One of the first movies I can remember ever seeing in a theater was The Fox and The Hound. I am pretty sure it was the first one I ever saw in the theater. And as a kid who really likes dogs this became one of my most favorite movies ever. I would read about dogs, draw pictures of dogs and want to see movies about dogs. The story of the Fox and the Hound will forever have a place in my heart.

I introduced Copper and Tod to Eva the other day and she enjoyed the movie. She did get scared at some parts because like all Disney movies there are some intensely scary scenes for young kids so that the heroes of the films can prevail. We received the Blu-ray and DVD combo pack and watched the movie on DVD. Once we get a Blu-ray player we’ll watch the movies on that instead. We got the movie early but you can pick up this 30th anniversary release today as it it hits stores today August 9th. In case you don’t know much about the movie I’ve included a press release and some fun activities and videos to get acquainted with the characters.

Here is the Activity Sheets that you can print out and share with your kids. I love that you can print and color these fun character pages.

And here are some videos that introduce you to the world of the Fox and the Hound.

Helping Tod (Film)

Losing Breakfast (Film)

New Friends (Film)

Very Best Friend (Film)

The Hippo and the Tortoise (Bonus)

THE FOX AND THE HOUND 2 – VIDEO CLIP EMBED CODES

Joining the Band (Film)

Good Doggie, No Bone (Film)

We’re In Harmony (Film)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

In Celebration of THE FOX AND THE HOUND’s 30th Anniversary!

TWO CLASSIC TALES OF FRIENDSHIP AND ADVENTURE RELEASE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF – AUGUST 9, 2011

The Fox and The Hound & The Fox and The Hound 2 – 2-MOVIE COLLECTION

BURBANK, Calif., May 9, 2011— In the tradition ofheart-warming films, such as Bambi and Dumbo, comes Disney’s classic tales that taught us the power of friendship in The Fox and the Hound and The Fox and the Hound 2, in a special 30th Anniversary 2-Movie Collection. For the first time ever in high-definition, consumers can now experience the brilliant, humor-filled adventures of best friends Copper and Tod in an all-new digitally restored version of the original 1981 film, arriving to stores on August 9, 2011.

Featuring an all-star cast of voice talents, toe-tapping music and fantastic bonus features, consumers can take home two of Disney’s beloved “tails.” The Fox and the Hound and The Fox and the Hound 2, 2-Movie Collection features both movies in a single 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack. This release provides families with the value, versatility and opportunity to enjoy their favorite movies how they want, when they want and on the entertainment platform of choice – whether it’s in the home, on a portable device and/or in the car.

The Fox and the Hound and The Fox and the Hound 2 will be available as follows:
3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (suggested retail price of $39.99 U.S. /$46.99 Canada)
· 1 Blu-ray Disc that has both films on it
· 1 DVD of The Fox and the Hound
· 1 DVD of The Fox and the Hound 2
2-Disc DVD Set (suggested retail price of $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada)
· 1 DVD of The Fox and the Hound
· 1 DVD of The Fox and the Hound 2
Movie Download (each film is sold separately)
· High Definition
· Fox and the Hound (HD) = $39.99 U.S./$45.99 Canada
· Fox and the Hound 2 (HD) = $39.99 U.S./$45.99 Canada
· Standard Definition
· Fox and the Hound (SD) = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada
· Fox and the Hound 2 (SD) = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada
Further engaging fans and families beyond the story itself, Disney has included five unique bonus features that provide consumers with the ability to further immerse themselves in the storyline, its history and characters themselves with an entertaining look inside the fascinating collection of unlikely friendships in the animal kingdom, Disney’s historic and legendary animators, the making of the music and more. They are as follows:

Bonus Features:
Blu-ray Disc:
· Unlikely Friends: A fun and fascinating Collection of Unlikely Friendships in the Animal Kingdom (ALL-NEW) — Friendships know no boundaries. They can occur across country lines, be shared among young and old and even develop between different species!
DVD’s:
· The Fox and the Hound:
o “Best of Friends” Sing-A-Long – Viewers are invited to sing along with Pearl Bailey on this Walt Disney Classic Song.
o Passing the Baton: Making of The Fox and the Hound – This feature allows fans to take a deeper look at this little bit of Disney history as legendary animators hand over the reins to a new generation.
· The Fox and the Hound 2 :
o “You Know I Will” Music Video – High School Musical Star Lucas Grabeel sings this end-credit song.
o The Making of the Music – Music is the center stage in The Fox and the Hound 2. As such, this feature showcases how the songs in the film were created with Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood and some of the hottest performers in Nashville. Viewers will further discover how animation and music work together to further enhance a classic story.

The Fox and The Hound, Disney’s 24th animated feature released in 1981, marked a “changing of the guard” from the legendary “nine old men,” including Wolfgang Reitherman, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, who had joined the studio its very early days and worked closely with Walt Disney to develop Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the very first animated feature, then went on to create timeless classics such as Cinderella,Bambi and Lady and the Tramp. These iconic figures passed the torch to a new generation of animators including Ron Clements (Animated Screenplay/Story Artist on The Princess and the Frog, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid) Glen Keane (Animation Supervisor/Directing Animator on Tangled, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid) and John Musker (Animation Supervisor/Directing Animator on Princess and the Frog, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid), who would lead Disney animation’s renaissance in the 1980’s with new landmark animated films such as The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.

The voice talent on The Fox and the Hound was also a mix of old and new Hollywood with veterans such as Mickey Rooney (National Velvet, The Black Stallion), Pearl Bailey (Porgy and Bess) and Pat Buttram (TV’s “Green Acres”) joining up-and-coming stars Kurt Russell (Escape From New York, Miracle) and Corey Feldman (Stand By Me, The Lost Boys).

In 2006, Copper, Tod and their friends were brought back for The Fox and the Hound 2, featuring the vocal talents of Patrick Swayze (Ghost, Dirty Dancing), Reba McEntire (TV’s “Reba”), Lucas Grabeel (Disney Channel’s “High School Musical” franchise) and Trisha Yearwood (country music singer).

Social Media:
Those who want to stay connected with what’s happening with the upcoming release of The Fox and the Hound and The Fox and the Hound 2 are encouraged to:

· “Like” the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/DisneyFoxandHound

· Follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/disneyanimation

· View exciting trailers, video clips and more at http://www.youtube.com/disneymovies

The Fox and the Hound 30th Anniversary Synopsis
When Tod, an orphaned fox cub meets Copper, a coonhound puppy, they make a pledge to be lifelong friends, not realizing that Copper is being groomed to hunt wild animals, including foxes. Copper spends the winter with his owner, Slade, and an older dog, Chief, tracking animals at a remote cabin. When they return, a lonely Tod eagerly greets his old playmate but is stunned when a reluctant Copper joins Slade and Chief to chase Tod through the forest. During the pursuit, Tod escapes but Chief is seriously injured. Seeking revenge, Copper hunts down Tod only to find himself confronting an even bigger enemy, which he and Tod must face together.

The Fox and the Hound 2 Synopsis
In The Fox and the Hound 2, music takes centerstage as Tod contemplates joining up with “The Singin’ Strays,” a group of harmonizing dogs appearing at the local county fair but dreaming of hitting the big time at the Grand OleOpry. While Tod does his best to fit in with his new friends, Copper finds himself relegated to “roadie,” a position he begins to resent. With the encouragement of Dixie, the “diva” of “The Singin” Strays,” Copper manages to sabotage an important audition. The next day, their differences forgotten, Copper and Tod team up and, using Copper’s superior tracking skills, they locate the Grand Ole Opry talent scout who signs “The Singin’ Strays” (minus Tod, who chooses his friendship with Copper over fame) on the spot.

Disney Blu-ray Combo Packs:
To provide consumers with unprecedented quality, value and portability of their favorite Disney films, in 2008 WDSHE pioneered the Combo Pack – a Blu-ray Disc plus a DVD and in some cases a Digital copy of the movie in a single package. Current Disney films available in market as Combo Packs include Tangled, Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Bambi, Santa Paws and Beauty and the Beast.

About The Walt Disney Studios:
For more than 85 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company (DIS: NYSE) was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under four banners: Walt Disney Pictures, which includes Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, Disneynature, Touchstone Pictures and Marvel. Through the Home Entertainment division, innovative distribution methods provide access to creative content across multiple platforms. Original music and motion picture soundtracks are produced under Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records, while Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses liveevents, including Broadway theatrical productions, Disney on Ice and DisneyLIVE!. For more information, please visit www.disney.com.

Disclosure: I received a copy of The fox and the Hound & the Fox and the Hound 2 on Blu-Ray and DVD to watch. The opinions about this movie are 100% my own.