Woe is Bambi

So I just watched bits and pieces of the new Bambi movie, Bambi II, on yahoo. Let me just say that I remember seeing the first Bambi and being utterly horror struck when Bambi's mother gets shot. I don't remember if I cried when I saw it, but I remember being in shock. I just couldn't believe it.

I think that I saw it in 1982 (I was 4) when it was re-released in the theatres. I remember my aunt taking me, my sister, and my cousin (they would have been 2). I remember it being really dark, which is why I'm thinking I saw it in the theatre. And the images were large. All I could see was the snow on screen and the darkness around - that stark contrast, and shock.

(I hate trying to recall fuzzy childhood memories when you're not sure if they're "real" memories or not. If anyone in my family can confirm this story, shoot me an email.)

I know I cried later. When I taught preschool, and the kids watched videos during the first 1/2 hour and last 1/2 hour we were open, I did not watch Bambi. I tried once and started crying, so I flatly refused and took the tape out of the VCR when someone else put it in. Most of the kids had already seen Bambi, but I couldn't handle it.

I bawled for a week when I was forced to watch Old Yeller die in school, and after I saw The Color Purple, my mom and I sat in the living room floor and cried together. I remember coming home after school the day we saw Old Yeller, crying and feeling like a big baby for being so upset. My mom asked me what was wrong, and I didn't want to tell her. Eventually I did, and she held me and rocked me while I cried. I cried when we saw The Secret Garden at school. Seriously, I'm hard pressed to think of school movie that didn't make me cry.

Husband and I watched the preview for Eight Below--no way will I watch that, already cried. So I'm a bit sensitive. I like to think of it as empathy. It pains me to see others in pain, even when they're cartoons. (I also have to cover my eyes or leave the room when embarrassing things happen on TV because I get too embarrassed. It makes watching sitcoms a bit hard at times.)

I don't think the new Bambi will have any traumatizing scenes (although Husband was unfazed by the first one), but I still didn't plan on watching it. It seems to be a lot of cheesy songs and rehashing of the "cute" scenes form the first movie. Then I realized that Patrick Stewart is the voice of the Great Prince of the Forest, Bambi's father. I love Patrick Stewart. I might have to rent the movie now. Damn Captain Picard.