The Fox and the Hound

The Fox and the Hound, Disney's latest animated home video, is a worthwhile addition to any collection. Released in 1981 (and again a few years later), it was a moderate success at the box office. After over a decade, the animated feature finally makes it to video shelves, giving a larger audience the chance to enjoy it.

The animated film begins with an orphaned fox being taken under the care of a kind, old woman. Tod, as the lady calls him, roams the farm where he lives and meets a hound dog named Copper. The two establish a charming friendship, not knowing that they're supposed to be enemies. As they grow older, the two grow more and more apart until each character strongly evaluates the lifelong companionship.

Although The Fox and the Hound is a good movie, it suffers from a few flaws. It gets off to a relatively slow start, and doesn't really pick up until halfway through. The film also faces the disadvantage of not having enough strong and interesting supporting characters. There really isn't a Sebastian (The Little Mermaid) or Genie (Aladdin) who steals the show. The Fox and the Hound also lacks animation quality of such recent Disney films as Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.

Nevertheless, The Fox and the Hound is a great movie that shouldn't be passed by. It has a Bambi-like feel to it that should satisfy the tastes of all fans of Disney animation. Since it's priced for purchasing, I recommend buying it so that it can be enjoyed over and over again. .



Review by C. S., Chicopee, MA