Br'er Fox is a character from African American folktales and the infamously controversial 1946 Disney movie, Song of the South. He was main-antagonist of the attraction Splash Mountain.
History[]
Background[]
Origins[]
Br'er Fox was a crafty anthropomorphic fox who lived in Chick-a-Pin Hill in the Southern United States during the 19th century. Br'er Fox frequently attempted to kill and eat Br'er Rabbit. Br'er Fox was frequently assisted by the dim-witted bear, Br'er Bear.
At some point, a raccoon named Rackety used the woods near Chickapin Hill for his moonshining, only for this to cause an explosion; with it being speculated that he used too many blueberries. The explosion destroyed the recently constructed dam of the Beaver Brothers, resulting in a flood which drenched Chickapin Hill and transformed it into what locals renamed as, "Splash Mountain". Splash Mountain became a home for various critters, with Br'er Fox living in the peak where a waterfall was formed, coursing through his lair.
Br'er Fox became a wanted-criminal due to his, "General nastiness" and being a threat to the critters of Splash Mountain. The area of Br'er Fox's lair would also sometimes be visited by the "Boothill Boys", a pair of vulture undertakers who would mock the fox's would-be victims. The relationship between Br'er Fox and the Boothill Boys is unknown. Br'er Fox took some advisory from a book called "How to Catch a Rabbit", written by one Br'er Wolf.
Splash Mountain[]
When Br'er Rabbit was moving away from his home, Br'er Fox attempted to set a trap for him only for the rabbit to deceive Br'er Bear into going in the trap instead. Br'er Rabbit went on to trick Br'er Bear into going to his, "Laughin' Place", a series of caverns filled with bees that stung the bear while the bear became stuck. Meanwhile, Br'er Fox used one of the beehives to trap Br'er Rabbit and bring him back to his lair.
Br'er Fox tied the rabbit up in his lair where Br'er Rabbit pleaded not to be thrown over the waterfall into the briar patch. Br'er Fox decided to give-in and threw Br'er Rabbit into the briar patch, not realizing this was the rabbit's plan to escape as he was born and raised in the briar patch. When Br'er Rabbit escaped, Br'er Fox attempted to free Br'er Bear from the Laughin' Place only to have his tail bitten by Br'er Gator who attempted to drag the fox into the water, presumably to eat. It is unknown whether Br'er Fox survived this alligator attack or not.
Development history[]
Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear are a pair of antagonistic characters who were present in African-American folk-tales. These stories were documented in 1881 by white author Joel Chandler Harris from his history alongside Black slaves on plantations. Harris however included racist vernacular in his documentation, along with his own original character "Uncle Remus".
In 1946, Disney made a hybrid live-action/animated adaptation of Harris' work called "The Song of the South". This film was protested by the Black community upon its release and was never released to home-video in the USA due to the movie's racist reputation. In 1989, Song of the South received a dedicated theme-park attraction called "Splash Mountain" based on the film while redacting some of the more explicitly racist aspects from the film such as Uncle Remus and the Tar Baby scene. The attraction became incredibly popular, and Disney materials often treated it as an original property; including songs from the film as "theme park music" and depicting Br'er Rabbit alongside characters original to the Disney Parks.
In 2020, the filmed murder of Black civilian George Floyd at the hands of US police sparked international outrage and protests as park of the Black Lives Matter movement. During this period, Disney received online criticism and negative attention for racist materials in the parks such as Splash Mountain. This attention, along with surfacing concept-art for a re-theme to the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog, lead to Splash Mountain being replaced by Tiana's Bayou Adventure.
Leading up to the opening of Tiana's Bayou Adventure, it was highly anticipated amongst fans for Br'er Fox's role on the final lift-hill before the big drop be replaced by the Princess and the Frog's main antagonist, Doctor Facilier set to the song "Friends on the Other Side". Instead, Mama Odie was installed while the soundtrack played "Dig a little deeper" for the second time in the attraction.
Appearances[]
Br'er Fox used to make frequent live appearances.
Mark Twain Riverboat[]
Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear used to be mentioned by Br'er Frog.
Mickey Mouse Revue[]
Br'er Rabbit, Fox and Bear appeared during the, "Zippidee Doo Dah" finale.
Splash Mountain[]
Br'er Fox was main-antagonist of this attraction. He made multiple appearances throughout the ride as an animatronic. Leading up to the big drop, he appeared as a shadow terrorizing Br'er Rabbit. In his final appearance, Br'er Gator was biting his tail and trying to drag him into the water to be eaten.
In the queue of the Magic Kingdom, there was a framed painting of him which read, "Lookin' for Trouble". There was also a wanted-poster for him and a wooden sculpture of him and Br'er Bear searching for Br'er Rabbit in said version of the queue.[1] Disneyland's Splash Mountain had an additional scene where Mother Possum and Mother Rabbit sang, "Burrow's Lament" with lyrics like, "Don't you go to the Laughin' Place Or the fox will get you too" and, " Stay away from the Laughin' Place. You must beware the fox is there don't go in".
Splashdown Photos[]
Hanging above the dark-room were various black and white photos, as well as a black and white image from the Song of the South of Br'er Fox preparing to serve Br'er Bear food.[2]
Tiana's Bayou Adventure[]
On a shelf at Tiana's office in the queue for Tiana's Bayou Adventure are small figures of a rabbit, a fox and a bear referencing Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear. At the exit for Tiana's Bayou Adventure in the Magic Kingdom, there is a wooden carving of a bear next to a fox on the mantle in tribute to Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear.
Trivia[]
- Br'er Fox using a beehive to trap Br'er Rabbit in the ride replaced the infamously racist, "Tar Baby" scene from Song of the South.
- Br'er Fox's book was written by one Br'er Wolf. Some Disney comics sometimes merged Br'er Wolf from the Br'er Rabbit stories with the Big Bad Wolf.
- It is unclear if Br'er Fox had any relation to the Boothill Boys who appear on the lift-hill up to his lair.
- Br'er Fox and Captain Hook are both animated villains from Disney feature films whose last scenes in their respective rides included them being attacked by crocodilians.
- Various other anthropomorphic foxes appear on the Zip-A-Dee Lady boat and in the Collegiate Quartet on Splash Mountain where they celebrated Br'er Rabbit returning home. It is unclear why they wouldn't have similar predatory nature to Br'er Rabbit.
- One of Br'er Foxes animatronics in Disneyland was made from Sam the Eagle in America Sings.
- Tiana's Bayou Adventure features the anthropomorphic fox character Phina the Gray Fox.