Possible Release of Disney's "Song of the South"? (1 Viewer)

George Fogel · Dec 30, 2004

Dick Cook, Chairman of the Walt Disney Studios spoke at this summer's Annual Convention of the NFFC, the club for Disney Enthusiasts. The Septeber/October 2004 issue of the FantasyLine Express (the club's newsletter) reported part of his talk:

Jeremy Little · Dec 30, 2004

If it involves modifying or deleting anything in the original film, they should forget about releasing it.

IF the make an introduction to the film and leave the original material alone, I'm all for seeing it out on DVD.

RomanSohor · Dec 30, 2004

said the Devil.

Wow... just... wow.

MatthewLouwrens · Dec 30, 2004

Well, at least it sounds like they are actually considering the matter. Good news, thanks for reporting it.

Absolutely agreed.

ZackR · Dec 30, 2004

Wow. This is encouraging news. I would love to get an official copy. But I agree, they should not edit anything at all. Otherwise, don't release it. They could just put one of their "This was a different time...yadda yadda yadda...don't hold it against us...yadda yadda yadda..." warnings before it. As long as we get the film. One of my favorites!!

This is seriously EXCELLENT news!!!

Patrick McCart · Dec 30, 2004

I'd simply put a Leonard Maltin intro before the film and a disclaimer on the packaging.

Even better, mention on the front cover that James Baskett won an Oscar as Uncle Remus. I think it's important that Song of the South features performances (remember, he also voiced Br'er Fox) that won Baskett not only an Academy Award, but also the first ever to a male African American (SotS even features Hattie MacDaniel as a supporting actress, who won the first Oscar, period, to an African American).

Casey Trowbridg · Dec 30, 2004

I also absolutely agree with this. I have never seen this film but would very much like to, and believe that while the depictions in this film maybe shouldn't be celebrated...ok, probably shouldn't, they shouldn't be ignored or brushed aside either. It is a part of history after all even if it is not one of our shiniest moments. I am speaking when I say that more of the attitudes displayed in the film itself and other types of entertainment, then the actual film itself.

Steve Tannehill · Dec 30, 2004

I have the laserdisc. There are only two areas that might be questionable in this movie, IMO.

1) Happy Singing Slaves
2) The Tar Baby

The slave singing is no more offensive, again IMO, than Prissy in Gone with the Wind.

The Tar Baby may be a little more sticky...do we want our kids using this term, after they hear it used time and time again watching this movie on repeat play on DVD? Will the Leonard Maltin "political correctness" introduction be geared towards kids? Do people even care anymore?

Other than that, this is a typical Disney movie about a boy who escapes a broken family by listening to the colorful stories of Uncle Remus. Enough already, Walt. Come out of suspended animation and release this movie!

- Steve

Ernest Rister · Dec 30, 2004

I guess Disney is tired of losing money to e*bay.

********

As for the "singing slaves" charge -- there are no slaves in Song of the South. The movie is set after the Civil War, on a plantation that is farmed by White and Black Sharecroppers.

MarcusUdeh · Dec 30, 2004

No not him, I have my reasons. How about Whoopi Goldberg doing the introduction? That previous statement is mean not to be a joke. The cleverest thing to do is packaging and marketing this movie to an adult audience(i.e. film buffs). No animated characters featured on the cover. On the shrink-wrap a warning sticker that this movie is not children’s fare /keep it simple Disney black background, with large silver and almond cursive font, for the film’s DVD cover.

Ernest Rister · Dec 30, 2004

How about a jacket that lists the Oscars this film won, with Uncle Remus and Bobby Driscoll and Luanna van Patten and all the animated characters...

...and then on the back, photoshop all of these people turning around, flipping off the camera, under the words, "There are no slaves in this movie - either watch it or shut the hell up"

EricSchulz · Dec 31, 2004

I hope that is a joke! SOTS was re-released in the late 60's I believe, and I saw it in a theater in Chicago with my family. I was maybe 8 or 9 years old. It was, AND STILL IS, a family movie! Why not view it for what it is: an historical document!

Jeff Ulmer · Dec 31, 2004

Make it a Disney Treasures with an intro and be done with it. Edit/crop the film and it disappears from the buy list.

MatthewA · Dec 31, 2004

At least we got more than an evasion from Mr. Cook.

This film has been rereleased to theaters 3 times since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: in 1972, 1980, and 1986.

The song Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah was featured in a 1980 TV episode of the anthology series devoted to Oscar-winning studio films; clips were featured in various opening credits sequences of the anthology series for years. The idea that it should be locked away because times have changed started with Eisner's regime.

Jeff Jacobson · Dec 31, 2004

This song is also a ring tone on a Mickey Mouse phone that my brother got this year.

Paul McElligott · Dec 31, 2004

Hire someone like Danny Glover to do the intro.

Larry Bevil · Dec 31, 2004

I heartily agree

Harold Southard · Dec 31, 2004

IMO they should just release it as-is. No intro. No editing. Just a good transfer and good sound. Those who are offended by it will be offended no matter what you do. We live in the United States of the Offended. I'm sick of it. It is what it is. When is all this politically correct crap going to stop. Why don't we just edit the history books while we are at it, wait they have already started doing that. Just release it already. They are making movies today that I think are much worse than SOTS could ever be.

Ken Martinez · Dec 31, 2004

I think Disney should just release it AS-IS. Censorship is a step backward from enlightenment.

While I enjoy the animated characters and songs from Song of the South, on a critical level this film is mediocre at best.

Ernest: are you stating that you want people to watch the movie and then comment whether they agree with you or not or that they should shut up and not provide an alternative viewpoint on Song Of The South?

TravisR · Dec 31, 2004

I would be beyond shocked if Disney ever releases this cartoon again. I don't care what Dick Cook said. If they announce they are going to release it, the story will be called "Disney Releases Racist Cartoon On DVD". Then people will complain (having seen it or not having seen it), Disney will chicken out instantly, pull it from whatever release they planned to put it on, and back to the Disney vaults it will go.

Whatever your thoughts on The Song Of The South, that's what would happen.

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