the live television production, complete with a Flounder that looked like it had seen too much in its lifetime?
I think Flounder is having an existential crisis. #TheLittleMermaidLive pic.twitter.com/OCSUHQWrNM
— 🌊Rachel W 🌊 (@Rachlikesstuff) November 6, 2019
But the announcement of Bambi’s remake leads me to question why we really need another live action remake. What is it in our culture or society that screams out we need this film to come to life?!
First of all, when was the last time YOU watched Bambi? Scratch that. When’s the last time any child under the age of 13 watched Bambi? Do they even know this cartoon exists? I mean, I’m all for showing the youths of today the classics, but is Bambi the first VHS (because you know you don’t have that on DVD) you reach for? Probably not.
The remake also paints a startlingly picture of the beloved film company: Disney has just plain run out of ideas. The animation studio’s last original, non-sequel film was 2016’s Moana.(Note: 2017’s Coco was Pixar/Disney). Sure, the studio has picked up a few franchises along the way – y’know like Star Wars and Marvel – and chances are they’re going to buy the rights to your social security number because they’re Disney. In the meantime, they’ve been supplementing with sequels and remakes of films that already stand the test of time.
We get it, Disney. You want our money. You know that people will take their kids to see two real life lions sing about falling in love with zero emotion on their face, or watch Will Smith be a genie who only grants nightmares, not wishes. Yes, Disney, these are moneymakers, but they’re not the classics. Movies like Frozen and Zootopia show us that you still have amazing, original ideas. I promise we’re patient and we’ll wait for those, just leave the Disney vault alone.
In the meantime, let’s promote the originals, teach future generations to appreciate these films, and keep fingers crossed that Disney decides not to remake Pocahontas.
