It’s 73 years since Song of the South was first released in cinemas, and Disney can now tacitly admit something cine-literate parents have known all along: not all films theoretically made for children are suitable to be viewed by actual human children. When Disney Plus, the company’s streaming site, launches in the US in November, this 1946 film about an idyllic, reconstruction era slave plantation will be omitted from the catalogue, as will the similarly controversial “Jim Crow” scene from Dumbo. Good.
Some will see this as just another example of history being rewritten to match current cultural sensitivities, but Song of the South hasn’t suddenly fallen foul of hyper-vigilant offence-junkies. It was always a bit racist. I remember, a full generation ago, my (black) mother banned me from watching the film when it came on terrestrial TV (as it did, semi-regularly, until as recently as 2006). And she was livid when she found out that I went and watched it anyway, while staying with my (white) father. Maybe I gave myself away by humming Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah round the flat on my return. It is demonically catchy.
Continue reading...from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2PxcX3A
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