(The Disneycember logo is shown followed by scenes from The Fox and the Hound. The song "Best of Friends" plays throughout)
Big Mama: [Singing] When you're the best of friends, having so much fun together...
Doug (vo): The Fox and the Hound is another one of those Disney movies that probably has too many cutesy scenes in it, but to its credit, it uses it much more to its advantage.
Story
Doug (vo): The film’s about a little fox who loses his mother and gets taken up by an old lady. She unfortunately, though, happens to live right next door to a hunter who has a dog, two dogs, actually. But one of them is a puppy trying to learn how to hunt. Obviously, you think these two wouldn’t get along, but they seem to hit it off pretty well. As time goes on, their friendship becomes stronger despite the fact that everybody’s telling them they’re gonna be the worst of enemies. But they keep playing and having fun and constantly get into trouble. It’s not until the dog is taken away for a long time and becomes a professional hunting dog that he returns and finds that their friendship can’t be the way they were. Through an accident, the fox injures the dog’s best friend and then the dog vows vengeance. And on top of that, the woman finds she can’t hold onto that fox anymore and sets him free in the wild. This, according to every woman I've ever talked to, is a big tearjerker scene. So the two are now enemies out for blood and try to see who will come out on top.
Review
Doug (vo): It’s a good set-up for a story, and they do it pretty well, but I have to admit, I felt like it could be stronger. Like, instead of the best friend getting injured, why didn’t he die? I’m sorry, it’s just this movie would’ve been a lot more powerful if that dog died. Or how about when the woman is letting the fox go just having some instrumental music, or even have it silent, instead of playing whatever pop song was popular at the time? Little tidbits like that really keep me from loving this film, but as a Disney film, it’s pretty strong. The big scene after the climax is a very good payoff, and you do find yourself very invested in it. And like I said, some of the cutesy scenes drag, but I think it’s allowed to drag, sort of in the same way Bambi was allowed to drag. You know you’re gonna get to the harder stuff later.
Final thought
Doug (vo): I just wish it was a little harder. I don’t know, maybe it’s the sick bastard in me, but I think this could’ve been a little bit more adult. But, as is, it’s a decent movie. The songs aren’t really that memorable and I don’t remember too many of the side characters either, but it’s the friendship between the two of them that really holds up. I’d say it’s definitely worth your time taking a watch.
[The ending scene of the movie is shown]