Song of the South (1 Viewer)

[TravisR]

Disney needs to own up to it, embrace it, restore it, release it and let the chips fall where they may.

Disney is taking the easy way out but I think the media and the public deserve as much or more blame than them. If Disney releases Song Of The South, every news site in the country will have a headline that reads "Disney releases racist movie" and a chunk of the public that are only capable of reading a headline will be outraged (despite most of them having not seen the movie). If the media wasn't only interested in the most eyecatching headlines to bolster their website hits and the public was smart enough to look deeper than a headline and, in this case, actually view what they're offended by rather than having a kneejerk reaction to a headline, I don't think that many people would find a problem with the movie. Until the media and the public change their ways, I can see why Disney doesn't want to cause themselves a problem. Just to be clear, none of that is to say that a person can't be offended by SOTS or that they're stupid if they are offended by it. I'm saying that the only way to judge the movie is by viewing it and then making a decision.

 

[jim_falconer]

Thanks to this thread, I pulled out my DVR of the Japanese Laserdisc yesterday, and viewed it for the first time in years. What an incredibly wonderful film it is. So many warm and touching moments in the movie. Such a shame that a film of this magnitude can not seen by today's younger audience. Be amazing if this technicolor masterpiece could be re-released in theaters again.

 

[MatthewA]

When Roger Ebert reviewed Bedknobs and Broomsticks upon its original release, when he wasn't busy trashing the studio as a whole and complaining about Nazis being used as villains in a G-rated film, he said of SOTS:
"Take the scene in "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" when the characters visit Naboombuland, for example. This is a strange land where the animals rule, and we're given several charming scenes where the human characters meet the animated ones. I've always especially liked this Disney technique; "Song of the South" was a classic. There's magic in it: real movie magic, and not just ambitious special effects. And everybody in the theater just sort of relaxes and enjoys it." (Source: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19711124/REVIEWS/111240301/1023)
First of all, there is no such place as "Naboombuland." It is called "Naboombu." Yet thirty years later, he said of SOTS:
"Disney has made a corporate decision to hold Song of the South from release because of its stereotyping of some of the African-American characters, and I have expressed sympathy with that position because the film is directed primarily toward children who see films literally. I would not want to be an African-American child at a screening of the film, but I would support its screening for mature audiences."
I should point out that Disney syndicated Ebert's TV shows.
But other than that, Disney is missing the perfect opportunity to rehabilitate the film's reputation and do it right: with the theatrical re-release it needs and deserves to promote the Blu-ray it needs and deserves even more. 2016 is the film's 70th anniversary; there's plenty of time for them to start.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Roger Ebert has really changed a lot in regards to race movies. I personally don't take his opinion on them as the highest because throughout the 90s and to this day he gives a lot of lower tier race movies (if you want to call them that) positive reviews. Stuff like ABOVE THE RIM, JUICE and several others were mainly bashed by critics except for Ebert. You can also take a look at his review for THE BIRTH OF A NATION where he broke it into two parts. The first part was basically begging people not to be upset with him calling it a great movie. This isn't meant to bash Ebert but I do think he would be against the movie getting a major re-release today. Still, aiming it at adults only isn't a bad idea. The Warner release of the MGM Our Gang shorts has a warning that the films are meant for adults and no children. But it still goes back to the fact that I'm not certain there would be enough of a gain for them to release it. I'm actually going to try and get the film on in the next couple days since an official release probably won't be happening so there's no point in putting it off.

 

[Mark Collins]

Matthew may I join with Allen and state what a great post. I love what you had to say about GWTW. Yes I think what all of you have said has merit. I hope Disney at least does a Europe BD all regions release. I too now wish to get out the film and watch. I also like what Matthew said about Seth. Do not even get me started on the Oscars. He hit 3 groups that I could count and i will not name them because of the rules of the forum.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

I've wondered for years why "Song of the South" is available, in its entirety, on YouTube, with apparently no complaints from Disney. An article in Sunday's New York Post discusses this:

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/exclusively_on_youtube_cBerlOrM5aY4wchvO1kR7J

 

[Richard Gallagher]

I've wondered for years why "Song of the South" is available, in its entirety, on YouTube, with apparently no complaints from Disney. An article in Sunday's New York Post discusses this:

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/exclusively_on_youtube_cBerlOrM5aY4wchvO1kR7J

Disney is now cracking down on the YouTube showings.

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/exclusively_on_youtube_cBerlOrM5aY4wchvO1kR7J

 

[Sam Posten]

I can't tell you how mad this post made me:

John Scalzi ‏@scalzi 1hThere's a reason Disney keeps "Song of the South" locked up in the vaults and frowns upon its public exhibition.

 

[MatthewA]

I can't tell you how mad this post made me:

Read this instead:http://www.wrensnest.org/everything-youve-heard-about-uncle-remus-is-wrong-part-1/

 

[Sam Posten]

Yes, of course I've seen that, I think I even linked to it a few pages back. It doesn't lessen the feeling I have for those who want to consign SOTS to the dungeons forever.

 

[[email protected]]

Not surprising. I worked for Disney Feature Animation up until the demonizing and closing of their traditional 2D department. And can honestly say it was Roy Disney who really fought, and I do mean fought, to keep the studio’s film legacy alive, he was the one, and not some famous film historian who often likes to take credit, who came up with the idea for “The Walt Disney Treasures Collection,” in which “Song of the South” was slated for release in the early 2000’s, I was told an introduction by actor James Earl Jones was shot, with the usual warning of the films sensitive subject matter on how African American’s were portrayed in movies from that era. So with Roy gone there is no one at Disney brave enough to fight for this film’s release.

 

[MatthewA]

Not surprising. I worked for Disney Feature Animation up until the demonizing and closing of their traditional 2D department. And can honestly say it was Roy Disney who really fought, and I do mean fought, to keep the studio’s film legacy alive, he was the one, and not some famous film historian who often likes to take credit, who came up with the idea for “The Walt Disney Treasures Collection,” in which “Song of the South” was slated for release in the early 2000’s, I was told an introduction by actor James Earl Jones was shot, with the usual warning of the films sensitive subject matter on how African American’s were portrayed in movies from that era. So with Roy gone there is no one at Disney brave enough to fight for this film’s release.

If it hadn't been for Roy E. Disney, the studio's animated legacy might have ended with The Black Cauldron. IIRC, he wanted the whole board of directors out during the Save Disney campaign, not just Michael Eisner.

I still don't get it. They can build a Disneyland ride around the movie, sell pins of the animated characters alongside those from almost every other animated movie the studio has made, keep "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" part of the public consciousness, and even sell the movie itself overseas. But here in the US, where the film was made and set, it's too dangerous. For some reason, it's this era of Disney films (1943-1949) that seems to bring out the studio's censorious side (I will not own any of the post-Fantasia package features until they are released without censorship), giving new meaning to the term "Disneyfication." Even putting the film in its "proper historical context" (i.e. make it seem like an outdated relic for which they should be apologetic) isn't enough for them.

 

[[email protected]]

Another reason the “Treasure Collection” came about when Roy received a very long petition signed by many studio members protesting all the edits and cuts to animation classics on VHS and Laser-Disc box sets, “Steamboat Willie, Fantasia, Make Mine Music,” just to name a few. And while their was some concern for the contents in the earlier films, for example Mickey Mouse meeting a very non PC African tribe caricatures in one cartoon, But it was clear from the very beginning that these would be marketed towards adult collectors only, NOT CHILDREN!
Of course the usual yes men in suits reluctant to okay such a thing, agreed only when decided to release just a limited amount of DVD’s. And the only complaints the company received was for just that, not enough copies available, and that they all sold out to quickly. Roy also planed on releasing Treasure uncut versions of both aforementioned titles “Fantasia” and “Make Mine Music.”

 

[MatthewA]

I wonder whether John Lasseter has ever made any statements for or against the film. He's probably the only one with any clout.

Another reason the “Treasure Collection” came about when Roy received a very long petition signed by many studio members protesting all the edits and cuts to animation classics on VHS and Laser-Disc box sets, “Steamboat Willie, Fantasia, Make Mine Music,” just to name a few. And while their was some concern for the contents in the earlier films, for example Mickey Mouse meeting a very non PC African tribe caricatures in one cartoon, But it was clear from the very beginning that these would be marketed towards adult collectors only, NOT CHILDREN!
Of course the usual yes men in suits reluctant to okay such a thing, agreed only when decided to release just a limited amount of DVD’s. And the only complaints the company received was for just that, not enough copies available, and that they all sold out to quickly. Roy also planed on releasing Treasure uncut versions of both aforementioned titles “Fantasia” and “Make Mine Music.”

The quality of the masters was inconsistent on some of those. It still boggles my mind how some of the material could get then-state-of-the-art remasters, while others got outdated masters; how else could 1940s Donald Duck cartoons look inferior to those from a few years earlier? They've cut so many corners on so many titles, but the Treasures series was a breath of fresh air.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Get someone from the UK to record it off the television in HD, it's usually shown every few years or so over here, in no way is this film racist. My view on Disney classic animated titles is that we are not getting them at their best on blu ray, we are getting grain free revisionist detail removed dross, reviewers and most viewers unfortunately do not care so this will continue

 

[Sam Posten]

Pretty frustrated by that convo with @scalzi.
https://twitter.com/scalzi/status/370241304208613377

Almost like he was trolling us. What artist would crap all over another piece of work and the people who enjoyed it and then when he gets negative responses pulls this stunt:

On Twitter, I use the "mute" function as the equivalent of walking away from a discussion I'm no longer interested in having --

Anyway, he's obviously not the problem here, it's the cowards at Disney. So back to just being pissed at them...

 

[JoeDoakes]

Roger Ebert has really changed a lot in regards to race movies.

Back in the 1990s he said that political correctness was the fascism of our times. Then he stopped worrying and learned to love Big Brother.

 

[Dick]

Disney is taking the easy way out but I think the media and the public deserve as much or more blame than them. If Disney releases Song Of The South, every news site in the country will have a headline that reads "Disney releases racist movie" and a chunk of the public that are only capable of reading a headline will be outraged (despite most of them having not seen the movie). If the media wasn't only interested in the most eyecatching headlines to bolster their website hits and the public was smart enough to look deeper than a headline and, in this case, actually view what they're offended by rather than having a kneejerk reaction to a headline, I don't think that many people would find a problem with the movie. Until the media and the public change their ways, I can see why Disney doesn't want to cause themselves a problem. Just to be clear, none of that is to say that a person can't be offended by SOTS or that they're stupid if they are offended by it. I'm saying that the only way to judge the movie is by viewing it and then making a decision.

Disney had a long window of opportunity to release this way before a devastating publicity backlash would have been likely. Now, in an age when the general population consists of uninformed people absent of critical thinking who can be persuaded to believe anything, they are getting mostly negative, uncorroborated spin. Political correctness has gone way out of control to the point where you can't cross your eyes without being accused of being against some group of belief. SONG OF THE SOUTH is a casualty of ignorance.

 

[MatthewA]

Disney had a long window of opportunity to release this way before a devastating publicity backlash would have been likely. Now, in an age when the general population consists of uninformed people absent of critical thinking who can be persuaded to believe anything, they are getting mostly negative, uncorroborated spin. Political correctness has gone way out of control to the point where you can't cross your eyes without being accused of being against some group of belief. SONG OF THE SOUTH is a casualty of ignorance.

It's the fear of a publicity backlash that's keeping it off. But as long as I've been on the Internet, someone was mad at Disney over something; some complaints were justified, other things were trivial.I recently read a book called "Multiculturalism and the Mouse" by Douglas Brode, arguing persuasively (although it would have been more persuasive if not for numerous factual errors) that Walt Disney was not socially reactionary, and that his films are more forward-thinking on race and gender issues than other contemporary filmmakers, and uses this film as one example; another he cites is Peter Pan and Tiger Lily's "eskimo kiss" as an implicit approval of interracial relationships.

Just to be clear, none of that is to say that a person can't be offended by SOTS or that they're stupid if they are offended by it. I'm saying that the only way to judge the movie is by viewing it and then making a decision.

Unfortunately, they already made that decision for audiences. And that's what I resent.

 

[[email protected]]

When the Disney suites decided that they could make a better animated film than all the talented artists there, well of course the results were disastrous, but instead of learning from their mistakes, they in turn blamed it on the audience and thought; “we will keep making these movies our way until people realize that they are right and those, (the ticket buying consumer audience), are wrong.” So making decisions for audiences is nothing new there. I have screened my laser copy of SOTS for many, many African Americans, and none were offended at all by the film.