I’ve got a movie myth for Mousebusters regarding the The Song of the South. Since its last theatrical release in 1986, speculation has run rampant as to why Disney doesn’t release it to the home video market in the U.S. Most believe it’s due to racial stereotyping, the subject of happy-go-lucky slaves, etc.. Although the music, the ride, and even various segments of the movie have shown up on Disney Sing-A-Long cassettes, the full length feature is available only through private individuals ala ebay, etc…from which I recently bought a copy.
Now having watched Song of the South, I have come to this conclusion – the real reason the DVD has not been released is not due to racial issues, but rather—this precious Holy Grail of Uncle Walts, this Disney classic kinda…sucks!
I almost fell asleep watching this tale of Little Lord Fauntleroy sneaking around the plantation and hearing stories from Uncle Remus. And the high pitched southern accents that Brer Rabbit & company use really start to grate on the nerves after the first half hour. Now the animated segments are ok, but in no way should this thing be considered a classic.
So Mousebusters – Is the Song of the South not being released strictly because of race issues? With America voting an African American in as President, I think the real reason it’s not being released is because the movie stinks like Brer Bear’s scat, and they won’t move enough units to make it worth while.
Let the talk-back hate begin. Keep up the great podcast!
-Jim in N.C.
Dear Greg, Mike & Shaft –
I’ve got a movie myth for Mousebusters regarding the The Song of the South. Since its last theatrical release in 1986, speculation has run rampant as to why Disney doesn’t release it to the home video market in the U.S. Most believe it’s due to racial stereotyping, the subject of happy-go-lucky slaves, etc.. Although the music, the ride, and even various segments of the movie have shown up on Disney Sing-A-Long cassettes, the full length feature is available only through private individuals ala ebay, etc…from which I recently bought a copy.
Now having watched Song of the South, I have come to this conclusion – the real reason the DVD has not been released is not due to racial issues, but rather—this precious Holy Grail of Uncle Walts, this Disney classic kinda…sucks!
I almost fell asleep watching this tale of Little Lord Fauntleroy sneaking around the plantation and hearing stories from Uncle Remus. And the high pitched southern accents that Brer Rabbit & company use really start to grate on the nerves after the first half hour. Now the animated segments are ok, but in no way should this thing be considered a classic.
So Mousebusters – Is the Song of the South not being released strictly because of race issues? With America voting an African American in as President, I think the real reason it’s not being released is because the movie stinks like Brer Bear’s scat, and they won’t move enough units to make it worth while.
Let the talk-back hate begin. Keep up the great podcast!
-Jim in N.C.