As
international storytellers, those in the filmmaking/animation industry have more than enough opportunity NOW to make sure that the stories are universal and do not bring hurt.
Yes all these uncomfortable stories are part of North American history. Stowe's novel was the only way at that time, that most white privileged people had, especially those who did not have a face-to-face experience with slavery, to approach these ideas, to start questioning why these things were being done, and to change them. Fortunately many other POC voices were ALSO able to contribute to the published works being provided for public consumption, and more people began to realize they needed to change the laws,
and their ways, but .... here we are, today.
One of those uncomfortable "ways" is that Walt preferred to go out and procure IP from authors so that the production time of his films could be more profitable. Animation at that time was ALL about caricature and stereotype. It's part of the 12 character design principles! I am sure that Walt saw the great vision of Stowe's novel and the folktales, and went with the Storyteller's angle for the Uncle Remus stories, but I am pretty sure that POC in that time, in the 1940's were not able to produce their own perspective of this novel as they were already shut out of Hollywood.
Even the grand performances of the POC entertainers that won awards for their participation, won these awards from a panel of white privileged men. Hence the protests about the film's creation by the NAACP, etc.
I also have been lucky enough to have seen it as a child, due to some interesting gifted VHS circumstances,
but I understand why it's both a great film and a terrible film.
the technical production is superb, as Disney was known for (casting, music, art, technology) BUT! it's NOT their story to share without significant input from POC themselves. when there is a widely-accepted POC perspective that tells Antebellum/Re-Construction stories, then
those are probably the contributions to entertainment that we should be extolling. It's their tale to tell. and I am pretty sure they do not want to glamourize the subject, nor try to make light of it with the stereotypes that were perpetrated for decades, nor celebrate the morality of individuals trying to survive. Anybody want to name a whole lot of Antebellum/Re-Construction stories in Hollywood, as told by POC?
Yeah they aren't happy and singing.
I realize that all things have their context, but the edits that Disney has made to their content on
Disney+ are necessary for them to do for mass public consumption. It's the only way they can move forward and make a statement that there really is room no longer in the animation industry for the original iteration of the 12 character design principles. no longer is it acceptable to highlight someone's racial difference as a stereotype - we use
other design principles to craft the immediate impression of a character.
And it has really recently occurred to me that as much as I love the cute singing Disney animals in
Song of the South ...
if the other person in the ride car on Splash Mountain just loves log flume rides, but is now having a personal bad memory of the time when she was sung "Zippety Doo Dah" and called racial slurs by her classmates, I would much rather we change the song and re-theme the ride. All those silly animals are just copies of the ones from Sleeping Beauty and Snow White anyhow!
I also understand that the Imagineers were also pressed for budgets when it came to tech and they didn't want animatronics to be a lost investment and so that is how Splash Mountain came to be. But it is a good time to re-imagine what they could do with the ride. I am absolutely sure they can find a way to have a log flume ride in WDW still.
It is a good thing to have these conversations, if we can have them peacefully.