An incredibly rare and charming B2 poster for a 1957 Japanese re-release of the beloved Walt Disney classic Bambi. The touching tale of a young fawn destined to be Prince of the Forest was the fifth feature-length animated picture to be released by Disney and was critically acclaimed for its graceful animation and lush hand painted forest scenes. Generations of viewers might cite the shocking death of Bambi’s mother at the hands of an anonymous hunter, symbolizing Man's cruel destruction of nature, as their lasting association with the film, yet the story endures as a celebration of life and the cycle of nature. In 2008, the American film Institute named Bambi the third best film in the animation genre.

Featuring a lush full-bleed forest scene from the animation, this delightful poster was issued for a dubbed 1957 re-release, following the first Japanese release of the film in 1951, when Hollywood films were screened widely throughout the country during the US occupation. Along with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the feature length Disney animation had a marked influence on a generation of Japanese animators, most notably the "Father of Manga" Osamu Tezuka, who claimed to have seen the film over 80 times during its first release.

Provenance

Excellent (A)

Unfolded, conservation backed on linen. A tiny crease to the right of Flower's nose. Image and colours excellent.