Have you seen Song of the south in its entirety

[CaptinEO]

I find more modern movies problematic than a kids movie from the 40s. I mean just watch any R Rated comedy or horror movie.

 

[graphite1326]

So I have some questions. The people that find it racist; So you are saying that the share croppers that were prevoiusly slaves didn't exist? They weren't poor and illiterate and trying to make the best of their lives? It wasn't possible for an elderly man couldn't pass his days telling stories to young boys? I don't get it. What exactly do you find racist?

 

[WDWmazprty]

"So I have some questions. The people that find it racist; So you are saying that the share croppers that were prevoiusly slaves didn't exist? They weren't poor and illiterate and trying to make the best of their lives? It wasn't possible for an elderly man couldn't pass his days telling stories to young boys? I don't get it. What exactly do you find racist?"


Exactly. you can find problems with everything and anything if you want to. The movie I think didn't portray the times exactly how they were back then, so some have a problem with that. Things were exaggerated, not accurate, etc. ...but......IT IS A MOVIE. And it wasn't supposed to even be a 'true story' type movie. It was all about the life lessons and music and characters.

I'm hispanic and black, among other races and I had no problem whatsoever.

 

[carlamouse]

So I have some questions. The people that find it racist; So you are saying that the share croppers that were prevoiusly slaves didn't exist? They weren't poor and illiterate and trying to make the best of their lives? It wasn't possible for an elderly man couldn't pass his days telling stories to young boys? I don't get it. What exactly do you find racist?

As a descendant of former slaves, I don't necessarily find it racist, just implausible. When I think of why they were "poor and illiterate", I just feel sadness. Many slaves remained on their former owner's plantations because they had no access to transportation or financial resources to go elsewhere. The thought that ex-slaves would labor in the fields all day and then have the energy to gather 'round a campfire and sing folk songs amongst themselves is completely ludicrous. I would imagine many were experiencing PTSD from years of abuse and exploitation. There may have been benevolent slaveholders who treated their property with dignity and kindness, but I'm sure they were the exception--not the rule. When I watched this movie as a child, I didn't understand the plight of the ex-slaves. As an adult viewing this movie, I can't help but feel like they are giving an unrealistic portrayal of life in the South during reconstruction. Of course, I can understand why they glossed over the ugly parts since it was made with children as their target audience.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I have seen it. Was bored to tears in general. The animated segments are the most interesting parts, for sure. If I’m going to watch an animated-live-action hybrid, I’d go for Mary Poppins, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and even Bedknobs and Broomsticks before Song of the South.

I do find SotS to be problematic, but it should be available to the public.

 

[UNCgolf]

I have seen it. Was bored to tears in general. The animated segments are the most interesting parts, for sure. If I’m going to watch an animated-live-action hybrid, I’d go for Mary Poppins, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and even Bedknobs and Broomsticks before Song of the South.

I do find SotS to be problematic, but it should be available to the public.

Even? Bedknobs and Broomsticks is wonderful! How dare you!

 

[Californian Elitist]

Even? Bedknobs and Broomsticks is wonderful! How dare you!

I actually really love that film, but it doesn’t seem to get much love anywhere else. It’s underrated and is rarely talked about. Hence why I included “even.”

 

[Californian Elitist]

So I have some questions. The people that find it racist; So you are saying that the share croppers that were prevoiusly slaves didn't exist? They weren't poor and illiterate and trying to make the best of their lives? It wasn't possible for an elderly man couldn't pass his days telling stories to young boys? I don't get it. What exactly do you find racist?

I’ve said this before, but on a surface level, the film seems harmless. However, the implications in the film can be interpreted as racist. Dig a little deeper (no pun intended) and the issues are there. That’s all I’ll say, since this thread is supposed to be free of politics. Send me a PM if you’re interested in hearing my thoughts on the subject more.

 

[UNCgolf]

I actually really love that film, but it doesn’t seem to get much love anywhere else. It’s underrated and is rarely talked about. Hence why I included “even.”

Both of my sisters loooove it. It's not Mary Poppins, but it's quite good.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Both of my sisters loooove it. It's not Mary Poppins, but it's quite good.

Was thinking the same thing. It’s not as good as Mary Poppins, but it’s very entertaining with a pretty unique plot. Angela Lansbury is so fun to watch, as well as the other actors. Just might watch this in Disney+ today! Haven’t seen it in many years.

 

[thomas998]

I've seen it three times. The first time I saw it was in the early 2000s when I was about eight years old. My aunt had a copy, which was probably a bootleg, but at that time I was completely unfamiliar with the banned status of the movie. I had grown up with the Disney Sing-Along Songs VHS tapes since I was an infant so I had already seen the "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" "How Do you Do?" and "Everybody's Got a Laughing Place" scenes before I had watched the full movie. The following year I went to Disney World and rode Splash Mountain. Because of the presence of the movie on the sing-along songs and in the Disney parks, I had no reason as a child to assume Song of the South was a banned/disowned movie as Disney was always promoting elements of it. And admittedly, when I was eight the racist stereotypes and slave/former slave aspect of it went completely over my head. I remember generally liking the movie and thinking it was cool to finally see the songs in their proper context.

I saw it a second time when I was 12, as one of my parent's friends' had a copy and said something to the effect of "Here's Song of the South, a Disney movie that's never been released in the U.S.!" And I remember saying "Isn't that the one with Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit and the boy that gets run over by a bull?" When I watched it at 12, I definitely noticed the awkward racial dynamics and stereotypes more, but I still thought the movie was fairly harmless and well-intentioned.

I last saw the movie when I was 24 on the Internet Archive, after a recent trip to Disney World. By that point in my life, I was much more familiar with the troubled history and controversy surrounding Song of the South, and I had read the books "Disney's Most Notorious Film" by Jason Sperb and "Who's Afraid of Song of the South" by Jim Korkis. Watching the movie as an adult was a much more uncomfortable experience as pretty much every scene had some problematic or racist element to it. It's one of those movies where there isn't one shocking scene on the level of the "What Makes the Red Man Red" sequence in Peter Pan, but rather subtle forms of racism that permeate the entire movie. And since I was more educated on the horrors of slavery at the age of 24 compared to when I was eight, the cheery/cutesy tone of the movie felt REALLY inappropriate considering the plantation setting. Uncle Remus, who I adored as a child, often made me cringe on this rewatch with how cheerfully subservient he was to the white family and how his entire life revolved around the happiness of the white boy Johnny. I still think James Baskett gave a great performance, but it's a character who fully embodies the "Magical negro" and "Uncle Tom" stereotypes.

I can see why Disney is uncomfortable with the movie and why so many Black people find it offensive. I do think the movie is interesting from a Disney history perspective, but today's kids don't need to see it.

Either you think that today's youth are much more sophisticated and intelligent than they have been in the past or you've failed to remember what you just wrote. The first time you mentioned seeing it you admit you saw nothing wrong with it because you were a little kid. This movie was intended for little kids and as such it is harmless. The only reason older kids would even have an interest in seeing it is because it is banned.

There is no reason to ban it, or pretend it doesn't exist. I'm pretty sure that in the US it has probably gotten more views because it is banned than it would have ever gotten if Disney had just said nothing and done nothing. It isn't a movie that was ever going to get people to rush out and buy a copy for their home collection.

 

[Skibum1970]

I watched in the early 90's after renting it from Blockbuster. I don't remember being impressed by it as I would have purchased it if I had.

 

[graphite1326]

I’ve said this before, but on a surface level, the film seems harmless. However, the implications in the film can be interpreted as racist. Dig a little deeper (no pun intended) and the issues are there. That’s all I’ll say, since this thread is supposed to be free of politics. Send me a PM if you’re interested in hearing my thoughts on the subject more.

Not interested in PM you. I could find racism (if that is what I am intent on finding) in anything. Apparently that is what you have done. And why would you dig deeper? It's just a light hearted movie with music and animation, nothing more. You never said that you watched the movie. Did you? I'm pretty sure you haven't.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Not interested in PM you. I could find racism (if that is what I am intent on finding) in anything. Apparently that is what you have done. And why would you dig deeper? It's just a light hearted movie with music and animation, nothing more. You never said that you watched the movie. Did you? I'm pretty sure you haven't.

I actually own a copy of the movie and have seen it, which I mentioned before replying to you. Additionally, I studied the Uncle Remus Tales for one of my graduate English courses.

Why ask people who find the movie racist to explain if you’re going to respond like this, showing absolutely NO interest in hearing folks out? You’ve wasted your time by asking that question. You do realize it’s the job of people like film critics, film historians, film students, etc. to look past the surface level of films and conduct analyzations? I’m sure you were asked to do something similar for a book you read in an English course (close readings, which are also normal, are deep analyzations of one particular passage or something else). It’s not abnormal to analyze something past the surface level.

You’ve wasted both our times. Consider editing your initial post and inform folks that you actually have no intention on listening to them. Have a good day and upcoming weekend.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

I saw it as a kid and re-watched it not too long ago to try and assess to what degree it is racist and/or problematic.

Like many people, I find it boring. That's pretty common of many older Disney movies though. They used to make slower paced movies. I find things like Bambi boring as well. That doesn't have anything to do with the content of the film and the debate that surrounds it.

Overall I agree the film has some problematic elements and carlamouse had a great assessment a few posts back. I sense that the film downplays or softens what the world was like for people of colour during that time, but isn't portraying the characters in a racist or negative light.

I just learned something from http://childlit.unl.edu/topics/edi.uncleremus.html

Even the film’s premiere in Atlanta underscored its racial problems: James Baskett, the African American star of the film, was prohibited from attending the viewing at the segregated theater.

The author of the "Who's Afraid of the Song of the South" book has written at least one short article about it as well, which gives a brief overview of the film's production. It's interesting how the final product changed from the original intent.

What's the Deal with the Song of the South?

Jim looks at why the Disney film might have missed the cut for Disney+

www.mouseplanet.com

 

[graphite1326]

I actually own a copy of the movie and have seen it, which I mentioned before replying to you. Additionally, I studied the Uncle Remus Tales for one of my graduate English courses.

Why ask people who find the movie racist to explain if you’re going to respond like this, showing absolutely NO interest in hearing folks out? You’ve wasted your time by asking that question. You do realize it’s the job of people like film critics, film historians, film students, etc. to look past the surface level of films and conduct analyzations? I’m sure you were asked to do something similar for a book you read in an English course (close readings, which are also normal, are deep analyzations of one particular passage or something else). It’s not abnormal to analyze something past the surface level.

You’ve wasted both our times. Consider editing your initial post and inform folks that you actually have no intention on listening to them. Have a good day and upcoming weekend.

 

[Californian Elitist]

View attachment 581077

Have a good day and upcoming weekend.

 

[Beacon Joe]

Yes. Pretty sure it was a Betamax rental. Pretty unsure if it was an officially released copy or a bootleg. This was a long time ago.

 

[graphite1326]

Have a good day and upcoming weekend.

My point was why does it have to be analyzed? Why couldn't it just be entertainement. I'm sure Walt had no intention or thought that it was racist. I guess they could have gone with a white perfessional person from California to tell the story about Brer Rabbit. Now that I would find racist.

 

[SteveAZee]

My point was why does it have to be analized? Why couldn't it just be entertainement. I'm sure Walt had no intention or thought that it was racist. I guess they could have gone with a white perfessional person from California to tell the story about Brer Rabbit. Now that I would find racist.

Don't Google 'analized' nor click on 'images'