[ED]

If you dont know what SONG OF THE SOUTH is you'll certainly know it's theme song (which won an Academy Award) Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. Yea, you know the song. If someone started singing it, you could probably join in. It's the story about a young white boy, whos parents are splitting up and the advice and companionship he receives from a black "slave/servant" "after/before" the Civil War. It's a great movie.

It suffers from one thing -

Being made before "civil rights". It portrays blacks as carefree and more than willing to work in the fields, and very comfortable in their roles. White live in the great cribs, blacks in shacks. So of course, this is the film Disney refuses to release on DVD or VHS. It's too contreversial, it's too insensitive.

Get over it.

Ok, I will give the movies detractors the fact that there is an unrealistic portrayal of blacks in the film - at least it SHOULD be unrealistic. The argument here is that if it was set before the end of slavery, then folks get upset because well - who could enjoy slavery right? Appearantly WALT (who insisted this movie be made) was asked to put a title placard up to make sure we couldn't be confused about the time, but he refused. And thus the ambiguity of the setting plays in important role here.

And then there is the character or Uncle Remus, who to some may as well be called Uncle Tom. Remus doesn't mind working, doesnt mind having a "master". He's comfortable where he is. Again he shouldn't be right?

The problem here I think is we have this DEFINATIVE view of the South, which leaves little room for blacks who DID enjoy their jobs, and were treated with a modicum of respect (as Remus is). Never mind the fact that Remus is respected and revered by the young white boy who doesn't even take Remus's color into play, only his tales of Bre'r Rabbit, Fox, and Bear.

Here are some links for further reading pleasure:

[url=http://www.uncleremuspages.com:6487d]UncleRemusPages.com[/url:6487d]

SongOfTheSouth

[url=http://www.metrobeat.net/gbase/Expedite/Content?oid=oid%3A1811:6487d]Great article[/url:6487d]

Of course I will give you that Tar-Baby may be pushing it.

[img]http://www.metrobeat.net/binary/1811-317-1/07song.jpg[/img]