EDITORIAL:
Disney will be launching its high profile streaming service that will mandate viewers subscribe directly if they want to see films under the company's banner. These extend from the Star Wars franchise to the traditional Walt Disney classics. However, the 1946 animated film Song of the South will not be among them. Ever since the emergence of home video, movie buffs have pressured the company to release the film, which won a Best Song Oscar for "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah". The problem is that the depiction of African-American character Uncle Remus, played by James Baskett, is considered to be racially insensitive by contemporary standards. However, Disney has been accused of hypocrisy in the past because the movie had been available in certain countries on home video. If it is racist in the United States why isn't it racist anywhere? To be sure, the film would certainly seem offensive to modern audiences that have not been acquainted with how black characters were portrayed in Hollywood in days of old. We've all seen cringe-inducing scenes even in films that are considered to be classics. They are difficult to watch for enlightened viewers of any race. However, there is a solution to this: important films with racially sensitive materials could be presented with an introduction explaining the controversial aspects and placing them in the context of the era in which they were made. If Disney doesn't want to stream the movie on its new service, it should at least be available on home video. Suppressing art, even when offensive, is never a good idea and the film is a masterpiece of animation blended with live action. Although Song of the South is the only film that Disney has banned from exhibition or video release in America, the company did digitally alter re-issues of Fantasia to eliminate black cherubs that it was felt would be viewed as offensive. Disney has also announced it will make some minor edits to the animated version of Dumbo prior to making it available for streaming because of racial concerns.
Disney could turn its dilemma into a win/win by placating classic movie lovers and placing the film in context by addressing the disturbing elements head on and admitting what is obvious: like most studios, it has used prejudicial stereotypes at some points in its history. The studio has traditionally made films that catered to children but that doesn't mean it should treat all viewers as though they are children.
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