FILM REVIEW: The Fox and the Hound

[diebitter]

This is a Disney animated film, made in 1981. It concerns the bond between a puppy and a fox cub who are the best of friends, but then get separated and grow up apart. The dog becomes a hunting dog, and when he returns to the house nearby, his fox friend wants to see him again - but the training and hunting he has done gets in the way of their continuing friendship...

The film ran for the first 5-10 minutes, and I wasn't impressed. It was not particularly good animation (but then Disney hadn't had really good animation for some time - going right back to the mighty Jungle book), but the events, dialogue and 'comedy' on screen were not too engaging. However, once the future friends met, it took a distinct turn for the better. The friendship played out as quite touching, and the story developed pretty solidly after that. There was some fallback into scenes with cutesy secondary characters which largely failed, but they were minimal in length after the first 10 minutes, so it was bearable.

Be sure, this is a children's film through and through (no toy-story type adult stuff packed in, and no concessions for adults - except those reliving childhood), but it has a few touching scenes that some adults will like.

First, and probably most traumatic for children (if they get what's happening), and possibly most affecting for adults too, was the point where the old lady that raised the fox took him for a car drive, and had to leave him in the woods. As she got back in, and turned to look back, the fox was a mix of trusting and confusion, but he stayed where he was put. A tear dropped from the old lady's eye, and she drove off. It was moving, in its own way. This scene reminded me of a similar scene in AI where the little boy is dumped in the woods by his 'mommy', and cursed with a love for a mother that couldn't accept him. I suspect that parents would most likely be moved more by either scene than singletons and people not too keen on kids anyway.

The second was at the end, where the hunter finally gets the fox in his sights, and all the dog has to do is move away... I'll not spoil it, but it also can be moving, if you are in the right frame of mind.

Anyway, this is a children's film foremost, and eminently acceptable and fine for that. The rating is therefore really for you to consider for your kids or kids in your care, and I'd recommend it for kids everywhere.



OVERALL: 3/5 for kids

RATINGS (out of 5):
1 - don't bother
2 - okay for a single watch, if you've got time
3 - Definite watch if you get a chance
4 - See it very soon, at least once before you die
5 - See it immediately, no excuses


Opinions/comments/arguments please, especially if you think I missed anything worth discussion/expansion, or violently agree or disagree.