Disney's 30th Anniversary Edition 2-Movie Collection of 'The Fox and the Hound' and 'The Fox and the Hound II' Blu-ray/DVD Review

Disney's 30^th Anniversary Edition 2-Movie Collection of "The Fox and the Hound" and "The Fox and the Hound II" Blu-Ray/DVD Combo 3-Pack
Directed By: Richard Rich, Art Stevens, Ted Berman, and Jim Kammerud
Starring: Kurt Russell, Jack Albertson, Mickey Rooney, Sandy Duncan, Reba McEntire, Patrick Swayze, Jonah Bobo, Harrison Fahn, and Jeff Foxworthy
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Released Date: August 9, 2011
Rated G for All Audiences

Disney sure knows how to roll out their classics. In honor of the 30^th anniversary of the film, they have released a special 2-Movie Collection of "The Fox and the Hound" and "The Fox and the Hound II" on Blu-ray for the first time ever. Fans of the Disney classic can now get a 3-disc set that includes "The Fox and the Hound" digitally restored in high definition and "The Fox and the Hound II" as a bonus prize.

"The Fox and the Hound" tells the tale of "a young fox named Tod [who] is taken in by an old woman after his mother is killed by a hunter. Soon young Tod befriends Copper, a hound dog puppy. As they grow up their friendship is put to the test when Copper realizes that it is his job is to hunt foxes."

"The Fox and the Hound II" continues the story with "Copper bemoaning the fact that he can't seem to do anything right, Tod reassures him that eventually he'll find something at which he excels and invites him to the fair. Opportunity knocks when a vocal dog group called "The Singing Strays" loses its lead singer Dixie, and Copper discovers that he's a really good singer. Unfortunately, Copper's newly discovered fame leaves Tod feeling jealous and abandoned and threatens to destroy the pair's close friendship. Will a close examination of what's really important in life be enough to set things right between Tod and Copper?"

Obviously, the long sought after item here for Disney collectors is going to be the original "The Fox and the Hound" film. The 1981 classic is a beloved piece of animation that features an extraordinary voice cast. It includes Mickey Rooney, Kurt Russell, Sandy Duncan, and Jack Albertson.

It's also nice to have "The Fox and the Hound II," but it really is just an added bonus. The film was released in 2006 and wouldn't be considered a classic by any stretch of the imagination. There's a definite difference in animation styles and the voice cast is completely different.

Disc 1 is the Blu-ray version of "The Fox and the Hound" and "The Fox and the Hound II." It also includes the extra feature "Unlikely Friends," which is a fun, fascinating collection of stories about surprising friendships within the wild animal kingdom.

Disc 2 includes "The Fox and the Hound" film and a couple bonus features. It's hard for me to believe this, but Disney actually put more special features on the regular format DVDs in this collection than on the Blu-Ray. That's unheard of these days. The bonus features include "Passing the Baton: The Making of 'The Fox and the Hound'" Featurette and "The Best of Friends" Sing-Along Song.

Disc 3 includes "The Fox and the Hound II" movie and a couple more bonus features. They include "The Making of the Music" Behind-the-Scenes Featurette and "You Know I Will" Music Video performed by Lucas Grabeel ("High School Musical" movies).

You can't beat a great Disney hand-drawn animated feature. You sure can't beat it when it's been digitally restored and the color and sound is so vibrant. Disney's 30^th Anniversary Edition 2-Movie Collection of "The Fox and the Hound" and "The Fox and the Hound II" is a must-have for every fan of classic Disney films.

You can buy Disney's 30^th Anniversary Edition 2-Movie Collection of "The Fox and the Hound" and "The Fox and the Hound II" Blu-ray version right here.

You can buy Disney's 30^th Anniversary Edition 2-Movie Collection of "The Fox and the Hound" and "The Fox and the Hound II" regular format DVD version right here.

For more articles by Eric Shirey, check out:

"Bambi" Diamond Edition Blu-ray/DVD Movie Review
"Alice in Wonderland 60th Anniversary Edition" Blu-ray / DVD Movie Review
"Fantasia / Fantasia 2000" Blu-ray / DVD Movie Review