Song of the South on Dvd Discussion & Speculation Thread

[starlioness]

have the Brer Rabbit shorts been released on VHS? if they have , maybe they can do the same with DVD. just a thought

[Loomis]

have the Brer Rabbit shorts been released on VHS? if they have , maybe they can do the same with DVD. just a thought

I know I have a VHS with Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah 'Sing-a-Long' on it for some reason.

I also believe that on one of the 2-Disc sets, possibly Alice in Wonderland, there are fairly good-looking versions of one of the Brer stories as part of a Disneyland episode.

However, I like your idea at any rate: if we can't have the whole film, at least give us the animated sections in some format. Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah alone would be something worth having.

[Mouseketodd]

Here are the words from the dedication plaque at Disneyland. Walt spoke them on opening day:

- Disneyland -
To all who come to this happy place
-- WELCOME --
Disneyland is your land.
Here age relives fond memories
of the past ... and here youth may savor
the challenge and promise of the future.
Disneyland is dedicated
to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard
facts that have created America ... with the
hope that it will be a source of joy
and inspiration to all the world.
- July 17, 1955 -

Walt acknowledged "...the hard facts that have created America...". In light of that, Song of the South could be published on Region 1 DVD with cautionary, contextual statements, and be accompanied by extra contents that bolster today's thinking -- "...the ideals..."

Some are already fans of this feature -- for them it is "a source of joy," as with other Disney classics. Others have never seen it (myself included), and yearn to.

Please, Mr. Iger and Disney Company, please publish a North American release of Song of the South!!!

[jebsdad]

THERE'S ONLY ONE REAL EXPLANATION FOR SONG OF THE SOUTH NOT BEING RELEASED ON DVD ... MR. IGER IS GETTING PAID BY THE BOOTLEGGERS NOT TO RELEASE IT!!! OK, just being silly ...

I'm happy with my DVD copy of the Japanese laserdisc, but I will buy the official DVD when/if it is ever released ... if I live that long!!!

[Edge]

Having seen the movie, I just don't think it's as bad as its been made out to be. Taking it in context with other movies of the time, etc.

On the flip side, I also don't think it's a particularly great movie either.

The whole thing has just been blown out of proportion from so many different angles.

[BATBfan1]

THERE'S ONLY ONE REAL EXPLANATION FOR SONG OF THE SOUTH NOT BEING RELEASED ON DVD ... MR. IGER IS GETTING PAID BY THE BOOTLEGGERS NOT TO RELEASE IT!!! OK, just being silly ...

I'm happy with my DVD copy of the Japanese laserdisc, but I will buy the official DVD when/if it is ever released ... if I live that long!!!

[Chicky Mouse]

I was really hoping Disney would finally release this. I remember seeing it along time ago and theres nothing in there that has to do with slavery in a bad way or anything.

this is where the problem lies though. True, it doesn't depict slavery in a negative manner, but it does make it look like all was well with the world when slavery was around. It makes it look like the slaves were ok with being slaves. That's the problem with this film, and people might take offense because "young children may see this film and think slavery is ok".

It doesn't depict slavery at all. Uncle Remus was not a slave. He was able to pack his bags and move, something that a slave could not do. The African Americans were depicted as servants, but not slaves. We still have that going on today.

[eric89]

Uncle Remus wasn't a 'slave'. All the blacks in the film are on that farm by choice and LOVE the older white lady that owns the plantation. In fact, when Uncle Remus covers up for the little boy, he looks at the older lady and shows concern over the fact that she might be upset with him. But she never is! Uncle Remus picks up his bags and sets off to leave the plantation, he has his own cottage, etc.

If anything, people are just looking for an excuse to cause a problem. Peter Pan is WAY more racist (during the "we're going to kill the indians" song).

I think it might all be a marketing idea though. They are causing all this hype, and then when the announcment comes that they are going to release it...BOOM...presales will be off the roof.

[MouseHouse55]

I'm sure many of you have Mickey Mouse Black and White Volume 2 Treasures disc. Disc 2 has a Vault Disney section, as many of the discs do, devoted entirely to shorts that may be seen as racist or stereotypical. Leonard Maltin addresses this fact in a brief introduction, citing them as learning experiences, and ideas that are certainly not supported today.
I see no reason why, if one is to find problem with SoTS, that such an introduction or explanation cannot be included on a well-restored and presented dvd release to the public. If a simple introductary word of caution is good enough for 10 widely seen shorts on a Treasures line disc, why is it not good enough for what many believe to be a historical Disney classic? I personally find not releasing the disc embarassing to the company as not acknowledging the greatness of the film and towards assuming the public isn't mature enough to handle it. Just last month a controversial film was released about fictitious American soldiers killing innocent Iraqis, and that was apparently ok.
Anyway, just my opinion, but I think it's a valid one.

[TM2-Megatron]

It's a shame to see this continued reign of cowardice at Disney, though I can't say I'm really surprised. It's also rather hypocritical of them, IMO. They refuse to release the film (in North America, at least), yet still use songs, characters and animation from it in their various parks and other places. "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" must be one of the most well known Disney songs ever recorded, yet I doubt many people will be able to tell you exactly where it came from. Hopefully, perhaps one of the more intelligent people at Disney will be able to convince Iger and the others that releasing this film won't cause the backlash they fear.

While I suppose there might be some people in the U.S. who'd get up in arms about this movie being released (you'd think they could find a better use of their time, though), I think the sane and rational outweigh them by a fairly wide margin. And if, by some small chance, the release actually did cause the reaction Iger fears... well, that would say more about how far (or not, as the case may be) we've actually come as a society in the past few decades.

Over-sensitivity and excessive political correctness have polluted people's minds, and society in general, for long enough. Besides, there's only really one race of humans anyway; many different ethnicities perhaps, but one race. It's about time we stopped dividing ourselves along petty religious, ethnic; or, failing the existence of those, even pettier nationalistic lines.

[Son Of Flubber]

Geez everybody, calm down!

The link at the beginning of this thread goes to a post at LaughingPlace.com that takes out of context what was said at the shareholders meeting. Iger did not say Song Of The South is not coming to DVD.

Bob Iger was asked if Song Of The South was coming to DVD "anytime soon". Iger replied there are no plans to release Song Of The South "in the near future".

I asked my friend about the film & she said that at rate they're moving (ie: the workload they already have), the movie would probably not be ready for a commercial release til 2008 at earliest. Restoration (from what she told me) has not begun yet, but the job of restoration was already approved & has not been withdrawn.

So did Bob Iger lie when he said Song Of The South is not coming to DVD " in the near future " ? I guess that depends on whether or not you consider a release date in fall 2008 to be ' in the near future ' . Personally I think fall 2008 is a pretty long wait.

I remember a few skeptics here when I posted 101 Dalmatians would be the spring 2007 release & Jungle Book was pushed back to fall 2007. Yet U.D. recently confirmed what I said after their own anonymous source gave the same information.

Be patient everyone. Eventually you'll get Song Of The South on DVD ( legally )

[Luke]

Be patient everyone. Eventually you'll get Song Of The South on DVD ( legally )

I'm glad you're confident that the movie is still coming to DVD, but listen to the conference webcast if you haven't already. The reality is much bleaker than it's not coming soon. Iger doesn't make it sound like it's even being considered for the time being. I'm glad that efforts are being taken to ensure that the film is ready for a release if it is greenlighted, but I don't see that (management greenlighting) happening any time soon or not so soon. (Though, of course, Iger could change his mind today.)

[Son Of Flubber]

There's two things to always keep in mind with the Walt Disney Company:

1) They want to make money

and

2) everything is subject to change


I remember back in the 1980's Disney said Fantasia would never be released on home video. Then in 1991, it was released but 'for a limited time only' and would 'never be released on home video again'. Then it appears on DVD November 2000.

One other thing; even if they deny it right now, does it really seem that obsured that SOTS will get a home video released in the next few years ? There aren't that many other Disney movies that would be big money makers that haven't already been released on DVD.

[jwa1107]

Disney will make money from Blu-Ray releases, so they will get to rerelease everything they want

[Lucylover1986]

I remember back in the 1980's Disney said Fantasia would never be released on home video. Then in 1991, it was released but 'for a limited time only' and would 'never be released on home video again'. Then it appears on DVD November 2000.

It has been released but in a "Censored" version only which cuts out the black girl who cleaned the white half horses half human women. The original theatrical version hasn't been released and if Song of the south won't be released I think we'll be seeing the edited version of Fantasia again in the next re-release, the Platinum Edition.

[Mouseketodd]

Yesterday, my family and I went to watch 'Chicken Little' at the dollar cinema. One of the previews was for the March 21 DVD release of 'The Adventures of Brer Rabbit,' from Universal Studios. Among the actors providing voice talent are Wayne Brady and Danny Glover.

[TM2-Megatron]

It has been released but in a "Censored" version only which cuts out the black girl who cleaned the white half horses half human women. The original theatrical version hasn't been released and if Song of the south won't be released I think we'll be seeing the edited version of Fantasia again in the next re-release, the Platinum Edition.

True. If the Fantasia released in the Platinum Line is the same censored version, then there isn't much chance I'll buy it (unless the transfer is new & improved, or the bonus features are superior). However, I find it unlikely Disney (in its current, embarrassing state) will be able to top the Fantasia Anthology release in either of those areas.

Yesterday, my family and I went to watch 'Chicken Little' at the dollar cinema. One of the previews was for the March 21 DVD release of 'The Adventures of Brer Rabbit,' from Universal Studios. Among the actors providing voice talent are Wayne Brady and Danny Glover.

Another prime example of hypocrisy in action. If Disney doesn't want to acknowledge the film, they shouldn't be allowed to use its characters or music, either.

[Escapay]

It has been released but in a "Censored" version only which cuts out the black girl who cleaned the white half horses half human women. The original theatrical version hasn't been released and if Song of the south won't be released I think we'll be seeing the edited version of Fantasia again in the next re-release, the Platinum Edition.

True. If the Fantasia released in the Platinum Line is the same censored version, then there isn't much chance I'll buy it (unless the transfer is new & improved, or the bonus features are superior). However, I find it unlikely Disney (in its current, embarrassing state) will be able to top the Fantasia Anthology release in either of those areas.

Maybe they will have the Censored version as the main feature, and we'll get the uncensored scenes as supplements, like deleted scenes or something.

Escapay

[thatartguy]

True. If the Fantasia released in the Platinum Line is the same censored version, then there isn't much chance I'll buy it (unless the transfer is new & improved, or the bonus features are superior). However, I find it unlikely Disney (in its current, embarrassing state) will be able to top the Fantasia Anthology release in either of those areas.

Maybe they will have the Censored version as the main feature, and we'll get the uncensored scenes as supplements, like deleted scenes or something.

Escapay

Which is fine, I guess. You could then "homebrew" your own uncensored version that way.

[Karushifa]

If anything, people are just looking for an excuse to cause a problem. Peter Pan is WAY more racist (during the "we're going to kill the indians" song).

That's a good point; while I can understand the argument that the Peter Pan "red men" were part of a fantasy world where nothing is the same as it is in real life, they can still be seen as offensive by a lot of people (personally I always thought that the ditzy mermaids were offensive, me being female and all, but I digress).

The idea I've heard of having the film release include a discussion of the period in which it was originally released along with how things are different today would be, IMHO, much more constructive than not allowing anyone to see SOTS and make up their own minds about it. Whether or not SOTS is really something that I would watch and adore is irrelevant; I just want the opportunity to decide for myself if it is offensive, instead of leaving that to the NAACP and/or Disney.