DVDizzy Forum

I think that Disney's embargo on this timeless classic should be lifted.
I understand that some people might misinterpret the movie and the characters, but as Leonard Maltin wisely noted in his commentaries on the Treasures DVD sets, presenting the material in the context of when it was made, would show as an example of how attitudes and sensitivities have changed over the years.
Besides, suppressing the material only serves to make it sound much worse than it actually is.

Yeah, there is hope that Disney will release Song of the South on Disney Video and DVD. Man, with all of the embargo thing and the history of SotS, it sure could have a lot of bonus features.

Well, there are many petitions going around with a bundle of signatures. I believe a member of the site has the link in their signature. Also, as you said, Maltin is pushing for the release of Song of the South, which is a very good thing since Disney respects and usually listens to Maltin!

I'm convinced it will. It was shown on Network television in the UK over during a summer bank holiday for example. I'm just not convinced it will be released in the States - but elsewhere, why not?

I talked to a Disney Store employee a few month ago (I believe I posted it), and she said they were informed that it WOULD be released, but they have no idea when. Steps do seem to be in the right direction, as Disney's Song Collector's Pins featured both "Song of the South" and "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah"

That's good to hear.

Taken in the proper context, especially with, say, a commentary with Maltin, I think it would be very educational.

Here's hoping for a release, either as a Treasure, or a Platinum release!

that's what i heared too that disney is going to release song of the south. and from what i heared from a friend that works at BVHE might be this year or next. same goes for so dear to my heart

MickeyMouseboy wrote:that's what i heared too that disney is going to release song of the south. and from what i heared from a friend that works at BVHE might be this year or next. same goes for so dear to my heart

Wow... this is great! Disney needs to release this cinema masterpiece as soon as possible! It's a shame they are trying to pretend the film never existed! I hope they release a 2-disc set - the movie deserves it!

As for "So Dear to My Heart", it's strange they're taking this long to release the film in the U.S.A! It's even going to be release in Brazil next month!

______________________
"Pato Donald! Como vai você? Como vai essa força? Como tem andado? A quanto tempo que não o vejo! Or, as you American say: What's cooking?"
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it was supposed to be released i think 1-2 years ago under the gold collection banner but it never did. for some odd reason. but im sure its coming soon

I doubt that the Disney Store employee knows what he/she is talking about. They're really toward the bottom of the Disney totem pole. It would be all over the internet, were there any news from Disney.

I'll bet that we eventually see it in another region, but whether it makes it out on Region 1 is another story. If it comes out somewhere in OSL, though, I'll be sure to import it and get ahold of a region free player.

If you didn't know, you can voice your desire for it at disneydvd.com via some sort of voting webpage. Or, just here.

i for one am an african american and i love the song of the south even my whole family does and we all came from the deep south and we all loved the brer rabbit stories. it's a shame that gone with the wind and many other moives got put to dvd and song of the south for 17 years was not been shown in the USA. i think that michael eisner is just scared!

JohnDMoore wrote:I doubt that the Disney Store employee knows what he/she is talking about. They're really toward the bottom of the Disney totem pole. It would be all over the internet, were there any news from Disney.

I concur.

I hold hope that Disney will do it, if for nothing else, the money it would bring in. But then again, if there really is a controversy over it (I don't think an enormous number of people stay abrest of the catalogue releases that don't turn up in weekly circulars or in TV ads), then they just might not. Personally, I don't see what all the fuss is about and Disney's in part to blame for this myth of offensiveness that seems to have grown each year it's been hidden since its theatrical re-release in the '80s.

if Song of the South would ever get a dvd release i would be in store ASAP before controversy started to stock on some copies if the tittle ever gets pulled

I agree with MickeyMouse Boy, I'd do the same thing.

Jesus_Brer, that is cool. You should email, write or call Disney and tell them that. I think they would reconsider if they read more letters like yours.

I don't think that it is simply because Disney does not want to acknowledge the movie's existance, or that they are scared of some big contreversy, well not in the way it seems to be expressed in this post...

While Jesus_Brer and other African Americans might enjoy the stories and movie the fact is that, from what many sources have told me, the NAACP has threaten to boycott Disney, if this "discriminatory, misinterpreting" movie where to be released in the US. And you never know there might be the few, who would pick it apart and not like it.

However, all this might change. I think it is very possable, that this might get a DVD release in the states, as Disney is starting to release everything, many things for the first time. And as for the opposers of the DVD, I say "Just Don't Buy IT!!!" The treasures sets are also a huge step towards this debut in the states.

I have never seen this movie, to know what the great appeal is, but I do remeber the "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" song. I think a huge part a the large demand is because it is unavailable and that always makes things more attractive, but then again there is also a high demand for this film, by people in the UK and such, that have it accessable to them. Well I have a friend with a brand new copy of the VHS, perhaps I will burrow it, to see what all the fuss is about.

Well, I've finally seen it - thanks to the internet - so I can give my two cents worth. IMO, the characterizations of African-Americans are not any worse than Gone With The Wind and that's generally accepted. It does romanticise slavery too much, though. But with proper introductions explaining how times have changed, it should be released. The songs and stories are timeless. I have fond memories of my father reading me the stories of Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox.

I've never seen any part of "Song of the South" except for the Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah sequence on an old sing-along video. I don't have a DVD player, but if it were released, I'd buy it right away. Someone suggested a few years ago to have someone like James Earl Jones do an introduction to the film that would put it into context. The introduction would also air on something like 60 Minutes or Dateline.

I believe they can get away with it just fine if Leonaard Maltin gives an introduction to all the trailers and the actual feature.

^^^

yes, if Maltin supports it with all he can, the odds of Song of the South coming out will be HIGHLY likely. Then, I could finially trash my version I downloaded from Kazaa

i agree with prince phillip. if you don't like it......Don't Buy It.

I strongly believe it deserves a home on dvd because i'm such an advocate of preserving disney's history. however, i feel that people would actually scoff at this movie, not because there is really a whole lot to be angry at, but rather to get attention and create a public mar on Disney. Disney is a Fortune 500 Company that has created a lot of enemies over the years, and people are looking for any excuse to bring down the name (look at the "sex" thing in the Lion King which was actually "SFX" the name of the special effects company that did the special effects for disney that year). However, I feel if treated properly the majority of the people here in the states would enjoy this film as it should be.