What caused them to do a ride (Splash Mountain) based on a movie they weren't releasing?

[lazyboy97o]

That is not the point. The story line in Splash Mountain is connected only to the Brer Rabbit stories which were included in the movie Song of the South. Therefore by default, it has been connected to SotS (mostly so they could connect the songs) and even Tony Baxter would admit that. Anyone that ever saw the movie would know that it wasn't based on the movie, it was based on a segment of the movie that were stories long before the movie came into existence. If you want to continue to argue over semantics, feel free to do so, but, just because you keep saying it doesn't make it correct.

You're the one repeating nonsense you made up with the hope of it somehow becoming true. The guy who came up with the attraction is plenty familiar with the source of his inspiration. The development timeline is also well established.

 

[wm49rs]

You're the one repeating nonsense you made up with the hope of it somehow becoming true. The guy who came up with the attraction is plenty familiar with the source of his inspiration. The development timeline is also well established.

"Based on a segment of the movie" pretty much describes where the inspiration for the ride came from....

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

There is a nice article on allears.net on it. Just search Splash Mountain, Tony Baxter. Jack Spence wrote the article. A great and interesting read.

 

[lazyboy97o]

There is a nice article on allears.net on it. Just search Splash Mountain, Tony Baxter. Jack Spence wrote the article. A great and interesting read.

Haven't you heard? Tony Baxter's a liar!

 

[kap91]

To answer the original question basically the answer is two fold. Eisner wanted a log flume ride and the imagineers were trying to figure out a way to do it. Meanwhile America Sings was closing and Tony Baxter realized that the character styling of that attraction was very similar to that of Song of the South and the idea to reuse those animatronics in the flume ride was born. It was named Splash Mountain to capitalize on the movie Splash! That was just hitting theaters around that time. That's the short version.

As for Song of the South - not even gonna go there.

 

[lazyboy97o]

To answer the original question basically the answer is two fold. Eisner wanted a log flume ride and the imagineers were trying to figure out a way to do it. Meanwhile America Sings was closing and Tony Baxter realized that the character styling of that attraction was very similar to that of Song of the South and the idea to reuse those animatronics in the flume ride was born. It was named Splash Mountain to capitalize on the movie Splash! That was just hitting theaters around that time. That's the short version.

As for Song of the South - not even gonna go there.

Splash Mountain was in development before Eisner was brought to Disney. Splash was also released before Eisner.

 

[kap91]

Splash Mountain was in development before Eisner was brought to Disney. Splash was also released before Eisner.

Argh I hate all the confusing PR history out there - sorry if the specifics are wrong, but the general story is right. Think I meant Nunis though. They wanted a log flume, America sings characters looked a lot like song of the South characters, splash mountain.

 

[kap91]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splash_Mountain

Wikipedia might not be a shining beacon of accuracy but that's the long version of the story.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

The controversy surrounding Song of the South stems from the false, fairytale image it draws regarding Black Americans in 19th-century America.

It didn't PROPERLY delve into the era.

Does it need to though really? The Post-Civil War era is a pretty complex thing to point out to a bunch of kids. Isn't the fact that Uncle Remus (black) befriended a young boy (white) a good enough example? It seems to me there doesn't need to be any more light shed on it. Not for a kids movie at least. The thing I don't understand is that if we were doing a list of the greatest movies of all-time you might just have "Gone With The Wind" as number 1. Same era, yet it is a classic and has never been hidden, but certainly more controversial I would say.

Maybe the question should be, "What other movie would have worked around a log flume ride, and at the same time draw customers into the park, i.e. Be interesting?"

I can think of a few that might fit the ride, but would probably not create much of a buzz. I love the ride. I I love the music. It all works for me.

Jungle Book? Just the first thing that came to mind. Mowgli and Baloo spend a small segment in the river. You could definitely have done an excellent log ride themed around the jungle. In fact, I would have probably picked that one first if I had to think of one. In all honesty they still should make one in Animal Kingdom.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Does it need to though really? The Post-Civil War era is a pretty complex thing to point out to a bunch of kids. Isn't the fact that Uncle Remus (black) befriended a young boy (white) a good enough example? It seems to me there doesn't need to be any more light shed on it. Not for a kids movie at least. The thing I don't understand is that if we were doing a list of the greatest movies of all-time you might just have "Gone With The Wind" as number 1. Same era, yet it is a classic and has never been hidden, but certainly more controversial I would say.

It's the portrayal of Black Americans in the film that's the issue, not the era as a whole.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

It's the portrayal of Black Americans in the film that's the issue, not the era as a whole.

Oh I know. Obviously life wasn't exactly peachy in that era. Slavery was over, but the battle was far from won. I think we can all appreciate that, I just don't see how something as complex as slavery - and I mean real slavery not something from a fairy tale story - can be explained to kids. I have kids who are fairly young, I am not sure how I would ever explain the Civil War era to them. When you look back on it, there were some rather groundbreaking things. A black actor being the main actor in a motion picture, winning an Honorary Academy Award. Painting black and white relations favorably. Maybe not all of that was real, but in a kid's eyes watching it I think it is.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I have kids who are fairly young, I am not sure how I would ever explain the Civil War era to them.

Good thing we have schools and history teachers!

 

[Californian Elitist]

Oh I know. Obviously life wasn't exactly peachy in that era. Slavery was over, but the battle was far from won. I think we can all appreciate that, I just don't see how something as complex as slavery - and I mean real slavery not something from a fairy tale story - can be explained to kids. I have kids who are fairly young, I am not sure how I would ever explain the Civil War era to them. When you look back on it, there were some rather groundbreaking things. A black actor being the main actor in a motion picture, winning an Honorary Academy Award. Painting black and white relations favorably. Maybe not all of that was real, but in a kid's eyes watching it I think it is.

Slavery should never be mitigated, not even for children, in my opinion.

Slavery was explained to us as children in school. It's not like they leave that out in history class in elementary. I'm not saying Disney should have showed slaves being physically absused, but the finished product is just absurd. Disney could have done better.

 

[Matt_Black]

Slavery should never be mitigated, not even for children, in my opinion.

Slavery was explained to us as children in school. It's not like they leave that out in history class in elementary. I'm not saying Disney should have showed slaves being physically absused, but the finished product is just absurd. Disney could have done better.

It didn't take place during slavery. It took place during Reconstruction. Which wasn't MUCH better mind you, but while the Federal government kept a close eye on things, that's when the largest number of African-Americans in history got elected to public office.

 

[Californian Elitist]

It didn't take place during slavery. It took place during Reconstruction. Which wasn't MUCH better mind you, but while the Federal government kept a close eye on things, that's when the largest number of African-Americans in history got elected to public office.

I know when it took place. My point still stands though. Even after slavery ended, it's not like things got peachy keen for Black Americans. Blacks were still servants. Song of the South's interpretation is still wrong, painfully wrong.

 

[disney4life2008]

Good thing we have schools and history teachers!

Hmmm when i was in k-12, we spoke of slavery in very limited terms. Just the time period. However, we spoke of the Holocaust for a whole semester in 7th, 8th and 10th grade.

I love splash mountain but the reality is the movie is racist.

 

[Darth Figment]

Disney needs to make a ride out of the " Blazing saddles "movie ...........

 

[Figments Friend]

To answer the OPs question -

The 'Song of The South' film became associated with what was being developed as a log flume ride for Disneyland Park for two main reasons.
First and foremost was it was a film property that contained great stories, colorful settings, appealing characters, and memorable music which WED / WDI designers always looked for when brainstorming new ride concepts.
It was also a property that had not yet been developed into a Theme Park experience, and leant itself well to the thematic setting.

Folks need to keep in mind that during 'Splash Mountain's early development in the mid 1980s, Disney did not have as many films and characters as it does today to play around with.
These were the days before 'The Little Mermaid', 'Aladdin' and 'The Lion King'....those powerhouse properties of the late 80s and 90s.
Most of the memorable classics up to that point had already been showcased in one form or another in the Park so their were not a lot of options left on the table.
There were very few appealing properties left by that point, but 'Song...' was one that held some real potential.

'Song of The South' experienced two theatrical re-releases in the 80s (1980 and 1986 ) so the film was fresh on everyone's minds...both at WED / WDI and the general public.
It was Tony who came up with the idea of combining the bright, colorful world portrayed in the animated segments with a flume Attraction that had been requested for development and needed to go into Disneyland's Critter Country.

He chose the film property for several reasons, foremost being the appealing characters, colorful setting, and memorable music.
It also fit thematically within the Attractions' intended location at Disneyland Park - right next door from New Orleans Square in a area that would become known as Critter Country because of it.
The Animatronic animal cast of the soon to be closed 'America Sings' Show was a happy coincidence, allowing Tony to save all of those figures from being lost which was a concern at the time.
So that was the second reason as to why - it fit thematically within the environment already present in that area of the Park.


Fun bonus fact -

The project had a personal connection as well, as Tony's mentor at Imagineering was the great Claude Coats.
Claude was the master background artist for the 'Song Of The South' animated feature, among many other Disney films.




-

 

[HMF]

Good thing we have schools and history teachers!

Even they tend to downplay those elements, especially in the South.

 

[copcarguyp71]

Wow...and all these years I just enjoyed this ride with ignorant knuckle-dragging bliss.