Whoopi wants Song of the South released

You seem to be confusing what is important to you with what is important to other people. As a shareholder I agree that I am fine with the non-release of SotS. I have seen times when Iger has been questioned by people who do find it a concern. Whoopi was asked about her favorite Disney movies and brought SotS up in that context, as a movie that can have a great message when looked at critically as a learning tool. As for the ceremony and honoring her... she has had many Disney roles over the years. I have no problem with her being honored even though I don't agree with much of her politics. It takes all types to make the world go round. Having an outspoken liberal view on politics, or an outspoken conservative view, would have no effect on whether I think someone should be honored for their acting roles in Disney movies. I am capable of separating those two things.
I think I will apologize for posting something that doesn't fit your context rules and maybe since you seem to have to have the last word this will end our dialogue.
 
Seems to me there are a lot of other things Whoopie should be worried about. Chicago has a big problem with shootings on the south side and maybe she could worry about that.

I hope you also hold your opinions on trivial things to yourself when there are so many more important things to be worried about.
 
I've read the copy "in the vault" would require $$$ to restore prior to being released theatrically or even as video only. The "value" of the movie...wasn't it the first, or one of the first, movies to combine animation with live action?

The "plot" is dated, stereotypical and objectionable to many. Some posters thought it was about slaves. Does it really matter, much, if it's about slaves or about blacks who weren't much better then slaves after the civil war?

There is no upside to Disney spending $$$ restore the movie in order to release it. A few years ago, after reading one of these threads, I dusted off my laserdic player and watched it. Not the great, or classic, movie people see to think it is.
 


Not the great, or classic, movie people see to think it is.

Really? The box office performance of the film (a metric a large number of DIS board people appear to feel is the most meaningful measure of a movie) argues otherwise.

Commercially, Song of the South was a success. Ticket sales were strong in its first run in 1946 and in the subsequent releases in 1956, 1972, 1980, and 1986. Its total gross income by the twenty-first century was approximately $60 million worldwide. And before anyone even thinks about trying to respond to that factiod by saying it is "tiny" compared to present day box office figures, realize that argument is futile, because you need to take into account account ticket price inflation - getting a seat at a movie back in the 40s, 50s and even the 70s cost a fraction of what multiplexes charge for that today. :teacher:
 
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Really? The box office performance of the film (a metric a large number of DIS board people appear to feel is the most meaningful measure of a movie) argues otherwise.

Commercially, Song of the South was a success. Ticket sales were strong in its first run in 1946 and in the subsequent releases in 1956, 1972, 1980, and 1986. Its total gross income by the twenty-first century was approximately $60 million worldwide. And before anyone even thinks about trying to respond to that factiod by saying it is tiny" compared to present day box office figures, realize that argument is futile, because you need to take into account account ticket price inflation - getting a seat at a movie back in the 40s, 50s and even the 70s cost a fraction of what multiplexes charge for that today. :teacher:


Yep. $65 million is the number often quoted. To put it in perspective, Snow White from 1937? $418 million. Pinocchio from 1940? $87 million. Bambi from 1942? $267 million. Cinderella in 1950? $263 million. Peter Pan in 1953? $145 million. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_animated_films

Song of the South certainly was a commercial success, but in terms of other Walt Disney animations that topped their years, even contemporaries, it was of a much lesser success than the true classics.

By many accounts it may not have even been the highest grossing animated film of 1946 or 1947. Some movies I've never heard of are listed in a few places including https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_animated_films with citations.

I would go to bat for SotS with anyone who said it wasn't a commercial success. It was. And I'd even argue as an Oscar winning film for an African American actor it is important. But a top tier Disney classic?

Other than one song and a lineage that spun off one of the 5 best rides at WDW... not in my opinion. Not even close.
 
The sharecropper setting is just that...a setting. A minute part of a full-length film.
The focus of the story is the friendship between a grandfatherly black man and a young white boy.
Both respect each other and the man imparts important life lessons as well as provides comfort to him when his parents have to leave.

The first person the boy asks for when he's recovering from his injuries are not his parents but Uncle Remus.
The film shows a wonderful friendship between two people without concern to race. I don't understand why folks have to marginalize this theme while worrying more about the "happy" field workers. I would think the relationship would be more important to the viewer in the whole scheme of things.
 


I hope you also hold your opinions on trivial things to yourself when there are so many more important things to be worried about.
Your comment made no sense-was it just to take a shot at me. It is typical of some people to want to silence people that may have a different perspective. Is that how you approach things? I was responding to the thread-I think what I entered is very important at it is important to those that have to live in that war zone in Chicago.. Maybe you would rather we just avoid that problem or are you even aware of that problem? It is buried by most news sites but it exist.
 
Your comment made no sense-was it just to take a shot at me. It is typical of some people to want to silence people that may have a different perspective. Is that how you approach things? I was responding to the thread-I think what I entered is very important at it is important to those that have to live in that war zone in Chicago.. Maybe you would rather we just avoid that problem or are you even aware of that problem? It is buried by most news sites but it exist.

The fact that you think my post makes no sense is telling. I was calling you a hypocrite. You're entitled to your opinions, and you're free to express them. As is Whoopi. As am I, and as, in this case more importantly, are Disney Executives.

Anyway, I'm going to go back to enjoying the lovely weather we're having here in Chicago today.
 
The fact that you think my post makes no sense is telling. I was calling you a hypocrite. You're entitled to your opinions, and you're free to express them. As is Whoopi. As am I, and as, in this case more importantly, are Disney Executives.

Anyway, I'm going to go back to enjoying the lovely weather we're having here in Chicago today.
Just stay away from the south side.
 
There are so many shows/movies out there that stereotype and make fun of people. The movie Rainman, who is about a man with a disability who gets laughed at thru-out the movie for his words/actions. I've seen movies where very overweight people are stereotyped, overly smart people (nerds) get laughed at and there are plenty of movies where Italian actors are sterotyped in and are made to look stupid/violent etc. If you look for it, it's there in many movies.
 
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There are so many shows/movies out there that stereotype and make fun of people. The movie Rainman, who has a disability gets laughed at thru-out the movie for his words/actions. I've seen movies were very overweight people are stereotyped, overly smart people (nerds) get laughed at and there are plenty of movies where Italian actors are sterotyped in and are made to look stupid/violent etc. If you look for it, it's there in many movies.

Excellent point, but we are now unfortunately in an environment where certain types of people hold a double standard, where they see some stereotypes as OK and others as verboten.
 
Funny, how when you point out that sterotypes are in so many movies/shows and it is not based on one type of person/group, most people have nothing to say because they know it's true.
 
Funny, how when you point out that sterotypes are in so many movies/shows and it is not based on one type of person/group, most people have nothing to say because they know it's true.

I think it's more we're just out of things to say to each other. It's clear there are two irreconcilable sides on this. Since it's a binary decision, there just isn't a middle ground.
 

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