Song of the South DVD legally avalaible (sort of)

monks19 · Post by **monks19** » Sun Oct 21, 2012 11:13 am

Hi, according to this article, any patron of the Uncle Remus Museum in Eatonton can buy/get a good and legal copy of the SOTS film, and guess what, Disney asses aprove this, according to the article.

Here's the direct link: http://www.msgr.com/news/local_news/art ... f887a.html

milojthatch · Post by **milojthatch** » Sun Oct 21, 2012 12:02 pm

This already discussed here http://www.dvdizzy.com/forum/viewtopic. ... 0&start=60 if you missed it.

Long story short, I've contacted Disney (who knew nothing about it, or at least the ones I talked with) and the reporter of the articles and the museum won't return my calls.

While personally, I really want this to be true, that it is a legitimate release. I think this would be such a perfect way to make this happen finally. However, until something more concrete comes up, I'm of the opinion this is a bootleg. I could be wrong, but it doesn't look like I am for now. This is why I never shared this on Open Vault Disney, as we don't support bootleg products.

monks19 · Post by **monks19** » Sun Oct 21, 2012 12:17 pm

Hi, Milo. Thanks for the answer. Weird that Disney doesn't give a clear answer to this, they rarely miss an opportunity to show publicly how merciles they are with conterfeit of their products. I'm afraid that the only way to find out is by going there, buy a copy and analyse it. If it's a boothleg, it'll show with the image quality, anyway. Any volounteers to go to the hunt ?

kylemj · Post by **kylemj** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 2:37 am

It seems Disney does turn a blind eye on this. They're too scared to release it themselves but dont mind because its out there for people to "obtain" and seeing as it hasn't been released its not like they're losing money by people obtaining it illegaly since no genuine copy is available

RyGuy · Post by **RyGuy** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 9:17 am

kylemj wrote:It seems Disney does turn a blind eye on this. They're too scared to release it themselves but dont mind because its out there for people to "obtain" and seeing as it hasn't been released its not like they're losing money by people obtaining it illegaly since no genuine copy is available

It's an interesting predicament . . .

They don't release it mainstream as a way do distance themselves from that company (i.e., "We're not like that any more.") But, if they vigorously pursue action against copyright infringement for this film, they are in some respects making a statement along the lines of "We care about this film and we'll do everything in our power to protect it!"

It's likely the media would pick up the story and discuss it - "Disney won't release it, but they'll sue to protect it?" I think Disney would like as little attention drawn to this film as possible.

milojthatch · Post by **milojthatch** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:57 pm

RyGuy wrote:I think Disney would like as little attention drawn to this film as possible.

The thing is, the harder they try to bury this movie, the more attention it receives. If they had just released the thing many years ago and slapped a "this is not PC" intro to it and then pulled it after just a year or so and then never released it again, it would have received a lot less fanfare and could have actually been buried a long time ago.

By not only not releasing it, but making a big deal about it, they bring a lot more attention to this film.

RyGuy · Post by **RyGuy** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 2:26 pm

milojthatch wrote:
RyGuy wrote:I think Disney would like as little attention drawn to this film as possible.
The thing is, the harder they try to bury this movie, the more attention it receives. If they had just released the thing many years ago and slapped a "this is not PC" intro to it and then pulled it after just a year or so and then never released it again, it would have received a lot less fanfare and could have actually been buried a long time ago.

By not only not releasing it, but making a big deal about it, they bring a lot more attention to this film.

Agree with you completely . . .

I was just offering my theory as to why they are so lax in prosecuting copyright infringement for this film, compared to other properties. They used to be legendary for sending cease and desist letters to day care centers that dared to paint Mickey Mouse, Snow White, etc. on their walls.

Marky_198 · Post by **Marky_198** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 2:30 pm

Why boycot a film beacuse the story is about discrimination?

Should we do that to all the other films with sensitive subjects too?
Should we do it to Snowwhite because it's about murder?

DancingCrab · Post by **DancingCrab** » Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:06 pm

The controversy over this movie mystifies me. I seriously believe that anyone who actually thinks the movie paints a negative picture toward african-american people by "glorifying slavery" has never actually seen the movie. I think the stigma that surrounds the film would lesson if Disney would simply release it so people could get past all this nonsense and myth.

milojthatch · Post by **milojthatch** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:04 pm

I have news on this release!

I finally talked the the gentlemen behind this particular DVD release of Song of the South. Due to my promise to him, he shall remain nameless, but I will share what he told me. First off, not surprisingly, this is not an authorized copy of the film. Second, this release is not just sold via the Uncle Remus Museum as an exclusive, but can be found all over Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama.

About a decade or so ago, he had a contact rather high up at Disney, who informed him that the studio had no idea what to do with the film. This may not be so surprising, but Disney (and I bet Iger) is more afraid of what Jessie Jackson and the NAACP think about this film, or feel they might feel about this film if it was ever released, then granting the fan's wishes.

When this gentlemen decide to print this copy of the DVD (which he assures me is a very good copy of the film with extras), he told me that he talked with a lawyer about printing it. He was told that in the last decade since fans started creating un-authorized copy of Song of the South, Disney has never gone after any of them, and with that precedent, they might have a hard case suddenly doing so now.

So he released it and has sold a ton of copies since. He also had no idea about this article till I contacted him and wanted to keep a lower profile, just in case. That is what I was told, I'm just sharing it with all of you. Do with it as you will.

Christopher_TCUIH · Post by **Christopher_TCUIH** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:28 pm

They should release it as a Disney movie club exclusive.

carolinakid · Post by **carolinakid** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 8:06 am

I think Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are more offensive than Song of the South.

Jules · Post by **Jules** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 8:18 am

milojthatch, do you think there is any chance for non-Americans to acquire this DVD? Maybe some obscure online retailer that happens to carry it?

I do have a copy of the film, but it was DVRed off a UK BBC channel by 2099net for me a few years ago. As a result the colours are rather faded and there's quite a bit of macroblocking. Still, it's all I have and I'm grateful to ol' Netty for giving me the chance to see this film at all.

milojthatch · Post by **milojthatch** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 2:42 pm

Christopher_TCUIH wrote:They should release it as a Disney movie club exclusive.

I agree, but I seriously doubt that will ever happen. If it ever did get an official release, it will be a retail release. This film is a "go big or go home"kind of thing.

carolinakid wrote:I think Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are more offensive than Song of the South.

I hate to say it, but I have to agree with you on this. This is an issue that the deeper I get into it, the grumpier I find myself feeling over it. I find it offensive that fart jokes and ethnic jokes about certain groups are ok, but allowing people to watch historical films featuring Blacks or Jews (for the most part) in anything the current political leaders of those groups find "offensive" is the end of the World.

You know why a film like "Peter Pan" with it's far more raciest "What Makes the Red Man Red" number is ok, but "Song of the South" with a far more mild depiction of happy Blacks set after the Civil War is buried? Because, no Native American group has even gotten as powerful as the NAACP. There, I said it. Bob Iger is firmly more concerned with how running Disney now will affect his political career in the future then making Disney fan happy. I find THAT offensive.

Jules wrote:milojthatch, do you think there is any chance for non-Americans to acquire this DVD? Maybe some obscure online retailer that happens to carry it?

I do have a copy of the film, but it was DVRed off a UK BBC channel by 2099net for me a few years ago. As a result the colours are rather faded and there's quite a bit of macroblocking. Still, it's all I have and I'm grateful to ol' Netty for giving me the chance to see this film at all.

I'm not sure, I was just told that this printing was sold in a number of small market stores all over the South in the states I mentioned. If I find out, I'll be sure to pass that information along.

RowMan · Post by **RowMan** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 2:50 pm

Just got the Song of the South DVD from Classic Reels. It's the one sold at the the Uncle Remus Museum in Eatonton, GA.

Although the disc presentation and cover are very nice, the movie is a low quality PAL to NTSC conversion running 90 min 26 sec. The NTSC versions from MayanCastle and even my own conversion from a years ago PAL British broadcast look much better.

Bonus Features:

Radio interviews with Walt Disney and the cast (First heard on a popular DVD bootleg that's been around for many years.)

1972 re-release trailer (Menu says "60's trailer" - Can be seen on YouTube)

Behind-the-scenes footage (9 min. From a Disney website. Now can be seen on YouTube.)

Audio from the 1947 Tales of Uncle Remus records

Audio excerpt from a 1947 Amos and Andy Show featuring James Baskett as his character Gabby Gibson promoting Song Of The South

Also, it contains a Spanish audio track which is not listed on the DVD menu or the cover. You have to select it by pressing the AUDIO or LANGUAGE button on your player's remote.

RowMan · Post by **RowMan** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:07 pm

Jules wrote:milojthatch, do you think there is any chance for non-Americans to acquire this DVD? Maybe some obscure online retailer that happens to carry it?...

This just popped up on Amazon.cn (China) last October:

http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B009S2P1B4/

It's likely this will be in the PAL format, but I'm unsure.

dvdjunkie · Post by **dvdjunkie** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 4:36 pm

A good friend of mine in California, went to the San Diego Comic-Con last year and said that there were tons of movies that have never seen the light of day in any form of video, Bets, VHS, DVD or whatever.

He picked up six DVD copies of "Song of the South" and gave them as Christmas gifts this past Christmas. He said the guy who was selling them said they were digitally copied from the Japanese Laser Disc and had no subtitles, like many versions I have seen.

He says the quality is superb, and is totally unedited. The sound is great quality and the extras include some of the "missing" scenes from Walt Disney classic films - "The Martins & the Coys", "Pecos Bill" and "Fantasia" to name a few. Also included is the Warner Bros. cartoon "Coal Black & the Sebben Dwarfs". There are also five classic Mickey Mouse cartoons included in the two-disc set.

I have been to a couple of the Comic-Cons in the Midwest, one in Dallas, Texas, and they have some sellers that have this "SotS" title and many others. Their prices are usually $20, which is pretty cheap.

I'd say check any of those Computer Shows that come into your town and see what you can find.

jade · Post by **jade** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 5:18 pm

dvdjunkie wrote:A good friend of mine in California, went to the San Diego Comic-Con last year and said that there were tons of movies that have never seen the light of day in any form of video, Bets, VHS, DVD or whatever.

He picked up six DVD copies of "Song of the South" and gave them as Christmas gifts this past Christmas. He said the guy who was selling them said they were digitally copied from the Japanese Laser Disc and had no subtitles, like many versions I have seen.

He says the quality is superb, and is totally unedited. The sound is great quality and the extras include some of the "missing" scenes from Walt Disney classic films - "The Martins & the Coys", "Pecos Bill" and "Fantasia" to name a few. Also included is the Warner Bros. cartoon "Coal Black & the Sebben Dwarfs". There are also five classic Mickey Mouse cartoons included in the two-disc set.

I have been to a couple of the Comic-Cons in the Midwest, one in Dallas, Texas, and they have some sellers that have this "SotS" title and many others. Their prices are usually $20, which is pretty cheap.

I'd say check any of those Computer Shows that come into your town and see what you can find.

Wow that sounds amazing! Any idea where some of us could get one of these copies?

If anybody knows where i can either download or buy a great quality version of this movie unedited, please pm me.

Every Disney film i own has been purchased directly from Disney or at mass retail. The only bootlegs i own are things not yet out on dvd. If they want to bury this movie, no reason would shouldn't do whatever we want with this film.

dvdjunkie · Post by **dvdjunkie** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 8:12 am

Note to Jade: Since you don't post where you live, I will just tell you to be on the lookout for any Trade shows that come to your area. Computer or Electronics shows are great for finding great DVD's and now there some 'boot' Blu-rays that you will find, and the one that I bought a couple of weeks ago is surprisingly very good quality. It is "Q The Flying Serpent", and I only paid $18 bucks for it.

Trade show or Comic conventions are really big places to find tons of DVD's that are out of print, or have never been in print.

Another place I keep an eye on is Craig's List. Found a three-disc set of "Song of the South" there a couple of weeks ago. The third disc is basically 30 plus cartoons, including the complete "Ant & the Aardvark" collection.

You just have to keep your eyes and ears open for shows that are coming to your town, or an area that you can get to, get some cash in your pocket and go have a ball.

carolinakid · Post by **carolinakid** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:23 am

Does anyone know how to get the Song of the South soundtrack on CD? I have it on vinyl but have no way to play it.

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Song of the South DVD legally avalaible (sort of)

Song of the South DVD legally avalaible (sort of)

I have this DVD from the museum.