The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 4, 2019

Five years ago, I covered the theatrical release of “Ernest & Celestine,” and fell deeply in love with the modest feature, adoring its sense of humor and richly define characters. The production was gorgeously animated as well, doing something special with a limited budget and position outside the Hollywood animation machine. Co-director Benjamin Renner returns (joined by Patrick Imbert) with “The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales,” which offers an anthology take on colorful shenanigans involving anthropomorphic animals. While gentleness has been dialed down some, Renner retains his sense of humor, delivering a more cartoon-style romp with three different stories of farmyard creature concern, sold with strong artistry and performances, giving the co-helmer another delightful offering with a sly sense of French humor.

Hoping to put on a big show for viewers, The Honeysuckle Farm Theater Company is offering entertainment in the form of three plays starring the residents of the animal community. In “A Baby to Deliver,” Pork (English voicing by Justin Edwards) is a pig who’s trying to keep his daily garden chores away from nuisances Bunny (Adrian Edmondson) and Duck (Bill Bailey). When a tired stork leaves a baby in a nearby tree, the bird tricks the trio into completing his delivery, bringing the infant to its rightful parents. A simple task proves impossible with dim-wits Bunny and Duck, forcing Pork to pick up the slack. In “The Big Bad Fox,” hunger pains prove to be a powerful motivator for Fox (Giles New), who steals three eggs from Chicken (Celia Imrie), returning them to his home. When the eggs hatch, the chicks assume Fox is their mother, looking to the spineless animal to teach them the ways of being predators. Putting pressure on Fox is Wolf (Matthew Goode), who’s patiently waiting for the birds to fatten up, leaving the new mom to scramble as he fights to protect his children. And in “We Must Save Christmas,” Bunny and Duck put themselves in charge of becoming Santa Claus for the holiday, planning a major adventure bringing toys to the children of the world. However, they have no clue how to pull off such an event, roping in Pork to help with the details.

The Honeysuckle Farm Theater Company idea is a simple way to connect the stories, imagining a playhouse where the animals get together to put on a show, hoping their special brand of mayhem will delight a wide audience. Initially planned as a television production, “The Big Bad Fox” is merely three shorts stitched together, lacking an overall arc besides the anxiety of certain characters trying to make certain the program goes off without an issue. This being a cartoon world, there are plenty of issues. The screenplay doesn’t delve too deeply into the framing device, quickly launching into “A Baby to Deliver,” which has the distinction of being the first of the tales and the best one, depicting a particularly panicky day where Pork is pulled into a scheme to deliver a baby while in the company of Rabbit and Duck, who are complete idiots. The adventure takes the trio around the local forest, trying to make their way to the infant’s new home, only to encounter problems of every kind along the way, including care for a small Chinese monkey who wants to go home. The solution to this problem is one of many crazy turns in the tale, which takes Pork, Rabbit, and Duck into the skies and underwater, doing their best to protect the baby from any potential harm. Slapstick is superb here, with Renner and Imbert perfecting timing and extending mishaps for the animals, who struggle to complete a special mission for a particularly lazy stork.

The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation preserves the bright watercolor world of "Big Bad Fox," with an exceptional range of hues that secure all animated intent. Character designs are ideal, with defines primaries, and backgrounds supply more seasonal appearances. Detail grasps the digital creation of the movie, with sharpness throughout, securing full frame appreciation as zany antics visit screen energy near and far. Delineation is precise.

The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix offers options in both French and English. While the feature is lively, the mix doesn't go bananas with surround activity, remaining primarily frontal, with focus on dialogue exchanges. Performances are secure, with nuanced voices and sharp delivery. Scoring retains its bounciness, offering defined instrumentation. Low-end is mild, but a few explosions and accidents offer some weight.

The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (9:30, HD) sits down with co-directors Benjamin Renner and Patrick Imbert to discuss the making of "Big Bad Fox." Renner's artistic origins are recounted, with the creative force initially transforming his early concepts for the characters into a graphic novel before considering animation. A television production was ordered, but plans changed, moving to feature ambition. Characters are studied, identifying temperaments and quirks, and the challenges of direction are recounted. Working with a small crew, Renner and Imbert examine visual intent and artistry, and celebrate the contributions of their fellow professionals, who managed to make a gorgeous movie for a small budget.

• Making Of (15:22, HD) is a highly amusing offering that has four children (Adele, Andrea, Simon, and Max) setting out to interview select members of the "Big Bad Fox" crew. Included are producers Didier and Damien Brunner, directors Imbert and Renner, animators Gaelle Thierry and Valerie Schaefer, background leads Zik and Zaza, and casting director Celine Ronte. As children are in charge, there are no hard- hitting questions. Only pure curiosity remains, with amused and playful interviewees making sure to answer all the questions with careful consideration of the target audience. It's hilarious.

• Q&A at the New York International Children's Film Festival (4:35, HD) returns to Renner, who takes questions from the gathered audience.

• English Dub Featurette (4:26, HD) enters the recording studio to meet the British actors who are tasked with revoicing the French picture for international distribution.

• And an English Trailer (1:56, HD), a French Trailer (1:30, HD), an English Cast Spot (1:01, HD), and a Home Video Teaser (:36, HD) are included.

The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Big Bad Fox" and "We Must Save Christmas" are just as funny as the first tale, only lacking storytelling snap and madcap invention. However, a slight decrease in velocity is hardly a complaint, as the production has so much to offer, including a return to a watercolor-inspired design, delivering lush hues to help with environmental changes. Characters are also vividly created with little quirks and movements, ranging from nuanced behavioral tics to grander acts of physical comedy. It's a pleasure just to watch "The Big Bad Fox" in motion, as it handles with ideal speed and expression, but there are three stories of unique heroism to enjoy, which provide some sense of heart while managing cartoon chaos. The production is working with a slightly smaller scope than what was found with "Ernest & Celestine," but they handle the challenge wonderfully, presenting the younger audience rich personalities and prime nonsense, while adults will appreciate the overall collection of silliness, created with passion for the art form.