Let me start by saying I'm surprised I found this movie. I didn't even think copies online of this film existed but here we are. It must've just been hard copies. Anyways, I grew up hearing the classic song of "Zippity Doo Da" and knowing of Song of the South because of Splash Mountain and so on, but I of course never saw the film since it's been banned due to controversy. Not many films are banned unless it's for a good reason. After I finally saw Song of the South, I'll finally come out and say that this movie should not be hidden. It doesn't deserve to be and here's why: Song of the South was really the first Disney movie to pioneer the live action/animation hybrid that made Mary Poppins so famous. The acting is charming, the songs are among the most classic of Disney, and the characters are fairly memorable. Now to address the hard part of this film. This film is not so much racist as it is insensitive. The Walt Disney Company had actually made this film to celebrate African American culture while racism was still very prominent in America (the lead actor for Uncle Remus wasn't even allowed to see the film). It depicted slaves as being treated fairly equal and living a life that they seemed to be fairly content with, and that's something that is definitely bound to cause heated controversy. There were also some animated characters that very much fell into the category of African-American stereotypes, and that can definitely offend people. Yet, the movie was not malicious in its intent. This movie continues to be hidden because of its controversy but for some reason, the 1915 film "Birth of a Nation", which unapologetically celebrates the Ku-Klux Klan is available to all? Better yet, literal Nazi Propaganda Films such as "Triumph of the Will" and "The Eternal Jew" are also available for all to see but an insensitive children's cartoon isn't? A 1970s drama film called "Pretty Baby" that features actual exploitation and sexualization of a minor is available to all but this fairly insensitive but mostly harmless film, which just so happens to be a film for families isn't available? If anything, Song of the South says volumes about censorship and controversy in film. It's an insensitive, sometimes painful look into history for people but it's an important milestone that shouldn't be hidden, especially when the filth that I just mentioned is free game for anyone to watch.
C.
C.