Song of the South (2 Viewers)

[Joe Lugoff]

Part of the problem is the title "Song of the South" and the title song. It makes it seem like the movie is saying, "This is about a great time in a great place, which are now gone forever."

If they had only called the movie "Uncle Remus" or something. The old Disneyland records taken from this movie were retitled "Tales of Uncle Remus."

 

[Henry Gale]

I always thought part of the problem was the similarity of "Roger Rabbit" (Fleischer, how's that career going?) and "Br'er Rabbit".

 

[MatthewA]

Didn't Robert Iger flat-out attack the movie at the last Disney shareholders' conference? If so, the already slim chance of seeing a legit release died with Roy Disney. /img/vbsmilies/htf/frown.gif

 

[Sam Posten]

Dunno, I just hate feeling like something I loved as a child is now a hate crime.

Fwiw I cherish my copy of little black Sambo for even more personal reasons and I reject any thought on that being racist either.

 

[Scamp]

Originally Posted by MatthewA
Didn't Robert Iger flat-out attack the movie at the last Disney shareholders' conference? If so, the already slim chance of seeing a legit release died with Roy Disney. /img/vbsmilies/htf/frown.gif

Having had the good fortune to be able to actually attend this year's shareholder meeting, I wouldn't call Iger's comments a "flat-out attack." However, I'd still agree with you that any decent chance we had of seeing this film released did pass along with Roy. At the meeting when the question of SOTS finally came up, Iger started off by thanking the asker as he was worried that the tradition of someone asking about the film was going to be broken since it hadn't arisen early in the Q&A process. After that it was all downhill as he proceeded to state how he had reviewed the film at least twice since he became CEO and continues to feel it would be insensitive to release this film into the public. Of course, I can't recall his exact words, but that is the gist of what he said, which basically boils down to "don't expect to see this film released while he's in charge." So, yeah I wouldn't say he just came out and attacked the film, but he's also not supporting its release.

 

[Timothy E]

This film was rereleased in theaters by Disney in 1986. Since then, it has been released overseas on VHS and laserdisc. Have these releases caused any negative publicity for the Disney company?

 

[Richard Gallagher]

Originally Posted by Timothy E
This film was rereleased in theaters by Disney in 1986. Since then, it has been released overseas on VHS and laserdisc. Have these releases caused any negative publicity for the Disney company?

I can only speak for myself - I have the Japanese laserdisc, and I haven't complained about it!

Seriously, though, the last public comments we heard from black leaders about the film took place decades ago. It would be interesting to hear the opinions of some of today's prominent blacks.

I remember when Fox Movie Channel canceled its Charlie Chan festival, and I thought that we would never see those films on DVD. We all know how that turned out.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Originally Posted by Richard Gallagher

Seriously, though, the last public comments we heard from black leaders about the film took place decades ago. It would be interesting to hear the opinions of some of today's prominent blacks.

There's been no outcry because the film has been shut off in this country. No VHS, no LD, no DVD and no theatrical releases. It's pretty much been shut off so that no one can see it so no one can complain. I'd bet everything I owed that the NAACP would go after the film if Disney agreed to release it.

People then ask why doesn't Disney just give the film to someone else to release. The groups would still go after Disney for letting the film out of their vault. The film is offensive to people but it's not like many kids or adults would actually be interested in this thing to watch it and get offended by it. The same with THE BIRTH OF A NATION. No one wants to see it so they really can't be offended by it. With that said, there are people out there who need to get their names in the media and attacking Disney would be an easy way to do it.

Disney has way too much to lose and not enough to gain by releasing this film or giving it to someone else to release. From a fans point of view I'd agree it's stupid but if I was involved with the company then I wouldn't touch it for anything.

 

[SilverWook]

If Disney released it on Blu Ray region free overseas, people who want it here could get it if they really want it.

Those who might want to toot their own horn by attacking the release, won't be able to make a 30 second soundbite out of it.

 

[Douglas Monce]

I find it interesting that most of the people, who seem to think that this film is offensive or might be offensive to some group of people, all seem to be over the age of 60. No one I know who is younger than 50 who have seen this film find it to be anything but charming and innocent. The positive portrayals of Aunt Tempy and Uncle Remus are at the heart of why this film SHOULD be released.

I think those who are apposed to it are increasingly out of step with modern society.

Doug

 

[TravisR]

^ The problem is that most people won't watch it. They'll read a headline on the internet saying "Disney releases movie with racial stereotypes" and just assume Song Of The South is more or less a recruitment movie for the neo-Nazi movement and be 'offended' without even watching it. Like Michael alluded to, I don't like that they're too scared or cowardly to release it but I understand it.

 

[Sumnernor]

From other posts, many people who haven't seen it (recently) think the movie is "racial" based on 2nd hand info. Others say that "Gone With the Wind" is ok because it has received many awards - a double standard!

 

[Rob_Ray]

The main reasons GWTW is okay and "Song of the South" is not are:

1. SOTS is a Disney movie and thus is held to a much higher standard since Disney movies function as babysitters.

2. GWTW has been such an unparalled popular phenomenon since its release that Warner couldn't withhold it even if they wanted to. Fans would be storming the gates. GWTW isn't really "OK" by today's standards but there's nothing anybody can do about it because it's GWTW!

 

[MatthewA]

If they did release it and there was a boycott, I'm sure someone else would counteract and organize a "buycott". Depending on who "someone else" was, I'd definitely support the buycott.

 

[Eric Peterson]

I've got an idea for a new movie. Hollywood has been working on ways to make new movies with stars of yesteryear using CGI.

So here's the pitch:

Walt Disney comes back from the dead (his head is in cold storage right?) After seeing the pathetic state of his former company and the group of cowardly clowns that are now in control, he goes on a rampage (Charles Bronson style!). Of course, it could have a happy ending where Walt is back in control and rescues "Song of the South"...and undoes all of the PC editing done since his death (Fantasia, Fun & Fancy Free, etc....) and starts to make quality films again the likes of which haven't been made since the 50s.

Yes, I'm one of those people. I could totally do with never seeing Beauty & the Beast, The Lion King, or Aladdin ever again (All extremely overrated in my opinion).

Any investors?

 

[Mark-P]

Originally Posted by Sumnernor
From other posts, many people who haven't seen it (recently) think the movie is "racial" based on 2nd hand info. Others say that "Gone With the Wind" is ok because it has received many awards - a double standard!

I've heard young people who have never seen the movie talking about it and claiming that it contains the n-word. I had to set them straight and assure them that is totally untrue.

 

[Matt Lucas]

Hello all---

According to songofthesouth.net, a Disney restoration expert said during an October interview, “We want people to see Song of the South because we realize it’s a big piece of company history, and we want to do it the right way.” You can read the entire article here:

[COLOR= #800080]http://www.songofthesouth.net/news/2010/12/01/disney-we-want-people-to-see-song-of-the-south/[/COLOR]http://www.songofthesouth.net/news/2010/12/01/disney-we-want-people-to-see-song-of-the-south/http://www.songofthesouth.net/news/2010/12/01/disney-we-want-people-to-see-song-of-the-south/

I remember seeing the film as a child, and I owned one of the Disney audio storybooks that came with a record featuring the songs. Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, last year, I was able to view a very rough version of the film---it appeared to be a digital capture of a VHS release. And it was a sweet, if completely unrealistic, film.

There’s no question that it portrays a time in our country’s history---the years AFTER the Civil War---as perfectly happy and serene, where the only thing a kid really had to worry about was a couple of bullies from down the street, an overbearing mom, and a nasty bull that lived in a field next to his grandmother’s house. It was a world where former slaves, now share-croppers, lived in harmony on a wealthy land-owner’s farm and interacted in a respectful, friendly way with the land-owner and her family. I’m sure the reality was indescribably worse than what we can imagine today.

But how many period films, particularly ones made in the 1930s and 1940s, accurately display the time in which they are set? There are lots of other films, GONE WITH THE WIND being the most prominent, that are in the same category as SOTS in this regard.

Should SOTS be celebrated for its potentially-offensive content? Certainly not. It should be recognized for its artistic merits AND held accountable for its shortcomings.

But we don’t learn anything from the past by ignoring it. This film deserves to be seen and enjoyed and, yes, debated, if necessary.

Not that Disney should follow any other studio's actions, but I know that Warner Bros. included a filmed disclaimer, featuring actress Whoopi Goldberg, on one of its archival video releases. Perhaps something similar could be arranged for SOTS.

Ideally, they could include an introduction by someone like longtime Disney Animator Floyd Norman, who worked on classics like SLEEPING BEAUTY and THE JUNGLE BOOK as well as more recent hits like TOY STORY 2 and MONSTERS, INC. As the studio’s first African-American animator, he has a unique perspective. And it’s interesting to note that, in a column at Jim Hill Media, Norman wrote:

[COLOR= #0000ff]http://jimhillmedia.com/columnists1/b/floyd_norman/archive/2007/02/20/now-in-full-color-a-cartoonish-take-on-black-history.aspx[/COLOR]http://jimhillmedia.com/columnists1...color-a-cartoonish-take-on-black-history.aspxhttp://jimhillmedia.com/columnists1...color-a-cartoonish-take-on-black-history.aspx

“Today, much is made over political correctness when it comes to racial matters. Overly sensitive people see racial or ethnic slights in every image. And in their zeal to sanitize and pasteurize everything, they've taken all the fun out of cartoon making. I've had the pleasure of speaking with the late Bob Clampett about his 1943 cartoon, "Coal Black and the Sebben Dwarfs." I've chatted with Ward Kimball about animating the crows in Walt Disney's "Dumbo." And lest we forget, many African Americans still love Disney's "Song of the South." Although some might call these comical images racially insensitive, I merely see them as funny.”

And if a DVD/BR release is on the table…well…

In addition to the film, it would be wonderful to see some interviews and archival footage about the making of the movie, the actors, and how the film was perceived over the course of the last six decades through today. I've seen behind the scenes footage of it being filmed in other Treasures featurettes, so I assume more footage is in the archives. [Footage of Gregg Toland and others on set, etc.]

I think it would also be great to note that James Baskett---an African-American, for those who haven’t seen the film---was among the first [some sources say THE FIRST] actors hired by Disney for live action work. And didn't Baskett receive a special Oscar for his performance, the first Oscar ever awarded to an African-American? Those are very important legacies for SONG OF THE SOUTH. Why can't they be preserved for history and for the enjoyment of fans everywhere?

And the fact that we now have an African-American sitting in the most powerful office in the world…surely that’s a clear indication that things have changed. If there was ever a perfect time for SONG OF THE SOUTH’s release, this is it.

mattl

 

[battlebeast]

My take is this, and I felt this way for a long time:

Get Leonard Maltin, Disney Historian; Reverend Jesse Jackson; Sydney Poitier, the NAACP, and/or other prominent black filmmakers, maybe even Pres. Obama and his wife; Oprah Winfrey, etc., and film a round-table disscussion on why this film is preceved as racist. Introductions from Obama, Jackson, Maltin (Like he did for the Treasures DVDs), etc. Have several featurettes on the stereotypes, and racial and ethnic feelings about the film. Show WHY this film was preceived as such, and HOW America has changed in those 60+ years.

As long as the film is taken in context, as it is clearly stated that this film was made in a different time, when N*****, racoon, and Knee-grow were acceptable worlds (i've modified them to be polite, I don't even like to use them), when segregation and racism was all over, I think the majority of the film community will accept this film. Even the public, who I think don't see this as a racist film but rather a fun romp in an animated land. (Correct me if I am wrong.)

It's funny that the NAACP DOES NOT have a position on this film today, even though they declared it racist when it first was released...

I would KILL to see this film released. It is an Oscar winning classic, and one film that does not deserve the treatment it garners because a couple of people are affraid it will cause riots Like Rodney King.

With the right treatment, from all points of view and races and colors, the film CAN be safely released.

And as an added bonus, it would make a TON of money for the mouse house!

 

[Matt Hough]

James Baskett was the first African-American male to win an Oscar for acting (special award, not in competition). Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American winner for Gone With the Wind.

 

[ScottHM]

Originally Posted by battlebeast
Get Leonard Maltin, Disney Historian; Reverend Jesse Jackson; Sydney Poitier, the NAACP, and/or other prominent black filmmakers, maybe even Pres. Obama and his wife; Oprah Winfrey, etc., and film a round-table disscussion on why this film is preceved as racist.

And please put it on its own seperate "bonus" disc.

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