Disney is thinking of releasing "Song of the South"

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

Yeah I saw Song of the South because my uncle(who works for Disney) has a video rom Japan! So while everything is in english, when the songs come up, they have Japanese subtitles!

I agree with Roger Rabbit, it is inaccurate(the only reason I saw was that the black slaves cared a bit too much for their masters, when back in the old days, they would care about themselves more), but still it's not racist, and it's inaccuracy isn't anything bad that has to get banned, infact I find movies like "Dumbo" and "The Pink Panther" more racist, but they don't get complaints. I say we release EVERY MOVIE on DVD!

[MinnieMe]

(the only reason I saw was that the black slaves cared a bit too much for their masters, when back in the old days, they would care about themselves more),

Actually, it took place after slavery had been abolished. It portrayed the now-free slaves staying with their masters and still working for them, while being happy, etc.

I have a copy my mom bought off ebay - it's really not a bad transfer. It was obviously made from a UK VHS tape from the intro at the beginning.

[Pluto Region1]

Yeah I saw Song of the South because my uncle(who works for Disney) has a video rom Japan! So while everything is in english, when the songs come up, they have Japanese subtitles!

I agree with Roger Rabbit, it is inaccurate(the only reason I saw was that the black slaves cared a bit too much for their masters, when back in the old days, they would care about themselves more), but still it's not racist, and it's inaccuracy isn't anything bad that has to get banned, infact I find movies like "Dumbo" and "The Pink Panther" more racist, but they don't get complaints. I say we release EVERY MOVIE on DVD!

My sister did mention something about one of her options being to buy one that had subtitles, which of course was not desirable! I'll have to watch the movie and see what I think about it; does seem if the slaves are overly caring that would be rather unrealistic! As for Dumbo or Pink Panther being racist - I have not seen Dumbo (just got my new Dumbo DVD recently) but will check that out. I've seen Pink Panther but don't recall anything that smacked of racism - but I guess that discussion would be for another forum, not the Disney forum!

So as for buying a regionless version of SOTS (without subtitles) that has been converted for Region 1 and sold in Asian video stores in the USA, is that possible or was I misunderstanding what the original guy had meant? I guess even if it was true, it doesn't go very far to satisfying people who would like just a regular Region 1 release of the movie, but if one was desperate to obtain a copy this seems better to me than having to buy a bootleg.

[Lazario]

Wait a minute... I heard less than 2 months ago here that Disney would more than 75 percent likely be releasing Song of the South on DVD... That's fallen through??

[Mr. Toad]

Lazario - I dont think so. I believe there are plans(unconfirmed and unannounced) for a 60th anniversary edition in 2006.

[Escapay]

My sister did mention something about one of her options being to buy one that had subtitles, which of course was not desirable!
[snip]
So as for buying a regionless version of SOTS (without subtitles) that has been converted for Region 1 and sold in Asian video stores in the USA, is that possible or was I misunderstanding what the original guy had meant? I guess even if it was true, it doesn't go very far to satisfying people who would like just a regular Region 1 release of the movie, but if one was desperate to obtain a copy this seems better to me than having to buy a bootleg.

While the 60th Anniversary edition is more or less a year away from now, if anyone's looking to get a...not-released-by-Disney-legally-in-R1 copy, they've got several choices:

1. Import the PAL UK VHS if you can acquire it. Course, you'll need to convert it to NTSC here in the states.
2. Import the Japanese or Hong Kong Laserdiscs. This will cost you a pretty penny, expect to pay in the 100s...and of course, you'll need a laserdisc player.
3. Contact a certain UD'er here, won't name names, but he/she will be able to give you a DVD-R dub from either the Hong Kong Laserdisc (no subtitles, which I got), or one of the two Japanese Laserdiscs (both with subtitles during the singing parts).

I wholeheartedly do not support bootlegging, which is rather ironic since my sole bootleg is Song of the South. But the video quality of the HK laserdisc is great and there's a great easter egg that's WB related.

Escapay (bored with Zulu)

[Feliz]

Does anyone know when will be in stores the movies: Dr. Syn, alias the scarecrow and Song of the south?
Thanks.

[waltmad]

Does anyone know when will be in stores the movies: Dr. Syn, alias the scarecrow and Song of the south?
Thanks.

funny enough i was going through lukes old soon to be released list & all i saw for dr syn was coming soon & i think that was some months ago that it was written. good question i would love to know more about these, & also moon pilot. ooh & i have just worked out how to do my 1st qoute thingy

[Mr. Toad]

Why not try the search function and look for something like this

http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... song+south

As for, Dr. Syn it was supposedly going to be in Wave 2 of the Treasures. We are still waitin'

[Feliz]

Waltmad and Mr. Toad:

Thanks a lot.

[Lazario]

My mother is dying for a DVD release of Dr. Syn, she bought a $40 used VHS and wasn't able to watch it because it was in truly horrible condition.

[Pluto Region1]

1. Import the PAL UK VHS if you can acquire it. Course, you'll need to convert it to NTSC here in the states.
2. Import the Japanese or Hong Kong Laserdiscs. This will cost you a pretty penny, expect to pay in the 100s...and of course, you'll need a laserdisc player.
3. Contact a certain UD'er here, won't name names, but he/she will be able to give you a DVD-R dub from either the Hong Kong Laserdisc (no subtitles, which I got), or one of the two Japanese Laserdiscs (both with subtitles during the singing parts).

Speaking of which, I wonder the legality of the guy who took his legally obtained UK DVD and then made a copy and sold it to my sister. if he is violating any law there....

[The Lizard King]

1. Import the PAL UK VHS if you can acquire it. Course, you'll need to convert it to NTSC here in the states.
2. Import the Japanese or Hong Kong Laserdiscs. This will cost you a pretty penny, expect to pay in the 100s...and of course, you'll need a laserdisc player.

No, Escapay, it will cost you $1,000 or more! My HK LD cost me $1,100 a few years ago.

3. Contact a certain UD'er here, won't name names, but he/she will be able to give you a DVD-R dub from either the Hong Kong Laserdisc (no subtitles, which I got), or one of the two Japanese Laserdiscs (both with subtitles during the singing parts).

I'm glad that you aren't naming names!

TLK

[The Lizard King]

Speaking of which, I wonder the legality of the guy who took his legally obtained UK DVD and then made a copy and sold it to my sister. if he is violating any law there....

There is no such thing as a legally-obtained UK DVD! Disney/Buena Vista Home Video has NEVER released the film on DVD format anywhere.

So, to answer your question, the guy broke the law for dubbing a bootleg DVD into another bootleg DVD of SOTS and then sold it to your sister.

TLK

[Lars Vermundsberget]

No, Escapay, it will cost you $1,000 or more!

Not necessarily. Even if you paid 1,100 for the Hong Kong disc, the Japanese one should cost considerably less. Could still be a "pretty penny", though.

[Pluto Region1]

There is no such thing as a legally-obtained UK DVD! Disney/Buena Vista Home Video has NEVER released the film on DVD format anywhere. So, to answer your question, the guy broke the law for dubbing a bootleg DVD into another bootleg DVD of SOTS and then sold it to your sister. TLK

OH - yeah, I guess that makes sense (duh, what was I thinking?)!

Perhaps you've all known about this all along, but if not, I just found out that if you call Disney:

1-800-DISNEY (which is consumer relations)

You can tell them what titles you want released on DVD. When you hear the recorded message, go for the last option which is to wait for an operator to ask a general question. Then they play another message about "pressing this option" to let them know what title you want released on DVD. Everyone should call and leave messages about SOTS.

Also they said you can go to a website to accomplish the same thing:

disneyvideos.com

they said to look for "Disney movie finder" when you get there, and click there. Then look for a link to send them a message about what title you want released to DVD. You can find out what Disney DVD titles are still in print at the website.

[Escapay]

No, Escapay, it will cost you $1,000 or more! My HK LD cost me $1,100 a few years ago.

Off by a 0, so sue me

Escapay

[eric89]

I agree, we should all call that number!

[Pluto Region1]

My husband and I just watched this film for the first time (we watched my sister's copy on DVD - see previous post)

I don't get it; where is the racism? I watched the film and it portrays how it was between blacks and whites during the Civil War era and thereafter.... if you watch a Shirley Temple movie (I think one of her movies is set during the civil war period) you will see black slaves, black mammies, etc. In fact one of the most recognizable actresses of the 1930s and 1940s is the maid in Song of the South, played by Hattie McDaniel. Hattie was in just about in every movie of the 1930s, playing either a black slave maid or a black maid in a contemporary drama.

In Song of the South, as it would be in any historical drama dipicting that time period, blacks are portrared as subservient to whites and cannot be assertive. Is this where the objection lies? That was the way it was back in the South when blacks were slaves and afterwards many of them did stay behind with the plantations; the fact that Disney doesn't go into a full political expose' of why they might have stayed on the plantation was not the focus of the film.....

So I ask you all here if anyone knows the actual reason why Disney would not release this film? It is a beautiful movie and one can see why James Basket (actor portraying Uncle Remus) won an academy award. What is even more ridiculous about the fact that Disney has banned this film is that James Basket won an Oscar and was the FIRST African American Actor (per IMDB.com) to have won an Academy Award, period. One would think the black community would celebrate this film. And if showing black people as subservient or as slaves is offensive, than I guess we should ban any and all movies that deal with the subject of slavery in the south during the Civil War era or any movie that shows blacks as maids.

[Kram Nebuer]

So I ask you all here if anyone knows the actual reason why Disney would not release this film? It is a beautiful movie and one can see why James Basket (actor portraying Uncle Remus) won an academy award. What is even more ridiculous about the fact that Disney has banned this film is that James Basket won an Oscar and was the FIRST African American Actor (per IMDB.com) to have won an Academy Award, period. One would think the black community would celebrate this film. And if showing black people as subservient or as slaves is offensive, than I guess we should ban any and all movies that deal with the subject of slavery in the south during the Civil War era or any movie that shows blacks as maids.

You make a lot of good points! I really don't see any reason why Disney is afraid of releasing this DVD or why they waited so long to release it here in America. No matter what, they're going to get some sourpusses boycotting and protesting against this DVD simply because no one can please everybody. Did WB or Paramount or whatever get some bad lip for releasing Gone with the Wind on DVD/video multiple times? (it's not one of those rhetorical questions where I'm emphasing my point, lol, I really want to know!) If anything, it is this movie showing happy slaves - the thing that Disney fears peeople will say about SotS - and also mistreatment of fellow human beings (Scarlett beats Prissy for not getting the doctor!). I think this is just another case of people's uncanny desire to attack family-friendly Disney (e.g. the never ending debates about the bad things in Aladdin, TLM, TLK, etc.).