Straight to Video: The Fox and the Hound 2
Anybody remember the phrase “straight-to-video?” It either referred to a new film that was so unpopular that it left theaters quickly or a lower-quality film that intentionally skipped theaters altogether and reached audiences for the first time at home. I was reminded of this not-so-flattering phrase recently (and its slightly less negative direct-to-video synonym) when my son found The Fox and the Hound 2 on Netflix. He was home from school with a fever and looking for low-energy entertainment. “They made a second one?” I responded when he asked me if we could watch it. Needless to say my expectations were low. Maybe so low that I found the movie entertaining, but not for the reasons you might think. Today’s post takes a look at The Fox and the Hound 2 and the broader topic of Disney’s straight-to-video history.
Disney goes straight-to-video
Let’s start with the history.
Disney started releasing direct-to-video full-length animated features in 1994. It was a move prompted by then Disney CEO Michael Eisner to expand company revenue streams. He also launched Disney Broadway, Disney Vacation Club and Disney Cruise lines so, you know, many of his ventures were criticized at first and then deemed fairly (bonkers-level?!?) successful.
These projects were called direct-to-video because the films really were released on videotape or video home systems (VHS). The name stuck of course, even though eventually the movies moved to other formats. Today the VHS cases are considered retro. Disney even sells mini versions of them in their gift shops, although they tend to stick to classic titles.
Many weren’t fans of Eisner’s decision. The newer films were typically sequels or new unrelated stories involving the popular characters from Disney’s theatrical releases. Reusing these characters and even some of the original animation, saved the company tons of money on the production of the films as well as the marketing and distribution. Unfortunately, some of the short cuts producing these 35+ direct-to-video films (not including the endless sing-along versions!) led to some less memorable (bad?) movies.
The division of Disney responsible for these films (MovieToons and then DisneyToons) also produced the original Duck Tales series for television and few theatrical releases (Planes spin-off from Disney Pixar’s Cars). They had some success with the Tinkerbell reboot in more recent years, but were eventually shut down just last summer.
The company’s current strategy appears to be sending sequels (Wreck-it-Ralph 2, Frozen 2, etc.) directly to the big screen instead. Of course Disney is tied to numerous projects designed for distribution via streaming services too, but I’m not sure straight-to-streaming is really a thing. Though it kind of has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?
These types of straight-to-streaming projects don’t necessarily mean they are lower budget projects like their predecessors either.
The Fox and The Hound 2
So with that low bar in mind and the history of the endless direct-to-video sequels swirling in my head (Cinderella 3? Hunchback of Notre Dame 2. Really?) I watched The Fox and The Hound 2 reluctantly.
Surprisingly, there was quite a bit to like about it. For starters, it features several recognizable names such as Patrick Swayze, Reba McEntire, Jeff Foxworthy, Vicki Lawrence and Stephen Root (Office Space!). It also includes Jim Cummings, who may not be a household name, but lends his voice to numerous Disney characters including Winnie the Pooh.
Patrick Swayze plays a character called Cash (Freudian slip?), which made me smile because I liked him as an actor and was surprised to hear his voice again.
I also enjoyed the film’s Saturday morning cartoon feel. Perhaps this vibe was a side effect of the film’s origins from the television production side of Disney or maybe it was because I was still in my pajamas while watching it. Who knows, but it also made me smile.
The story wasn’t bad either. The Fox and the Hound 2 follows the adventures of Copper the Fox and Tod the Hound, two unlikely friends living on nearby farms. Tod joins a singing group of dogs at the country fair and learns to balance his own interests with those of his friend. The rest of the story is predictable enough and briefly addresses the popular Disney messages of friendship, loyalty and forgiveness. It’s corny, yet sweet and held my son’s attention even under the influence of ibuprofen.
I wasn’t on ibuprofen at the time, but I enjoyed the film too. It’s fun for me to experience a new Disney story, most of the time, which is probably what Eisner was banking on when he originally came up with the direct-to-video strategy.
Country Expressions
Surprisingly, my favorite parts of the film were the ridiculous country expressions sprinkled throughout. Forgive me in advance for perpetuating the silliness, but I jotted some of them down to share:
(Note: They may seem less shocking if you read them in your head with your best country accent.)
“If your ear were any more tin, they could can beans with it.”
“We go together like wet dog and smelly.”
“It’s as plain as a pig on a sofa.”
“He’s busier than two mice in a cheese shop.”
“He tosses me aside like yesterday’s corn bread.”
“That last note (he sang) was flatter than a duck’s footprint.”
“That’s as useless as a milk pail under a bull”
“He can talk a dog off a meat truck”
“He’s as busy as a farmer with one hoe and two snakes.”
“He’s as nervous as a flea on dip day.”
And my personal favorite, “You couldn’t find a rabbit in the petting zoo on Easter Sunday.”
Still with me? At times the film felt like one long stretch of bad analogies. It finally wore me down and made me laugh though. It reminded me of watching Country Bear Jamboree.
Bottom line?
So now that you’ve got some corny (useful?) phrases in your head, let me wrap this up.
The Fox and The Hound 2 is an example of Disney’s direct-to-video experiment. It was a long, profitable venture spanning 20 years, 35+ films and millions of dollars. Many of these titles are dismissed today as lower quality works. Others, like The Fox and The Hound 2, are entertaining in their own way.
I guess they are little retro works of art too, although that may be pushing it.
Add a little magic to your world.