After “The Rescuers” came out in 1977, Disney made a string of films in The 1980’s starting with “The Fox And The Hound,” “The Black Cauldron,” “Oliver And Company,” “The Great Mouse Detective” & “The Little Mermaid.” Their first movie in decade is The Fox And The Hound.
The Fox And The Hound was released in 1981. (same year Escape From New York came out) At the time of its release, it earned mixed reviews from critics yet made enough revenue at the box office. Overtime, The Fox And The Hound gained positive reactions from critics and families alike.
Several Disney movies are getting remade including “Snow White,” “Pinocchio,” “Peter Pan,” “The Little Mermaid,” “The Hunchback Of Notre Dame,” “Bambi,” “Robin Hood” & “Hercules.” I want to share my thoughts on The Fox And The Hound before the aforementioned remakes come out.
Original Animated Movies such as “Raye And The Last Dragon” & “Encanto” are slated to be released in 2021.
I don’t care if SPOILERS are listed. Everybody knows what happens at the end. If you haven’t seen The Fox & The Hound, read at your own risk. Does it still hold up? Let’s find out.
Cute & Ugly Aspects
Cute: Kurt Russell & the late Mickey Rooney both did a great job for their respective voiceover performances as Chopper & Tod.
Animation brings many elements to life such as character models, environmental locations, fluid movement just to name a few things.
Chemistry between Tod & Chopper serve as the main highlight. As the film progresses, their friendship begins to crumble.
The Ending is bittersweet when Tod & Chopper are forced to go their separate ways. If you have a sensitive side as an animal lover, bring a couple tissues. Personally, I didn’t cry.
Corey Feldman provides the voice as young Chopper.
Correct me if I’m wrong, is Jeanette Nolan related to Christopher Nolan? He’s my idol and favorite filmmaker of all time.
Opening Scene establishes Tod’s backstory.
Is it me or does the owl remind of that one owl from “Winnie The Pooh?”
Don Bluth (The Secret Of NIMH, Dragon’s Lair, An American Tale, The Land Before Time) drew some scenes uncredited before he left production so he can start his solo career. Don leaving production causes the film to be delayed.
Then unknowns such as Tim Burton, Brad Bird, Henry Selick, John Musker, Ron Clements, John Lasseter (too bad he’s a registered groper) & Mark Dindal worked their butts off animating the film. All of them ultimately became prominent figures of the “Disney Renaissance.” Perhaps the greatest era in Disney history.
The Third Act gets good when Tod & Chopper are forced to fight each other.
Ugly: The Tone for the film sometimes loses its identity if it wants to be a cutsey animal fest or a tragic drama. I think The Fox And The Hound suffers from Bi-Polar Disorder. Because the movie is having a tough time deciding if it is lighthearted cutesy film or a serious Oscar Bait film.
I know they’re animals, but an early romance between Tod & Vixey happened. If this were real life, it’ll take a few weeks for a couple to get to know one other until a relationship is fully established. Disney is known pairing two characters way too soon. I hate this forced cliche.
Chief manages to survive a train and falls from a bridge. This would never happen in real life.
Although heavily advertising on VHS, DVD/Blu-ray, The Bear only appears until the last minutes of the film.
Amos Slade never earns punishment. Can you imagine if Calvin Candie from “Django Unchained” never gets his comeuppance? Although he spares Tod due to an injury, he might seek his revenge. I would’ve given Amos a pass if he had a complex backstory.
Dinkey & Boomer’s side story trying to capture a caterpillar has nothing to do with the main plot. Could’ve been a short film like Pascal (not Pedro Pascal) & Maximus (not Russell Crowe) from “Tangled” trying to retrieve wedding rings in the short film “Tangled Ever After.”
I didn’t cry when Tod is left in the woods all alone. Disney films never shed any tears in my eyes. Only animated series that made me cry was Code Lyoko’s Season 2 finale. The Ending never got me ballin. A guy like me is very difficult when it comes to crying in movies.
The Final Verdict: C-
I hate to break it to you Disney fans. As a kid, I thought The Fox And The Hound was good. Now that I’m older, it has problems. Not a masterpiece or an epic clunker, just a disappointment. As a critic, I have to give beloved classics tough love pinpointed inconsistencies. If you want to defend the film, so be it. If you want to watch a better animated film about friendship, try watching my personal favorites like the “Toy Story” series, the “Shrek” series or “Wreck-It-Ralph.”
Nickthemoviecritic.com 