Song of the South

[epcotWSC]

I was able to download Song of the South (since it's not available on DVD or VHS in the US) and watch it. What a great movie. I can't understand how Disney could stop producing this in the US because it's somehow racist. I didn't see any racism. Sure there may have been undertones, but to compare the time period that the movie took place in. Post Civil War America, this movie was quite tame compared to what black Americans really went though. There was never even a word spoken about race in the whole movie. In fact Uncle Remus was quite respected.

Anyway, the movie was great. I loved how they tied the stories that Uncle Remus was telling to the problems that Johnny was going through.

The stories are all great positive stories, stressing to use your mind to get through problems, to always be happy and to cope with issues and not run away from them.

I think the animated sequences with Br'er Rabbit, Fox, and Bear were fantastic and the music was phenomenal, great classic Disney songs.

Watching this movie will really gave me a new appreciation for the Splash Mountain ride. It's a shame that most younger people in the US have never and will never get to see this movie.


The music ('Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah', 'How Do You Do?', 'Everybody Has A Laughing Place'):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3fFXIUXZ-M

 

[hwdelien]

I agree. It always amazed me that such an integral part of WDW had a movie tie in that no one can see.

 

[Master Yoda]

Don't blame Disney, blame all the civil rights groups that would surely go nuts if Disney was to release this movie. I am sure that if the NAACP sent a letter to Disney approving the release of Song of the South it would be in your local Wal-Mart and Best Buy on the very next day.

 

[heliumalias]

You obviously don't remember the "Tar baby" scene.
I actually have a VHS copy of this which makes me happy because it's actually a pretty good movie.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I always feel odd weighing in on this one, being a white American. I would love some African-American perspectives on this one, just because I know that things I am not as sensitive to, might really bother some people.

The portions of the movie I have seen are wonderful, and it is a shame that it is not a regular part of the Disney canon.

 

[epcotWSC]

At the same time, Walt Disney was not racist (although some crazy people like to claim so). Second, half the cast as well as the voices for all three animated characters were played by black actors. Also, the live version of Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear were played by white kids who were made to look dumb.

Yeah the tar baby scene could be seen as racist, but I'm sure that Disney had another reason for that (possibly satire?). Why would so many black actors and voice people sign up to do a movie that was racist against them?

 

[epcotWSC]

I agree. It always amazed me that such an integral part of WDW had a movie tie in that no one can see.

I agree, this was my point. I've been on splash mountain, knew of Br'er Rabbit, but I had never seen the movie or had any idea that it was more than just an animated movie.

 

[bgraham34]

I watched it not too long ago and I had a hard time sitting through it. I need to locate a better copy. I should go by my friend and watch it on laserdisc.

 

[hwdelien]

Putting the "tar baby" scene aside, I don't recall anything really that racist about the rest. I know the phrase "tar baby" has racial connotations, but it was only called a tar baby because it was made out of tar. Maybe the animators could update it and make it an Elmer's glue baby (since it has to be sticky) and get rid of the offensive phrase. But the music and the animation has to be brought out of the vault. It just has to.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I can go to any DVD store and get a copy of Birth of a Nation, Gone With the Wind and Show Boat on DVD but not Song of the South? There's a flaw in that logic.

Disney should just release it as a WDT set. It's not marketed to kids so the NAACP can't about it "corrupting" children. It would get respectable treatment in terms of PQ and bonus features and would be a limited umber set so if Disney get complaints they can just say "We've already stopped making copies". Plus Leonard Maltin get his introductions where he can put the film int context and all is well. Maybe some minority groups can complain, but they don't have to buy copies if the don't want too.

As for the movie itself, it's good but it's not perfect (in terms of effective storytelling). It's far less racists than other movies of the time.

 

[donniedisney]

Putting the "tar baby" scene aside, I don't recall anything really that racist about the rest. I know the phrase "tar baby" has racial connotations, but it was only called a tar baby because it was made out of tar. Maybe the animators could update it and make it an Elmer's glue baby (since it has to be sticky) and get rid of the offensive phrase. But the music and the animation has to be brought out of the vault. It just has to.

I think all the complaints aren't that the movie is racist. The complaint is that the movie is a glorified look at slavery. Uncle Remus being the well respected story telling slave that the whole family loves.

 

[burninup4nick]

What I dont understand is if its a racist movie (in the eyes of Disney)....then how can they have Splash Mountain (based of of Song of the South) without it being racist???

 

[vwayfan123]

so they cant sell the movie... but they can build a ride of it?

 

[epcotWSC]

I think all the complaints aren't that the movie is racist. The complaint is that the movie is a glorified look at slavery. Uncle Remus being the well respected story telling slave that the whole family loves.

Well it does take place after the Civil War, so he's not a slave. At the same time, though, would Disney rather make it more realistic to show Uncle Remus get abused and treated horribly for telling stories to a white boy just because he's black? That would be terrible.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Don't blame Disney, blame all the civil rights groups that would surely go nuts if Disney was to release this movie. I am sure that if the NAACP sent a letter to Disney approving the release of Song of the South it would be in your local Wal-Mart and Best Buy on the very next day.

Well...just speaking for myself, I do blame Disney.

They ignored (and survived) a years-long "boycott" by Southern Baptists in favor of doing right by their gay employees. They'd also survive any temporary uproar by the NAACP if they decided to put some steel in their spine and release this movie. Instead, they've chosen the path of least resistance on this one.

 

[donniedisney]

Well it does take place after the Civil War, so he's not a slave. At the same time, though, would Disney rather make it more realistic to show Uncle Remus get abused and treated horribly for telling stories to a white boy just because he's black? That would be terrible.

That wasnt what I meant, I was just saying what I heard people complaining about. I have a PAL version that i had to get converted to VHS, I love the movie.

 

[Master Yoda]

Well...just speaking for myself, I do blame Disney.

They ignored (and survived) a years-long "boycott" by Southern Baptists in favor of doing right by their gay employees. They'd also survive any temporary uproar by the NAACP if they decided to put some steel in their spine and release this movie. Instead, they've chosen the path of least resistance on this one.

The NAACP and groups of similar ilk have considerably greater numbers and much more pull than the group of Baptists that were boycotting Disney. Plus from a PR sense it is much easier to put a positive spin on giving benefits for gay couples. Many people, myself NOT included, see Song of the South as a racist movie and you will never change their minds. You just can't put a positive spin on the claim of racism regardless if it is true or not.

I am sure it all comes down to the numbers. How much money will Disney make from releasing Song of the South (X) minus how much the will spend in legal fees from the inevitable law suits that will be filed (Y). If X is less than Y Disney will not do it.

 

[jhastings74]

Although this topic comes up from time to time, my opinion is the same as others about it being release in the Treasures series. They issued the Donald Duck cartoon 'Der Fuehrer's Face' through the Treasures series and it had horrible stereotypes of Germans, Japanese and Italians...but the short itself was a brilliant snapshot of how entertainment was used at the time to both relieve the tension of the war and create support for the Allies at the same time. The key to it being 'okay' to be released, was the introduction and context provided by Leonard Maltin, whom I would be willing to bet would have no problem doing the same for SOTS...I think it's just a matter of time and it will happen...I've waited this long...I can be patient.

 

[marcriss]

While this is not as bad as other movies or cartoons, you do not see the old Looney Tunes cartoons on the air anymore either. We got a dvd of old cartoons and I was embarrassed for my son to see them, we shut it off right away. How do you explain to a child that these images and portrayals are wrong? For those of us who want a copy, that's what Ebay is for. We got a copy from Germany years ago. We see it for what it is, but there's a lot of people in this country that don't.

 

[the-reason14]

What I dont understand is if its a racist movie (in the eyes of Disney)....then how can they have Splash Mountain (based of of Song of the South) without it being racist???

Probably because they only took the animated parts of the movie and put them in the ride, and there arent any happy slaves running around on the ride.