Song of the South

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milojthatch
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Re: Song of the South

Post by milojthatch »

Semaj wrote:It's a shame Disney is going thru such aches to hide this film.

They already won the controversy against it when they released their wartime cartoons on video, as well as unedited prints of their regular shorts also featuring racial stereotypes. It's a matter of giving it the proper context, as people like Leonard Maltin was more than willing to do in the past.
Seriously. I'm not one to care about PC ideas normally, however if it takes someone like Mr. Maltin or Ms. Goldberg doing some PSA in front of the film to denounce bigotry and frame the film in the context of the time it was made to get it officially released, I'm game. It amazes me at the lengths this company has gone to bury the film, all while using elements from it to promote other things.
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Re: Song of the South

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Her First Act As A Disney Legend, Whoopi Goldberg Tells Disney To Stop Hiding Its History
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/disney/first ... 52327.html
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Re: Song of the South

Post by JeanGreyForever »

Whoopi Goldberg defending this movie is a positive step in the right direction. I also liked how she defended the crows in Dumbo and noted that she wishes they were seen again in merchandise.
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Re: Song of the South

Post by JeanGreyForever »

So I finally got around to watching this movie for the first time ever. I actually feel quite shameful for calling myself a Disney fan but taking this long to watch this underrated gem. The racism is definitely blown out of proportion. I'm not saying there aren't racist aspects to this film, because anything set in the Reconstruction era in the Deep South will obviously have racist elements, but nothing that makes this film worth banning. Frankly, there are other Disney films that are more blatantly racist than this, and I've always been one of those people who thinks that the attacks Disney gets for being racist and sexist are also blown out of proportion. This movie's notoriety stems from being banned. This and ignorance on the setting of the film as most people assume it was set during slavery. Obviously the ending with Uncle Remus leaving the plantation would not gel with that (we would have a very different ending then if this film was set during the time of slavery), but I can at least understand the confusion on most people's parts here because in many places during the Reconstruction period, many former slaves didn't leave what had always been their homes so they continued to work there. In many ways, life wasn't very different for them than before slavery was abolished. So I can understand why people assume this film is also set in the period of slavery, even if that is grossly incorrect.

To talk about the film itself, I loved it! I've heard lots of people complain that the live-action parts are boring and only the animated sequences are of any interest, but I didn't feel that way at all. Frankly, I think that opinion is presented by people because they feel it is more politically correct to claim that the live-action parts are not very good at all, so they can get away with neither decrying it as the most racist thing ever or staunchly defending it by saying there isn't a drop of racism at all. Neither one is true, and calling the live-action sequences boring and dry is just as untrue imo. They have a lot of heart and I enjoyed those sequences just as much as the animated sequences, if not even more. I was surprised at how short the animated sequences were actually. It's not that they are super short, but I guess I expected them to take up more of the film, but I didn't have an issue with that.

The children were delightful especially Bobby Driscoll, and his life story still haunts me. Disney did not do well by him at all, and by that, I mean both Walt Disney and the studio. There's no good reason at all that Bobby Driscoll died basically around the same time that Walt did, but Disney seems to have a habit of sending their child stars out to the dogs. Back to the film though, Bobby and Luana Patten worked really well together, and I can see why they both become so popular from this film. It was a joy to see Hattie McDaniel again, even if she was playing a similar role as to what she played in Gone With the Wind. James Baskett was phenomenal and I'm glad that there is enough justice in the world that he received an award for this, even if he wasn't allowed to attend the premiere of the film. If anything, this movie shouldn't be banned because it deprives new generations, like myself, of seeing his most famous role.

I could understand the mother's place in the film but I wasn't a big fan of her myself. I preferred the grandmother who was more sympathetic. I must need to brush up on my history, because I didn't really understand the issue between the mother and the father, and what the father was doing that was turning people against him and forcing him to return to Atlanta without the family (although he wanted his wife to come with him). The poor white boys were both horrible characters and I wish they got their comeuppance. I was particularly disturbed with the scene where they ruin their sister's dress, even though I knew it was coming. Somehow Cinderella's dress being destroyed never affected me as emotionally as the scene in this film. Maybe because it's a little girl instead of an 18-year old woman, and also because she's a real human being and not an animated character, but that scene really got to me.

Now I'm just still hoping that sometime while physical media is still around, Disney finally releases this film.
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Re: Song of the South

Post by Khonnor »

Great review!

How were you able to watch this? I've been looking around for it for years...
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Re: Song of the South

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Khonnor wrote:Great review!

How were you able to watch this? I've been looking around for it for years...
I just googled the full movie and I found it for free. Although there are plenty of places you can buy it too on DVD. There are DVDs on Amazon, Ebay, and Etsy for example. If you just google Song of the South DVD, you can find a few websites that sell their own versions of the DVD as well.
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Re: Song of the South

Post by BelleGirl »

JeanGreyForever wrote:
Khonnor wrote:Great review!

How were you able to watch this? I've been looking around for it for years...
I just googled the full movie and I found it for free. Although there are plenty of places you can buy it too on DVD. There are DVDs on Amazon, Ebay, and Etsy for example. If you just google Song of the South DVD, you can find a few websites that sell their own versions of the DVD as well.
I’m still looking for a dvd too. I have “Song of the South” on Vhs, don’t know how long that copy will last. I made a digital copy of the tape on my computer, but watching the film that way on my apple tv I found some part of the story missing. Don’t know how this could have happened.

Yes,It’s time that SotS should get a genaral release. How else could you really make a fair judgement of a movie that is called ‘racist’ but mostly only because what is rumoured about it and from hearsay?
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Re: Song of the South

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BelleGirl wrote:
JeanGreyForever wrote: I just googled the full movie and I found it for free. Although there are plenty of places you can buy it too on DVD. There are DVDs on Amazon, Ebay, and Etsy for example. If you just google Song of the South DVD, you can find a few websites that sell their own versions of the DVD as well.
I’m still looking for a dvd too. I have “Song of the South” on Vhs, don’t know how long that copy will last. I made a digital copy of the tape on my computer, but watching the film that way on my apple tv I found some part of the story missing. Don’t know how this could have happened.

Yes,It’s time that SotS should get a genaral release. How else could you really make a fair judgement of a movie that is called ‘racist’ but mostly only because what is rumoured about it and from hearsay?
I've found several DVDs but I haven't been able to figure out which one is the best. All of them boast to have the best picture quality and the bonus features vary from edition to edition. I have found a version that is a 6 disc set and basically combines several different versions of the film on DVD to create a definitive version that features the best video quality and all the bonus features available so far. It also includes a soundtrack and a DVD copy of So Dear to My Heart. I think the So Dear to My Heart DVD is a copy of the Brazilian DVD meaning it features the 30 minutes of deleted scenes that aren't present on the American DVD of the film. So I'm leaning towards this edition although it's a little pricey ($40). I'm not sure if I'm technically allowed to post a link for it, but just google Walt Disney Treasures: Song of the South 6-disc set. It's listed on Bonanza a site I've never bought from before.

I've done some research on the DVDs of Song of the South that are currently being sold online, and if I'm allowed to, I'd be glad to post links to each one that seems the best as well as make comparisons on their content, from video quality to bonus features.

I took a fairy tale class last year and Disney of course came up most days. This film was part of the discussion because people were debating about how racist and sexist Disney is and one girl claimed that this was the most racist movie ever. I asked her if she's seen the film, and she responded that she hasn't, but it most be racist if it's been banned. So that alone should tell you what "banning" the film has done to increase its notoriety.
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Re: Song of the South

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I agree with you guys that the film should be released for all the reasons you mentioned.

I'm glad you finally saw the film JeanGreyForever! But people are still big Disney fans even if they haven't seen this, because it's not like Disney has made it available themselves in this generation, so how could many fans see it?! I'm glad you liked the film. I remember thinking the ruining of the girl's dress was similar to Cinderella's and these films were made around the same time.

I remember being rather bored by this film, but I think it's just because this film is not in my limited range of what I'm into. And it's not a bad film to me at all, either, and has a lot of enjoyable stuff! I don't remember that much from it, actually, and I only saw it like 10 years or so ago. I'm glad uncle Remus got to leave the plantation in the end.
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Re: Song of the South

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Disney Duster wrote:I agree with you guys that the film should be released for all the reasons you mentioned.

I'm glad you finally saw the film JeanGreyForever! But people are still big Disney fans even if they haven't seen this, because it's not like Disney has made it available themselves in this generation, so how could many fans see it?! I'm glad you liked the film. I remember thinking the ruining of the girl's dress was similar to Cinderella's and these films were made around the same time.

I remember being rather bored by this film, but I think it's just because this film is not in my limited range of what I'm into. And it's not a bad film to me at all, either, and has a lot of enjoyable stuff! I don't remember that much from it, actually, and I only saw it like 10 years or so ago. I'm glad uncle Remus got to leave the plantation in the end.
True, but you can find almost any movie on the internet these days which is why I felt guilty for not watching this before.

BTW, Uncle Remus returns to the plantation by the end. In fact, it's difficult to tell, but he may just have been on his way of leaving but doesn't get around to it when he hears what happened to Johnny (the little boy).
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Re: Song of the South

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JeanGreyForever wrote: I've found several DVDs but I haven't been able to figure out which one is the best. All of them boast to have the best picture quality and the bonus features vary from edition to edition. I have found a version that is a 6 disc set and basically combines several different versions of the film on DVD to create a definitive version that features the best video quality and all the bonus features available so far. It also includes a soundtrack and a DVD copy of So Dear to My Heart. I think the So Dear to My Heart DVD is a copy of the Brazilian DVD meaning it features the 30 minutes of deleted scenes that aren't present on the American DVD of the film. So I'm leaning towards this edition although it's a little pricey ($40). I'm not sure if I'm technically allowed to post a link for it, but just google Walt Disney Treasures: Song of the South 6-disc set. It's listed on Bonanza a site I've never bought from before.
I just bought this last night after reading your post and it's supposedly on its way. At $40 it's a bit pricy but I like that it seemingly compiled everything and was done in a Treasures format and case, sans tin. It'll fit nicely with my Treasures set. I found another much cheaper version that seemed like a nice version but they wouldn't take Paypal and I don't trust small sites.

I have Song of the South on VHS but no way to watch it. I had bought my then girlfriend a copy for her birthday on DVD but we've recently split and I'd really like to see it again.
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Re: Song of the South

Post by JeanGreyForever »

Gurgi30 wrote:
JeanGreyForever wrote: I've found several DVDs but I haven't been able to figure out which one is the best. All of them boast to have the best picture quality and the bonus features vary from edition to edition. I have found a version that is a 6 disc set and basically combines several different versions of the film on DVD to create a definitive version that features the best video quality and all the bonus features available so far. It also includes a soundtrack and a DVD copy of So Dear to My Heart. I think the So Dear to My Heart DVD is a copy of the Brazilian DVD meaning it features the 30 minutes of deleted scenes that aren't present on the American DVD of the film. So I'm leaning towards this edition although it's a little pricey ($40). I'm not sure if I'm technically allowed to post a link for it, but just google Walt Disney Treasures: Song of the South 6-disc set. It's listed on Bonanza a site I've never bought from before.
I just bought this last night after reading your post and it's supposedly on its way. At $40 it's a bit pricy but I like that it seemingly compiled everything and was done in a Treasures format and case, sans tin. It'll fit nicely with my Treasures set. I found another much cheaper version that seemed like a nice version but they wouldn't take Paypal and I don't trust small sites.

I have Song of the South on VHS but no way to watch it. I had bought my then girlfriend a copy for her birthday on DVD but we've recently split and I'd really like to see it again.
Hope it arrives to you the way it was described. The reviews were glowing so the product seemed authentic enough. Within the next few days, I plan on purchasing one as well in time for the holidays. I'm ok with the price because it features two movies, plus a soundtrack, and it's still cheaper than buying all of the multiple editions that this set includes discs from. The Treasures casing is a plus.

The cheaper version you found wouldn't happen to be from MayanCastleDVD or AlamoDVD would it? Both of those versions are the same and Disc 1 from the 6 disc set comes from this.
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Re: Song of the South

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Oh, so Uncle Remus returns to the plantation. He should have left at the very end.
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Re: Song of the South

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Disney should just release it and be done with it. The movie is racist, but so is Gone with the Wind, and nobody goes around calling for that one to be banned. If they just add a Prologue with a famous historian explaining the historical context, etc etc, then there wouldn't be a problem. Acting like it doesn't exist just worsens it.
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Re: Song of the South

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Disney Duster wrote:Oh, so Uncle Remus returns to the plantation. He should have left at the very end.
Besides Jimmy's family though, he seemed close to the other families living on the plantation so I think he would have at least missed them and they would have missed him too. I do agree though that Jimmy's mother didn't treat him well at all.

I also didn't understand how Jimmy's father knew him. It wasn't his family home, yet he was familiar with Uncle Remus and Hattie McDaniel's character as if he knew them from when he was a child.
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Re: Song of the South

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Oh, well I guess I mean he should leave the plantation to better himself even if he missed people.

I don't remember enough of the film to remember how Jimmy's mother treated him or anything about Jimmy's father.
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Re: Song of the South

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Disney Duster wrote:Oh, well I guess I mean he should leave the plantation to better himself even if he missed people.

I don't remember enough of the film to remember how Jimmy's mother treated him or anything about Jimmy's father.
I'm not sure what opportunities he would have had back then though. There's a reason many former slaves didn't leave the plantations they had spent their whole lives on because life would be easier there than moving away.
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Re: Song of the South

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JeanGreyForever wrote:
Gurgi30 wrote: I just bought this last night after reading your post and it's supposedly on its way. At $40 it's a bit pricy but I like that it seemingly compiled everything and was done in a Treasures format and case, sans tin. It'll fit nicely with my Treasures set. I found another much cheaper version that seemed like a nice version but they wouldn't take Paypal and I don't trust small sites.

I have Song of the South on VHS but no way to watch it. I had bought my then girlfriend a copy for her birthday on DVD but we've recently split and I'd really like to see it again.
Hope it arrives to you the way it was described. The reviews were glowing so the product seemed authentic enough. Within the next few days, I plan on purchasing one as well in time for the holidays. I'm ok with the price because it features two movies, plus a soundtrack, and it's still cheaper than buying all of the multiple editions that this set includes discs from. The Treasures casing is a plus.

The cheaper version you found wouldn't happen to be from MayanCastleDVD or AlamoDVD would it? Both of those versions are the same and Disc 1 from the 6 disc set comes from this.
It was shipped yesterday, so far so good. I was looking at sots.net which was offering SotS plus for $5 more So Dear to My Heart with the Brazil bonus content.
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Re: Song of the South

Post by JeanGreyForever »

Gurgi30 wrote:
JeanGreyForever wrote: Hope it arrives to you the way it was described. The reviews were glowing so the product seemed authentic enough. Within the next few days, I plan on purchasing one as well in time for the holidays. I'm ok with the price because it features two movies, plus a soundtrack, and it's still cheaper than buying all of the multiple editions that this set includes discs from. The Treasures casing is a plus.

The cheaper version you found wouldn't happen to be from MayanCastleDVD or AlamoDVD would it? Both of those versions are the same and Disc 1 from the 6 disc set comes from this.
It was shipped yesterday, so far so good. I was looking at sots.net which was offering SotS plus for $5 more So Dear to My Heart with the Brazil bonus content.
I saw that site too and it's the only version I don't know much about, although much like the others, it attests to the best picture quality. I wasn't aware that the So Dear to My Heart DVD has the Brazil bonus features as well, so I'm glad to know that know because I was searching for that information. I guess it's no real loss since the 6 disc set only has the Brazil bonus content.
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Re: Song of the South

Post by Gurgi30 »

That's really all that's needed from So Dear unless you don't have the movie. I'll give a review of the contents of the Treasure like set once I've gotten it and had a chance to watch it.
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