why was song of the south banned?

k_peek_2000 · 08-10-2006, 11:05 PM

I have a quick question that will probably end out becoming a debate about somthing random but why was Song of the South banned? It sounds like a really good movie and I would do anything to be able to see it.

Ezra · 08-11-2006, 12:13 AM

There was a thread like this before that became very controvercial and heated, so I'm going to be very careful here...

The movie was never officially banned, but The Walt Disney Company has chosen not to screen it for a very long time, and has chosen not to release it to DVD. The raesons are very complicated, but here's part of it:

The setting of the film was the deep south sometime soon after the Civil War. Walt Disney was very careful to be sure that all the live action characters, especially the black characters, were portrayed in a very dignified way. Unfortunately, some people assumed that Disney was portraying black people who lived in that time as happy. Black people had it very hard then, and portraying them as happy was considered inappropriate. Also there was no title at the beginning of the film to tell people what year the story takes place in, so some people assumed that it took place before the Civil War, and that it was portraying people happy to be slaves, which is even worse.

Also, the folksy ways that some of the characters have and the slang that they use can rankle modern viewers. Some see it as portraying the people as ignorant. So in spite of Disney's best efforts, some people find the movie offensive. That's why The Walt Disney Company has chosen not to show it.

DV Brer Rabbit · 08-11-2006, 12:45 AM

Oh wow!

PeoplemoverMatt · 08-11-2006, 01:30 AM

Interesting isn't it? It isn't being protected because it's offensive to a certain populus, it's being protected to preserve a certain stereotype. Disney portrayed things as they were, not how the PC revisionist history police says they were. For that, Disney was shunned, much like what happened to Pirates before the movie changes. Very interesting...

-- PMM

emma15677 · 08-11-2006, 01:52 AM

It's really unfair how they're not releasing it. There are plenty of other films who have story lines that seem inappropiate at the time but they are okay to watch now.

I'm still trrying to buy one off ebay but rthe prices get so high!

PeoplemoverMatt · 08-11-2006, 01:57 AM

It's not that the film was inappropriate, it just didn't agree with the stereotypes of then and now. Everyone assumes black people were all miserable slaves, and they were even more miserable after the Civil War because they had to now fend for themselves. Well, not everyone was like that, and some poor assumptions were made about Disney's motives for not agreeing with the revisionist history. So Disney takes the high road and doesn't release it. It's not the movie though with the problem - the problem is the false stereotypes that dominate public opinion.

-- PMM

**Zach** · 08-11-2006, 02:00 AM

well i getting song of the south off netflix and they have it

SplashMountain · 08-11-2006, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zach

well i getting song of the south off netflix and they have it

Are you sure its Disney's, and not the new Universal Studios one?

k_peek_2000 · 08-11-2006, 09:59 AM

I wondered what inspired disney to make splash mountain if the movie has "steriotype" problems or any controversy at that.

Ezra · 08-11-2006, 10:56 AM

They used to show the animated segments on Wonderful World of Disney, and on Vault Disney too. And the song Zip-ah-dee-do-dah! was immensely popular, and was always included in the old Best of Disney LPs. Alot of people know and love these characters even though they've never seen the entire film.

Chris · 08-11-2006, 11:45 AM

Guys. I'm closing this thread now. This has been discussed MANY MANY times on this site and always ends in the topic getting closed.

08-10-2006, 11:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
k_peek_2000 Now, Its your turn! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Santa Ana, CA Posts: 1,042	why was song of the south banned? I have a quick question that will probably end out becoming a debate about somthing random but why was Song of the South banned? It sounds like a really good movie and I would do anything to be able to see it. __________________ "I believe you can only be great at something you love."

08-11-2006, 12:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ezra Favorite Hitchhiking Ghost News Editor Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 2,788 Images: 9	treading very carefully There was a thread like this before that became very controvercial and heated, so I'm going to be very careful here... The movie was never officially banned, but The Walt Disney Company has chosen not to screen it for a very long time, and has chosen not to release it to DVD. The raesons are very complicated, but here's part of it: The setting of the film was the deep south sometime soon after the Civil War. Walt Disney was very careful to be sure that all the live action characters, especially the black characters, were portrayed in a very dignified way. Unfortunately, some people assumed that Disney was portraying black people who lived in that time as happy. Black people had it very hard then, and portraying them as happy was considered inappropriate. Also there was no title at the beginning of the film to tell people what year the story takes place in, so some people assumed that it took place before the Civil War, and that it was portraying people happy to be slaves, which is even worse. Also, the folksy ways that some of the characters have and the slang that they use can rankle modern viewers. Some see it as portraying the people as ignorant. So in spite of Disney's best efforts, some people find the movie offensive. That's why The Walt Disney Company has chosen not to show it. __________________ Profile \| Visions Fantastic News Center \| UserPage

08-11-2006, 12:45 AM	#3 (permalink)
DV Brer Rabbit SOTS and SM genius Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: I WISH Splash Mountain! Posts: 357	Oh wow! __________________ Splash Mountain & Song of the South's Worshiper. Fan profile! I'm more than just a fan now.

08-11-2006, 01:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
PeoplemoverMatt Mover of People Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Valencia, CA Posts: 4,120 Images: 16	Interesting isn't it? It isn't being protected because it's offensive to a certain populus, it's being protected to preserve a certain stereotype. Disney portrayed things as they were, not how the PC revisionist history police says they were. For that, Disney was shunned, much like what happened to Pirates before the movie changes. Very interesting... -- PMM __________________ "What kind of man would live where there is no daring? I don't believe in taking foolish chances, but nothing can be accomplished without taking any chance at all." -- Charles Augustus Lindberg "Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children." -- Walter Elias Disney "So are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him...so we too might walk in the newness of life." -- Romans 6:1-4 Tokyo Photos I Tokyo Disney Resort Videos

08-11-2006, 01:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
emma15677 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 175	It's really unfair how they're not releasing it. There are plenty of other films who have story lines that seem inappropiate at the time but they are okay to watch now. I'm still trrying to buy one off ebay but rthe prices get so high! __________________ "Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world." -Walt Disney

08-11-2006, 01:57 AM	#6 (permalink)
PeoplemoverMatt Mover of People Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Valencia, CA Posts: 4,120 Images: 16	It's not that the film was inappropriate, it just didn't agree with the stereotypes of then and now. Everyone assumes black people were all miserable slaves, and they were even more miserable after the Civil War because they had to now fend for themselves. Well, not everyone was like that, and some poor assumptions were made about Disney's motives for not agreeing with the revisionist history. So Disney takes the high road and doesn't release it. It's not the movie though with the problem - the problem is the false stereotypes that dominate public opinion. -- PMM __________________ "What kind of man would live where there is no daring? I don't believe in taking foolish chances, but nothing can be accomplished without taking any chance at all." -- Charles Augustus Lindberg "Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children." -- Walter Elias Disney "So are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him...so we too might walk in the newness of life." -- Romans 6:1-4 Tokyo Photos I Tokyo Disney Resort Videos

08-11-2006, 02:00 AM	#7 (permalink)
Zach Banned Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Look behind you Posts: 107 Images: 15	well i getting song of the south off netflix and they have it

08-11-2006, 09:59 AM	#9 (permalink)
k_peek_2000 Now, Its your turn! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Santa Ana, CA Posts: 1,042	I wondered what inspired disney to make splash mountain if the movie has "steriotype" problems or any controversy at that. __________________ "I believe you can only be great at something you love."

08-11-2006, 10:56 AM	#10 (permalink)
Ezra Favorite Hitchhiking Ghost News Editor Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 2,788 Images: 9	Television They used to show the animated segments on Wonderful World of Disney, and on Vault Disney too. And the song Zip-ah-dee-do-dah! was immensely popular, and was always included in the old Best of Disney LPs. Alot of people know and love these characters even though they've never seen the entire film. __________________ Profile \| Visions Fantastic News Center \| UserPage

08-11-2006, 11:45 AM	#11 (permalink)
Chris Official Site Founder Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 3,305 Images: 5	Guys. I'm closing this thread now. This has been discussed MANY MANY times on this site and always ends in the topic getting closed. __________________ 50 Years of ImaginEARing Now Playing on VF Radio Requests Come join us! (You must be 18 years of age or older)

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