“Song of the South” is restored in 4K despite racist reactions

If there is one Disney film that seems to have fallen into disrepute more than any other, it is Song of the South (1946). Walt Disney’s adaptation of Joel Chandler Harris’s Uncle Remus and Brother Rabbit stories was buried by the studio for years, but now the film is getting surprisingly belated attention.

The film itself was at the center of racist controversy for decades and was long considered the studio’s greatest disgrace. Even a popular amusement park ride featuring Br’er Rabbit and all his animal friends was not safe from audience reactions.

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Imagine our surprise when the controversial Disney film was watchable again, but members of the Internet Archive fully restored it in 4K resolution and made it available to everyone for free. Those interested can watch the film here, and it will no doubt spark dialogue and stir up some excitement in the process.

The Walt Disney Company has tried to keep this film secret for decades, but the Internet Archive was created to “provide universal access to all knowledge.” In their noble endeavor, they have kept this film alive for all audiences to see (whether Disney wants it or not).

Song of the South: “A masterful piece of cinematic storytelling

Unless you’re part of the older generation who grew up in the VHS era, you’ve probably never seen anything related to the film other than the characters from Splash Mountain. While Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox, and Br’er Bear are all innocent bystanders to the carnage surrounding this film, the lengths the studio went to keep the film from the public are absolutely ridiculous.

Cancel culture is king in our modern social climate, but that doesn’t mean that all missteps by Disney or other studios should be erased for fear of backlash. As controversial as it has become, Song of the South has actually done wonders for the entire animation film production, not just for the Walt Disney Company itself.

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This author could certainly spend all day explaining why the film is as revolutionary as Mary Poppins (1964) or any other of Walt’s groundbreaking films, but SlashFilm sums it up best with this statement from her point of view in 2022.

“This adaptation of Joel Chandler Harris’ Uncle Remus stories pioneered such animated classics as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and the recent Disney+ release Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers. It also won an Oscar for the catchy tune ‘Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah’ and inspired the popular Disney Park attraction Splash Mountain. It also made star James Baskett the first black man to win an Oscar…”

Although the film did a lot of things right, its portrayal of the post-slavery South before the Civil War is very whitewashed, like most early Disney adaptations. By this logic, shouldn’t audiences have the same problem with Pinocchio as it came out just a few years ago?

Regardless of where you are on the spectrum of animated ethics, there is no denying that Song of the South was instrumental in the development of the Walt Disney Company and the Disney Studios as a whole. Without the techniques tested and practices perfected in this film, some of Disney’s masterpieces might not exist today.

What Disney did right

When talking about adapting the Uncle Remus stories, it’s important to remember that these are pieces of American folklore that existed in our culture and history before there was even an idea of ​​The Walt Disney Company. Walt himself just made the stories more accessible by presenting them in a visual way.

Related: ‘Mary Poppins’ is more racist than it seems

Walt’s mix of live action and animation was still relatively new at the time and a technique that the Disney studio later used in films such as Mary Poppins (1964) or even Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988). While this was the case in earlier films such as The Reluctant Dragon (1941), the way live-action actors share space with cartoon characters was perfected with this film before it became the norm at Disney.

In addition, many people seem to have quickly forgotten that Disney’s iconic “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” originated in this controversial film. Uncle Remus’ Oscar-winning number can still be heard throughout Disneyland and Walt Disney World today.

Is it really that racist?

Now that we’ve established what Disney did right from a cinematic perspective, we need to address the elephant in the room. The film, its theme park ride, and its characters have been criticized for decades for racist caricatures and glorification of a post-slavery South. After seeing the film, however, I can confirm that these accusations are completely off the mark.

Uncle Remus (played by James Baskett) is never portrayed as a slave; he is a sharecropper and a free man. The character and the stories he tells come from a documented and historical source that helped to shame American fiction. Walt Disney was just one of the first people to give it a budget and a voice.

Related: Disney Imagineer confirms identity politics had nothing to do with Splash Mountain closure

When it comes to giving people a voice, James Baskett’s portrayal of Uncle Remus (and his animated entourage) earned him his Oscar and made him the first black actor to win an Oscar. Naturally, it was considered one of the most progressive moments of the decade.

With that in mind, it sounds like Disney was more concerned with breaking down walls and restrictions than enforcing a problematic ideology, so why should audiences still be subjected to such a controversial film?

Why Song of the South Affairs

After seeing this restored version of the film, I can attest that while it’s remarkable that an effort was made to preserve the film, it is far from the production quality we’ve come to expect from Disney. It’s nowhere near as offensive as most modern media would have you believe, but it’s also not one of Walt’s best films.

The film is culturally significant, essential to the success of the early Disney studios, and a milestone in film history, but the main reason to watch the film is the animated segments featuring Br’er Rabbit and his pals from Briar Patch. The live-action sequences depicting the romanticized post-slavery American South are forgettable at best and not the main focus of the film.

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Critics and viewers alike can argue about why the film should be seen and why it should be withheld from modern audiences, yet the restoration itself comes with the following text prologue, which brilliantly defends its relevance, probably much better than this author could.

“Humans are created with a deep longing for stories and storytelling. Stories well told help us understand what it means to be human.”

“Joel Chandler Harris, the original author of Uncle Remus, was an abolitionist who collected the amazing African folk tales he had heard from former slaves in the post-war American South.”

“‘Song of the South’ is a film adaptation of Harris’ work that explores the storyteller’s historical significance across cultures and economic classes. The film shows us how important Uncle Remus, the beloved storyteller, has become to his community.”

“Although it is often claimed that the film glorifies slavery, in reality it depicts neither slaves nor slavery. Its story takes place after the war.”

“In addition, the Oscar-winning black actors who appear in ‘Song of the South’ not only found nothing offensive about it, but were very proud of the work.”

“And now this newly restored presentation allows you to enjoy this classic film for yourself and see it for what it truly is: a masterful piece of cinematic storytelling.”

Is Song of the South a perfect film? Not at all, but it was crucial to the development of the early Walt Disney Company and many of our modern film techniques.

One of the biggest criticisms of the Walt Disney Company today is that filmmakers were afraid to take risks for fear of negative audience reactions. As this highly controversial film shows, this was not an approach that Walt Disney himself followed.

Not only was the blending of live-action and animation a costly and risky endeavor, but so was the casting of a black actor in not just one, but several of the film’s main roles. We’ve certainly come a long way since 1946, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to be reminded of how far it’s been.

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As much as Disney and oversensitive critics and (pardon the expression) social justice warriors want to keep the film out of the public eye, burying the past often does more harm than good. Acknowledging and accepting responsibility for this film’s successes and failures is a lot better than trying to pretend it never happened.

While it is extremely unlikely that Disney will release this 4K restoration on Disney+ or any other physical medium, Song of the South and several other controversial books, films, and other media can be found on the Internet Archive. Perhaps the growing interest in the film will force the House of Mouse to reconsider its stance on such a scandalous film.

Were you offended or impressed by Song of the South? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments below!