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Deep Dive: Tyrus (2015)

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Tyrus
Tyrus is a feature-length documentary directed by Pamela Tom that focuses on the life and work of Tyrus Wong, a Chinese American artist whose paintings inspired the classic animated film Bambi. The film chronicles Wong's immigration to the U.S. from Guangzhou as a boy and the influence of his father's encouragement on his artistic talent. It shows Wong's unique artistic style, which was shaped by his admiration for the Song dynasty and Western artists like Picasso and Whistler, using simple brushstrokes and watercolors to create evocative landscapes. The documentary also covers Wong's career at Walt Disney Studios, where his artistic vision became the foundation for Bambi's visual aesthetics. Despite his significant contributions to Hollywood, Wong faced racial discrimination that led to a lack of recognition for many years. The film concludes with Wong's legacy as he passed away at the age of 106, marking him as the oldest-known living Chinese American artist at the time of his death.

Why Watch

  • •Meet Tyrus Wong, the artist behind Bambi's landscapes.
  • •See how Wong's style influenced Disney's animation.
  • •Find out about Wong's life as a kite designer.

Did You Know

•Tyrus Wong immigrated to the U.S. from Guangzhou as a boy.
•Wong's art inspired the visual look of Bambi, constituting all its background art.
•He worked in Hollywood for nearly 30 years but was not recognized until the 21st century.
•Wong died at the age of 106 on December 30, 2016.

Perfect For

Animation enthusiastsArt history fansDisney lovers