Bambi Meets Godzilla

I remember watching this short when it was bonus material for the video "Godzilla 1985." It was shown right before the feature presentation started. In the video, as "Bambi Meets Godzilla" was shown before "Godzilla 1985," which is the first Godzilla film I've watched, this cartoon was actually the first Godzilla I've encountered, strangely enough. For anything Godzilla-related, this cartoon was the first to bring it to me. What a first impression of Godzilla!

The first time I saw this movie was in the mid 70s. It was a small town theatre (Elora Gorge Cinema) that held about 120 people. It was part of a midnight show and sandwiched between Reefer Madness and the Beatles' Let It Be.

Everyone sparked up when Reefer Madness started so when Bambi made her appearance we were all pleasantly buzzed.

When Godzilla made his appearance we were all pretty much destroyed. That was the first (and one of the few) times I've seen people actually rolling in the aisles. Some people were still laughing 10 minutes later and afterwards, it always brought a smile to our faces when mentioned.

I've seen it a few times since then and it still cracks me up... even when I'm sober.

Unimpressive visually, but this short was only made for one joke and the joke is funny. Better if you don't know anything about it before viewing it. Not worth running out and buying a video of, but worth checking out if you get the chance. EXTREMELY short (about 2 minutes).

7/10

A sweeping epic of monumental proportions, "Bambi Meets Godzilla" combines a lyrical script, stellar performances by the entire cast, the most outstanding special effects available at the time and a score which is a classic in its own right to produce a spectacle that is as memorable as it is lengthy. Not many movies can command an audience's attention for as long as "Bambi Meets Godzilla", but here the performances are so engaging, and the visuals so stunning, that it feels as if the movie is over almost before it has begun. Even so, it is just barely sufficient to contain the entire sweep of the grand drama it has embraced. Truly a magnum opus in every sense of the word.

Next to the original film with Raymond Burr this is the next best Godzilla movie. The film makers get right to the point. No time is wasted on worthless dialog. The Deer and giant creature meet and one of them wins, End of story roll credits. Vastly superior to the 1998 Godzilla full length feature film.