The Fox and the Hound

The hunt for The Fox and the Hound is over. Based on Daniel P. Mannix's book, Disney's 24th animated feature is a bittersweet nature-versus-nurture story about two natural-born enemies who become friends in the innocence of childhood. One is a fox named Tod (voiced by Keith Mitchell as a kit and Mickey Rooney as an adult), who is orphaned right after the opening credits. The other is Copper (voiced by Corey Feldman as a pup and Kurt Russell as an adult), a hound dog. "We'll always be friends forever, won't we?" Tod asks amid one of their idyllic romps in the forest. "Yeah, forever," Copper responds. But, as wise owl Big Mama (voiced by Pearl Bailey) later cautions Tod, "Forever is a long time, and time has a way of changing things." Before long, the animals are grown, and Copper is following his basic instincts. "I'm a hunting dog now," he tells Tod. When Copper's mentor, Chief (Pat Buttram), is injured trying to capture Tod, Copper swears revenge. The next time they meet, it will not be as the "Best of Friends" (the film's most enduring song). The Fox and the Hound ushered in a new era for Disney: it was the first film to combine veteran animators with a new generation of artists, who do their elders proud. Among those who would later distinguish themselves include John Musker (The Little Mermaid) and Glen Keane (Tarzan), who animated this film's harrowing climax, in which a towering and ferocious grizzly bear attacks Copper and Tod. The distinctive voice cast includes Sandy Duncan as Tod's love interest Vixey; Jack Albertson as Copper's irascible and trigger-happy owner (no comic bungler, this guy means business in scenes that may disturb younger viewers); Jeanette Nolan as the Widow Tweed, who provides the young Tod with a home before returning him to the forest; and, for comic relief, Paul "Tigger" Winchell as Boomer, a woodpecker who (in the film's running gag) unsuccessfully pursues an elusive caterpillar. The Fox and the Hound may not rank in the pantheon of Disney classics, and it is more leisurely paced than the current crop of computer-animated films, but its simple story of friendship will resonate with young viewers. Unavailable for several years, The Fox and the Hound has been unleashed on DVD in this “25th Anniversary Edition” with a solid set of extras, including the Oscar-winning Pluto cartoon "Lend a Paw," the Oscar-nominated animated short "Lambert the Sheepish Lion," and a new featurette about the studio's changing of the guard, "Passing the Baton," as a well as a read-along storybook and sing-along segment. A strong optional purchase. [Note: the direct-to-DVD sequel The Fox and the Hound 2 is also newly available.] (D. Liebenson)[Blu-ray Review—Aug. 2, 2011—Walt Disney, 3 discs, 152 min., G, $39.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1981's The Fox and the Hound and 2006's The Fox and the Hound II both sport great transfers with DTS-HD 5.1 sound. Blu-ray extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette on the sequel's soundtrack (10 min.), “Unlikely Friends” stories about surprising friendships within the animal kingdom (8 min.), a “Passing the Baton” making-of featurette (7 min.), “The Best of Friends” sing-along (3 min.), the music video for “You Know I Will” by Lucas Grabeel, bonus DVD copies of the films, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine Blu-ray debut for a pair of lesser Disney animated films.]