Bambi: a classic Disney animation about a cute deer finding his way in the world, or a heartbreaking, gut-wrenching movie that's just too tough to watch?
The film fits both categories, but it's the fear of people finding the movie too hard to watch that has led former Disney screenwriter Lindsey Anderson Beer to think about how it could be updated.
Originally released in 1942, Bambi is the latest Disney film facing the live-action treatment, with Anderson Beer among those who worked on the new project before she stepped away due to other commitments.
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Though most original Disney films made it to modern-day audiences even before remakes, Anderson Beer believes there's an 'entire generation of children' who have never seen the original Bambi.
"That’s very different from, say Little Mermaid or Aladdin or the ‘90s heyday films that they’ve definitely already seen," Anderson Beer said in an interview with Collider.
"I can’t tell you how many kids I’ve seen who’ve never seen Bambi, which is such a shame.”
The screenwriter described the film as a 'classic' and a 'beautiful love poem', but - spoiler alert - she believes its dealings with the death of a parent have prompted some adults to keep it from their kids.
"Not to spoil the plot, but there’s a treatment of the mom dying that I think some kids, some parents these days are more sensitive about than they were in the past. And I think that’s one of the reasons that they haven’t shown it to their children," she said.
In an effort to encourage people to watch the remake, Anderson Beer revealed that creators have sought to make the film more relatable to a wider audience.
“I do think there is a way to update Bambi and our take on it was… did give a little bit more of a scope to it," she said. "And I just think that to be able to bring it to life for kids these days in a way that maybe they relate to a little bit more would be of service to the original.”
Though some people might be glad to hear of the changes, news that the film will be 'modernised' has been met with backlash from a lot of Disney fans.
"Disney's Bambi live-action remake will reportedly be 'modernized' from the original... I have a horrible feeling about this," one person wrote after hearing the news.
Another added: "No. Nobody ask you for another live action remake, Disney. Stop ruining our childhood."
Disney hasn't shared a release date for the live-action version of Bambi, but Anderson Beer said the film is still underway without her as she's moved to working on Pet Sematary: Bloodlines.
Topics: TV and Film, Disney, Viral
Emily Brown