DISNEY: Song of the South (or explanation why rights can not be sold) (1 Viewer)

[Linda Thompson]

quote:Linda, this is simply a bootleg. Disney owns the film and its copyright, and has buried it. Anybody that sells it on a website or eBay auction (including some unscrupulous types who are selling bootlegs copies of the legit UK PAL VHS tape) is perpetuating copyright infringement. The only legit NTSC version available is on Japanese laserdisc (frequently auctioned on eBay and averaging $200-300 by end of auction)

 

[Mark Oates]

Having watched the BBC2 broadcast Duncan mentioned in an above post, I can't see the problem with the picture other than its setting on a Southern plantation. Neither for that matter can I see the appeal of the movie (although as a piece of verboten cinema history I'm as mad with Disney for revisionism as anybody in this thread).



All of the black characters in the movie are positive figures without exception. All of the white characters in the film are in some way negative characters, even Bobby Driscoll our hero is a spectacular drip.



It's my suspicion that the people shouting loudest to bury or burn this film have never actually seen it and base their opinion on their expectations of the movie rather than fact. I can sympathise with the desire to avoid alienating sections of the global community, but when does ideological revisionism turn into book-burning?

 

[Dick]

There was also a Korean laser disc which had and English language track and optional subtitles which is even more desirable (i.e. pricier) than the Japanese version, which has burned-in subtitles during all the songs.

 

[dana martin]

alright, one thing that no one has mentioned yet is the possibility of a Disney treasures release, reason being it really isn't the larger group that is going after it, the on the front lines disc was outstanding, and it had material that had been banned or considered banned for some of its content, i believe that if they have a disclaimer, the in no way do the condone this now, but as historical fact this is the presentation, as it was originally intended, would work, hell let Maltin give all the info that is needed

 

[MatthewA]

Just make sure you can skip the disclaimers.

 

[Gabriela Mendez]

And the 2 minute apology intro on every "racial" scene by Mr. Maltin...:rolleyes

 

[MatthewA]

And these apologies seem to only be concerned with black stereotypes. There's a Chinese stereotype in the B&W Mickey entitled "The Mad Dog" that doesn't rate a warning, and an Italian stereotype in "the Pet Store" that doesn't either.

 

[Numan Parada]

I just signed the petition. Didn't "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" win an Oscar for Best Song? That alone should warrant the film's release.

 

[LizH]

From SaveDisney.Com :

In Defense of Disney's Uncle Remus...



There's actually a full-blown campaign to bring SOTS to DVD:

http://www.uncleremuspages.com/dpp.html

 

[Chuck Bogie]

You wanna talk stereotypes?

Lady & The Tramp... Sheesh. Was that guy supposed to be Italian or French?

 

[Paul Penna]

How can a DVD of this be anything but a bootleg?

 

[Tony Bensley]

In my opinion, unless its either by Disney, or at least a well publicized sub licensing announcement, involving Disney, SONG OF THE SOUTH order links shouldn't even be posted here!


CHEERS!

 

[Sam Posten]

When songs of the south are outlawed only outlaws will have songs of the south =(

 

[Michael Elliott]

We'll see Walt Disney himself do an audio commentary before we see this film released. It's just not going to happen.

 

[MatthewA]

If it were available legally, the bootleggers would be out of business and the studio's critics would have one less thing to hold against them. If you ask me, Disney pulled the wrong movie out of circulation.

We'll see Walt Disney himself do an audio commentary before we see this film released. It's just not going to happen.

Then it'll be a zip-a-dee-doo-dah day in Hell* before I give them one red penny ever again. Tell me how that new Star Wars movie turns out. I wasn't going to see it anyway.


*Walt let Maleficent use that word in Sleeping Beauty. He even depicted it in Pluto's Judgement Day.

 

[LouA]

We'll see Walt Disney himself do an audio commentary before we see this film released. It's just not going to happen.

Sadly I agree. The film is lost forever .

 

[MatthewA]

Then we should boycott Disney until they release it. I'm serious. Stop giving them money for anything. If Disney owns so much as a fraction of it, just go cold turkey. If you really want to watch the movies, make do with the ones you already own. I skipped Inside Out, and I'll be skipping The Good Dinosaur no matter how it turns out. That's how serious I am. The only way they'll listen to you is if you are a stockholder. So put the money into the actual stock instead of merchandise or movies. Keep bringing up the issue until they relent. Do not take no for an answer. Make sure they understand that there will be financial consequences in lost sales and revenue if they don't release it. If they are so offended by it, that's the pot calling the kettle black.


Censorship is wrong, whether it is committed by the public sector or the private sector. This is corporate censorship. Today, it's just this movie. But what makes you think they'll stop with this one?

 

[MatthewA]

In the countries that Disney did release the film, they used this photo:

As the basis of this and other covers:

There's room for Br'er Rabbit and Mr. Bluebird in this cover, but they can't back up and make some room for Toby? Hmmmm. The plot thickens.

And if there's room for homophobic swill like Partners on Blu-ray, then there's more than enough room for Song of the South.

 

[Tony Bensley]

We'll see Walt Disney himself do an audio commentary before we see this film released. It's just not going to happen.

I'm afraid that I agree with this assessment, also! I mean, if SONG OF THE SOUTH ran afoul of the late 1980's "PC Police", how can we expect it to get past the 2015 edition, which probably wouldn't even give this historic Title a fair hearing?


In my opinion, it really stinks, but that's just the way it is!


CHEERS!

 

[Mike Frezon]

I mean, if SONG OF THE SOUTH ran afoul of the late 1980's "PC Police", how can we expect it to get past the 2015 edition, which probably wouldn't even give this historic Title a fair hearing?

It would require leadership. That's all.


That is, someone at the helm of Disney who had the strength of conviction to support a quality company property that has developed an unearned reputation. That same person would then also likely realize that rather than a backlash against the company, there would be a groundswell of support after making it available.