I am a black man, and I feel that this film should be released because of its historical significance of African American's first time being employed by Walt Disney, which actually resulted in an Academy Award Win for the Studio because of James Basket's role which was a feat in itself for a black man in 1946. And since some find the material offensive, they should have Leonard Maltin intoduce the film and explain its significance as well as its ignorance like he did in the Walt Disney Treasures collections. Disney had no problem releasing those films that some would perceive as offensive, so they should have no problem releasing this one either. Like many have said, only those who haven't seen the film bash it, most who have LOVE IT! People ought to stop being so cynical and hyper sensitive! As Leonard Maltin always says, "Sweeping these films under the rug and pretending that they never existed would be a shame. But concerned parents can use these films to explain how things were, and just how far we've come since then."
I think that's a wonderful idea. They could precede the movie with a short documentary about the way things were post civil war..and also explain the way things were in 1946 when the movie came out. James Basket definitely deserves recognition for his role in the film..the poor man could not even attend the premiere of his own movie. All of that could be explained prior to viewing the film. Disney should not allow a great opportunity to be lost.
PurpleRain500 thank you! I think it's a shame that Janes Basket's talent is being kept away from this generation! To act so much of the movie with nothing there is such a huge testament to his acting ability and it breaks my heart I can't show this movie to my kids. 😞
I agree 100% with what you are both saying and that's why I will be posting "Song of The South" to my page shortly. It's in no HD, but it's in the best quality for what's available from collector to collector. Thanks for your feedback. I've been saying that it should be released for ages. If they can release "Mickey's Mellerdrammer" then they can release "Song of The South!"
PurpleRain500 I loved this film and thought he was depicted as being warm hearted and intelligent. The simple know how intelligence alot of the older folks had.
If people enjoy the film as it is, seeing as it doesn't have any overtly racist themes in it (the only racism in it being implied by the liberals of yesterday and today), then the film doesn't need any "introduction". People use Uncle Remus being happy and singing as an excuse to label the film as propaganda, even though there are many films just like this with the exact same themes that aren't dealing with race, but people can still enjoy those endlessly. I think closet racists are the only ones who find this film offensive, because too much time, money, and artistry went into it for them to make it a simple smear campaign against blacks. They could offer a special feature about the controversy surrounding this movie on the disc included, but the more people villainize it, the more they force this view of it being racist propaganda onto it, the more they're forcing their own perspectives onto people who see it as completely harmless. It has absolutely nothing in common with the truly racist cartoons that were produced earlier. People will even call the crows from Dumbo racist.
as a white child I watched this film at my grandma's and I remember thinking how much I'd love to be friends with uncle remus because of how kind he was. If anything it brings races together
Blacks were depicted as buffoons in Song Of The South? Did Najee Ali actually see the movie? Uncle Remus is the smartest and most compassionate person in the whole story. The only humans (not cartoon characters) depicted as buffoons were the white kids who lived down the road from the plantation. Also, the black people shown in the film are not necessarily depicted as happy. Yes, they are briefly shown after working in the fields singing around a campfire, but It has been documented that black people at that time were very communal and actually did this. It may have not been so "happy" as depicted in this Disney film, but it was not out of the realm of possibility that it happened. Thanks for posting this news clip.
One example from the “Slave Narratives” collected in the 1930s by the Works Prohect Administration (WPA) Isaam Morgan, Mobile, AL “Any time a slave worked over time or cut mo’ wood dan he s’pose to, Massa pay him money for it, ‘cause when ever one of us slaves seen somp’n we lak, we did jus lak de white folks does now. Us bought it. Massa never whupped none of his slaves… No’m none of our slaves ever tried to run away. Dey all knowed dey was well off…dey (Yankees) offered me a hoss iffen I would go nawth wid dem, but I jus’ couldn’t leave de Massa even dough I did want dat hoss mighty bad.”
I watched 2 minutes of the movie and that was my very first judgement of Uncle Remus. Disney is known to downplay a lot of unhappiness. but that's just Disney's Shtick
Your comment is the point. Showing this makes ppl THINK “slavery wasn’t that bad! They were singing! So communal! It was a good time!” THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS FILM
I loved "Song of the South" when I was a little boy and was encouraged to hear that Disney was considering re-releasing the film. As far as I know they to date never re-released it but there is a company I ordered the dvd from last year and the quality was outstanding and the film was complete with no scenes deleted.
After its initial run in 1946, it was rereleased in theaters several times in the US and other countries all the way up to 1986. Although not in the US, the film was released on videocassette and laserdisc in other countries from 1983 to 2001.
No I'm from the United States. The dvd was purchased about 2 years ago from an online company offering the item for sale. It has wonderful digital quality and sound. Looked great on my 75" tv set the last time I watched it. I tried to pull it from my dvd collection tonight to list the name of the company but it came in a slim dvd case and eventhough I have all of my dvd's in alphabetical order it was difficult to find tonight amoungst about 4,000 dvd's. I'll eventually locate it and put the information online for anyone who is interested in purchasing it in the USA.
I sooo loved this man! The great Vaudevillian, James Baskett! I hope people never forget him & that this great song won an Academy Award! It had won me over & I loved this man & this song! Both great! ♥️🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🌟
Did any of the people calling the film racist actually take the time to watch the movie? I feel like most people just call it racist cause they see a black person in an old Disney movie, and the people who actually watch it go in with the expectation that it'll be racist and nothing will change their mind. Next thing you know, people will be calling Splash Mountain racist 🙄.
You can argue that the most popular ride at the Disney parks is based on this movie. I have NEVER seen anyone walking out of Splash Mountain wearing sheets and carrying pitchforks.
I watched it tonight with my 3 year old grandson. Its not racist at all. Uncle Remus tells stories to kids who totally respect him and look up to him. Its part of our history. Why is this movie controversial but Gone With the Wind is OK?
The only thing that I can see racist about this movie is, the black people in it seem happy and content, almost complacent about their lives spent in service to the white people. Apparently it's seen as racist because of this underlying theme of black complacency, in their lives spent serving white people. People, especially black people, didn't like blacks being portrayed in this subservient way to whites, post civil war. Can't really blame them. But, I think Disney could avoid a good movie being lost by putting it out on DVD with a documentary regarding the time period in the movie, the time period that the movie was made, and just the way things were back then...that's all.
Sandra Pause Not every slave owner was Simon Legree. The fact is that many slaves were very well treated and after the war they stayed on where they had once been slaves. I don't condone slavery of course but i also don't condone rewriting history just to make some people comfortable. And Song of the South was set after the War of Southern Independence and Uncle Remus was based on a real person who was a former slave that told stories to the children.
Alan Cook Yes, I did know that some slaves stayed on with families after they were freed. But this movie's time period was long after the civil war, and even though the black characters were supposedly free...they were still servicing white people. This angered the southern blacks of 1946; they protested the movie and cried "racism". It was as if the blacks were in a time warp... STILL happy to remain slaves long after the civil war...like that was their lot in life. And, they made the blacks in the movie talk dumb too...with the "dese" and "dose" throughout the movie. I'm sure the black actor, James Baskett, did not talk like that in real life.
I saw this in 1983 at a theatre with my folks. I'm fond of it, and I do wish someday to be able to get a copy, and at the very least, be able to finally see it again. I hope to before I die see this again.
If you are able to see this, I got it on DVD from Etsy. So love this movie that actually showed a black man become the mentor and father figure to a white boy whose father was too busy with work and profits to spend time with his own son until he was gored by a bull. Uncle Remus is a hero, and Disney was wrong to bury this film under the false pretense of racism.
has there been any updates on this? I'm not black, but watched this as a kid after the 1986 these, and loved it! Uncle Remis may have been uneducated, but he had a hell of a lot of wisdom. Wisdom that is sorely lacking in today's world.
there was nothing racist that i found in the movie, but to be honest i think it would be wondefull if they would show a full animated film based only around brer rabbit, brer bear, and brer fox.
@@lamarravery4094 the tar baby was a doll made of literal tar, it wasnt even drawn to look like an african american at all and the concept of the tar baby was based on the gum fairy from the tales of Anasi where Anasi the spider was also tricked with the doll made of gum.
I watched a few clips of this songs shown in this movie and I didn't see anything blatantly racist. I doesn't appear that Uncle Remus is portrayed as dumb, naive, lazy, or any of the other derogatory expressions that movies at that time portrayed black people. I mean he does have that southern accent that many black people including white people spoke in the South at that time of course it is wrong to assume that all black people spoke like that. Uncle Remus appears as your atypical wise, compassionate, elderly man who tries to perceive the world in a more positive light. Of course the only thing I find wrong with the movie that is inherently racist is that the whole purpose of "Song of the South" was to portray the American South as a great place to be in, a place where everybody is happy and jolly despite the fact that segregation, racism, racial violence, and inequality towards black people was as rampant as ever, the movie wanted to convince viewers that that was a good thing and that nobody not even black people had a problem with it. I think it was right for Disney to release it despite the controversy surrounding it. Everybody needs to reminded that racism was and always has been a problem within the United States and the movie does have award-winning music and it was the first time a black American was employed by a major motion picture company and openly performed in front of a camera as the leading actor. I think James Basket's singing and acting are phenomenal and his work should be credited. Besides I don't think this movie should be taken so seriously it is after all a cartoon/live action film directed to a children audience and people need to be reminded of how different things were in the 1940s and just because Disney released the film does not mean it approves of any kind of racist behavior. This film is a part of movie history, it cannot be ignored or locked away.
Warner Brothers has handled this right with Looney Tunes. They re-released all the episodes with a disclaimer warning, introduction commentary and discussion on the issues. Censorship is not the answer bc it pretends it never happened and only by acknowledging can we learn from it.
So flipping ridiculous! That song won an Academy Award for BEST SONG! That Vaudevillian singer/actor, James Baskett, was FABULOUS! WTH?? I saw this when I was about 3! I’m sure I saw this either on TV in the 1960’s or at a Drive-In! I remember this wonderful song & this wonderful man singing this happy song! I had wanted him to be my friend or part of my family! He played such a joyous character & I bet he was a happy man! And if he was willing to use his talent to make this movie, why is it banned NOW?? To this day...because of what I remember, I LOVED that character & still do! And I still LOVE that great song! ♥️
Even if this picture were as racist as say, Birth of A Nation, it shouldn't be locked away or forgotten. It should be remembered as an example of American culture of the time period.
I would love them re-release it. Maybe people could start a petition to have it released? I saw it with my Grandfather and it brings back wonderful memories.
One of my favorite films as a kid here in Venezuela, just as Lady and the Tramp, The Sword in the Stone and Mary Poppins. I think it educated me a little about the history of slavery, you dont see it in the movie directly but it makes you touch the subject.
The Song of the South is one of the most wholesome, family movies Disney ever made. Considering all of the filth and violence on tv and in movies today, this should be celebrated.
I’d like to see it reissued on Disney+, restored. If they need something to cover themselves, pay Whoopi to record a quick video message before the movie explaining the reasons for its reissue
One of my favorite movies from my childhood. I never saw any racism in it. I only saw a man that was happy and gave us good lessons. It's only racist to a racist.
Release the movie! It was the perfect movie that showed the friendship between two young men. The love of the families during the times. The people in this movie as told loved each other. And what freaks out the press, it displays moral values they hate. Love!
if this is considered racist and has been locked away....why on earth was dumbo not locked away? that's had three dvd releases and it's been labelled racist for years. I grew up with song of the south on vhs cos I was lucky....it's a great film and never saw racism. just a showing of American history xxx
That was the times Its a Beautiful film. Maybe if people just take shows as shows but Never forget history. But mostly use it to teach people but look how people have grown and this movie well helpus grow more
This movie is part of history. I loved this movie. Every once in a while I'll start singing one of the songs and no one but me knows where it came from and that is sad. You need to use movies like this to educate and to stop spreading hate.
Imagine if Disney made a deal with WarnerMedia to have the movie stream on HBO Max. WM is more comfortable with addressing controversy than Disney is, they’ve added a disclaimer to old Looney Tunes cartoons that contain racist depictions, and explained that those cartoons were products of their time, and don’t reflect the views of the company today. I think both Disney and WarnerMedia could benefit from this hypothetical deal, Disney would finally be releasing this burden from their shoulders and not directly profit from the release of the movie, and HBO Max would gain subscriptions from people who are curious to see this movie.
@Christian Willis I know it's not Song of the South related (Kinda). After watching "The Wonderful World of The Brothers Grimm" I can't help but ask out of curiosity, did you know that the Costume Designer "Mary Willis" (She was actually the Costume Designer for SOTS) won an Oscar for the film, and are you related to her or anything?
4:19 i mean the guy who works at a NEWS company just said "dont show Roots" for the same reason the wont show Song of the South. What is wrong with this world. thankfully they correct him
I just watched this movie and I legitimately have no idea what people's problem with this movie is. It's a false notion that it depicts as that one guy puts it "happy slaves." They weren't slaves, they were sharecroppers, the relationship between Johnny's grandmother and the blacks on the plantation was literally a landlord-tenant relationship
I remember seeing this movie in theater back around 1980. I liked it. I use to sink the theme song. I remember it as the first song that I liked that got stuck in my head. Even over church songs which were the only other form of music that my parents would let me listen to. At the time the only black people that I ever met were visiting Christians at our church Which were still alien to me. The movie actually helped me to see them as friendly.
The Briar Rabbit stories were derived from African folklore and used by Southerners to describe the aggressive actions of the North during and after the Civil War. A cautionary tale if you will, just like the fairytales and nursery rhymes written in late 17th Century. Look at the story of King Midas or Sing a Song of Sixpence, for example.
ncg1234 1 12 years a slave is a true story. That is why that movie is allowed. Everything in that film was accurate to a persons life who was a hotel owner who was taken as a slave.
Film studios released a silent film on DVD an blu ray etc titled Birth Of A Nation which is so racist if I ever seen a film with proganda views-next to Hitler's B.S. Triumph Of The Will,but a Disney film as Song Of The South should be released with a special feature to document the making and have scholar civil rights professors discuss the pros and cons of this film,now that's a good idea! Remember this film is a historical piece of film, some sad parts of history should never ever be put "under the rug" but addressed in a way to educate youth so they can be more proud and truthful to their ethnicity they are born with! (Those who forget the past are doom to repeat it)
No. It was never officially released by Disney on DVD. It was only released in countries outside of the US on videocassette and laserdisc from 1983 all the way up to 2001. The film has never been banned. Disney just decided to stop producing it on home media.
You have to understand though, this was made in 1946, where this was "socially acceptable". Like they said, "it's innocent stereotypes." Disney is a company that is about fun and yes it may have a dark past, but it wasn't meant to offend any of it's fans. If anything, they want more and more fans and supports of the company. If anything, they should release the movie, as a history lesson to children, of all different races, to educate them on things that happened in the past.
They better hurry up if they want to release it because the film cell will dissolve and could be no longer use it for remastering and viewing. I guess the VHS that I got will have to do.
Uncle Remus is nothing but the noblest of mentors. He has elements of Obi-Wan, Gandalf, and Tom Bombadil. The villain of the story is a rich repressive Karen. How do some people not "get it?!" 1:00 He's more like a Tom Bombadil type of character. He's jolly 'despite' his circumstances, not 'because' of them. Again, some people aren't able to "get it." 2:18 So cancel bigotry, not the movie. 6:08 The story takes place after slavery was abolished. A lot of freed slaves, like Uncle Remus, stayed on those plantations because they didn't have anywhere else to go. I reiterate that Remus's jolly demeanor is 'despite' his circumstances, not 'because' of them. 7:19 "Fight ignorance" says the guy who apparently doesn't know when the story takes place. 7:25 "After the Civil War." So he knows when the story takes place.
"Song of the South" and "Song of the Roustabouts" are two different things. "Song of the Roustabouts" is the one that's depicting happy slaves. Common misconception.
Another common misconception: They aren't even slaves. They're making money on the plantation. It's a JOB where they're treated kindly and as equals. It's post-civil war. The movie never shows us anywhere but this one plantation and the Favers house, and for all we know, a few streets down there could be African-Americans still being treated like slaves. The movie is showing that African-Americans and Caucasian-Americans can be equal though they are of different heritage.
The problem we keep having is that people keep trying to view historical works through the lens of today's standards. If you keep doing that, we'll have to erase everything we've previously done. There will be people 50 years from now looking at the work that is released today and thinking the same thing.
Redd Foxx played the part of John Elroy Sanford in the television show “Sanford and Son”. Foxx played the part of a loveable slightly racist buffoon. Sherman Hemsley played the part of George Jefferson who was financially successful yet something of a buffoon - a clown. James Baskett - winner of an honorary Academy Award for his betrayal of Uncle Remus did not play the part of a buffoon. I see him as a warm, kind, affectionate, loving black man. Although he did not have the cosmopolitan “sophistication” of one living in the urban city; he possessed a quaint charming rural wisdom and understanding character. Personally, I find the characters that Foxx and Hemsley played are more offensive than gentle Uncle Remus played by James Baskett. I wonder what Baskett felt about the character which he played? Did he find the part racially offensive? It doesn’t appear so. His performance is honest and sincere. Walter White of the NAACP acknowledged "the remarkable artistic merit" of the film in his telegraphed press release on November 27, 1946, but decried the "impression it gives of an idyllic master-slave relationship."[Consequently, people opposed to the film think that blacks throughout the south were sour, embittered, resentful, indignant people during the Civil War period and in the ante-bellum South. That position is an unrealistic stereotype. During the late 1930s the federal government sent journalists and writers throughout the south to collect firsthand testimony of the remaining ex slaves of America. This project was through the Works Project Administration (WPA). The testimony was collected and is maintained by the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Reverend Steve Wilkins of Monroe, Louisiana completed research on four state narratives. His research on the “Slave Narratives” is quite interesting. The testimony of former slaves indicates that more than 70% of ex slaves had only good experiences to report about the life as a slave in the Old South. That certainly flies in the face of the position Walter White promoted. One can read for oneself the “Slave Narratives” which are housed in the National Archives. Consequently, the reason "Song of the South" is considered racist is the James Baskett - Uncle Remus - is TOO HAPPY and that he was treated kindly by Caucasians with whom he was well acquainted. It doesn't fit the politically correct narrative of the South which is taught in the classroom.
It's a Disney movie. And like all Disney movies, it is designed for the entertainment of families. The entire family. But mostly for children. I have always loved this movie from the first time I saw it as a child. If you show this film to a room full of children, any number, any mixture of race and background and then you ask them after it is over what they thought, I can guarantee you that not one would say it is racist. Why? Because racism isn't something you are born with. It's something you are taught. So, we get it. America, like most developed or developing countries and indeed the earliest of civilizations practiced slavery. And in America, post civil war, former slaves were not all treated well. And that feeling of some carried on. Be it wrong or wright, try telling half of the country today that (pick any topic) is no longer allowed and you must instantly change the way you see things. So, if you watch this movie and don't understand that Uncle Remus is a teacher, and a teller of stories that were handed down to him to teach a lesson, and all you see is a black man portrayed as a post war buffoon, the problem isn't with the movie......If you have scars on your body from slavery, then speak of what you know. If your arm pits are sore from using America's history as a crutch, your voice is hollow.
I think this movie should be released on DVD and Blu-Ray. I feel as though we need to educate the public on why this film was made and help us understand the significance this film actually holds. I understand it may be offensive to some people but we need to stop sugar coating our past and face the truth about what our history is all about.
It would make a lot more sense to show it to a room full of kids and then have them discuss it and argue what’s offensive and show them how it’s racist instead of safeguarding them and just trying to forget. You can only move on from teaching people the mistakes
no it was never released on dvd but it was released on VHS in Europe. I actually own the movie on dvd. If you take the time to hunt for it you can find digital copies of it online that you can download and convert to dvd format and burn to disc. My mom took u kids to see it at the theater during on of it's last showings before Disney locked it away, I'm 54 years old.
I think this film is amazing and for a 4 year old there not going to think of it as racist and it's not like in the movie there showing all the horrible bits of slavery there showing a kind loving town and a boy with a heart of gold and shows his own mum that black people are the same and are equal and I don't care what they say I'm letting my kids watch this film all they like now can we all get that zip be de do dah feeling
Its stark reminder of how disgustingly people were treated, and shows that the USA were the main perpetrators of this horror. Im black and have no problems with it being shown , it is in all honesty a lovely film
It's important to note that the events portrayed in Song of the South occur AFTER the Civil War. It's also germane to understand that author/story collector Harris was not a racist. That said, portraying any group - Blacks, Jews, Irish, etc. - is not racist in itself. What matters is HOW they are portrayed; what is the point-of-view? For more than 60 years I have held this film in my heart with love for the characters; their warmth and kindness are traits that all can value. I find nothing patronizing or stereotypical in what is portrayed. Actually, one can find far more egregious racist content on many movies of the 1930s shown on Turner Classic Movies which, I believe, should show a statement before each showing that these films were made in a less sensitive time. Warner Brothers does it on their DVDs and, for this viewer, it helps take the nasty edge off the content.
Wow. Look how calm CNN was only 9 years ago.
btosky and yet still #fakenews
11 as of 2018
That was before Politics turned them into a shit news network.
Id argue people had longer attention spans back then. Smartphones changed everything. People think UA-cam is “research” now.
I am a black man, and I feel that this film should be released because of its historical significance of African American's first time being employed by Walt Disney, which actually resulted in an Academy Award Win for the Studio because of James Basket's role which was a feat in itself for a black man in 1946. And since some find the material offensive, they should have Leonard Maltin intoduce the film and explain its significance as well as its ignorance like he did in the Walt Disney Treasures collections. Disney had no problem releasing those films that some would perceive as offensive, so they should have no problem releasing this one either. Like many have said, only those who haven't seen the film bash it, most who have LOVE IT! People ought to stop being so cynical and hyper sensitive! As Leonard Maltin always says, "Sweeping these films under the rug and pretending that they never existed would be a shame. But concerned parents can use these films to explain how things were, and just how far we've come since then."
I think that's a wonderful idea. They could precede the movie with a short documentary about the way things were post civil war..and also explain the way things were in 1946 when the movie came out. James Basket definitely deserves recognition for his role in the film..the poor man could not even attend the premiere of his own movie. All of that could be explained prior to viewing the film. Disney should not allow a great opportunity to be lost.
PurpleRain500 thank you! I think it's a shame that Janes Basket's talent is being kept away from this generation! To act so much of the movie with nothing there is such a huge testament to his acting ability and it breaks my heart I can't show this movie to my kids. 😞
I agree 100% with what you are both saying and that's why I will be posting "Song of The South" to my page shortly. It's in no HD, but it's in the best quality for what's available from collector to collector. Thanks for your feedback. I've been saying that it should be released for ages. If they can release "Mickey's Mellerdrammer" then they can release "Song of The South!"
PurpleRain500 I loved this film and thought he was depicted as being warm hearted and intelligent. The simple know how intelligence alot of the older folks had.
If people enjoy the film as it is, seeing as it doesn't have any overtly racist themes in it (the only racism in it being implied by the liberals of yesterday and today), then the film doesn't need any "introduction". People use Uncle Remus being happy and singing as an excuse to label the film as propaganda, even though there are many films just like this with the exact same themes that aren't dealing with race, but people can still enjoy those endlessly. I think closet racists are the only ones who find this film offensive, because too much time, money, and artistry went into it for them to make it a simple smear campaign against blacks.
They could offer a special feature about the controversy surrounding this movie on the disc included, but the more people villainize it, the more they force this view of it being racist propaganda onto it, the more they're forcing their own perspectives onto people who see it as completely harmless. It has absolutely nothing in common with the truly racist cartoons that were produced earlier. People will even call the crows from Dumbo racist.
as a white child I watched this film at my grandma's and I remember thinking how much I'd love to be friends with uncle remus because of how kind he was. If anything it brings races together
U sound dumb AF
Agreed.
@@E-CLASS420 how is that a “dumb” statement what do you want uncle Remus to be like?
A sad time in American history, but a great movie! I saw it as a child and loved uncle Remus. Still do today!
Blacks were depicted as buffoons in Song Of The South? Did Najee Ali actually see the movie? Uncle Remus is the smartest and most compassionate person in the whole story. The only humans (not cartoon characters) depicted as buffoons were the white kids who lived down the road from the plantation. Also, the black people shown in the film are not necessarily depicted as happy. Yes, they are briefly shown after working in the fields singing around a campfire, but It has been documented that black people at that time were very communal and actually did this. It may have not been so "happy" as depicted in this Disney film, but it was not out of the realm of possibility that it happened. Thanks for posting this news clip.
You position is well stated and is found in the "Slave Narratives" which were collected in the 1930s. Please look at the post which I submitted.
One example from the “Slave Narratives” collected in the 1930s by the Works Prohect Administration (WPA)
Isaam Morgan, Mobile, AL
“Any time a slave worked over time or cut mo’ wood dan he s’pose to, Massa pay him money for it, ‘cause when ever one of us slaves seen somp’n we lak, we did jus lak de white folks does now. Us bought it. Massa never whupped none of his slaves… No’m none of our slaves ever tried to run away. Dey all knowed dey was well off…dey (Yankees) offered me a hoss iffen I would go nawth wid dem, but I jus’ couldn’t leave de Massa even dough I did want dat hoss mighty bad.”
I watched 2 minutes of the movie and that was my very first judgement of Uncle Remus.
Disney is known to downplay a lot of unhappiness. but that's just Disney's Shtick
this is exactly to sort of thing we will see stricken from history books across America.
Your comment is the point. Showing this makes ppl THINK “slavery wasn’t that bad! They were singing! So communal! It was a good time!” THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS FILM
Great movie. One of Disneys best.
I loved "Song of the South" when I was a little boy and was encouraged to hear that Disney was considering re-releasing the film. As far as I know they to date never re-released it but there is a company I ordered the dvd from last year and the quality was outstanding and the film was complete with no scenes deleted.
What company or where did you buy it from? I would like to purchase a copy for myself.
After its initial run in 1946, it was rereleased in theaters several times in the US and other countries all the way up to 1986. Although not in the US, the film was released on videocassette and laserdisc in other countries from 1983 to 2001.
I love "Song Of The South" and have it on DVD. I watch it often.
thecatman4ever Are you from Europe?
No I'm from the United States. The dvd was purchased about 2 years ago from an online company offering the item for sale. It has wonderful digital quality and sound. Looked great on my 75" tv set the last time I watched it. I tried to pull it from my dvd collection tonight to list the name of the company but it came in a slim dvd case and eventhough I have all of my dvd's in alphabetical order it was difficult to find tonight amoungst about 4,000 dvd's. I'll eventually locate it and put the information online for anyone who is interested in purchasing it in the USA.
I sooo loved this man! The great Vaudevillian, James Baskett! I hope people never forget him & that this great song won an Academy Award! It had won me over & I loved this man & this song! Both great! ♥️🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🌟
Did any of the people calling the film racist actually take the time to watch the movie? I feel like most people just call it racist cause they see a black person in an old Disney movie, and the people who actually watch it go in with the expectation that it'll be racist and nothing will change their mind. Next thing you know, people will be calling Splash Mountain racist 🙄.
@Brer Oswald, you were right, People now want to petition to change splash mountain to princess and the frog.
You're a prophet! It happened!
You can argue that the most popular ride at the Disney parks is based on this movie. I have NEVER seen anyone walking out of Splash Mountain wearing sheets and carrying pitchforks.
when i was a kid i saw nothing racist...it was based in the same era as gone with the wind...yet that is not banned
It's a good film. Whatcha it again here on this link if you don't have it. 123movies.men/movie/lx2B0Dxe-song-of-the-south.html
I watched it tonight with my 3 year old grandson. Its not racist at all. Uncle Remus tells stories to kids who totally respect him and look up to him. Its part of our history. Why is this movie controversial but Gone With the Wind is OK?
The only thing that I can see racist about this movie is, the black people in it seem happy and content, almost complacent about their lives spent in service to the white people. Apparently it's seen as racist because of this underlying theme of black complacency, in their lives spent serving white people. People, especially black people, didn't like blacks being portrayed in this subservient way to whites, post civil war. Can't really blame them. But, I think Disney could avoid a good movie being lost by putting it out on DVD with a documentary regarding the time period in the movie, the time period that the movie was made, and just the way things were back then...that's all.
Sandra Pause Not every slave owner was Simon Legree. The fact is that many slaves were very well treated and after the war they stayed on where they had once been slaves. I don't condone slavery of course but i also don't condone rewriting history just to make some people comfortable. And Song of the South was set after the War of Southern Independence and Uncle Remus was based on a real person who was a former slave that told stories to the children.
Alan Cook Yes, I did know that some slaves stayed on with families after they were freed. But this movie's time period was long after the civil war, and even though the black characters were supposedly free...they were still servicing white people. This angered the southern blacks of 1946; they protested the movie and cried "racism". It was as if the blacks were in a time warp... STILL happy to remain slaves long after the civil war...like that was their lot in life. And, they made the blacks in the movie talk dumb too...with the "dese" and "dose" throughout the movie. I'm sure the black actor, James Baskett, did not talk like that in real life.
Alan Cook quit telling lies!
Martina quit being ignorant. Learn the true history of the South, not the fake news the Yankees want you to think.
I saw this in 1983 at a theatre with my folks. I'm fond of it, and I do wish someday to be able to get a copy, and at the very least, be able to finally see it again. I hope to before I die see this again.
If you are able to see this, I got it on DVD from Etsy. So love this movie that actually showed a black man become the mentor and father figure to a white boy whose father was too busy with work and profits to spend time with his own son until he was gored by a bull. Uncle Remus is a hero, and Disney was wrong to bury this film under the false pretense of racism.
has there been any updates on this? I'm not black, but watched this as a kid after the 1986 these, and loved it! Uncle Remis may have been uneducated, but he had a hell of a lot of wisdom. Wisdom that is sorely lacking in today's world.
Dustin Vonn me too. Ah the days where we just enjoyed tv and music
Dustin Vonn No Updates
Bob iger said this film should never ever been seen
rawrbro69 he should quit
From the future, still banned and the ride is gone in the United States
there was nothing racist that i found in the movie, but to be honest i think it would be wondefull if they would show a full animated film based only around brer rabbit, brer bear, and brer fox.
That would be way cooler, it would do well, and it would help promote the parks!
The tar baby, was pretty racist. But I remember watching some old Warner Bros cartoons that were just as or more racist than that.
@@lamarravery4094 the tar baby was a doll made of literal tar, it wasnt even drawn to look like an african american at all and the concept of the tar baby was based on the gum fairy from the tales of Anasi where Anasi the spider was also tricked with the doll made of gum.
I watched a few clips of this songs shown in this movie and I didn't see anything blatantly racist. I doesn't appear that Uncle Remus is portrayed as dumb, naive, lazy, or any of the other derogatory expressions that movies at that time portrayed black people. I mean he does have that southern accent that many black people including white people spoke in the South at that time of course it is wrong to assume that all black people spoke like that. Uncle Remus appears as your atypical wise, compassionate, elderly man who tries to perceive the world in a more positive light. Of course the only thing I find wrong with the movie that is inherently racist is that the whole purpose of "Song of the South" was to portray the American South as a great place to be in, a place where everybody is happy and jolly despite the fact that segregation, racism, racial violence, and inequality towards black people was as rampant as ever, the movie wanted to convince viewers that that was a good thing and that nobody not even black people had a problem with it. I think it was right for Disney to release it despite the controversy surrounding it. Everybody needs to reminded that racism was and always has been a problem within the United States and the movie does have award-winning music and it was the first time a black American was employed by a major motion picture company and openly performed in front of a camera as the leading actor. I think James Basket's singing and acting are phenomenal and his work should be credited. Besides I don't think this movie should be taken so seriously it is after all a cartoon/live action film directed to a children audience and people need to be reminded of how different things were in the 1940s and just because Disney released the film does not mean it approves of any kind of racist behavior. This film is a part of movie history, it cannot be ignored or locked away.
Warner Brothers has handled this right with Looney Tunes. They re-released all the episodes with a disclaimer warning, introduction commentary and discussion on the issues. Censorship is not the answer bc it pretends it never happened and only by acknowledging can we learn from it.
15 years after this news report and its still not been released. I think it should be released.
So flipping ridiculous! That song won an Academy Award for BEST SONG! That Vaudevillian singer/actor, James Baskett, was FABULOUS! WTH?? I saw this when I was about 3! I’m sure I saw this either on TV in the 1960’s or at a Drive-In!
I remember this wonderful song & this wonderful man singing this happy song! I had wanted him to be my friend or part of my family! He played such a joyous character & I bet he was a happy man! And if he was willing to use his talent to make this movie, why is it banned NOW?? To this day...because of what I remember, I LOVED that character & still do! And I still LOVE that great song! ♥️
Even if this picture were as racist as say, Birth of A Nation, it shouldn't be locked away or forgotten. It should be remembered as an example of American culture of the time period.
I would love them re-release it. Maybe people could start a petition to have it released? I saw it with my Grandfather and it brings back wonderful memories.
I would really like to see it released. I saw it yesterday, and I really enjoyed it.
But Gone with the Wind is ok?
I dunno
@@cartmantheking6356 Does Disney own Gone with the Wind?
@@pcs56 MGM owns the movie rights
Zippety Do Dah! Zippety ay! My oh my! What a wonderful day! Plenty o' sunshine, headin' mah way! Zippety doo dah, zippety ay!
I'd love if they re released it. I mean you have to consider *when* it was released and keep that on mind.
This needs to happen! I love Song of the south and Splash Mountain!
Rip Splash Mountain
One of my favorite films as a kid here in Venezuela, just as Lady and the Tramp, The Sword in the Stone and Mary Poppins. I think it educated me a little about the history of slavery, you dont see it in the movie directly but it makes you touch the subject.
and FYI uncle remus stories actually taught good life lessons too. so nur
The Song of the South is one of the most wholesome, family movies Disney ever made. Considering all of the filth and violence on tv and in movies today, this should be celebrated.
And now you can't even watch this movie anywhere, unless you have the DVD or VHS.
If we remember history we are bound to repeat it.
I want to see a remake staring Kevin Heart as uncle Remus.
I really want this to be released again!!
Brer Rabbit: Why'd my movie have to be banned?!
I found this movie in my local library about 2 or so years ago and I still have it today so I guess it was released
might the the European version or the 1986 version or just a pirated version coz Disney chose not to
This was James Baskett's final role just before the movie got released
That's says a lot.
Excellent copies of this film are available on DVD from a variety of sources.
mich sturge you can buy it here at classicreels.com
I think the film should be released. Maybe a huge disclaimer at the beginning of the film might be able to get it released.
That flim should be released
I want the DvD of it, I already have the VHS and its my favorite movie growing up
I LUV THE SONG OF THE SOUTH
Me too! It's one of my favorite Disney movies of all time!
Bring back "Song Of The South" an American classic.
I’d like to see it reissued on Disney+, restored. If they need something to cover themselves, pay Whoopi to record a quick video message before the movie explaining the reasons for its reissue
One of my favorite movies from my childhood. I never saw any racism in it. I only saw a man that was happy and gave us good lessons. It's only racist to a racist.
Please release the movie. As a Black person, I am proud of the actors involved.
I just loved the character, Uncle Remus.
Release the movie! It was the perfect movie that showed the friendship between two young men. The love of the families during the times. The people in this movie as told loved each other. And what freaks out the press, it displays moral values they hate. Love!
if this is considered racist and has been locked away....why on earth was dumbo not locked away? that's had three dvd releases and it's been labelled racist for years. I grew up with song of the south on vhs cos I was lucky....it's a great film and never saw racism. just a showing of American history xxx
I have a copy of it! They should release it, it's a very good film!
Please release it, its a piece of cinema history.
That was the times Its a Beautiful film. Maybe if people just take shows as shows but Never forget history. But mostly use it to teach people but look how people have grown and this movie well helpus grow more
I currently own a burned copy. It feels nice to have it.
I really want this movie to be released ;-;
I really want to see this caus my parents actuly have the book and I loved it. Also I love that damn song. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah
Did anyone who watched Song of the South notice that Uncle Remus was teaching the two boys life lessons with the stories he told them?
It's a beautiful movie ❤️
I hate how this won’t be on Disney+
I was six when I saw this film rereleased. It's a good film. The grownups need to grow young. The kids that watch it will be singing Zip-pedi-doo-dah.
Oh so they can keep gone in the wind but not song of the south?
Nevermind SotS...Why does 2007 look like 1994?
If we don’t learn from the past, we’re doomed to repeat it. You cannot learn from what you cannot be exposed to.
This movie is part of history. I loved this movie. Every once in a while I'll start singing one of the songs and no one but me knows where it came from and that is sad. You need to use movies like this to educate and to stop spreading hate.
Did you mean “instead of spreading hate?”
@@cynthiaennis3107 yes thank you for catching my error in typing
Imagine if Disney made a deal with WarnerMedia to have the movie stream on HBO Max. WM is more comfortable with addressing controversy than Disney is, they’ve added a disclaimer to old Looney Tunes cartoons that contain racist depictions, and explained that those cartoons were products of their time, and don’t reflect the views of the company today.
I think both Disney and WarnerMedia could benefit from this hypothetical deal, Disney would finally be releasing this burden from their shoulders and not directly profit from the release of the movie, and HBO Max would gain subscriptions from people who are curious to see this movie.
@Christian Willis I know it's not Song of the South related (Kinda). After watching "The Wonderful World of The Brothers Grimm" I can't help but ask out of curiosity, did you know that the Costume Designer "Mary Willis" (She was actually the Costume Designer for SOTS) won an Oscar for the film, and are you related to her or anything?
4:19 i mean the guy who works at a NEWS company just said "dont show Roots" for the same reason the wont show Song of the South. What is wrong with this world. thankfully they correct him
I just watched this movie and I legitimately have no idea what people's problem with this movie is. It's a false notion that it depicts as that one guy puts it "happy slaves." They weren't slaves, they were sharecroppers, the relationship between Johnny's grandmother and the blacks on the plantation was literally a landlord-tenant relationship
I remember seeing this movie in theater back around 1980. I liked it. I use to sink the theme song. I remember it as the first song that I liked that got stuck in my head. Even over church songs which were the only other form of music that my parents would let me listen to.
At the time the only black people that I ever met were visiting Christians at our church Which were still alien to me. The movie actually helped me to see them as friendly.
I've had this film on bootleg dvd for years. I know many people who have it. The film is not "locked up".
Does anyone have a VHS copy that I can buy from??
The Briar Rabbit stories were derived from African folklore and used by Southerners to describe the aggressive actions of the North during and after the Civil War. A cautionary tale if you will, just like the fairytales and nursery rhymes written in late 17th Century. Look at the story of King Midas or Sing a Song of Sixpence, for example.
WHAT THE HE'LL THEY ALLOW 12 YEARS A SLAVE BUT NOT YALLS AND YTELLUMS
ncg1234 1 12 years a slave is a true story. That is why that movie is allowed. Everything in that film was accurate to a persons life who was a hotel owner who was taken as a slave.
Film studios released a silent film on DVD an blu ray etc titled Birth Of A Nation which is so racist if I ever seen a film with proganda views-next to Hitler's B.S. Triumph Of The Will,but a Disney film as Song Of The South should be released with a special feature to document the making and have scholar civil rights professors discuss the pros and cons of this film,now that's a good idea! Remember this film is a historical piece of film, some sad parts of history should never ever be put "under the rug" but addressed in a way to educate youth so they can be more proud and truthful to their ethnicity they are born with! (Those who forget the past are doom to repeat it)
you can buy song of the South on DVD at classicreels.com
This was released on dvd in the UK in 2000. I don't know why they banned it after that.
No. It was never officially released by Disney on DVD. It was only released in countries outside of the US on videocassette and laserdisc from 1983 all the way up to 2001. The film has never been banned. Disney just decided to stop producing it on home media.
I WOULD LOVED TOO OWN THIS MOVIE
You have to understand though, this was made in 1946, where this was "socially acceptable". Like they said, "it's innocent stereotypes." Disney is a company that is about fun and yes it may have a dark past, but it wasn't meant to offend any of it's fans. If anything, they want more and more fans and supports of the company. If anything, they should release the movie, as a history lesson to children, of all different races, to educate them on things that happened in the past.
They better hurry up if they want to release it because the film cell will dissolve and could be no longer use it for remastering and viewing. I guess the VHS that I got will have to do.
Uncle Remus is nothing but the noblest of mentors. He has elements of Obi-Wan, Gandalf, and Tom Bombadil. The villain of the story is a rich repressive Karen. How do some people not "get it?!"
1:00 He's more like a Tom Bombadil type of character. He's jolly 'despite' his circumstances, not 'because' of them. Again, some people aren't able to "get it."
2:18 So cancel bigotry, not the movie.
6:08 The story takes place after slavery was abolished. A lot of freed slaves, like Uncle Remus, stayed on those plantations because they didn't have anywhere else to go. I reiterate that Remus's jolly demeanor is 'despite' his circumstances, not 'because' of them.
7:19 "Fight ignorance" says the guy who apparently doesn't know when the story takes place.
7:25 "After the Civil War." So he knows when the story takes place.
Banning song of south,and confederate flagg on dukes of hazzard is wrong,our children need these shows,movies
Disney abandoned this movie like a baby in a hot car
why is that hater for locking up films?
Because he is stupid and overly sensitive.
"Song of the South" and "Song of the Roustabouts" are two different things. "Song of the Roustabouts" is the one that's depicting happy slaves. Common misconception.
Another common misconception: They aren't even slaves. They're making money on the plantation. It's a JOB where they're treated kindly and as equals. It's post-civil war. The movie never shows us anywhere but this one plantation and the Favers house, and for all we know, a few streets down there could be African-Americans still being treated like slaves. The movie is showing that African-Americans and Caucasian-Americans can be equal though they are of different heritage.
This is A Good Movie
The problem we keep having is that people keep trying to view historical works through the lens of today's standards. If you keep doing that, we'll have to erase everything we've previously done. There will be people 50 years from now looking at the work that is released today and thinking the same thing.
Redd Foxx played the part of John Elroy Sanford in the television show “Sanford and Son”. Foxx played the part of a loveable slightly racist buffoon. Sherman Hemsley played the part of George Jefferson who was financially successful yet something of a buffoon - a clown.
James Baskett - winner of an honorary Academy Award for his betrayal of Uncle Remus did not play the part of a buffoon. I see him as a warm, kind, affectionate, loving black man. Although he did not have the cosmopolitan “sophistication” of one living in the urban city; he possessed a quaint charming rural wisdom and understanding character.
Personally, I find the characters that Foxx and Hemsley played are more offensive than gentle Uncle Remus played by James Baskett. I wonder what Baskett felt about the character which he played? Did he find the part racially offensive? It doesn’t appear so. His performance is honest and sincere.
Walter White of the NAACP acknowledged "the remarkable artistic merit" of the film in his telegraphed press release on November 27, 1946, but decried the "impression it gives of an idyllic master-slave relationship."[Consequently, people opposed to the film think that blacks throughout the south were sour, embittered, resentful, indignant people during the Civil War period and in the ante-bellum South. That position is an unrealistic stereotype.
During the late 1930s the federal government sent journalists and writers throughout the south to collect firsthand testimony of the remaining ex slaves of America. This project was through the Works Project Administration (WPA). The testimony was collected and is maintained by the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Reverend Steve Wilkins of Monroe,
Louisiana completed research on four state narratives. His research on the “Slave Narratives” is quite interesting. The testimony of former slaves indicates that more than 70% of ex slaves had only good experiences to report about the life as a slave in the Old South. That certainly flies in the face of the position Walter White promoted. One can read
for oneself the “Slave Narratives” which are housed in the National Archives.
Consequently, the reason "Song of the South" is considered racist is the James Baskett - Uncle Remus - is TOO HAPPY and that he was treated kindly by Caucasians with whom he was well acquainted. It doesn't fit the politically correct narrative of the South which is taught in the classroom.
It's a Disney movie. And like all Disney movies, it is designed for the entertainment of families. The entire family. But mostly for children. I have always loved this movie from the first time I saw it as a child. If you show this film to a room full of children, any number, any mixture of race and background and then you ask them after it is over what they thought, I can guarantee you that not one would say it is racist. Why? Because racism isn't something you are born with. It's something you are taught. So, we get it. America, like most developed or developing countries and indeed the earliest of civilizations practiced slavery. And in America, post civil war, former slaves were not all treated well. And that feeling of some carried on. Be it wrong or wright, try telling half of the country today that (pick any topic) is no longer allowed and you must instantly change the way you see things. So, if you watch this movie and don't understand that Uncle Remus is a teacher, and a teller of stories that were handed down to him to teach a lesson, and all you see is a black man portrayed as a post war buffoon, the problem isn't with the movie......If you have scars on your body from slavery, then speak of what you know. If your arm pits are sore from using America's history as a crutch, your voice is hollow.
''Project Islamic Hope'' Oh the Irony, clearly he doesn't know what Arabs did with his kind during the middle ages in North Africa.
did any of the people crying about this even watch the movie?? ots great everyone loves uncle reemus and his storys
I think this movie should be released on DVD and Blu-Ray. I feel as though we need to educate the public on why this film was made and help us understand the significance this film actually holds. I understand it may be offensive to some people but we need to stop sugar coating our past and face the truth about what our history is all about.
That's fine, but the film was about Uncle Remus' relationship with the boy. It was not about the sharecroppers (not slaves) on the plantation.
It didn't show up on Disney+ for no reason.
Came because Splash Mountain closed
whoopi goldberg narrated the beginning of the tom and jerry dvd,do the same for brer rabbit
It would make a lot more sense to show it to a room full of kids and then have them discuss it and argue what’s offensive and show them how it’s racist instead of safeguarding them and just trying to forget. You can only move on from teaching people the mistakes
was this ever put on dvd?
no it was never released on dvd but it was released on VHS in Europe. I actually own the movie on dvd. If you take the time to hunt for it you can find digital copies of it online that you can download and convert to dvd format and burn to disc. My mom took u kids to see it at the theater during on of it's last showings before Disney locked it away, I'm 54 years old.
It was also released on laserdisc in Japan.
we're all talking about how this movie is so racist but, has anyone else noticed the news guys name is rick Sanchez, ike from rick and morty lol
I think this film is amazing and for a 4 year old there not going to think of it as racist and it's not like in the movie there showing all the horrible bits of slavery there showing a kind loving town and a boy with a heart of gold and shows his own mum that black people are the same and are equal and I don't care what they say I'm letting my kids watch this film all they like now can we all get that zip be de do dah feeling
But vhs is ok?
Its stark reminder of how disgustingly people were treated, and shows that the USA were the main perpetrators of this horror. Im black and have no problems with it being shown , it is in all honesty a lovely film
It's important to note that the events portrayed in Song of the South occur AFTER the Civil War. It's also germane to understand that author/story collector Harris was not a racist. That said, portraying any group - Blacks, Jews, Irish, etc. - is not racist in itself. What matters is HOW they are portrayed; what is the point-of-view? For more than 60 years I have held this film in my heart with love for the characters; their warmth and kindness are traits that all can value. I find nothing patronizing or stereotypical in what is portrayed.
Actually, one can find far more egregious racist content on many movies of the 1930s shown on Turner Classic Movies which, I believe, should show a statement before each showing that these films were made in a less sensitive time. Warner Brothers does it on their DVDs and, for this viewer, it helps take the nasty edge off the content.
This film is not racist. Grow some balls Disney