Drawing attention to Song of the South not being released.

[The_Iceflash]

I have an idea to help bring awareness to Song of the South not being released in which Disney would have no other option but to release it. Now hear me out. I say we somehow we try to convince The View to discuss it as a talking point. Just the other day I over heard them talking about a race issue ( This to be exact: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yvcHLepLT8 ) and the first thing I thought was them having discussion over the content of Song of the South and whether or not they think it should be released. Do you think this is a good idea? How can this be brought to their attention?

Note: What other ideas do you have on how we (The Disney fanbase) bring attention to it's not being released?

[Escapay]

Given that "The View" is produced by ABC, which is owned by Disney...I can't see it happening.

Plus, they really have no real *reason* to talk about the movie. It's not like Whoopi Goldberg will chime in one episode and say, "Okay, today's hot topic is Song of the South. Disney fans want this movie released, and Disney won't release it. Go." I imagine the conversation would be rather interesting, but even if they did talk about the movie, I think it would hurt the film's chances rather than help it get released.

albert

[The_Iceflash]

Given that "The View" is produced by ABC, which is owned by Disney...I can't see it happening.

Plus, they really have no real *reason* to talk about the movie. It's not like Whoopi Goldberg will chime in one episode and say, "Okay, today's hot topic is Song of the South. Disney fans want this movie released, and Disney won't release it. Go." I imagine the conversation would be rather interesting, but even if they did talk about the movie, I think it would hurt the film's chances rather than help it get released.

albert

Good point.

Besides The View, what other ways would we (The Disney fanbase) bring s lot attention to it not being released? If enough attention is brought to it, it could come to a point where they'd have to release it.

[jediliz]

Not "The View"....try Oprah instead. If she can talk about a book and make it a bestseller, then I think maybe she could bring attention to SoTS's non release.

[SpringHeelJack]

I don't really know how much attention you could bring to it. I mean, even if this were some kind of common knowledge, how many more people do you really think there'd be clamoring for a release of this on DVD as opposed to now?

[Maerj]

How can this be brought to their attention?

Note: What other ideas do you have on how we (The Disney fanbase) bring attention to it's not being released?

Complain to NAACP about the film not being released.

[zackiellovedisney]

We could make a petition and get names from people you know and UD. Also everyone in UD could get a few names around where they live. We just need someone to ask Disney how many names we need. Is it a good idea?

[SpringHeelJack]

Petitions, especially web-based ones, pretty much mean nothing.

[dvdjunkie]

We could send a letter to the folks at Disney, with over 10,000 signatures saying we are going to boycott ALL DISNEY PRODUCTS until they release an Uncensored version of "SONG OF THE SOUTH"!!!!

Sounds a little extreme, but I think that it would get some attention. And we could send a copy of that letter to the NAACP also, because they are partly responsible for the reason it hasn't been released. Their reasoning is it 'shows black people in the chains of slavery" and would set race relations back to the Dark Ages if this movie were released.

Hey NAACP, it is just a movie, what about "Gone With The Wind", and other movies of that era. Let's get modern here, and just release the damn movie.

[Margos]

We could send a letter to the folks at Disney, with over 10,000 signatures saying we are going to boycott ALL DISNEY PRODUCTS until they release an Uncensored version of "SONG OF THE SOUTH"!!!!

Well, that would make sense, since they aren't releasing it for fear of a boycott. If they realize that the truth is the opposite of what they thought, then we'll be golden!

But, as much as I want SotS released, "boycotting all Disney Products" would be sort of difficult to do.

[Maerj]

We could take over a tv network and play a bootleg of the movie on the air over and over until the authorities stop us. THAT they could not ignore!

[Margos]

I wonder if that would work? Wouldn't hijacking a TV station be insanely difficult to do?

[blackcauldron85]

We could send a letter to the folks at Disney, with over 10,000 signatures saying we are going to boycott ALL DISNEY PRODUCTS until they release an Uncensored version of "SONG OF THE SOUTH"!!!!

...

But, as much as I want SotS released, "boycotting all Disney Products" would be sort of difficult to do.

Yeah, I want the movie on DVD, but I'm not willing to boycott Disney products...sorry!

[The_Iceflash]

So a boycott wouldn't work.

[kbehm29]

I've written a letter every month to Disney's DVD distributing department for the past two years asking them to release the DVD. I've tried using red or other unusual paper, attaching different articles to my letter, and many other tactics. I've never even received a response back once.

See copied text below from one of my letters:

December 6, 2008

The Walt Disney Company
Attn: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Inc.
500 S. Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521


To Whom Makes Executive Decisions about DVD and Blu-ray Releases:

Happy St. Nick’s Day! I am an adult, and have long since passed the point where I look forward to looking through my stocking on December 6th. Now, I look forward to the joy it brings to my own children.

In the spirit of giving, you can help make a dream of mine come true! It would even be a wise, money-making business decision. I know for a fact that there are THOUSANDS of fans of your beloved movie, Song of the South. I know for a fact that you probably receive countless thousands of letters, emails and signed petitions begging you to release the movie. For whatever reason, be it because of the spirit of the time-period of the movie, be it for fear of public outcry, those pleas have been largely ignored.

For the love of all things, please release this movie on DVD and Blu-ray! Use whatever means necessary to be politically correct about it. Hire a high-profile celebrity to make a public statement at the beginning of the DVD to speak about it being a period-piece of its time and that our country has since changed for the better. Please do not edit the content of the movie.

I really think fans of the movie have been waiting long enough. I don’t think that releasing this movie would damage the reputation of your company. You could even release it in one of your Treasure tins to avoid attention to the release. The true fans would know. Or, you could give it a large publicized release advertising the heck out of it – and rake in the dough.

Please don’t make me resort to buying my first-ever bootleg DVD. I really want to show this movie to my kids – they LOVE Splash Mountain. If anyone asked me and my family what our favorite place in the world was – we would say being on the Splash Mountain ride without hesitation. I want them to see this movie while they are still young. I want this movie to be a childhood memory for them. P L E A S E ! ! !

I support your organization and everything your company stands for. I look forward to Disney DVD Tuesdays. Thanks for listening. I hope this gets in the hands of the right person and not thrown in the trash.

Sincerely,

[SpringHeelJack]

In the interest of realism... I doubt there will ever be enough major public demand for this film to be released solely on that. This movie will probably appeal mostly to just film buffs, and if all their clamoring hasn't done anything before, it's unlikely to do it now. Disney will release this if and when they want to, not based on any internet petition or letter. That's simply the way they roll.

[ifoceanscollide]

Unfortunately, everyone that I have know who had any interest in this movie was satisfied with the bootleg version. I know there are people who would prefer (and will only accept) an authentic release, but my generation has been all too spoilt by pirating media.

[SpringHeelJack]

I don't think that's really universal though. I have a bootleg copy and I'd still buy a legit release- presumably the picture quality would be at least marginally better (also, the slipcover!). I really don't believe it's that all the hard-core fans are satisfied with bootleg copies, it's that there's really not THAT many (in the scheme of things) people who would buy it in the first place. I mean, this is Disney, perhaps the most shamelessly money-grubbing studio there is- if there was a way to milk "Song of the South" for some major cash, they would.

[Maerj]

Maybe the quickest way to get this on an offical DVD is to get it released in South America or England? I can see them releasing it overseas, like they did on Laserdisc, then we could just import copies on over. That's how I got So Dear to My Heart before it was at the Disney Movie Club.

[SpringHeelJack]

True, but I mean, it's probably going to be just as much work to get it released overseas, given they've shown no indication of putting a DVD out there either. And if you're going to go through all that, you might as well just try to get in on DVD in R1.