Song Of The South Coming To DVD? Please Read

[Brad Vautrinot]

In a surprise move, Disney has a web page up that is taking requests for SONG OF THE SOUTH to be released on DVD. Please go there and cast a vote in the affirmative even if you aren't interested in a release of this beloved classic. I don't know if Disney has been getting a lot of pressure about this movie or if they're just testing the waters, but I was thrilled to see them at least waver from their previous "we'll never release this again" attitude. Oh yes, in the remarks section please ask for it to be uncensored and uncut.

http://psc.disney.go.com/disneyvideo...s/0153103.html

[sparky]

Just did my part.

It's funny that they have all the specs for it. I wonder if it has already been manufactured and depending on the feedback, they get the okay to start selling?

Our wishes could come true!!!

[Taxi]

Done.

[manigrasso]

Anyone pick up the doube-disc "Disneyland USA?" The first program is all about the opening festivities of Disneyland. They had Davy Crockett talking about how he had to massacre a tribe of Indians to get to Frontierland, and then there was a little square dance dequence featuring a big black woman who was identitifed as Aunt Jemima. If these kinds of things can slide past the Politically Correct Radar, I don't see why Song of the South can't.

BTW, I signed the petition.

[Nexus 6]

Signed.

[Welles and Ford Fan]

...and done.

[ElCuCuy2000]

I recently saw the Laserdisk version of this movie on ebay, sold for $700+ (!). I don't know much about it, but as I understood it, it was something of a "racist" movie? Can somebody verify this?? Thanks.

[Sid]

Signed

Only signed it because I know of a few people who have forked over 30 dollars or more for bootleg copies off of ebay.

[tenebrae]

Signed it

[SolidSnakeASS]

I sent my message. I'd love to see it on DVD.

[Ambushbug]

Done.

[caligulathegod]

Originally posted by ElCuCuy2000
I recently saw the Laserdisk version of this movie on ebay, sold for $700+ (!). I don't know much about it, but as I understood it, it was something of a "racist" movie? Can somebody verify this?? Thanks.

It's racist in the sense that it features smiling happy slaves/sharecroppers and they are not miserable and oppressed. Most people offended by it are white liberals offended on behalf of other people, like most things. Is it insensitive? Yeah, probably. It reflects a period of history that we'd all just as soon forget in a less than unfavorable light, but it also preserves a culture that did exist and should not be forgotten, either. The oral folk literature it depicts is just as valuable to our collective culture as any Paul Bunyon or Pecos Bill tale. It is a product of a different time and should be judged in context with that time.

[Kimmo]

Done.

[Brad Vautrinot]

That's an interesting point, Manigrasso, about the "Disneyland, USA" Treasures release which I haven't seen. I do have the Treasures release of "Silly Symphonies" and Leonard Maltin gives an introduction to The Three Little Pigs story explaining the controversy that surrounded it upon release. He also shows the "offending" part.

Let's hope that Disney is finally realizing the historical value of these movies and the precedence this should take over any pc issues. Explanations such as that Maltin gave are more than enough to dispel any hard feelings and go miles toward explaining why these films were made the way they were and reflect the values of the times. That doesn't make them any less offensive, but at least the historical significance of this era in film making is preserved.

[EPKJ]

"Song Of The South" is not racist. It is a very upbeat film which reflects a particular period in America. Ignoring it in order to not offend people is an insult to viewers' intelligence. "The Birth Of A Nation" has long been available on both video and DVD, and is much more controversial than "Song Of The South". It has not turned our society to ruin. I am offended by many films. I don't watch them. Anyone who is so offended by "Song Of THe South" that he wants it banned, can go straight to hell as far as I am concerned. I will never submit to one man's sensibilities determining what films I may watch or what books I may read. I voted to have this film released on DVD, and thank Brad for calling it to my attention.

[BubbleGumUK]

I hope this leads somewhere!

Luckily enough, "SOTS" is available on VHS here in the UK, but a restored DVD version would be more than worthwhile - especially if they bundle it with the "John Henry" short that's been cooking up a storm in the Mouse House recently.

I submitted my plea for a DVD, and as I did I remembered that James Earl Jones had filmed a new introduction for a re-issue of "SOTS" at the same time he shot his link for "Fantasia/2000".

In the intro, Jones explained how times had changed and outlined the story, characters, and their fitting into the story's setting.

It seems that in this day and age, we can still have "Gone with the Wind", with it's very downgrading and patronising view of the plantation workers. but not "SOTS", which actually promoted black people in Hollywood at the time. James Baskett's performance as Uncle Remus is one of the great all-time story-teller parts EVER, and it's his character that actually saves the townsfolk emotionally, spiritually and, in the end, actually physically as well.

Growing up, I always found as much in Uncle Remus stories in the film as that of Bobby Driscoll's character - and those animated sections are amongst the best in all Disney animation! Check out the final shots of the cartoons running and jumping along with the live actors - stiil as good, if not better, than anything in "Roger Rabbit" or "Space Jam".

"SOTS" is a very important fim. I recently heard that Disney have un-officially dis-owned it, and are planning to destroy all copies. I hope that's not the case and that they retain a master somewhere or somehow - time change and would be indeed a great loss if we were to never see this milestone motion picture again...

[MeyerLansky]

Signed and done

I pray for the day that Disney will have ALL their pre-1960 animated films, shorts, and cartoons on DVD in untampered condition. I hate how they screwed up Pecos Bill with that computer generated PC crap they pulled off.

Two other Disney features I would like to see (considering I've only read about them and never seen them) are the WW2 propaganda animated film "Victory through Air Power" (1942) and the Donald Duck cartoon "Der Fuehrer's Face"(1943) in which he takes a comical jab on the Nazis that did win an Academy Award.

Disney really makes me mad at times. The only decent thing to watch on the Disney channel is the Ink and Paint Club (which is playing now) that comes on at 4AM featureing classic Disney cartoons. Everything else on that channel sucks. I bet Walt is rolling over in his grave right know for what Eisner and his PC focus group executives have done to the Mouse house. Remember how they initially rejected DVDs especially for their animated films.

[BubbleGumUK]

I have an S-VHS copy of a show that included "Victory" and "Der Fuhers Face":

The Duck cartoon is a pretty standard short for the time, with some very witty gags poked at a certain mad-dictator! "VTAP" is, frankly, amazing, with some of the best light and shadow animation work ever done at Disney using hand-drawn techniques. Catch them if you can, wherever you can!!

[egman]

Just signed myself, and I'm not even a Disney collector. I haven't seen the full movie but what I have saw didn't offend me anyways. EPKJ is right, there are more offensive movies on video right now.

Political correctness has never solved a thing. Putting films like SOTS in the context of the period of the production will prove to be much more constructive.

If the limited edition tins they have released recent are any indication, I think Disney have finally past this PC hump.

[Damian]

DVD?

[Prancer]

Thanks for posting this. I voted for full uncut version of DVD release.

Damian, go to the left of the screen and it should say something like if you want to vote click here and then it will bring up a little window and you can pick VHS or DVD.

[Blade]

[BubbleGumUK]

I just dug out my VHS of this and got caught up in it again!

It really is a great, classic, family film! Please sign to get them to put of a full, uncut DVD - doesn't even have to be a special ed - just the film (restored would be nice)!!