Song of the South (1 Viewer)

[David Lambert]

All I can say about SoTS is this: As I've indicated before, I haven't seen this film since I was a kid. I'm guessing 20-to-25-ish years ago.
So, to refresh my memory on this film, I just borrowed a co-worker's taped-off-satellite-he-doesn't-recall-how-many-years-ago VHS tape of SoTS.
I'll watch it in the next coupla days and let you guys know my thoughts about it's touchier aspects. M'kay?
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DAVE/Memphis
My 3-year-old enjoying Superman - The Movie in widescreen:

(Some of my DVD's are to the left side of the picture)

 

[Cees Alons]

I wasn't aware of the use of the expression "tar-baby" in a derogative manner.
In the film, the word seems appropriate for what it denotes and could, without any change to the interpretation of the movie be replaced by another word (e.g. tar-doll).
Now, to me, the answers to two questions seem important for judging the movie anew in this respect as well as Disney's decision not to release it now on the US continent, namely:
(1) Was the use of the word as a slur already common, or practised at all, when the movie was released for the first time?
(2) If not, is it likely that it was induced by either the movie or the book?
Anyone know this?
Cees
[Edited last by Cees Alons on August 19, 2001 at 12:59 PM]

 

[Alex Shk]

This is all about Disney protecting it's corporate image. Even leasing the film to AB (or equivalent) wouldn't be acceptable if Disney was mentioned on the package, or even the "studio splash" at the start of the film. SotS (as well as the edited sequence in "Fantasia", and the Pecos Bill cartoon) is the price we pay for Disney's marketing strategy of re-releasing their product every decade or so for a new generation. In order to protect their reputation for "safe" films, some will either be censored or withheld.
I don't think they give a damn about what we think on this subject; this marketing strategy has been viable in theaters (and ultimately home video) since the 1950's. Why WOULD they want to even think of shaking the tree?
For comparative purposes - look at the Little Rascals/Our Gang shorts (hmmm - maybe some of the 3 Stooges as well....). Many of these contain racial humor and stereotypes which are decidedly un-PC. When shown on broadcast television, these are heavily edited. Still, they seem to be complete on all home video releases. Why? Because there are no modern day corporate interests to protect with these films.
I think in 2020 Disney will still be dodging questions on this issue.
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[Ross L]

Disney protecting it's corporate image ???????????????
You're joking right ? What image is that ?
If it's as a holsome, family - oriented entertainment company I'll have to say that they've failed miserably.
Maybe they should consider treating it as a porno flic and keep it under the counter until someone requests it.

 

[Bob_L]

In light of this thread, I put my LD of Song of the South in a couple nights ago and rewatched the entire film.
Try it.
My wife and I were both surprised at how much Brer Fox sounds like Eddie Murphy.
I didn't hear any exaggerated dialects here at all. Just dialects. (And surely no one who travels throughout America can deny that they exist in virtually all parts of our country. In themselves, dialects aren't racist, they're regional.)
And if SotS could be perceived to have exaggerated dialects at all, they certainly are nothing on a par with what Murphy does with The Klumps in his Nutty Professor movies.
And what about another racial stereotype that might also be offended by Song of the South? I'm referring to the "white trash" family in the movie -- to use a racially pejorative term that seems not to be on the PC list of automatically shunned expressions.
It's made very clear in the film that they exist on a social level below the black servants. Uncle Remus consistently scolds those boys in a most condescending way. Shouldn't we also take offense at this?
To my mind, all of this reality vs. perception conflict related to Song of the South only reinforces why Disney is doing the right thing by keeping this film in the closet. These are demented times. Disney would gain nothing more by releasing this film than incurring the wrath and self-consciously political criticism of the lunatic mainstream.
[Edited last by Bob_L on August 19, 2001 at 02:04 PM]

 

[Zack Scott]

Quote:
And what about a racial stereotype that might also be offended by Song of the South: The white trash family in the movie. It's made very clear in the film that they exist on a social level below the black servants.
In my three years of working at Disneyland, I have a feeling that this is Disney's biggest target audience so they don't want to offend Them. THat's why we aren't seeing this film any time soon.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I relate the following as an example of how people can take offense when you (or is it just me) least expect.
Recently, NPR had an article about a school district (can't remember the city or state, but I don't think it was southern) that was removing 'To Kill a Mockingbird' from its required reading list, because of offensive racist words. I will point out they were not removing it from school libraries, just changing its status.
I was probably 12-14 years old, when that book was first released. I have always loved it, and the movie is marvelous. To me, it is a powerful and eloquent portrayal of racism (and childhood too). I don't understand how someone could consider it offensive (I do understand how a racist would be offended by it), but some do. Of course, I'm white, so the racists words aren't directed at me.
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Johnny

 

[Mark Zimmer]

Zack, that's an interesting theory, and probably not far from the truth. The white trash element that is the core of Disney's business would not take kindly to release of a movie that puts them in the position of being in a lower social stratum than blacks. Between that and the tar baby thing, they'd be getting it on both sides. No wonder Disney won't release this movie. What a fricking headache this would be.
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"This movie has warped my fragile little mind."