Song of the South

[amwhitaker]

Hope it's soon!!

Despite controversy, Disney could unlock 'Song of the South'

Travis Reed | The Associated Press
Posted March 24, 2007 PHOTOS

"Song of the South" memorabilia (SANDY HUFFAKER, ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mar 22, 2007
STORY GALLERY


Walt Disney Co.'s 1946 film "Song of the South" was historic. It was Disney's first big live-action picture and produced one of the company's most famous songs -- the Oscar-winning "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah." It also carries the story line of the Splash Mountain rides at its theme parks.

But the movie remains hidden in the Disney archives -- never released on video in the United States and criticized as racist for its depiction of Southern plantation blacks. The film's 60th anniversary passed last year without a whisper of official rerelease, which is unusual for Disney, but President and CEO Bob Iger recently said the company was reconsidering.

The film's reissue would surely spark debate, but it could also sell big. Nearly 115,000 people have signed an online petition urging Disney to make the movie available, and out-of-print international copies routinely sell online for $50-$90, some even more than $100.

Iger was answering a shareholder's inquiry about the movie for the second year in a row at Disney's annual meeting in New Orleans. This month the Disney chief made a rerelease sound more possible.

"The question of 'Song of the South' comes up periodically, in fact it was raised at last year's annual meeting ..." Iger said. "And since that time, we've decided to take a look at it again because we've had numerous requests about bringing it out. Our concern was that a film that was made so many decades ago being brought out today perhaps could be either misinterpreted or that it would be somewhat challenging in terms of providing the appropriate context."

"Song of the South" was re-shown in theaters in 1956, 1972 and 1986. Both animated and live-action, it tells the story of a young white boy, Johnny, who goes to live on his grandparents' Georgia plantation when his parents split up. Johnny is charmed by Uncle Remus -- a popular black servant -- and his fables of Brer Rabbit, Brer Bear and Brer Fox, which are actual black folk tales.

Remus' stories include the famous "tar baby," a phrase Republican presidential hopefuls John McCain and Mitt Romney were recently criticized for using to describe difficult situations. In "Song of the South," it was a trick Brer Fox and Brer Bear used to catch the rabbit -- dressing a lump of hot tar as a person to ensnare their prey. To some, it is now a derogatory term for blacks, regardless of context.

The movie doesn't reveal whether it takes place before or after the Civil War, and never refers to blacks on the plantation as slaves. It makes clear they work for the family, living down dirt roads in wood shacks while the white characters stay in a mansion. Remus and other black characters' dialogue is full of "ain't nevers," "ain't nobodys," "you tells," and "dem days's."

"In today's environment, 'Song of the South' probably doesn't have a lot of meaning, especially to the younger audiences," said James Pappas, associate professor of African-American Studies at the University of New York at Buffalo. "Older audiences probably would have more of a connection with the stereotypes, which were considered harmless at the time."

Pappas said it's not clear that the movie is intentionally racist, but it inappropriately projects Remus as a happy, laughing storyteller even though he's a plantation worker.

"Gone with the Wind," produced seven years earlier, endured the same criticism and even shares a common actress (Hattie McDaniel, who won an Oscar for "Gone" for playing the house slave "Mammy").

However, Pappas said he thinks the movie should be rereleased because of its historical significance. He said it should be prefaced, and closed, with present-day statements.

"I think it's important that these images are shown today so that especially young people can understand this historical context for some of the blatant stereotyping that's done today," Pappas said.

From a financial standpoint, Iger acknowledged last year that Disney stood to gain from rereleasing "Song." The company's movies are popular with collectors, and Disney has kept sales strong by tightly controlling when they're available.

Christian Willis, a 26-year-old IT administrator in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., started a "Song" fan site in 1999 to showcase memorabilia. He soon expanded it into a clearinghouse for information on the movie that now averages more than 800 hits a day and manages the online petition.

Willis said he doesn't think the movie is racist, just from a different time.

"Stereotypes did exist on the screen," he said. "But if you look at other films of that time period, I think 'Song of the South' was really quite tame in that regard. I think Disney did make an effort to show African Americans in a more positive light."

Though Willis is hopeful, there's still no telling when -- or if -- the movie could come out (beyond its copyright lapsing decades from now).

For this story, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Disney's distribution arm, issued a statement: "Song of the South is one of a handful of titles that has not seen a home distribution window. To this point, we have not discounted nor committed to any distribution window concerning this title."

 

[fonsy]

Thanks for the info. I would like them to release it too. I've never seen it, just the part when they sing.

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

Me too... when I was little I owned the Song of the South: Sing-a-long Songs and I loved it... I think it was my first Disney video

I'd love for it to come out on DVD

 

[gammasip]

Where is this petition we can sign???

 

[mirthmaiden]

I can remember seeing Song of the South in the theater when I was very, very young. I was born in 1965, so it must've been re-released at some point. I have a copy of it from Europe now. Would love to have it on DVD though.

Down with political correctness. That movie is no more/less "racist" than Gone With the Wind.

I would like to sign the petition too!

 

[MickeyT]

I've always wondered the about story behind Splash Mountain. I would buy out of curiosity.

 

[katiebsmom]

I actually got a copy of this just a few years ago. It was "under the table" that I found one. It's exactly like I remembered from a tiny child except when they sing a song the words are written in Chinese at the bottom of the screen LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[brightspark]

Dh and I recently watched it for the first time - we have it on VHS, because it sold in the Uk. It's a sweet film, with Remus telling the stories of Brer Rabbit and co. It made Splash Mountain make much more sense.

I guess that we're not so sensitive to the controversy about it over here as it's not set in our country, but we didn't have a problem with it. We felt it was a story set in a time when that's the way things were. Not mentioning something doesn't mean it didn't happen. We need to learn from the past, not just hide from it.

I am interested in hearing opinions from those of you on the other side of the big pond!

It's a neat film - I hope you all get to see it soon.

 

[CinRell]

I recently got Song of the South as well and LOVE it! They even touched on anti animal cruelty... I didnt' think it was racist.. I think it reflected a time period and tried to put innocense in it for young viewers.

This was a beautiful movie.. I'm only surprised they built "splash" if there was such controversy... why base a ride on a movie some may never see??

 

[brightspark]

I recently got Song of the South as well and LOVE it! They even touched on anti animal cruelty... I didnt' think it was racist.. I think it reflected a time period and tried to put innocense in it for young viewers.

This was a beautiful movie.. I'm only surprised they built "splash" if there was such controversy... why base a ride on a movie some may never see??

So true!

 

[MACfamily4]

I can remember seeing Song of the South in the theater when I was very, very young. I was born in 1965, so it must've been re-released at some point. I have a copy of it from Europe now. Would love to have it on DVD though.

Down with political correctness. That movie is no more/less "racist" than Gone With the Wind.

I would like to sign the petition too!

I, too, was born in 1965 and I remember seeing SOtS in the theater with my grandmother. I'm guessing it was the 1972 re-release because I was very young. I was so disappointed three years ago when, before my kids' first trip to Disney, I tried to find it. I called EVERYWHERE and couldn't beg, borrow or steal a copy. They still loved Splash Mountain, but I can't help but think they would have "gotten it" much better had they known the story behind it. I'm with you all - where's that petition?

 

[NewYorkRedNeck]

I've loved Song OF The South since i was a kid.
I had the Disney record set that had the story books with them and i wore it out

 

[ClaraBug]

When I was growing up, the local library would do lawn movies. They would show 'Classic' movies behind the library at the park during the summer. They would use a old projector and screen. I remember sitting on a blanket eating popcorn and smelling "OFF" Bug spray while watching Song of the South. If the library thought it was a 'classic', then what is the problem?! I didn't see anything racist or upsetting then and I highly doubt that my children would see anything like that now. I know my children would giggle and laugh at the antics of Brer Bear, Fox, and Rabbit.

If Disney is afraid to release the movie, then WHY are the costumed characters from Song of the South running around the park and in the parades?

 

[ClaraBug]

Besides It's a Small World, what's the other song almost everyone knows??

Zip-pa-dee-doo-da
Zip-pa-dee-day
My, oh my, what a wonderful day
Plenty of sunshine
Headin' my way
Zip-pa-dee-doo-da
Zip-pa-dee-day

Mr. Bluebird's on my shoulder
It's the truth
Its actual
Everything is satisfactual

etc, etc, etc........

 

[yitbos96bb]

I can remember seeing Song of the South in the theater when I was very, very young. I was born in 1965, so it must've been re-released at some point. I have a copy of it from Europe now. Would love to have it on DVD though.

Down with political correctness. That movie is no more/less "racist" than Gone With the Wind.

I would like to sign the petition too!

Bootleg DVDs are ALL OVER the internet. I bought one a few years ago... The quality is not DVD quality however so it will be nice if Disney releases the official version. I'm not a fan of bootlegs, but in this case, I'm ok with it since Disney won't make it available.


Political correctness is fine for a lot of things... just because some take it too far, doesn't mean there isn't good in it. The film NEEDS context, which is also political correctness, in this day and age.

 

[yitbos96bb]

I recently got Song of the South as well and LOVE it! They even touched on anti animal cruelty... I didnt' think it was racist.. I think it reflected a time period and tried to put innocense in it for young viewers.

This was a beautiful movie.. I'm only surprised they built "splash" if there was such controversy... why base a ride on a movie some may never see??

The controversy was mainly with the live action sections and the tar baby animation... Splash has neither.

This is an important piece of Film History... it is the first time an African Amercian had a lead role in a movie.

 

[CarolinaBlue]

I can remember seeing Song of the South in the theater when I was very, very young. I was born in 1965, so it must've been re-released at some point. I have a copy of it from Europe now. Would love to have it on DVD though.

I was born in 1965, too. They used to re-release movies back then. That's how I got to see Song of the South, Gone With the Wind, and Sleeping Beauty when I was a kid.

I have a copy of Song of the South on VHS. It has Japanese(I think) writing at the bottom of the screen.

 

[disfamily3]

I think this is the web address that the other person was talking about, it is
Song of the South.net------There is a petition there to sign.