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Credit: DisneyDisney has been making a lot of changes to some of its vintage media, and not even Walt’s original works are safe from editing. But what if they were able to bring back the studio’s most controversial film, Song of the South (1946)?
Recently, much has been said about the Walt Disney Company editing and restoring some of their older films and cartoons. From the recent 4K restoration of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) to the editing of classic Disney cartoons and Silly Symphonies, many fans are worried about the condition of the studio’s vintage media.
That said, there is one piece of Disney media most fans would not only be surprised to see resurface but encourage its restoration and preservation as well. As much as many might hate to admit it, there is indeed a place for Song of the South.
Song of the South: Disney’s Weapon Against Wokeness
Some readers might already be clutching their pearls at the very mention of that title, but Disney’s infamous adaptation of Uncle Remus and the Br’er Rabbit folktales collected by Joel Chandler Harris has its audience. While some might argue that the problematic film has no place in today’s culture, the project was still one of Walt’s personal endeavors and earned him and the studio critical acclaim.
With the recent debacle surrounding Splash Mountain’s closure, Tiana’s takeover, and the removal of the animated animal characters from the original ride, some Disney fans believe that audiences should still be exposed to the original film and the controversy that followed. The truth of the matter is that they might actually be right.
Song of the South is by no means something that would fly in today’s media, but it’s still a piece of Disney history. History is rarely a pretty sight, but acknowledging missteps on the company’s part is undoubtedly a better alternative than pretending like they don’t exist.
That said, the film was responsible for way more than backlash in later years. James Baskett, who played Uncle Remus and voiced most of the film’s animated characters, was the first African American actor to receive an Academy Award for his performance. Additionally, his famous song “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” won the Award for Best Original Song.
The film has been steeped in controversy for decades, from its depiction of the American South during the Reconstruction Era after the Civil-War to the dialogue and depictions of Br’er Rabbit and Uncle Remus, Disney, and other media sources have done their best to keep the film out of sight and out of mind for ages. However, that might be doing more harm than good.
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Disney is currently celebrating the studio’s 100th anniversary, and it feels incomplete unless they acknowledge the strives in advance as they have made since this “problematic” film. With other animated contemporaries like Warner Bros. acknowledging their miss steps with disclaimers before controversial films began, it feels like Disney is behind the times.
Speaking as someone who has seen the movie, this writer believes it’s genuinely not as controversial as some reports dictate. James Baskett’s performance as Uncle Remus and the animated sequences by Walt’s original team of animators are practically the only reasons to watch. That said, it’s definitely not Disney’s finest hour.
Furthermore, the iconic Splash Mountain (and by extension, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure) would never have existed without this film. In fact, the argument can be made that Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox, and Br’er Bear are better known for their presence on the ride than in some controversial Disney project.
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Yes, the film does glorify a post-Civil War South, but it’s not as if it depicts lynchings or anything abhorrent. With so much drama and discord accusing Disney of going woke and going broke, it feels like the stage is set for this film to come out of the Disney Vault in defiance.
Acknowledging Disney’s century-long existence means acknowledging its mistakes as well. Song of the South is by no means Disney’s best, but it’s a part of the studio’s history that cannot be ignored.
Do you think Disney should bring this movie out of the vault? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!