This is an interesting release for the Walt Disney Company. It is the first time that the Fox and the Hound and the Fox and the Hound II have been released on Blu-ray. It also appears as if the only reason the Blu-ray is being released is to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Fox and the Hound, which debuted summer of 1981. The sequel was released in 2006 and was nearing the end of the Company’s plans to bulk up their coffers by releasing mediocre direct-to-video (dvd) sequels, prequels and mid-quels.
The only reason to buy this set is to watch the Fox and the Hound on Blu-ray. There is one featurette and it is a gimmicky look at how animals of different species can be friends. You would hope that Disney would have released a treasure trove of documentaries and behind-the-scenes information, since this was one of the most popular animated films done between the Jungle Book and the Little Mermaid. Alas, the only reason to buy the Blu-ray is to secure a hi-definition copy of the Fox and the Hound.
The Fox and the Hound was the film that acted as a watershed between Disney’s Nine Old Men and the next generation of Disney animators. This film was a proving ground for many of today’s animating legends: Glen Keane, John Musker, Ron Clements and Don Bluth. This was the film that saw Bluth’s defection to create his own studio and with him went a large number of experienced animators.
The Fox and the Hound II is a midquel, a film that takes place in the middle of the Fox and the Hound. The animation has that sharpness of modern animation, that sets it apart from its predecessor. It also neglected to catch the attention of anyone in my family, outside of my seven year-old. He claimed that the movie was fantastic while the rest of us gave up on it.
So, for the third time: the only reason to buy this Blu-ray is to have the Fox and the Hound in this pristine, digital state.