This DVD will have a disclaimer, possibly from film historian Leonard Maltin.


Personally, I don't reall care about this and also not suprised since Disney released their WWII cartoons on "Disney Treasures: On The Front Lines" a few years ago.


www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/articles/showarticle.php?ID=1313


What's your opinion? Good or Bad.


I hope Warner Bros. releases their WWII cartoons like "Daffy the Commando", "Scrap Happy Daffy", "Herr Meets Hare",  and that long banned Snow White parody that many animation buffs kiss up to, that I've only seen screen cuts & read reviews.  :)

I know they should be looked as a historical document instead of entertainment, but I've seen a few on the "Toon Heads" special a few years ago and looked interesting and educational since I had to learn about WWII in History and read books like "Animal Farm" in English.

And more Speedy Gonzales cartoons. ("Speedy Gonzales" is in 'Looney Tunes Golden Collection' volume 1)

I posted this on the political forums since many people might disagree with Disney releasing the movie since it featured racial stereotypes that were common during the 1940's and is considered offensive today.

Me personally, I've never had a problem with 'Song of the South'. Some people do and I believe that if they do, they are not forced to purchase it.  :)

I've never seen it.  Only heard the song, so I guess I would like to see it.

I saw it last year, there's really nothing wrong with it that I remember seeing. The slaves were portrayed as happy with their social role, which is probably the worse sin of the movie.  Most kids will enjoy the cartoon sequences. I guess the "tar-baby" could be misconstrued as being racist, but even that's a strech.  Most of the movies made in this day and age with black leads could be said to be more racist than this, by a long stretch, it's just they're usually filmed with black directors.

Releasing it will probably do more to silence the criticism of the movie, since people will be able to see it, and won't speculate about how Disney produced a wicked racist piece of garbage.  The WW2 war cartoons were far worse, though not even those match some of the Warner Bros. pieces.

Well, sure Disney can release it if they wish to, those who wish to view it can do so, those who don't wish to, won't...

but a portrayal of slavery as a "social role" that the slaves were more or less happy with, would strike me as a bit "off", to say the least.

Well, sure Disney can release it if they wish to, those who wish to view it can do so, those who don't wish to, won't...

but a portrayal of slavery as a "social role" that the slaves were more or less happy with, would strike me as a bit "off", to say the least.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_of_the_South

Wikipedia comes through on this one... basically due to the time frame of when the stories are recorded originally, and when it was filmed, a lot of comprimises were made that really didn't please or offend anyone at the time of release.  Kind of like most Disney products really. 

It's interesting that Wilkipedia attributes the film's limited availability to "studio management's" own assessment that the much of the film is 'racist'.  Most of the angry comments I've heard from those who have felt that the film should be available blame outside pressures instead -- 'The PC Police" -- for Disney's decision.

It's also interesting that the black star of the film was unable to get a hotel room close enough to the theatre to attend the premiere.  I'm sure it's just they were just all booked up.  I'm equally sure he was fine with that, and was happy "jes te be gibben de oppatuniddy t'be in de film".

I saw it last year, there's really nothing wrong with it that I remember seeing. The slaves were portrayed as happy with their social role, which is probably the worse sin of the movie.  Most kids will enjoy the cartoon sequences.


Actually, the MOVIE is set in post civil war Georgia.  There were no slaves in the movie at all.  And in fact, there was a lot of uproar in the South when it came out, because the movie was very sympathetic to blacks.  In fact, in a segment Uncle Remus told the Grandmother who owned  the farm how she should handle her family life.  In no way were the actors portrayed in an "Uncle Tom" fashion!  A lot also object to the forms of speach used, never mind that even today, it is a common dialect that is still used in those areas of Georgia.


I guess the "tar-baby" could be misconstrued as being racist, but even that's a strech.  Most of the movies made in this day and age with black leads could be said to be more racist than this, by a long stretch, it's just they're usually filmed with black directors.


The funny thing is, that almost all of the Uncle Remus stories were in a way racist.  The Brer Rabbit caracter was symbolic of the slaves.  Brer Bear represented the overseers, and Brer Fox represented the Plantation owners.  Almost all of the stories basically showed the "slaves" putting one over on their white oversears.  And most of the animals were taken directly from African mythology and Animalistic religions of the regions of Africa where they were taken from.  People who see the "Tar Baby" as racist have no understanding or concept (or even seem to care) what the real symbolism represented.


Releasing it will probably do more to silence the criticism of the movie, since people will be able to see it, and won't speculate about how Disney produced a wicked racist piece of garbage.  The WW2 war cartoons were far worse, though not even those match some of the Warner Bros. pieces.


Once again, the movies are NOT racist!  The stories were put in print by Joel Chandler Harris, an amature anthropoligist and newspaper writer.  With the end of slavery, he saw the isolated communities of slaves disbanding, and wanted to save their oral traditions and folklore.  He started to publish them in his newspaper in 1876, to huge approval.  In 1881, he published his first book full of these stories, songs, poems, and traditions.  In fact, his work is one of the largest remaining collections of the oral traditions of African-American slaves.

I am very glad that Disney is finally making this available.  And James Basket (Uncle Remus) was the first African-American male to recieve an Oscar.  Finally, a new generation can see this, his last and most well known work.

If anybody wants to know more about these stories, here is an excellent site to check out:

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/remus/contents.html

And here is another one, with 35 complete stories, poems, stories, and more:

http://www.uncleremus.com/

And in fact, there was a lot of uproar in the South when it came out, because the movie was very sympathetic to blacks. 



Well, speaking admittedly as one who's never seen the film, if it categorically presents each race/culture in a particular fashion -- blacks generally portrayed as one way, and 'whites' another -- that to me would itself seem to indicate a 'racist' sensibility in the strictest meaning of the word. 

To inquire what these stereotypes reflect about the orientation or intentions of the filmmakers would be interesting to explore.

Well, speaking admittedly as one who's never seen the film, if it categorically presents each race/culture in a particular fashion -- blacks generally portrayed as one way, and 'whites' another -- that to me would itself seem to indicate a 'racist' sensibility in the strictest meaning of the word. 

To inquire what these stereotypes reflect about the orientation or intentions of the filmmakers would be interesting to explore.


Actually, for the most part, all of the villans are either white, or representing whites.  The only sympathetic white characters in the entire movie is Johnny, the child who is enthralled by Uncle Remus and his stories, and Ginny, the poor "white trash" girl from up the road.  All of the other white characters for the most part are played in a negative way.  And all of the black characters are the "heros" of the story.

But sadly, people look at the movie and try to find fault.

http://www.savedisney.com/news/editorials/mj012105.1.asp
http://www.theforbidden-zone.com/scrolls/songofthesouth.shtml

Actually, for the most part, all of the villans are either white, or representing whites.  The only sympathetic white characters in the entire movie is Johnny, the child who is enthralled by Uncle Remus and his stories, and Ginny, the poor "white trash" girl from up the road.  All of the other white characters for the most part are played in a negative way.  And all of the black characters are the "heros" of the story.



Again, I haven't seen it, but that sounds pretty racist to me.  Which doesn't mean it isn't done with the best of intentions, but still...

I agree that's there's some movies like "Soul Plane" & current rap videos that are more, or equally,  offensive than "Song of the South" and that Disney's WWII cartoons were worse...


Here's an article about the history of race & ethnicity in American animation.

"Race & Ethnicity in American Animation" by Dean T. Moody
                                                                   


http://home.earthlink.net/~gospodean/awwwjeezitsdeansblog/id8.html
http://www.toontracker.com/coalblack/sowhite.gif
"Some folks say I kinda dumb, but I know some day my prince will come"


I've actually downloaded the "Snow White" parody, but the quality was "choppy".  :P



The cartoon was OK, but I liked the end where Prince Charming tried to kiss So White, but she doesn't wake up from the coma. But Dopey Dwarf kissed her and she woke up and flags popped out of her head. Why? Because it's a miliatary secret.

Funny that it's a parody of  Disney's "Snow White", which was a butchered version of the more sinister version from the Bros. Grimm, which is the best version.

Atleast Dopey kissed her instead of the prince since the dwarves actually  helped her.  :)

Was it racist?  Like "Song of the South", "So White & de Sebben Dwarves" had racial stereotypes.

It actually featured African American voice over artists like Vivian Dandridge & African American jazz musicians providing the music, which Bob Clampette was a fan of.

Despite the fact it was done in 1943. I've seen or heard worse like Walter Lantz'  "Scrub Me Mama With A Boogie Beat".

One thing I find funny is how different people view "censorship".

Myself, I find it in almost any way offensive.  However, I also believe in being "appropriate".  To me, Howard Stern is free to saw whatever he wants.  However, he also has to follow the rules published by the FCC.  If he wants to say whatever he wants, then he needs to do it in another forum, like calbe or non-public non-broadcast media (satellite radio, internet radio, etc).  The same with Janet Jackson.  She is free to show her boobs all she wants (like she did a decade ago in Playboy), but during the superbowl is NOT appropriate.

And at the same time that some people scream against censorship, they want to censor what we se because they feel it is "wrong".  I am sorry, but I do not like "Thought Police".  Let me see something and make up my own mind about it.  Do not tell me how to think, or what is wrong for me to watch.

And at the same time they say a movie like "Song Of The South" is racist, they say nothing about the current negative stereotypes that abound today.  Just watch any "Black Exploitation" movie, and you will see a ton of them.  Heros are often drug dealers, thugs, gang members, or pimps.  And they say that is appropriate, while a Disney movie is not?

I am curious, how many have even seen this movie, or read any of the Uncle Remus stories?  I have read 2 of the books about 20 years ago, and have seen the movie many times (I have a bootleg copy).

Can you recall any BLACKS being on/or in trouble on 'Dragnet'?
All of LA was covered and how many crimes were due to a black person?

Hmmmm ::)

Can you recall any BLACKS being on/or in trouble on 'Dragnet'?
All of LA was covered and how many crimes were due to a black person?

Hmmmm ::)
How about that for the greatest of ironies? "Dragnet" was too racist to allow black actors on, even as criminals!

As for "Song of the South," I've always wanted to see it.

Most racist movie I've seen recently: "National Security" with Martin Lawrence and Steve Zahn. Martin Lawrence plays the worst stereotype of a black man I've seen in ages.

First, reacting to negative public opinion is not 'censorship'.  FCC/legal violations aside, if a significant segment of the marketplace complains about Howard Stern, for example, and his broadcaster chooses to give in as a business/PR decision, that is NOT censorship.  That's business.  Whoever runs the station is free to make those decisions.  Customers who disagree with those decisions are free to complain to the station, or to turn the dial and stop supporting that business.

Second, to suggest that negative stereotypes are acceptable simply because certain members of the stereotyped group perpetuate them is ridiculous.  Since when is everyone in a particular group accountable for the actions of everyone else in that group?  Does an Italian-American have less of a right to be distressed about the abundance of mafia stereotypes simply because there are Italian-American actors, directors and writers involved in 'the Sopranos', the Godfather movies, 'Shark Tale', etc.?  It's the "you people" mentality: "You people" complain about such and such, but at the same time "you people" are doing such and such. 

Now, if the actors on the Sopranos were to hold a press conference complaining about "A Sharks' Tale", one might perhaps have a legitimate argument to could pose to THOSE ACTORS.  But the "you people" group accountability mentality is just plain-faced shameless bigotry.

I vaguely remember the film from my youth, so really can't comment on the "racist" issue, but regardless, it represents a piece of film history that should be preserved and studies, just as the blatantly racist W.D. Griffith film Birth of a Nation should be preserved and studies.  Both represent a part of the material culture of the era in which they were made, and so can tell us something about that period, maybe more than documents can.

I'll wait for
Song of the South Park

Song of the South


Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton,
Old times there are not forgotten,
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land.
In Dixie Land, where I was born in,
early on one frosty mornin',
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land.

I wish I was in Dixie, Hooray! Hooray!
In Dixie Land I’ll take my stand
to live and die in Dixie.
Away, away, away down south in Dixie.
Away, away, away down south in Dixie

Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton,
Old times there are not forgotten,
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land.
In Dixie Land, where I was born in,
early on one frosty mornin',
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land.

I wish I was in Dixie, Hooray! Hooray!
In Dixie Land I’ll take my stand
to live and die in Dixie.
Away, away, away down south in Dixie.
Away, away, away down south in Dixie


Those were the days...

Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton,
Old times there are not forgotten,
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land.
In Dixie Land, where I was born in,
early on one frosty mornin',
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land.

I wish I was in Dixie, Hooray! Hooray!
In Dixie Land I’ll take my stand
to live and die in Dixie.
Away, away, away down south in Dixie.
Away, away, away down south in Dixie


Ahhh, good old Dixie. 

Tote that barge
Lift that bale
get a little drunk and you land in jail.
And old man river,
he just keeps rollin,
he just keep rollen along.

GO JIM CROW

I remember my parents not letting us go see "Song of the South" but their main gripe was the fact
that Joel Chandler Harris had transcribed Negro folk tales, put his name on them as author, and
made a bundle of money, the same reason why I won't allow anything with Jimmy Paige and/or
Led Zeppelin cross my threshhold.  ;)

Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton,
Old times there are not forgotten,
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land.
In Dixie Land, where I was born in,
early on one frosty mornin',
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land.

I wish I was in Dixie, Hooray! Hooray!
In Dixie Land I’ll take my stand
to live and die in Dixie.
Away, away, away down south in Dixie.
Away, away, away down south in Dixie

Ah, nothing I like better than the old anthem of American treason!

Ah, nothing I like better than the old anthem of American treason!
Actually, Abraham Lincoln was said to have been quite fond of the song "Dixie."

Lincoln was not particularly musical, but when a band serenaded him in the White House at the end of the Civil War, he asked it to play “Dixie,” saying, “I have always thought ‘Dixie’ one of the best tunes I have ever heard. Our adversaries over the way attempted to appropriate it, but I insisted yesterday that we fairly captured it... I now request the band to favor me with its performance.” (April 10, 1865)

(source:  http://www.thelincolnmuseum.org/new/research/stories.html)