Disney erases Song of the South from Disney World
Disney has removed the last known reference Song of the South from Walt Disney World to Walt Disney Presents at Disney's Hollywood Studios – and in doing so, removed a part of Walt's legacy as well. Walt Disney Presents is a gallery showcasing Walt's life from youth to adulthood, including his greatest accomplishments at his studio and Disneyland Park.
This is a response from those at Disney, who have also re-themed Splash Mountain, one of Disney’s more popular attractions. Song of the SouthDue to “problematic racial issues”, that ride has been renamed Tiana's Bayou Adventure, roughly based on the animated film the Princess and the Frog (2009).
Walt Disney's achievements include Song of the South (1946), the studio's first live-action film, marked the first time animated segments were integrated on-screen with live-action actors. Song of the South It is based on the folktale of Brer Rabbit as told by Uncle Remus, adapted by Joel Chandler HarrisA journalist in the post-Reconstruction era. Uncle Remus is like the Yoda of this story, where the kids in the film seek him out when they're in trouble. Walt loved reading these folktales as a child, and he bought the rights from the Harris family and set out to make his first live-action film for the studio.
Walt also chose James Baskett to play Uncle Remus in the film. Baskett received an honorary Oscar for the role. Song of the SouthBecame the first black person to receive an honorary Oscar.
Song of the South was released on November 12, 1946. Disney's erasure of the work of the first black man to win an Academy Award seems to me far more problematic than any of the issues in the film itself. Let everyone decide that for themselves. pic.twitter.com/8Wk02Gkn7X
— Laura G (@LaurasMiscMovie) November 13, 2023
The original report is taken from here WDW News Today. The gallery featured a photo in this article Song of the South On the display you can see Uncle Remus, children, Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear. Another picture shows Song of the South The reference is now removed and replaced with a view The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949).
This is a gallery celebrating Walt's greatest accomplishments with his studio. To highlight a film's milestones Song of the South It also omits James Baskett's notable achievement of winning a historic Oscar, as well as Walt's technical achievements in combining live-action and animation.
this reference Song of the South It seems to have been overlooked by Disney after Splash Mountain's complete re-theming in Walt Disney Presents Tiana's Bayou Adventure At the Magic Kingdom. Tiana's suffering from mechanical failureAn obscure story, and much more controversial subject matter, such as signs that said salt mines (where slaves worked during slavery in America).
It was only a matter of time before Song of the The South reference will be removed. And the people responsible for this are Disney's latest department, Stories matterA diversity and inclusion group where creativity goes to die and where classic Disney attractions and movies are censored or canceled altogether. They are responsible for canceling Splash Mountain as well as putting censor warnings for “problematic issues” on classic Disney movies on Disney+.
the fact that as soon as they remove a film Song of the SouthIn addition, they also remove Walt Disney from his parks and his company. Song of the South This was a passion project for Walt, and he had great respect for James Baskett, calling him one of the finest actors of the time. Some of the African-American actors who voiced the Brer's animal characters said that Walt treated them like kings.
so woke up @disney And@roberteigerJames Baskett, the first African American to win an Academy Award from SOTS, won a Brother statuette and the coveted #splash Mountain. Disgusting.#SaveSplashMountain @disneyland @WaltDisneyCo @WaltDisneyWorld @DisneyParks @Elon Musk pic.twitter.com/fcyOtkMBaO
— Michael (@MTARDI32) September 14, 2024
There is a story told by people who support the closing of Splash Mountain at Disney and their online supporters that Song of the South is offensive and racist. But in reality, they have never seen the movie or understood Joel Chandler Harris' story. Harris actually based Uncle Remus' characteristics on similar real-life African-American folklore storytellers who lived on plantations. Harris took the adventures of the main folkloric Bre'er Rabbit from these storytellers, but in his story, he made Uncle Remus not a slave, but a free man.
Vaults were also more inclusive Song of the South compared to the ones that cancelled it in 2024. Walt's decision to make this story his first live-action film shows that Walt loved stories from other cultures and traditions. Walt knew a lot about American idealism and history, as can be seen in his parks, but he also enjoyed other cultures (i.e., he was responsible for It's a Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland).
In Song of the SouthWalt reprised Harris' portrayal of Uncle Remus as a free man. The film is set in the post-Civil War era on a Southern plantation. The young boy, Johnny, who is friends with Uncle Remus, is part of the family that owns the plantation. Johnny befriends a black boy of the same age named Toby and a poor white girl from the plantation, Ginny, who has two brothers who play the role of bullies in the film. In real life, in the American South in the late 1800s, it would have been impossible for a young rich planter's child to hang out with any black or poor white children, let alone a boy hanging out with a girl. Those who judge the film on its supposed “racial class system” also overlook the fact that Johnny's friend Ginny is part of a poor white family.
Walt was breaking social barriers in his adaptation Song of the SouthBut none of Disney or its online “progressive” supporters will ever understand this because they either haven't seen the movie or, if they have, they ignore the real story and instead go with a narrative to get cancelled for its own message and ideologies. This is artistic vandalism in many ways, and that's exactly what Splash Mountain, the song “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” and Song of the South They will be showcasing movie references in their Disney parks.
,
Get your Geeks + Gamers merchandise here, including fitted hat and one more Spacecon T-Shirt Featuring Idout! (Who is Idot?,
