The Official "Song of the South" Thread

[Chernabog40]

Hey VFers! Has anybody else seen Song of the South? I've been waiting to see it all my life, and I finally saw it a couple of months ago. It is INCREDIBLE! It's got some of my favorite movie songs (like "All I Want" and "Let the Rain Pour Down"), gorgeous technicolor animation, and a really beautiful Disney ending. It's too bad this movie isn't (legally) available for purchase in America, because I'm pretty sure it's a movie that millions of Disney fans would love to share with their children or experience for the first time.

[SplashMountain]

I saw it last year at a private screening, and thought it was an awsome movie. I really hope it gets re-re-released, so my whole family can enjoy it. My favorite part was the whole "Laughing Place" bit, with Brer Bear and the Bees.

[Chernabog40]

I saw it last year at a private screening, and thought it was an awsome movie. I really hope it gets re-re-released, so my whole family can enjoy it. My favorite part was the whole "Laughing Place" bit, with Brer Bear and the Bees.

I loved that! The animated sequences are incredible. My favorite part was probably when Brer Rabbit kept saying that he was gonna bust the Tar Baby "wide open".

[levelmaker99]

Yes I have, about 5 times, I own the DVD

[Kileli]

I have yet to see it...but I REALLY want too! Where can you get it leagally?

[Chernabog40]

I don't think you can legally, at least in the US. I think it's available in the UK, but I heard that their DVDs don't work here or something.

[Kileli]

^ yeah, my german teacher has a special DVD player to play German Disks. Weren't they going to re realease it, then they said no, then they said yes again?

[Chernabog40]

That sounds familiar. I've also heard that Roy Disney is really pushing for it being released, possibly as a Disney Treasure (those tin DVD's). I sure hope they do, because that movie is really a delight. When I have a family of my own, I would love to share that classic with them.

[DV Brer Rabbit]

Aww Song Of the South :]
I bought a $40:00 bootleg about two years ago and I can't stop watching it!

[Chris]

I want to stress to everyone that VF does not encourage bootlegging or other forms of copyright or trademark infringement. Please avoid talking about where/how you've seen the movie if it involves illegal activity.

Thanks

-Chris

[Ezra]

eBay guides has this to say about Disney's Song of the South videos: This film is only original in two formats: VHS PAL video tape from Europe and Laser Disc format from Japan or Hong Kong. Any dvd version is illegal to sell as these are bootleg copies usually coming from Taiwan, Hong Kong, or many are home made from home computers. Each and every dvd is not produced by the Disney Company nor authorized to sell anywhere in the world. This film has never been approved for distribution on dvd by the Disney Company and will probably never be authorized for sale in this format.

[CoryTheRaven]

I've seen it off the European VHS, and it is a marvellous little film... I didn't find it nearly as offensive as, say, the representation of Native Americans in Peter Pan. By-in-large, the representation of African Americans is positive, and it seems that the only problem is that they're not represented as downtrodden enough.

The animated sequences are pretty top-notch themselves, and it baffles me that, at the very least, Disney couldn't release just those on a DVD. However, if you want to see a number of them, you can go to the Walt Disney Treasures DVDs and the special features on other disks. Song of the South was wildly popular when it came out, and Walt made sure to exploit that by putting clips from it in many of his TV programs.

For example, the very first episode of the Disneyland TV show had the "Laughing Place" sequence. It can be found on the Walt Disney Treasures: Disneyland USA disk. I think another sequence can be found in the Christmas special that is one of the bonuses on the recent Alice in Wonderland DVD. I'll have to give things a look through later and see what else there is.

[Chernabog40]

I've seen it off the European VHS, and it is a marvellous little film... I didn't find it nearly as offensive as, say, the representation of Native Americans in Peter Pan. By-in-large, the representation of African Americans is positive, and it seems that the only problem is that they're not represented as downtrodden enough.

you can go to the Walt Disney Treasures DVDs and the special features on other disks. Song of the South was wildly popular when it came out, and Walt made sure to exploit that by putting clips from it in many of his TV programs.

For example, the very first episode of the Disneyland TV show had the "Laughing Place" sequence. It can be found on the Walt Disney Treasures: Disneyland USA disk.

I don't think it's all that offensive either! Despite the African Americans not really minding being slaves, they come off as very nice people. And I love the clips on the Disneyland USA DVD! I remember when I watched that (before seeing "SOTS") I made my chatty family be quiet so I could see the never-before-seen clip (at least, for me) in peace.

[echoscot]

I love Song of the South. When a friend went to work at Tokyo Disneyland I gave her $80 to buy a VHS version for me. I was fortunate enough to see it in the theatre on a
re-release in 1972 as a kid and it stayed with me.

As far as the slavery stuff, this was actually dated post-Civil War era. The idea was that sometimes former slaves who had no education and a little afraid of the unknown would continue to work for their former owners for food and shelter and a very, very small wage.

The best part of the VHS was that it was all in English with Japanese subtitles. They had a commercial at the beginning for TDL and their Splash Mountain all in Japanese, that was hilarious to listen to.

On a side note, my sister went to work at Animal Kingdom last year, and Roy Disney came to visit the park and he had Pizza with the crew there. She plucked up the courage to go talk to him, and one of the first things she asked was "When are you guys gonna release Song of the South? There's nothing wrong with it." He smiled at her and said "Honey, you're preaching to the choir!" LO: Then of course she asked for a picture with him and told him that her brother would be so jealous.....she was right!

[Magic1]

It's time this wonderful film comes out.

The discussion about its being controversial can never be avoided and, IMO, it doesn't really serve the discussion to keep it and other "sensitive" yet beautiful films (e.g. Porgy & Bess) from being released. The value in the beauty of the storytelling, the music, and the performances is tragically ignored in favor of trying to placate a noisy few (who either live in the past or are intolerant themselves - again IMO) giving their views false relevance to today's cultural environment and progress.

The film is is a period piece, made history in its own right, and so should be viewed as such. Add a disclaimer to the beginning or a documentary to appease those with concerns and to frame the mindset for new viewers and release it, Disney. Please!

[TopCat8]

I saw this movie (somehow...) and I liked it a lot. The animation is really, really good just like the other Disney classics like Pinocchio and Bambi. The acting is good, the storytelling is excellent, and the movie is just fun. I really want this movie to be released on DVD. I would buy it in a second.