The Fox And The Hound [HD]

Utterly charming and underrated
The Fox and the Hound was probably somewhat of a crossroads for Disney studios. The last of the old animators left with this underrated gem. It doesn't need to bombast young viewers with unnecessary action or dumbed down pseudo-epic storylines to attract attention. It's simply the story of a friendship that manages to transcend nature's dictations and any trials thrown at it.

This is a tale told with such heartfelt sincerity that it moves and touches viewers with its story alone; no need for semi-Broadway moments every ten minutes or cheap, carefully masked lewd humor sprinkled in for potential bored adults. The characters are endearing and artlessly likeable, and the lessons learned are timeless.

There are engagingly subtle touches that augment the main story, such as the ongoing battle between two determined birds (one with a curiously Brooklyn accent) and one very lucky caterpillar. The conclusion to this humorous yet strangely realistic chase is a startlingly touching...

Correct screen ratio! This movie IS FULL FRAME!
O.K. I can answer the many questions about the correct screen ratio of THE FOX AND THE HOUND.

I was a movie projectionist at the time and I had access to look at a 1988 re-release 35mm print of the movie and it was FULL FRAME! Yes, the movie is 1:33 to 1 , NOT WIDESCREEN!

You have to understand the thinking of 1980's Hollywood. Theaters were getting smaller, all movies ended up on television, and VHS & Beta home video tapes were becoming the popular way to watch movies. Therefore, many producers started filming their movies in the full frame television format, knowing that it is the way most people would see the film then.

Paramount even shot all of their 1980's comedies in full frame. Airplane I & II; Naked Gun I, II, III; Addams Family I & II; The Bette Midler movies , Throw Mama from the Train are part of the countless list of FULL FRAME movies that DVD is offering in a masked 1:85-1 format.

We should be glad that Buena Vista is...

Loss of Innocence
Disney studio's 1981 production of THE FOX AND THE HOUND seems to have been made mostly by the newer generation of artists at the studio. The film's look is similar to 1977's THE RESCUERS. Dismissing the high strung and flamboyant personality traits possessed by the likes of Bernard and Miss Bianca from the previous film, THE FOX AND THE HOUND concentrates on the more homespun qualities that were created for the bayou characters. This folksy and laid-back approach bolstered by Pearl Bailey's songs sung as Big Mama Owl and Buddy Baker's unpretentious score at once sets THE FOX AND THE HOUND apart from previous Disney animated films. In fact this film has a very un-Disney look about it. The film leisurely unfolds a story about an orphaned fox named Tod adopted by Widow Tweed, a farming woman. Tod befriends a puppy named Copper owned by Widow Tweed's neighbor, the hunter Amos Slade, and they become friends. The fox and the hound make a pact of lifelong friendship. Inevitably after Copper...

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