Song of the South

[Alice42]

Hello fellow DISers,
I hope this is the right place for this post!
I am finding myself falling in love with "Zip A Dee Do Dah", "How do ya do?" and "The Laughing Place" songs from Splash Mountain and Song of the South. In fact, I can't get the songs out of my head! I also love all of those characters. Because I am quickly falling in love with the characters and songs, I quickly did some research to try and purchase the movie on line (I have never seen the movie ). I found that it hasn't been released since 1986 and I also read that Disney won't be releasing this movie again! Is there any validity to this? Can this be true??? Does anyone know why this is?
This is definitely surprising because SM is such a hit at WDW and it's not an old attraction!
Or if anyone knows where I can find SOTS, please let me know-I am desperate!
Thanks!

 

[PatriciaH]

You can download a copy off of the internet but I did not tell you that Some people buy a version off of Ebay and have to change the format at a video edditing shop. The format is from UK or Japan most of the time. I have no idea why Disney will not release this film. Most people say that it is because it shows a former slave in a happy light. James Baskett was great in the movie and I think it is a shame that Disney is afraid of uncalled for backlash from people that have probably never even seen "Song of The South." If anyone watched the movie they would love it.

From

http://www.songofthesouth.net/home.html

In 1945, Baskett answered an ad to provide the voice of a talking butterfly in Walt Disney's Song of the South. "I thought that, maybe, they'd try me out to furnish the voice for one of Uncle Remus' animals," recalls Baskett. Upon review of his voice, Walt Disney wanted to meet James personally even though he was currently auditioning hundreds of other actors for the Uncle Remus part. So he tested Baskett too. Walt Disney said, "He's my man." Not only did he get the part of the butterfly's voice, but also the voice of Brer Fox and Uncle Remus, becoming the first actor to be hired by Walt Disney for a full-length, live-action film. James' vocal talent was so extensive he even filled in for Johnny Lee, the voice of Brer Rabbit, in the Laughing Place sequence, when he was called away on a USO tour.

In 1948, an honorary Academy Award for his role as Uncle Remus was bestowed upon him

"For his able and heart-warming characterization of Uncle Remus, friend and story teller to the children of the world, in Walt Disney's Song of the South."

 

[Bacs22]

SOTS is being burried by Disney. This is because of the way the film portrays African-Americans. It has been released in Europe, and you can find sites that will convert the European Video to Video compatable with VCRs in the USA. The going price is about $230.

There is talk that Leonard Maltin, host of the Disney Treasures Series, is putting pressure on Disney to release SOTS in the "Treasures" series. Let's all wish him luck.

 

[jimmytammy]

SOTS is my all time fav Disney movie. I saw it as a kid 2 or 3 times at the theater with my school group. This was in early to mid 70s. In 86, Disney released it to theaters once again, but it recieved to much flak about its representation of Afro-Americans after the Civil War.
For me personally, I loved Uncle Remus. And James Baskett did an outstanding job as an actor portraying that character along with the other voices he portrayed as well.
But that movie has been lost to American culture and political correctness for several yrs now. I have a copy of the Japanese release. It has subtitles in Japanese during the songs but is in all english language. Im scared to watch it anymore for fear the tape will break and I will never get another one. So I wait for DVD recorders to become affordable so I can save it on DVD forever.
If you can ever get a copy or have the opportunity to watch it, do so, because it is Walt Disney at his finest. This movie was way ahead of its time for 1946 in technicality and the story was very good also. Splash Mt is all we have left that even gives the public a glimpse of this wonderful movie.

 

[Darling Daisy]

I looked forever for a reasonably priced copy on DVD and finally ran across this thread on the boards:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=372677&goto=newpost
Go there and KathyR can help you get one.

 

[KathyR]

Here I am!

If you can use a DVD-R format, then I can help you locate a copy of SOTS for under $25 shipped! It is a very nice copy much nicer than my much more expensive PAL cassette that I had to have reformated to NTSC format, so we could watch it here in the USA. Many others here on the DIS (check the thread linked to above) have ordered and enjoyed their copies as well, so it is not only my recommedation now.

I must say that I am not affiliated w/the website at all. I just found it after searching long and hard for a copy on DVD that wasn't ridiculously priced like the ones on EBAY.

If you would like a link to the website, please send me a PM, and I would be happy to pass the info along. Since it is a password protected site, I will not post the info, but I will share w/those who contact me

 

[FloridaCat]

Here are the words and music to all Disney movies, enjoy.

http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/7840/select.htm

 

[FFerret]

Thanks so much, Kathy
23.50 shipped!

 

[walt's assistant]

It is too bad that this Disney treasure has been relegated to bootleg status here in the US. I doubt this will ever change.

WA

 

[Disneyolic]

My biggest problem with Disney not releasing this movie is that they went ahead and made Splash Mountain based on it. I am 37 years old and can only remember bits and pieces of the movies - mostly the songs. How can they base a whole huge attraction on something that most visitors have never seen???

I hope Leonard Maltin is able to use his influence to get the movie re-released.

 

[PrincessAurora]

Its sad that some people cant look at a movie in context with its subject matter and the time period that it was created in.

You will also NEVER see the Donald Duck short with him dressed up as Adolph Hitler. I believe it is called De Fuerers Face. It was a war-time short, mocking Hitler with Donald Duck playing him. I find those WW2 shorts very interesting and a slice of the time. Alas, never to see the light of day due to PC run amuck.

 

[Alice42]

Thanks for all of your responses. It is such a shame, but I have a somewhat clearer picture of why they haven't re-released it. But, thanks to KathyR, I will finally be able to see the movie and judge for myself.

Thanks KathyR for spreading some pixie dust my way!

 

[jiminyfan]

believe that they would not release this film. If you look at the way the main character is portrayed in the movie it is not degrading at all. Yes, slavery did exist in the good ole USA. But, he is the HERO of the movie. White children playing with and being friends with a black slave child. It shows that even though there are difference and that slaves we kept, some were treated better.

If you want to talk about a racist stereotype look at DUMBO. The Black Crows and their dialect and accents are much more degrading.

 

[questdiver32]

i bought a copy of SOTS on laser disk in Atlanta in 95. It is the japenese import version. Got it for $50 i think..
I enjoy it to this day.
ed

 

[SnowWhite33]

If it weren't for a collection of Disney stories in a book we have my ds8 would never know who Brer Rabbit was. As a matter of fact we read this just last night. He asked me how I knew about them and I explained to him about the movie. He was really bummed that he can't see it because he laughs so hard when we read the story. Evidently it's ok for Disney to put the story in print but not release the movie, I think that's odd.

 

[Bowman]

When we were getting ready and anxiously awaiting our Disney trip 2 years ago, I had a friend of a friend make me a copy of their Song of the South movie for my kids to watch. I wanted them to have an idea of what Splash Mountain was based on. That movie has become one of my kids favorite Disney movies. They love it and we've even discussed the issue of slavery back then and that it really did exist. They have watched it a couple of times recently because we leave on the 24th. If you can get a copy somewhere, get one. It is one of the best Disney movies! I really wish they would release it again.

 

[Ratpack]

I bought the DVD that KathyR had info on and it is a great treasure. My DD5 who had no idea about Brer Rabbit and the gang now requests to watch it all the time. It warms my heart for her to like something from my childhood.

 

[peg2001]

I was going to post that there is a sing-along video with a few of the songs: Disney's Sing Along Songs Zip-a-dee-doo-dah

We have it and I'm about to get rid of all our sing along tapes because the kids never watch them. Anyone want it?

Peggy

 

[Chicago526]

I heard this from the Disney employee we had for the Behind the Scenes tour at MK, so I guess this is "offical".

According to the guide, Disney doesn't own the rights to the music in th movie, just the lyrics. The guy who owns them wants way to much $$$ and Disney isn't willing to pay. Also according to the tour guide, Disney is (was?) in the process of changing the music just enough to get around copy right law without really changing it so much you can't recognize the songs, he said something about having to change 1 note per messure to comply with the law.

Since this was from not only an employee, but one that has to study Disney history and lore enough to give tours and escort celebrities (what this type of employee does when not giving tours) I suposse it must be true. However, I got this info in 2000 and he said it was set for release w/in 2 years. So either this wasn't true, or they've hit some more snags.

Either way, I hope they do release it, and just take the good with the bad.

 

[punkin]

Changing one note per measure really would render the music unrecognizable. This sounds like another Disney PR fairytale. As if Disney doesn't have enough money to tempt some poor composer to give up his rights. This is silly and completely unbelievable.