News Splash Mountain retheme to Princess and the Frog - Tiana's Bayou Adventure

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Animaniac93-98

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Criterion released a Blu-ray of the 1936 version of Show Boat earlier this year. One of the bonus features included is a half hour discussion titled "Recognizing Race in Showboat".

But Disney can't do that for SotS because..."something, something family" or "the children"? I guess...
 

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
This is entirely based off of your assumption that a Disney+ re-release wouldn’t have been managed well. If we are to assume that Disney would have managed a re-release properly, then it is entirely possible the discussion wouldn’t be the same.

And now age-restricted, adult-only content is coming to Disney+ with the Star integration in a number of countries.

Yet another way to release the movie to a select audience with added context.
 

LittleBuford

Well-Known Member
Criterion released a Blu-ray of the 1936 version of Show Boat earlier this year. One of the bonus features included is a half hour discussion titled "Recognizing Race in Showboat".

But Disney can't do that for SotS because..."something, something family" or "the children"? I guess...
Disney has no vested interest in, or tradition of, taking such an approach. A few disclaimers aside, they have preferred to ditch problematic content rather than contextualise it. That is why Sunflower was edited out of Fantasia and why the Jewish peddler caricature in The Three Little Pigs was altered. The first of these changes happened in 1969, the second as far back as 1948.
 

DisneyMusician2

Well-Known Member
Criterion released a Blu-ray of the 1936 version of Show Boat earlier this year. One of the bonus features included is a half hour discussion titled "Recognizing Race in Showboat".

But Disney can't do that for SotS because..."something, something family" or "the children"? I guess...
I think its also important to note that Show Boat is considered a classic in musical theatre circles written by two giants of the genre. I'm not sure SotS really falls into the category in any way for Disney to chance the public outcry at this time.
 

Donaldfan1934

Well-Known Member
And now age-restricted, adult-only content is coming to Disney+ with the Star integration in a number of countries.

Yet another way to release the movie to a select audience with added context.
It would be the wise thing to do. As @Magicart87 said, it’s only a matter of time before hiding the movie puts the entire company in a negative light.
 

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
I think its also important to note that Show Boat is considered a classic in musical theatre circles written by two giants of the genre. I'm not sure SotS really falls into the category in any way for Disney to chance the public outcry at this time.

Far more offensive, less respected content has been released to video in some form.

The endless excuses for not even trying are getting old and are not stopping people from seeking out the film or acknowledging it exists.
 

Donaldfan1934

Well-Known Member
Why do you think it would put the company in a negative light? My question is sincere, not rhetorical.
Because the longer it remains hidden, the larger its infamy will grow. And the larger it’s infamy grows, the more likely it is to hang a shadow over the company’s overall legacy, as well as the legacy of Walt himself specifically.
 

LittleBuford

Well-Known Member
One things for sure, many Disney fans who insist the film should not be released would likely change their minds if the company did decide to do an official release. It would just be another "Disney is a business/knows best" moment.
Oh, now I understand your “hypocrite” accusation! For the record, I have never said, much less insisted, that Disney shouldn’t release the film, only that I understand why they haven’t. I also understand why they chose to take a different approach in other countries where the historical and cultural context made the film less problematic. As I’ve mentioned before, I owned and frequently watched my very own VHS copy as a child growing up in the UK. I have no particular issue with the film, though I understood even as a child that the portrayal of the Black characters was a product of its time that hadn’t aged at all well. The animated sequences are delightful, the live-action parts not very good. I would happily watch it if it were on Disney+, just as I watch Gone with the Wind once every few years, but I understand why Disney hasn’t made it available and think that their decision is probably the most sensible one all things considered.
 
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LittleBuford

Well-Known Member
Because the longer it remains hidden, the larger its infamy will grow. And the larger it’s infamy grows, the more likely it is to hang a shadow over the company’s overall legacy, as well as the legacy of Walt himself specifically.
Echoing one of my earlier posts, I think this is assuming far more public knowledge of and interest in the film than is actually the case.
 

LittleBuford

Well-Known Member
Regardless as to whether or not Song of the South is racist, Splash Mountain is not racist simply for including characters and songs from the film. Nothing considered racist about Song of the South is in Splash Mountain.
I don't think anyone (in this thread at least) has claimed or implied otherwise. One reason why this discussion is going around in circles is that people aren't paying attention to what others are actually saying. Instead, we're seeing a lot of angry projection.
 
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EagleScout610

These cats can PLAAAAAYYYYY
Premium Member
A cage match would settle all of this.
Got ya covered.
Screen Shot 2020-12-12 at 2.16.37 PM.png
 

EagleScout610

These cats can PLAAAAAYYYYY
Premium Member
Allow me to play Devil's Advocate for a second, but after thinking it over, this Tiana series could be the nail in he coffin for Splash everywhere. Think about it, Disneyland and Tokyo go to a story regarding the orginal movie, and I wouldn't put it past them to do a western/country themed episode that could lead to an Orlando retheme.
 

Brer Panther

Well-Known Member
Allow me to play Devil's Advocate for a second, but after thinking it over, this Tiana series could be the nail in he coffin for Splash everywhere. Think about it, Disneyland and Tokyo go to a story regarding the orginal movie, and I wouldn't put it past them to do a western/country themed episode that could lead to an Orlando retheme.
Yeah, that's what really worries me about the Tiana series. That it's only being made so they can "justify" the retheme or whatever.

Wait, didn't OLC reject the idea of a Princess and the Frog retheme of their Splash Mountain altogether?
 

Donaldfan1934

Well-Known Member
Echoing one of my earlier posts, I think this is assuming far more public knowledge of and interest in the film than is actually the case.
Just because the film is still considered to be obscure to the general public doesn’t mean it’s infamy hasn’t increased with time. In fact, a decision such as the one we’re discussing is bound to draw more attention to the situation. It won’t take long before confused guests wondering why the log flume ride is a completely different experience from what they remember it to be fall into this rabbit hole of a controversy.
 
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