Will Disney release Song of the South onto DVD? Disney CEO Robert Iger isn't counting it out.
"The question of Song of the South comes up periodically, in fact it was raised at last year's annual meeting," Iger said at Disney's shareholders' meeting on March 13th. "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."
This was in direct contrast to last year's statement, when Iger categorically stated that Disney would not release the film.
Despite being Disney's first live-action hit (it was actually a hybrid of live-action and animation), Song of the South has never been released on home video. It follows the story of Johnny, a white boy who goes to live on his grandparents' Georgia plantation when his parents split up. There, he meets Uncle Remus, an older worker on the plantation, who tells him black folk tales about Brer Fox, Brer Bear and Brer Rabbit.
A hit when it first came out in 1946 ("Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" won the Oscar for Best Song and actor James Baskett received an honorary award for his portrayal of Uncle Remus), later generations criticized Song of the South's portrayal of African Americans as happy plantation workers, content with their lot in the segregated southern United States.
Despite this, several fan sites exist, the largest being www.songofthesouth.net, run by California IT administrator Christian Willis. As of March 13th, Willis had 114,887 signatures, petitioning that Disney bring the movie onto DVD. Copies of the film regularly sell for $50 to $90, and sometimes more than $100.
Some prominent blacks, like Disney veteran animator Floyd Norman, think the Song of the South controversy is overblown.
In an essay for Jim Hill Media, Norman (who was the only black animator at Disney during the 40's and 50's) said, "many African Americans still love Disney's Song of the South. Although some might call these comical images racially insensitive, I merely see them as funny."
The copyright of the article Disney releases Song of the South? in Vintage Animated Films is owned by Dominic von Riedemann. Permission to republish Disney releases Song of the South? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
I think they should release it on to DVD cause it is a great movie and i
think People deserve to see it cause there are alot of worse movies Out
today then there was Back in thoses Days what About movies LIke gone with
the wind And other Stories Like that and that is Something people need to
consider So Please release Song of the south on DVD
Dec 31, 2008 2:03 PM
Guest :
In the 62 years, since Song of the South was first released, many changes
have occurred. Right now, millions of children are being deprived of seeing
a very entertaining child's movie. I saw it, when I was 8 years old, and I
was tuned into the stories being told and nothing else. Adults spoiled it
then and apparently are doing so now. Let Disney put the movie on DVD and I
am willing to bet people will buy because it is a light hearted movie for
kids. Tank You.
Feb 7, 2009 3:08 PM
Guest :
I was 8 years old also, when this movie was released. I loved it! Who
can resist singing "Zip a dee doo da" while on the flume ride at Disneyland? It sticks in your head all day! I have been asking at video stores for years, where I can buy it. My grandkids would love the Brer Rabbit-Brer Bear-Brer Fox cartoons. And the 2 kids listening to the stories told by Uncle Remus are wonderful! I'm all for a DVD release-and soon, PLEASE! Ann
Mar 6, 2009 5:48 PM
Guest :
I WAS ONLY A SMALL CHILD WHEN I SAW "SONG OF THE SOUTH" I HOPE NO
ONE SHOULD SAY IT WAS AN INSULT TO ANYONE. I THOUGHT IT WAS A MIRACLE TO A
LITTLE GIRL FROM THE ORPHANAGE IN SALEM,VA.
Mar 20, 2009 5:31 AM
Guest :
Release the movie! There is no way to re-create the classic. It's
like the sound of music... One of a kind.
Apr 5, 2009 5:38 PM
Guest :
This was a great family movie. It needs to be released so it can be shared
with today'10s children and grandchildren.
May 18, 2009 12:29 PM
Guest :
i cant believe they wont release this movie! look at all the other kinds of
movies that are released today; HOSTEL, WOLF CREEK, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
just to name a few! why not release this beautiful movie for people to
enjoy. there are much worse-based movies than song of the south! i cant
believe there is even a debate on the matter! just release it!
Aug 17, 2009 8:05 PM
Guest :
I was a child when I saw it. I would love for my children and
grandchildren to also see it. I think some adults made more of it. It was
a very good movie. I hope they do release it i would buy in a heart
beat.
Margaret
Aug 30, 2009 1:04 AM
Guest :
I have to be very honest & go by with what others are saying. Look at
all these humdrum movies out today. "Gone With The Wind," to name
a fiew of the most, beloved movies, but to name a fiew of the worst,
humdrum movies, there is "Peter Pan" because they call the
Indians by the name, "Ingians." "Davy Crockett" has the
same theme with that, too. There is also "Titanic," "The Boy
In The Striped Pajamas," & "The Notebook" all with the
theme behind those movies, that people have died at the end. To name a fiew
movies with the central theme of racism, there are movies, like "The
Story Of Rosa Parks." Actually, that really is a movie, involving
racism, while "Song Of The South" is really not, at least from
hearing from some of the books from a collection of the "Uncle
Remus" books. Going on with that, I've never heard any of these books
say the "N" word & I've just read some of these books in the
collection of books. All I've ever heard was pure, Southern dialect &
lots of humor. So no, it was probably never a movie that would be involving
racism. So why not release it? I'm not Black, but I should say that
somewhere in the Constitution & in the Bill Of Rights, that I've every
right to petition & that's what I'm going to do! This is rediculous!
Why don't they ban the insulting, racial movies, like "Davy
Crockett" because they call the Indians "Ingians" instead of
their official names, which are "Native Americans?" What the
heck? Look at how society is treating Blacks and Mexicans today.
Personally, I think that James Basket, Bobby Driskle, Hattie McDaniel,
& Luana Patten & the whole cast of the "Song Of The
South" are all wonderful people. I'm not just saying that because we
have a Black President, running our country, but because not very, many
people take this movie as nice, but rather mean & wishing it be banned
from the US for many generations to come & I'm not going to let that
happen!! I'd 1st started hearing the name of it when I'd left High School.
I'd 1st started knowing that the song, "Zipadeedoodah" was from
that movie during my 1st year of colige. After my 2nd year, I'd started
collecting some of the books of "Uncle Remus." Going back to the
movie, I've never seen it before & roomer has it that when I've asked
Google, it said, "2039!" I may not be around! I'd like to see it
before I die. I have an ill friend that doctors say she may not make it.
She'd love seeing it before she dies soon. My Email is
"Kbluebird1013@aol.com" to rite me. Thanx so much!!!
Sep 12, 2009 6:07 AM
Guest :
I recently saw Song of the South again. The money that I paid went to some
bootlegger, unfortunately, because Disney hasn't released the film to DVD.
I'd far rather have a top-quality, official Disney DVD of the movie, of
course!
All this talk of racism is such PC nonsense! James
Baskett, as the old slave Uncle Remus, is beautiful, dignified and moving.
To suggest that he shows black Americans in a bad light is outrageous and
disingenuous!
Uncle Remus has a leading and pivotal role in the
film, whereas the mother of the Bobby Driscoll character is a tiny,
incidental role by comparison. Should white Americans complain that the
film has trivialised them? LOL!
So many movies in current
release show black Americans as foul-mouthed, brutal gangsters whose
vocabulary consists largely of that 'MF word'. Yet, somehow the charming
and endearing James Baskett is an inappropriate characterisation? Do me a
favour!
Sep 18, 2009 5:25 PM
Guest :
Zip this movie on DVD. This movie is great with a lovely storyline. We have
this on video. My 22 year old daughter still talk about this great Disney
classic.(yes she is Black)Trust me the movie makes just enjoyable viewing,
you do not see anything else but great songs and great Actors and
Actresses. I am comfortable with my History cause look where we are now!
