News Lasseter taking leave of absence

[the.dreamfinder]

That's just it, though - I don't think there is any public demand of note. It's just something discussed among Disney fans online.

That said, I can kind of (sort of) see them offering it on a limited basis on their streaming service, since I am sure they will be mining the vaults of everything they can muster. With a bunch of historical disclaimers and parental verification, of course.

It costs about $40K minimum for a Criterion release. If some rando foreign film thirty people have heard of gets a physical release, SotS seems like a film that could justify that expenditure on Disney’s end.

Streaming makes sense when comparing the cost to a physical release, but then you’re making the film potential available to a lot more eyeballs. Then there could be a backlash if it’s pulled.

 

[bclane]

While Lasseter hasn't been useful creatively since Cars Land opened, I really hope this is not a situation where i have to feel dirty for being a fan of Toy Story/Pixar. This has already been a bad enough year as a Disney Fan.

I know that during the first couple days of this drama, I did feel physically sick thinking about Pixar and especially Toy Story (and Toy Story Land). But now that a few days have past I am finding it easier to focus on the fact that JL is just one of hundreds of people behind these things. I view these movies as works of art and it would be a shame to let the acts of one person taint the work of all the artists involved. I think doing that gives JL more credit than he deserves. I know that I am personally guilty of giving him far to much credit in the past.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Meh, the film attracts so much attention because it’s been “banned”. As you say, the film isn’t super notable beyond it being forbidden fruit.

A Criterion release aimed at adults and cinephiles would be enough to disarm the public’s fascination/feigned outrage over the film.

Arguably, “Dumbo” is a more racist film because “Song of the Roustabouts” compares PoC to apes and white people play the crows, who are coded black characters.

It is notable because it was the first African American to win an Oscar! That is notable.

 

[AEfx]

It costs about $40K minimum for a Criterion release. If some rando foreign film thirty people have heard of gets a physical release, SotS seems like a film that could justify that expenditure on Disney’s end.

Yeah, but Disney isn't gonna get out of bed for a number that isn't in the millions, especially for the risk they would be taking with PR.

Streaming makes sense when comparing the cost to a physical release, but then you’re making the film potential available to a lot more eyeballs. Then there could be a backlash if it’s pulled.

It was just an odd thought to attract some more of the Disney community to thinking they need to stream (since so many of them already collect the physical releases), and I agree it is the remotest of possibilities. That's why I said "limited", though - like, they would use it as a promotional tool within the community, limited time thing. Like, hand out codes at D23 to access it for a certain period of time, etc.

 

[Magicart87]

Wasn't he set to co-direct Toy Story 4? Regardless, I don't think JL is a major loss to the Pixar brand. The show will go on...

 

[Nj4mwc]

Meh, the film attracts so much attention because it’s been “banned”. As you say, the film isn’t super notable beyond it being forbidden fruit.

A Criterion release aimed at adults and cinephiles would be enough to disarm the public’s fascination/feigned outrage over the film.

Arguably, “Dumbo” is a more racist film because “Song of the Roustabouts” compares PoC to apes and white people play the crows, who are coded black characters.

My kids love song of the south and at 7 & 9 they only kinda understand why Disney hides it away. I try not to shield them from controversial stuff if I feel I can explain it and they can understand. I also never did the parental "this movies so amazing ". So ok is they like it on the movies own merits not my influence

 

[JustInTime]

Wasn't he set to co-direct Toy Story 4? Regardless, I don't think JL is a major loss to the Pixar brand. The show will go on...

He was an even bigger loss to WDA, in my opinion. Pixar har has less to lose.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Wasn't he set to co-direct Toy Story 4? Regardless, I don't think JL is a major loss to the Pixar brand. The show will go on...

Josh Cooley (Inside Out) is directing. JL is listed as "story" for credits with three others and no other role. No credit has been announced for screenplay yet.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

And before you decide to idolize someone, you should understand that you never get the full picture on someone unless you know them very well personally.

Spoiler

I just got back from seeing Coco (loved it by the way) and immediately thought back to this post. Since the concept of hero worship and its potential pitfalls are central themes in the movie, I couldn't help but notice an unintentionally ironic connection to the crisis of faith many fans are currently having because of the Lasseter allegations.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

It is notable because it was the first African American to win an Oscar! That is notable.

Wrong.

Hattie McDaniel won a competitive Oscar for her supporting role in “Gone with the Wind” in 1940.

SotS came out in 1946 and James Baskett received an honorary Academy Award in 1947.

 

[Brer Oswald]

The truth about SotS is that it's not really a very good film to begin with.

Even aside from the objectionable content, it just wouldn't play well with most audiences, particularly the children it was created to appeal to. It just wouldn't be worth the hassle and the controversy. While I am a big advocate of historical preservation and availability of materials, the film is easily accessible to researchers (or anyone who is interested) via the Internet already.

It just doesn't make sense from any commercial or public relations standpoint.

I thought it was a pretty good film for what it was. The animated segments were great. The live action ranged from good to just okay. But I see what you mean, the film would not interest kids today in the slightest. It would likely be a hit with Disney fans, and fans of the film who grew up with it, but unfortunately it’s probably not worth the hassle. Maybe one day they’ll just slide it in a streaming service without making a big deal about its release.

 

[beachlover4444]

Other than Walt, does the general public really associate specific individuals with Disney or Pixar movies? I agree the timing of the news is bad for Coco, but would it really hurt the film that much? Even with advance ticket sales?

Everyone who knows Pixar pretty much knows Lasseter. Can you imagine what they would be saying about Walt in this day and age, how "mean" he was to work for? That whole strike mess that happened at disney years ago, today would be horrifying/

 

[beachlover4444]

That's just it, though - I don't think there is any public demand of note. It's just something discussed among Disney fans online.

That said, I can kind of (sort of) see them offering it on a limited basis on their streaming service, since I am sure they will be mining the vaults of everything they can muster. With a bunch of historical disclaimers and parental verification, of course.



Please don't give the SJW's any ideas...although it would be funny to see if they would demand that the crows be redubbed or removed totally. LOL.

Though, that said - the problem with SotS is really the tone of the entire thing. And the Uncle Remus concepts themselves. Even just the way it is shot - example, the live-action was lit for lighter skin which makes those with darker skin almost look like caricatures. (Incidentally, that's why light skinned people looked so terrible on the Oprah show, LOL. Different hues of skin just absorb and refract light differently, it's very difficult to light both in equally pleasing ways at the same time.)

especially back in the times that this was filmed, they didnt have the technology they do now, and it was filmed outdoors

 

[beachlover4444]

I thought it was a pretty good film for what it was. The animated segments were great. The live action ranged from good to just okay. But I see what you mean, the film would not interest kids today in the slightest. It would likely be a hit with Disney fans, and fans of the film who grew up with it, but unfortunately it’s probably not worth the hassle. Maybe one day they’ll just slide it in a streaming service without making a big deal about its release.

if anyone wants to see song of the south or buy a copy of the dvd (and not a bad crappy copy at that), go to Georgia, you can pick it up in a lot of the smaller local stores, i saw it in blue ridge I think at a store that sold books, dvd and vinyl music

 

[AEfx]

if anyone wants to see song of the south or buy a copy of the dvd (and not a bad crappy copy at that), go to Georgia, you can pick it up in a lot of the smaller local stores, i saw it in blue ridge I think at a store that sold books, dvd and vinyl music

You don't even need to do that. It's available on just about every torrent site that exists.

And just for fun, since I hadn't looked before - go to google and just type Song of the South. Look at what the top results are...especially in "shopping". If I didn't know better, I'd think Disney *had* officially released it, as there are dozens of "editions" you can order up at countless websites...I had to look pretty hard at one of them (the faux "Disney Treasures" one) because it looked so darn real.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I thought this would blow up everywhere because I just assumed everyone knows who John Lasseter is. But then I remembered no one outside the fandom knows or cares. Not that his unknown status is in anyway a diminishing of these actions.

You could say the same thing about Harvey Weinstein. Only film fans and awards watchers know who he is.

Now, the severity of what John did, textbook sexual harassment, pales in comparison to rape; which Harvey, Brett Ratner, Bill Cosby and others have been accused of.

No one has gone on the record to recount their experiences with John yet. That could certainly change and if that happens, the response will be different.

Speaking of which, could Brenda Chapman break her NDA to explain what happened when she worked at Pixar?

 

[Captain Neo]

I remember when the Pixar acquisition happened people were hyping Lasseter to high heaven as the guy who was going to really “clean up the parks” by getting rid of bad management, designing better rides and restoring the parks to how they were in the good ol’days. What a fantasy.

To be fair he did push Iger to green light Cars Land which (alongside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter) did eventually spark a new craze in heavy investment in the parks but he didn’t do anything to defend talented Imagineers (like Tony Baxter) and was totally on board for even more character tie ins than even Eisner was doing in the later years. Especially when it was based on one of his movies or a franchise created by one of his close friends. Submarine Voyage became Finding Nemo (Tomorrowland theme be damned!), California Adventure loaded up on Toy Story, Cars, And Little Mermaid, And even know Paradise Pier is becoming Pixar Pier for no reason.

He also pushed a lot of top talent out of Disney including Chris Sanders and Brenda Chapman and cancelled several intriguing projects like an animated adaption of The King of Elves because of course he knew best for everyone. This isn’t even getting into how he gave a wink and a nod to Ed Catmull to work with other studios to help keep workers wages down and other unethical business practices.

 

[LAKid53]

You could say the same thing about Harvey Weinstein. Only film fans and awards watchers know who he is.

Now, the severity of what John did, textbook sexual harassment, pales in comparison to rape; which Harvey, Brett Ratner, Bill Cosby and others have been accused of.

No one has gone on the record to recount their experiences with John yet. That could certainly change and if that happens, the response will be different.

Speaking of which, could Brenda Chapman break her NDA to explain what happened when she worked at Pixar?

Probably not without penalty, such as forfeiting whatever settlement payment she agreed to.

 

[LAKid53]

I remember when the Pixar acquisition happened people were hyping Lasseter to high heaven as the guy who was going to really “clean up the parks” by getting rid of bad management, designing better rides and restoring the parks to how they were in the good ol’days. What a fantasy.

To be fair he did push Iger to green light Cars Land which (alongside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter) did eventually spark a new craze in heavy investment in the parks but he didn’t do anything to defend talented Imagineers (like Tony Baxter) and was totally on board for even more character tie ins than even Eisner was doing in the later years. Especially when it was based on one of his movies or a franchise created by one of his close friends. Submarine Voyage became Finding Nemo (Tomorrowland theme be damned!), California Adventure loaded up on Toy Story, Cars, And Little Mermaid, And even know Paradise Pier is becoming Pixar Pier for no reason.

He also pushed a lot of top talent out of Disney including Chris Sanders and Brenda Chapman and cancelled several intriguing projects like an animated adaption of The King of Elves because of course he knew best for everyone. This isn’t even getting into how he gave a wink and a nod to Ed Catmull to work with other studios to help keep workers wages down and other unethical business practices.

Doesn't sound at all like the big, lovable, goofy nerd we thought he was.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

You could say the same thing about Harvey Weinstein. Only film fans and awards watchers know who he is.

Thank you for finally mentioning this. I was about to make this exact comment, but you beat me to it. This "Nobody outside of the Disney fandom and animation community knows who John Lasseter is." excuse for the lack of press coverage has been thrown around on this thread so many times that I'm surprised none of us bothered to correct it earlier.