FRANKLY I think Disney would make a heck lot of money if one day they would release some "Song of the South" bluray (packfull of introductions, commenatries and retropsective doucmentaries) The more they make a big deal of it being forbidden and try to hide it, the more people will want to see it and frankly, at this point the movie is more significant for being the movie Disney hides for use. Heck, some type of "We learn from our mistake" feature, would be a cool PR movie - Yes, we admit we made this problematic movie, but look - We made "The Princess and the Frog", we made "Soul", we made "The Proud Family", we made "Black Panther" for Pete sake! (sort of)
The thing about Song of the South is that there's not ACTUALLY anything wrong about it that needs features and commentaries and parental warning labels, it's just that a lot of people that have never seen it "know" it's this horribly racist movie, so Disney figures its in their best interest to just hide it away so these people won't accuse them of preaching racist propaganda to children. It's easier to just go with the flow than to educate.
Whoopi Goldberg has been advocating for just releasing the movie to the public for like 5 years now, yet Disney's response is apparently just to hide it even more.
I'm seen the movie and I found it harmless (if annything it was more boring at points) and I found it message anti-racist.
But agian, I'm white I maybe missing something here.
Still, if people find it controversial, I think it should have been adress if (unlikley as it is) it ever get released, as at this point it would be odd it woudn't be.
My friend pointed out that since 2021 Holland haven't produce any new Bre'Rabbit stories, despite it was once regular thing, so they may try to hide it everywhere now...
P.S. Also this song is amazing, in all of it's reincarnation:
I'm seen the movie and I found it harmless (if annything it was more boring at points) and I found it message anti-racist.
But agian, I'm white I maybe missing something here.
Still, if people find it controversial, I think it should have been adress if (unlikley as it is) it ever get released, as at this point it would be odd it woudn't be.
My friend pointed out that since 2021 Holland haven't produce any new Bre'Rabbit stories, despite it was once regular thing, so they may try to hide it everywhere now...
As I mentioned in an earlier comment, Massimo Fecchi wrote on Instagram in June 2021 that Disney has decided to ban the Brer Rabbit characters from new comics stories. Fecchi was drawing stories with them for the Dutch publisher, but it's clearly a worldwide rule.
Instagram mostly isn't viewable unless you're a logged-in member, but here is a snapshot of Fecchi's post:
English translation of Fecchi's text, with the help of DeepL:
This is the last time I draw Brer Bear in the Li'l Bad Wolf stories. In fact, Disney has determined to kill him off along with Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit, who are deemed too closely associated with a racist period! I know they are long dead in Italy but for me it was a hoot to still be able to draw them ( sigh )
My friend pointed out that since 2021 Holland haven't produce any new Bre'Rabbit stories, despite it was once regular thing, so they may try to hide it everywhere now...
Yes, as mentioned in an earlier post, Disney put a blanket ban on all characters from the movie last year. Nobody are allowed to produce official Disney stories featuring them any more.
If suppression of "Flying Farm Hand" has served any useful purpose - it's been to precipitate this discussion on comic censorship. A lot of good stuff here that has been needed to be said, and for quite a while! Many thanks to all concerned. couple of side issues: 1) this must be the worst story Barks ever drew - so if any one had to go, this would be it! 2) In Mesterius' photo of the table of contents for the censored edition: seems the layout has changed in another way, as "Jungle Hi-Jinks" has been bumped to the preceding page . how'd they manage that?
Mesterius : Thank you for clearing that up, the following rant is against Disney, absolutely not against you.
I'm European: I've got no idea whatsoever what 'Song Of The South' is and I'd like to keep it that way, thank you very much, Disney. I don't give a rats WAK 'bout some American snooty stand: Disney! I take it that it's a song from the southern part of the USA with racist imagery or sung by racists. Do the Americans really think the whole earth turns around the USA? What a load of BS, Disney.
If there's one thing I can't stand it's bleeding hearts censorship and thought control. Don't get me wrong: obvious racism and obsolete imaging of people/races are not of this day and age, are bad and must be corrected. Yep: that's censorship too but to a reasonable degree. But this is zeolite-like behaviour by Disney: there's nothing wrong or racist with said story.
The "Complete" Barks library is not only about his writing but also a feast of his artwork so any story drawn by Barks deserves in the books just as much as a story that he (only) wrote. And the Grandma Duck stories are wonderfully drawn. Barks was at the top of his drawing skills at the time of some of 'm.
Everybody: again thanks for the warning. What a SNaFU.
I think you'd do well to find out a little bit about what Song of the South is, because your assumption that it's a song shows you have no knowledge about the background. It's a feature-length FILM done by Walt Disney Productions in 1946, a mix of live-action and animation (think The Three Caballeros) which introduced the characters of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear to the Disney universe. The film and the characters were based on the classic American Uncle Remus folklore tales, which were compiled and adapted into bookform by Joel Chandler Harris in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Uncle Remus, the title character and narrator of the Brer Rabbit tales, is in both the original stories and the Disney film a former slave who lives and works on a plantation. I may be simplifying things, but as far as I understand it, this setting and the open acknowledgement of slavery is why the film has become so problematic for the Walt Disney Company over the years.
That being said, I'd like to add this paragraph from Wikipedia about the film's setting:
The film is set on a plantation in Georgia, part of the Southern United States; specifically in a location some distance from Atlanta. Although sometimes misinterpreted as taking place before the American Civil War while slavery was still legal in the region, the film takes place during the Reconstruction Era after slavery was abolished.[5][6] Harris's original Uncle Remus stories were all set after the American Civil War and the abolition of slavery. Born in 1848, Harris himself was a racial reconciliation activist writer and journalist of the Reconstruction Era. The film makes several indirect references to the Reconstruction Era: clothing is in the newer late-Victorian style; Uncle Remus is free to leave the plantation at will; black field hands are sharecroppers, etc.[7]
Like caballeros, I can recommend watching the film yourself rather than trusting various internet rumors about how "horrifying" etc. it is. I don't think it's a masterpiece, but it is actually a pretty charming movie, where Uncle Remus himself quickly emerges as a sympathetic and endearing character. In fact, he's the hero of the film's main narrative, helping a little white boy who has come to live on the plantation temporarily through various problems. African-American actor James Baskett got an Academy Honorary Award for his performance as Uncle Remus in 1948, something Walt Disney personally pushed for.
In addition to the 'feature' story, you also get some very nice-looking scenes mixing live-action with animation (the Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah song sequence is a particular highpoint, and a wonderful song to boot), and not least, the all-animated stories featuring the rabbit, fox and bear. These are great cartoon shorts in their own right, with terrific animation by Milt Kahl etc. Very much worth watching.
When it comes to the comics, i.e. the main topic of this thread: Uncle Remus' tales of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear were spun off almost immediately after the Disney film in their own comics for newspapers and comic books, as well as becoming semi-regular guest stars in the Li'l Bad Wolf stories. The newspaper Sunday strip stories could be great -- some of the Sunday sequences drawn by Dick Moores in the late 40s were reprinted in the Norwegian Hall of Fame volume for that artist, and they were one of the highlights of the book.
Until a few years ago, comics featuring Brer Rabbit etc., but without any reference to the Uncle Remus character, could be printed in regular American Disney comic books. Several popped up in IDW's Walt Disney's Comics and Stories issues in 2015-2018. New comics stories featuring the characters were also being produced for some markets, mostly the Netherlands; and there were generally no problems with reprinting older material in Europe. However, in the course of only the past two years or so, Disney has struck down much harder than before on ANY material featuring the Song of the South characters. Hence, the 2021 decision to end production of new comics stories with them worldwide. And the decision to omit "The Flying Farm Hand" from the second printing of a Carl Barks Library volume, even though the first printing in 2019 was allowed to use the story.
Again, thank you for clearing that up. I read the Wiki page about 'Song of the South'. I've downloaded the movie via the Pirate Bay (thank God for it) in mint pristine condition because it has been released in Europe on a home format. It's never been released by Disney again in the US apparently, and to my knowledge has never been aired on TV. Just like the Disney movie in which they throw all those lemmings off a cliff, ha ha.
Well... As you correctly state, here in Holland (The Netherlands, Europe) stories about Br'er Rabbit appeared a whole lot in 'Donald Duck weekly'. I grew up in the 70's/early 80's and Br-er Rabbit was a regular. Always being chased by Br'er Fox and duping Br'er Bear into releasing him. Nothing racist about that, Disney is over-reacting in a way nobody on earth in the history of mankind has ever over-reacted. As a child I didn't know that the cartoon characters first appeared in a movie long, long before I was born. Heck, even my parents couldn't have seen the movie (they were 1 at the time). The wonderful cartoons from the controversial movie were released as separate items very soon after the movie and no-one was offended by that... They're classics just like the song "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", which I clearly remember. What a load of BS, Disney.
I can see why Disney is still reluctant to release the film, with a disclaimer: they are a politically correct company that, like it or not, has little to do with the company from the 30/40/50's from the past century when they threw 10.000 live lemming of a cliff. They now make Star Wars and Black Panther. Everything they do must be "non-offendable" and suitable for everybody without disclaimer (they don't do history, they do timeless): child, grown-up and every race on the planet. And rightly so: who's gonna watch/read a disclaimer from Disney?
But banning an innocent funny cartoon character like Br-er Rabbit? You must be joking Disney! I don't take that seriously. Disney is over reacting and over compensating their racist and animal-cruelty past.
Sorry everybody 'bout the off topic, on with Barks again.
Well... As you correctly state, here in Holland (The Netherlands, Europe) stories about Br'er Rabbit appeared a whole lot in 'Donald Duck weekly'. I grew up in the 70's/early 80's and Br-er Rabbit was a regular. Always being chased by Br'er Fox and duping Br'er Bear into releasing him. Nothing racist about that, Disney is over-reacting in a way nobody on earth in the history of mankind has ever over-reacted. As a child I didn't know that the cartoon characters first appeared in a movie long, long before I was born. Heck, even my parents couldn't have seen the movie (they were 1 at the time). The wonderful cartoons from the controversial movie were released as separate items very soon after the movie and no-one was offended by that... They're classics just like the song "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", which I clearly remember. What a load of BS, Disney.
That's the thing. If you remove the orgins of these characters then the Br'er Rabbit stories are just funny animal stories and nothing more. And that's how they been seen in Europe for years. I talk with people who just asumed that these character spin-off from Big Bad Wolf stories (where Brer Bear became a regular foil to the wolf)
I honestly feel sorry for the artists behind these stories as art in them is pretty great and now it's shame their work will go to the vault with no chance for reprints etc.
P.S. No wonder "House of Mouse" isn't on Disney Plus yet. The propably recuting cameos by Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Breer Bear and Crows from "Dumbo"
Last Edit: Nov 14, 2022 12:26:21 GMT by Pan Maciej
Know as Maciej Kur, Mr. M., Maik, Maiki, Pan, Pan Miluś and many other names.
I think you'd do well to find out a little bit about what Song of the South is, because your assumption that it's a song shows you have no knowledge about the background. It's a feature-length FILM done by Walt Disney Productions in 1946, a mix of live-action and animation (think The Three Caballeros) which introduced the characters of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear to the Disney universe. The film and the characters were based on the classic American Uncle Remus folklore tales, which were compiled and adapted into bookform by Joel Chandler Harris in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Uncle Remus, the title character and narrator of the Brer Rabbit tales, is in both the original stories and the Disney film a former slave who lives and works on a plantation. I may be simplifying things, but as far as I understand it, this setting and the open acknowledgement of slavery is why the film has become so problematic for the Walt Disney Company over the years.
That being said, I'd like to add this paragraph from Wikipedia about the film's setting:
Like caballeros, I can recommend watching the film yourself rather than trusting various internet rumors about how "horrifying" etc. it is. I don't think it's a masterpiece, but it is actually a pretty charming movie, where Uncle Remus himself quickly emerges as a sympathetic and endearing character. In fact, he's the hero of the film's main narrative, helping a little white boy who has come to live on the plantation temporarily through various problems. African-American actor James Baskett got an Academy Honorary Award for his performance as Uncle Remus in 1948, something Walt Disney personally pushed for.
In addition to the 'feature' story, you also get some very nice-looking scenes mixing live-action with animation (the Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah song sequence is a particular highpoint, and a wonderful song to boot), and not least, the all-animated stories featuring the rabbit, fox and bear. These are great cartoon shorts in their own right, with terrific animation by Milt Kahl etc. Very much worth watching.
When it comes to the comics, i.e. the main topic of this thread: Uncle Remus' tales of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear were spun off almost immediately after the Disney film in their own comics for newspapers and comic books, as well as becoming semi-regular guest stars in the Li'l Bad Wolf stories. The newspaper Sunday strip stories could be great -- some of the Sunday sequences drawn by Dick Moores in the late 40s were reprinted in the Norwegian Hall of Fame volume for that artist, and they were one of the highlights of the book.
Until a few years ago, comics featuring Brer Rabbit etc., but without any reference to the Uncle Remus character, could be printed in regular American Disney comic books. Several popped up in IDW's Walt Disney's Comics and Stories issues in 2015-2018. New comics stories featuring the characters were also being produced for some markets, mostly the Netherlands; and there were generally no problems with reprinting older material in Europe. However, in the course of only the past two years or so, Disney has struck down much harder than before on ANY material featuring the Song of the South characters. Hence, the 2021 decision to end production of new comics stories with them worldwide. And the decision to omit "The Flying Farm Hand" from the second printing of a Carl Barks Library volume, even though the first printing in 2019 was allowed to use the story.
Again, thank you for clearing that up. I read the Wiki page about 'Song of the South'. I've downloaded the movie via the Pirate Bay (thank God for it) in mint pristine condition because it has been released in Europe on a home format. It's never been released by Disney again in the US apparently, and to my knowledge has never been aired on TV. Just like the Disney movie in which they throw all those lemmings off a cliff, ha ha.
That depends on what you mean by "never released again". Disney continued reissuing Song of the South to theaters in the US for many years; the last such release was in 1986. At some point after that, they quietly retired it from the American market. 1986 was still some time before they fully opened their feature film vaults to home video, so the film never made it to any home formats in the United States. It did however come out on LaserDisc in Japan in the 1990s, and on VHS in Great Britain as late as 2000.
When it comes to viewing copies, I think the best one available is a 35mm HD transfer which was scanned and restored privately by fans. For all I know, maybe that's the one you've downloaded.
Well... As you correctly state, here in Holland (The Netherlands, Europe) stories about Br'er Rabbit appeared a whole lot in 'Donald Duck weekly'. I grew up in the 70's/early 80's and Br-er Rabbit was a regular. Always being chased by Br'er Fox and duping Br'er Bear into releasing him. Nothing racist about that, Disney is over-reacting in a way nobody on earth in the history of mankind has ever over-reacted. As a child I didn't know that the cartoon characters first appeared in a movie long, long before I was born. Heck, even my parents couldn't have seen the movie (they were 1 at the time). The wonderful cartoons from the controversial movie were released as separate items very soon after the movie and no-one was offended by that... They're classics just like the song "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", which I clearly remember. What a load of BS, Disney.
Uh... the animated segments were released as "separate items"? Are you sure? It could have made some sense if they were released as shorts down the road; just like it could have made sense for Disney to launch a dedicated series of short cartoons starring the rabbit, fox and bear. But I know the latter didn't happen, and I've never heard about the former. I don't doubt that excerpts from Song of the South (including the "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" song sequence) turned up in Disney's ongoing TV shows over the years, though. But I don't think they were ever released as separate short films.
By the way, for anybody curious who would like to sample a bit of Song of the South: Here is the wonderful "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" musical number, with state-of-the-art 1940s merging of live-action and animation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=loXiGSe9l4A&t=33s
[...] Uh... the animated segments were released as "separate items"? Are you sure? It could have made some sense if they were released as shorts down the road; just like it could have made sense for Disney to launch a dedicated series of short cartoons starring the rabbit, fox and bear. But I know the latter didn't happen, and I've never heard about the former. I don't doubt that excerpts from Song of the South (including the "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" song sequence) turned up in Disney's ongoing TV shows over the years, though. But I don't think they were ever released as separate short films.
By the way, for anybody curious who would like to sample a bit of Song of the South: Here is the wonderful "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" musical number, with state-of-the-art 1940s merging of live-action and animation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=loXiGSe9l4A&t=33s
[off topic, sorry folks] What I meant is this quote from Wikipedia: "Some of the musical and animated sequences have been released through other means". Indeed, that probably means that they turned up in Disney's ongoing TV shows over the years.
[...] Uh... the animated segments were released as "separate items"? Are you sure? It could have made some sense if they were released as shorts down the road; just like it could have made sense for Disney to launch a dedicated series of short cartoons starring the rabbit, fox and bear. But I know the latter didn't happen, and I've never heard about the former. I don't doubt that excerpts from Song of the South (including the "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" song sequence) turned up in Disney's ongoing TV shows over the years, though. But I don't think they were ever released as separate short films.
By the way, for anybody curious who would like to sample a bit of Song of the South: Here is the wonderful "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" musical number, with state-of-the-art 1940s merging of live-action and animation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=loXiGSe9l4A&t=33s
[off topic, sorry folks] What I meant is this quote from Wikipedia: "Some of the musical and animated sequences have been released through other means". Indeed, that probably means that they turned up in Disney's ongoing TV shows over the years.
It's an interesting discussion, and let me state that I don't condone the idea of removing a story just because these characters appear in it.
However, in all the explanations why Disney is doing this, has nobody really mentioned the real reasoning? Namely that these characters were appropriated from African folklore and Disney doesn't want to be seen "exploiting" that tradition any more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%27er_Rabbit
I do concur with everyone who's saying that Disney is massively overreacting. But the depiction of slavery in the movie isn't the issue with these comics. It's the dubious origin of the characters.
It's an interesting discussion, and let me state that I don't condone the idea of removing a story just because these characters appear in it.
However, in all the explanations why Disney is doing this, has nobody really mentioned the real reasoning? Namely that these characters were appropriated from African folklore and Disney doesn't want to be seen "exploiting" that tradition any more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%27er_Rabbit
I do concur with everyone who's saying that Disney is massively overreacting. But the depiction of slavery in the movie isn't the issue with these comics. It's the dubious origin of the characters.
I hope Disney doesn’t apply this logic to all their other “appropriations” of cultural folklore. I rather enjoyed Mulan and Moana. There’s no reason to see Brer Rabbit’s origin as any more “dubious” as the others.
It's hardly fair to claim that the characters were "appropriated" from African folklore, as if they were artificially Americanized version of African legends; the African slaves in the American South brought over their native oral stories with them, and they themselves adapted them to their new surroundings, incorporating various American animals that wouldn't have been in the African tales. Various folklorists subsequently collected and published these stories in written form (Joel Chandler Harris was the most famous of these folklorists, but there were others before him, including Robert Roosevelt, TR's uncle). Br'er Bear, Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and the rest are authentic African-American folklore creations, and it's a crying shame what is being done to their cartoon representations.