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Who's Afraid of the Song of the South
Brer Rabbit. Uncle Remus. "Song of the South." Racist?
Disney thinks so. And that's why it has forbidden the theatrical re-release of its classic film "Song of the South" since 1986.
But is the film racist? Are its themes, its characters, even its music so abominable that Disney has done us a favor by burying the movie in its infamous Vault, where the Company claims it will remain for all time?
Disney historian Jim Korkis does "not" think so.
In his newest book, "Who's Afraid of the Song of the South?," Korkis examines the film from concept to controversy, and reveals the politics that nearly scuttled the project. Through interviews with many of the artists and animators who created "Song of the South," and through his own extensive research, Korkis delivers both the definitive behind-the-scenes history of the film and a balanced analysis of its cultural impact.
What else would Disney prefer you did not know? Plenty.
Korkis also pulls back the curtain on such dubious chapters in Disney history as: Disney's cinematic attack on venereal disease Ward Kimball's obsession with UFOs Tim Burton's depressed stint at the Disney Studios Walt Disney's nightmares about his stomping an owl to death Wally Wood's Disneyland Memorial Orgy poster J. Edgar Hoover's hefty FBI file on Walt Disney Little Black Sunflower's animated extinction
Plus 10 more forbidden tales that Disney wishes would go away.
Whether you're a film buff, an armchair academic, or a Disney fan eager to peek behind Disney's magical (and tightly controlled) curtain, you'll discover lots you never knew about Disney.
With a foreword by Disney Legend Floyd Norman, "Who's Afraid of the Song of the South?" is both authoritative and entertaining.
Jim Korkis is the best-selling author of "Vault of Walt," and has been researching and writing about Disney for over three decades. The Disney Company itself uses his expertise for special projects. Korkis resides in Orlando, Florida.
Disney thinks so. And that's why it has forbidden the theatrical re-release of its classic film "Song of the South" since 1986.
But is the film racist? Are its themes, its characters, even its music so abominable that Disney has done us a favor by burying the movie in its infamous Vault, where the Company claims it will remain for all time?
Disney historian Jim Korkis does "not" think so.
In his newest book, "Who's Afraid of the Song of the South?," Korkis examines the film from concept to controversy, and reveals the politics that nearly scuttled the project. Through interviews with many of the artists and animators who created "Song of the South," and through his own extensive research, Korkis delivers both the definitive behind-the-scenes history of the film and a balanced analysis of its cultural impact.
What else would Disney prefer you did not know? Plenty.
Korkis also pulls back the curtain on such dubious chapters in Disney history as: Disney's cinematic attack on venereal disease Ward Kimball's obsession with UFOs Tim Burton's depressed stint at the Disney Studios Walt Disney's nightmares about his stomping an owl to death Wally Wood's Disneyland Memorial Orgy poster J. Edgar Hoover's hefty FBI file on Walt Disney Little Black Sunflower's animated extinction
Plus 10 more forbidden tales that Disney wishes would go away.
Whether you're a film buff, an armchair academic, or a Disney fan eager to peek behind Disney's magical (and tightly controlled) curtain, you'll discover lots you never knew about Disney.
With a foreword by Disney Legend Floyd Norman, "Who's Afraid of the Song of the South?" is both authoritative and entertaining.
Jim Korkis is the best-selling author of "Vault of Walt," and has been researching and writing about Disney for over three decades. The Disney Company itself uses his expertise for special projects. Korkis resides in Orlando, Florida.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
June 8, 2016
I did say in my review of The Revised Vault of Walt that I didn't think I would see eye to eye with Korkis about The Song of the South. Surprise, I don't. I think it would be fair to sum up his argument as follows: Disney Studios at large weren't intentionally making a racist film, most or all charges of racism are based on an understandable misunderstanding of the movie's time period, and that Disney should re-release the movie because, with some sort of contextual feature, it wouldn't be that controversial. I can only entirely agree with the first.
Korkis gives an exhaustive history of the making of the movie, which is necessary largely because it's so often ignored as a whole and to bolster his "not intentionally racist" argument. And he's quite convincing that there was a good deal of effort made to try and avoid offense. Which makes the one notable exception so bizarre: why in God's name was the original screenwriter left on the project after he turned in an unapologetically racist draft, and resisted changes that would make it clear that the movie was set after, not before, the Civil War? Why was he catered to so much that it takes a discerning viewer to figure out that the movie is set during Reconstruction? It's not like his racism was a mystery to Disney, because another, much more progressive screenwriter was hired specifically to try to counter that racism. Which might have worked, except that almost none of the second writer's input was used in the final film.
But say that the movie actually did make the time period clear. Would that make it not racist? Well, no, not exactly, but it's the sort of racism that well-meaning white men of the late 40s would have been ill equipped to find on their own. (Which, based on a few other stories in this book, seems like something of a Disney pattern: use offensive stereotypes without fully understanding that they are offensive, then back off quickly when called on it.) It's certainly less objectionable, but there's still issues. In all honesty, I'm not sure that a modern studio would be considerably less so. I can easily see a modern studio casting white actors to voice the cartoon characters, and at least Disney cast black actors.
I also can't buy that a simple disclaimer would be enough to cover Disney if they did decide to re-release the movie. I don't think it would make a bit of difference. And the entire movie doesn't really need to be released. The animated segments are really good, sure, but the live action movie, ignoring anything offensive, is just not that great. It's bland and disposable, at best. If there magically weren't any controversy, I think this movie would receive the same reception as So Dear to My Heart: it would be trotted out of the vault every fifteen years or so, sell modestly, and be on clearance racks for a year or two after going back into the vault. The few people who really want to see it re-released have effectively been drowned out not just by the people who don't, but most overwhelmingly by the people who simply don't care. There's no real motive for Disney to release this movie in the face of both outright hostility and, worse, indifference.
That's about half the book. The other half is a grab bag of random stories that are at least mildly controversial for the company. Most of the stories aren't that terribly interesting. The few really good, worthwhile ones cover Tim Burton's time at Disney, Jessica Rabbit, and the long-lost Sunflower character from Fantasia. The rest can probably be skipped by all but the most rabid Disneyphiles. As a whole, is this book worth reading? Again, probably only by the rabid Disneyphiles, or if you have a deep interest in Song of the South as a movie and not purely as a controversy.
Korkis gives an exhaustive history of the making of the movie, which is necessary largely because it's so often ignored as a whole and to bolster his "not intentionally racist" argument. And he's quite convincing that there was a good deal of effort made to try and avoid offense. Which makes the one notable exception so bizarre: why in God's name was the original screenwriter left on the project after he turned in an unapologetically racist draft, and resisted changes that would make it clear that the movie was set after, not before, the Civil War? Why was he catered to so much that it takes a discerning viewer to figure out that the movie is set during Reconstruction? It's not like his racism was a mystery to Disney, because another, much more progressive screenwriter was hired specifically to try to counter that racism. Which might have worked, except that almost none of the second writer's input was used in the final film.
But say that the movie actually did make the time period clear. Would that make it not racist? Well, no, not exactly, but it's the sort of racism that well-meaning white men of the late 40s would have been ill equipped to find on their own. (Which, based on a few other stories in this book, seems like something of a Disney pattern: use offensive stereotypes without fully understanding that they are offensive, then back off quickly when called on it.) It's certainly less objectionable, but there's still issues. In all honesty, I'm not sure that a modern studio would be considerably less so. I can easily see a modern studio casting white actors to voice the cartoon characters, and at least Disney cast black actors.
I also can't buy that a simple disclaimer would be enough to cover Disney if they did decide to re-release the movie. I don't think it would make a bit of difference. And the entire movie doesn't really need to be released. The animated segments are really good, sure, but the live action movie, ignoring anything offensive, is just not that great. It's bland and disposable, at best. If there magically weren't any controversy, I think this movie would receive the same reception as So Dear to My Heart: it would be trotted out of the vault every fifteen years or so, sell modestly, and be on clearance racks for a year or two after going back into the vault. The few people who really want to see it re-released have effectively been drowned out not just by the people who don't, but most overwhelmingly by the people who simply don't care. There's no real motive for Disney to release this movie in the face of both outright hostility and, worse, indifference.
That's about half the book. The other half is a grab bag of random stories that are at least mildly controversial for the company. Most of the stories aren't that terribly interesting. The few really good, worthwhile ones cover Tim Burton's time at Disney, Jessica Rabbit, and the long-lost Sunflower character from Fantasia. The rest can probably be skipped by all but the most rabid Disneyphiles. As a whole, is this book worth reading? Again, probably only by the rabid Disneyphiles, or if you have a deep interest in Song of the South as a movie and not purely as a controversy.
August 25, 2020
Disney History
I love pop culture history and Disney history is just great! This book touched on things I had never heard and if you like Disney history it’s a fun read!
I love pop culture history and Disney history is just great! This book touched on things I had never heard and if you like Disney history it’s a fun read!
July 9, 2020
The writing style was not my cup of tea, it was very clinical. I was very interested in the Song of the South information because of all the controversy surrounding the film.
October 23, 2013
I was very much looking forward to Jim Korkis' detailed info on the stories Disney doesn't want us to know. However, this book is a bit of a letdown. While the "Song of the South" info is good - it's not great. Chapters are very short, and provide the same amount of information I could get from a few articles and Wikipedia. The later stories are lacking as well, many with abrupt endings and telling very little information.
I did enjoy reading about "Kingdom of the Sun" and a few other tidbits, but most of the book felt stale.
I did enjoy reading about "Kingdom of the Sun" and a few other tidbits, but most of the book felt stale.
August 29, 2023
Lots of interesting insights and stories about Disney all in one place. He did not make a compelling argument for The Song of the South not being racist/harmful towards Black Americans. In fact, all he presented made it clear that it was widely condemned due to racism, stereotyping, and neglect of the truths of Reconstruction. It was interesting to learn about the background things surrounding the filmmaking. There were a lot of other stories included that were pretty fascinating! I take absolute offense at his characterization of The Emperor's New Groove, but I did enjoy learning about all the drama with that project. The writing was a little hard to follow at points. It's worth a lazy read if you are interested in Disney or film industry.
March 18, 2017
This was the first Jim Korkis book I have read. I am a die hard Disney fan. The author presents probably the most scholarly piece of work available on The Song of The South. The author gives his opinion, but he leaves it up to the reader to take in all the opinions presented; from actors in the movie, reviewers, newspapers, The NAACP, Ebony Magazine, stockholders, Walt and Roy Disney and many others and then to make up their own opinion.
The story of The Song of the South takes up until pg. 105. After this each chapter is a stand alone Forbidden Disney "story", some more interesting than others.
-Whatever Happened To Little Black Sunflower?: To me this was just silly. If you want to waste your life on rewinding VCR tapes to catch a millisecond of a black flower, that may or may not be there- more power to you!
-Story of Menstruation: This filmstrip was shown until the mid-80's so numerous generations of women have seen the "Disney Story of Menstruation" and we didn't even know it was a Disney film.
-Venereal Disease: This one has been in a lot of different books.
-Disneyland Orgy Poster: Dumb, people draw unauthorized things & pass them around all the time.
-Jessica Rabbit: Kind of interesting. Always wondered if it was suppose to be a cartoon for adults or kids.
-Mickey Mouse Attempts Suicide: Just scanned this chapter. I think they were talking about the Haunted House cartoon.
-Walt's Owl Nightmare: just scanned
-Mickey Rooney Myth: A silly, urban myth is debunked.
-J.Edgar Hoover Watches Walt: Interesting for the die hard Walt Disney fan.
-Myth of Walt's Last Words: Another silly urban-myth. This one about Kurt Russell. Debunked.
-Walt Liked Ike: Found this a very interesting section on how Walt Disney formed his political beliefs.
-Disney's Secret Commercial Studio: Long chapter on how Disney Studios secretly made TV commercials, to bolster their studio profits.
-The Sweatbox: A documentary made by Trudie Styler, about Sting in a movie that was never released. Instead they rushed to production The Emperor's New Groove.
Tim Burton's Real Nightmare at Disney: Clearly Tim Burton was having some type of a mental health crisis during the time he worked at Disney.
-Disney John Carter: Long chapter, to see that was not going to end well.
-Ward Kimball and UFOs: Skimmed this one also. Held no interest for me.
-Walt's Fantasy Failure: Baum's Oz: Walt was a huge admirer and even announced and started casting for his own version of OZ. But it was not to be. Things begin to go south with Darlene Gillespie, who had been cast as Dorothy. A few years later Babes in Toyland with Annette Funicello was made instead. These are suppose to be the "forbidden" stories, yet very little is said of Darlene Gillespie, perhaps because she is still alive and still living a rather sad life. Tim Burton is still alive and he was written about in less than glowing-rays of praise. Perhaps she is covered in a different book.
Again I think the Song of the South material is excellent. A must read for the true Disney fan. The author cites his sources and interviews. I will say that the author has a clear passion for all things Disney and that shines through, he is not always as gifted when it comes to writing. I see he has an editor and a publisher, help the guy out. The additional chapters can be read at your leisure. Don't be afraid there are no big reveals.
The story of The Song of the South takes up until pg. 105. After this each chapter is a stand alone Forbidden Disney "story", some more interesting than others.
-Whatever Happened To Little Black Sunflower?: To me this was just silly. If you want to waste your life on rewinding VCR tapes to catch a millisecond of a black flower, that may or may not be there- more power to you!
-Story of Menstruation: This filmstrip was shown until the mid-80's so numerous generations of women have seen the "Disney Story of Menstruation" and we didn't even know it was a Disney film.
-Venereal Disease: This one has been in a lot of different books.
-Disneyland Orgy Poster: Dumb, people draw unauthorized things & pass them around all the time.
-Jessica Rabbit: Kind of interesting. Always wondered if it was suppose to be a cartoon for adults or kids.
-Mickey Mouse Attempts Suicide: Just scanned this chapter. I think they were talking about the Haunted House cartoon.
-Walt's Owl Nightmare: just scanned
-Mickey Rooney Myth: A silly, urban myth is debunked.
-J.Edgar Hoover Watches Walt: Interesting for the die hard Walt Disney fan.
-Myth of Walt's Last Words: Another silly urban-myth. This one about Kurt Russell. Debunked.
-Walt Liked Ike: Found this a very interesting section on how Walt Disney formed his political beliefs.
-Disney's Secret Commercial Studio: Long chapter on how Disney Studios secretly made TV commercials, to bolster their studio profits.
-The Sweatbox: A documentary made by Trudie Styler, about Sting in a movie that was never released. Instead they rushed to production The Emperor's New Groove.
Tim Burton's Real Nightmare at Disney: Clearly Tim Burton was having some type of a mental health crisis during the time he worked at Disney.
-Disney John Carter: Long chapter, to see that was not going to end well.
-Ward Kimball and UFOs: Skimmed this one also. Held no interest for me.
-Walt's Fantasy Failure: Baum's Oz: Walt was a huge admirer and even announced and started casting for his own version of OZ. But it was not to be. Things begin to go south with Darlene Gillespie, who had been cast as Dorothy. A few years later Babes in Toyland with Annette Funicello was made instead. These are suppose to be the "forbidden" stories, yet very little is said of Darlene Gillespie, perhaps because she is still alive and still living a rather sad life. Tim Burton is still alive and he was written about in less than glowing-rays of praise. Perhaps she is covered in a different book.
Again I think the Song of the South material is excellent. A must read for the true Disney fan. The author cites his sources and interviews. I will say that the author has a clear passion for all things Disney and that shines through, he is not always as gifted when it comes to writing. I see he has an editor and a publisher, help the guy out. The additional chapters can be read at your leisure. Don't be afraid there are no big reveals.
October 18, 2014
It is fascinating that THE SONG OF THE SOUTH has been a "forbidden Disney film" for so long, and I fear that "keeping it in the vault" has only reinforced the perception that it is an overtly racist film. This book, with a very perceptive Forward by former Disney artist, Floyd Norman, may help to lay this perception to rest.
As an avid film collector, I was one of those who had to seek out a bootleg copy in order to see the film. (Mine was a copy of a Japanese laserdisc release...in English, but with Japanese subtitles.) My first reaction was to wonder why it had such a negative reputation. I very much enjoyed the film with its focus on the power of storytelling, the delightful animated sequences, and some genuinely moving moments.
So, it was enlightening to be able to read this book and find out the story behind the production, the reaction, and why it is being held back by Disney. (After all, GONE WITH THE WIND has more obvious racist overtones, and THE BIRTH OF A NATION is readily available on the market...and it is the poster child for racism.) The stories recounted were truly involving and sent me back to my bootleg copy to relive the enjoyment again.
Oh, the film has flaws. The story does not emphasize that it takes place during the Reconstruction (with Southern plantation owners still in fine dress), so it would be natural to think that it took place before the Civil War. Also, Disney hired a notable Black ensemble of singers who provide beautiful musical interludes, but the image left in the viewer's mind is that field workers had a lot to sing about.
I'm probably naïve, but I would love to see Disney release this and invite conversation about racism, what it means to people today, and how this film shows that caring relationships across cultures can help foster understanding.
The remainder of the book tells of other hidden Disney productions and failures. For instance, Disney did sexual health short films for schools, and used its famous characters for television commercials. Disney's long, unsuccessful attempt (until recently) to continue THE WIZARD OF OZ story was most interesting.
All in all, there is plenty of good information for the Disney fan, and a good deal of thought-provoking information for students of race relations. I definitely recommend it.
As an avid film collector, I was one of those who had to seek out a bootleg copy in order to see the film. (Mine was a copy of a Japanese laserdisc release...in English, but with Japanese subtitles.) My first reaction was to wonder why it had such a negative reputation. I very much enjoyed the film with its focus on the power of storytelling, the delightful animated sequences, and some genuinely moving moments.
So, it was enlightening to be able to read this book and find out the story behind the production, the reaction, and why it is being held back by Disney. (After all, GONE WITH THE WIND has more obvious racist overtones, and THE BIRTH OF A NATION is readily available on the market...and it is the poster child for racism.) The stories recounted were truly involving and sent me back to my bootleg copy to relive the enjoyment again.
Oh, the film has flaws. The story does not emphasize that it takes place during the Reconstruction (with Southern plantation owners still in fine dress), so it would be natural to think that it took place before the Civil War. Also, Disney hired a notable Black ensemble of singers who provide beautiful musical interludes, but the image left in the viewer's mind is that field workers had a lot to sing about.
I'm probably naïve, but I would love to see Disney release this and invite conversation about racism, what it means to people today, and how this film shows that caring relationships across cultures can help foster understanding.
The remainder of the book tells of other hidden Disney productions and failures. For instance, Disney did sexual health short films for schools, and used its famous characters for television commercials. Disney's long, unsuccessful attempt (until recently) to continue THE WIZARD OF OZ story was most interesting.
All in all, there is plenty of good information for the Disney fan, and a good deal of thought-provoking information for students of race relations. I definitely recommend it.
March 6, 2013
This author is a frequent guest on one of my favorite podcasts, WDW Radio, where he discusses, in great depth, the history of Disney, both the man and the company. He's always fascinating, and really goes deep into his subjects.
This book is sort of split in half, with the first half going into the history and production of the controversial film "Song of the South." Pretty much every aspect is examined in-depth, with information on the animators, writers, actors, the controversies surrounding it both during production and in the decades since. Korkis also presents a case for why the film should be "rescued" from the Disney archives and how it might be packaged to give some historical perspective.
The second half of the book presents several shorter articles about Disney's "dark side," such as public health films about sexually-transmitted diseases and menstruation, the infamous "Disney Orgy" poster, and other controversial subjects.
If anything, Korkis is perhaps a little too thorough, and sometimes the main narratives get slowed down by the minutia, but for hard-core Disney fans it's an entertaining read.
This book is sort of split in half, with the first half going into the history and production of the controversial film "Song of the South." Pretty much every aspect is examined in-depth, with information on the animators, writers, actors, the controversies surrounding it both during production and in the decades since. Korkis also presents a case for why the film should be "rescued" from the Disney archives and how it might be packaged to give some historical perspective.
The second half of the book presents several shorter articles about Disney's "dark side," such as public health films about sexually-transmitted diseases and menstruation, the infamous "Disney Orgy" poster, and other controversial subjects.
If anything, Korkis is perhaps a little too thorough, and sometimes the main narratives get slowed down by the minutia, but for hard-core Disney fans it's an entertaining read.
June 2, 2013
This was a very insightful book. Anybody who is a fan of Disney needs to read this. It does talk about Song of the South like it promises (things like the actors, the music, and the premiere), but it also goes into detail about a number of other controversies (such as Sunflower from Fantasia). It's apparent that the author did a lot of research to get the facts straight.
I hope that someday Disney will finally open up and release the movie in America (which will probably never happen), but until now, this book will suffice.
I hope that someday Disney will finally open up and release the movie in America (which will probably never happen), but until now, this book will suffice.
February 1, 2018
I’m a huge fan of all things Disney, but this book was a little too detailed even for me. It was very repetitive and the writing felt unpolished. I almost felt like I was reading a high schoolers essay at points. There were a lot of details that I didn’t care about and that seemed only vaguely related. You can find better Disney books to spend your time reading.
July 17, 2023
I loved the Song of the South parts and some occasional other stories, but found myself zoning out in a lot of them.
May 31, 2020
This is a book that cracks open the vaults and reveals the truth - or the truth as far as the author could uncover - regarding not only the history behind the mixed animation and live-action film based on the Uncle Remus stories: The Song of the South. Along with an in-depth look at the reasons behind its future in the Disney crypts. A movie - as far as children were concerned - was about a gentle man telling tales about bears, and rabbits and foxes while teaching them even as Aesop's fables teach.
Besides the noted Song of the South, Korkis makes other revelations regarding the Disney studio that they would like to forget. Fantasia and Sunflower, the small centaurette (yes, they all had names so the animators could keep them straight). The various shorts that Disney made not only for the military but for early education. Ads for various businesses. The only political ad Disney authorized - Disney was quite non-political except for a few circumstances. The rumor that Mickey Rooney provided the name for Mortimer Mouse - uh, no. Rooney was connected with a different studio and was still known as Joe until several years after Mickey Mouse's debut. Walt Disney's purchase of the rights on numerous Oz books with the intention of making more films even as The Wizard of Oz burst onto movie screens. The chaos that revolved around the film The Emperor's New Groove and it's numerous revisions.
The only negative I could find is some of the tales are more transcript from interviews than the author's own words. Or so it seems.
For all those interested in seeing a copy of the film, executives are still determined that the film will never be removed from the vault in order to be shown in public. Why? Because it is considered racist. If you want a copy for yourself, you'll need to find a bootleg copy that are available for those dedicated to having a complete collection.
2020-103
Besides the noted Song of the South, Korkis makes other revelations regarding the Disney studio that they would like to forget. Fantasia and Sunflower, the small centaurette (yes, they all had names so the animators could keep them straight). The various shorts that Disney made not only for the military but for early education. Ads for various businesses. The only political ad Disney authorized - Disney was quite non-political except for a few circumstances. The rumor that Mickey Rooney provided the name for Mortimer Mouse - uh, no. Rooney was connected with a different studio and was still known as Joe until several years after Mickey Mouse's debut. Walt Disney's purchase of the rights on numerous Oz books with the intention of making more films even as The Wizard of Oz burst onto movie screens. The chaos that revolved around the film The Emperor's New Groove and it's numerous revisions.
The only negative I could find is some of the tales are more transcript from interviews than the author's own words. Or so it seems.
For all those interested in seeing a copy of the film, executives are still determined that the film will never be removed from the vault in order to be shown in public. Why? Because it is considered racist. If you want a copy for yourself, you'll need to find a bootleg copy that are available for those dedicated to having a complete collection.
2020-103
March 20, 2018
The portion of the book dedicated to Song Of The South was very thorough, and the section titled Other Forbidden Stories included a wide variety of subjects. That said, I found some of the 'Forbidden Stories' more interesting than others. The tone of the book was also very academic, which makes sense in context, but for me it made the book less engaging. Anyone who has sat through a boring history class will tell you that sometimes it's the presentation, and not the subject matter, that makes history dull. I did like the book. I just think that it's better suited as a reference volume than something for casual reading.
Did I like it? Yes.
Would I reread it? There are individual sections that I might want to reread, but I wouldn't take on the whole book from cover to cover.
Would I recommend it? Amateur Disney scholars should definitely peruse this books, since it directly addresses certain misinformation surrounding some of the topics.
Did I like it? Yes.
Would I reread it? There are individual sections that I might want to reread, but I wouldn't take on the whole book from cover to cover.
Would I recommend it? Amateur Disney scholars should definitely peruse this books, since it directly addresses certain misinformation surrounding some of the topics.
August 11, 2023
World Wonderful but Never Completed…
There are plenty of stories never known in public. However, Song of the South, was hugely misunderstood one supposed. The black character was not portrayed as “happy” slave. He’s happy NOT being a slave. Who would be a happy slave? That movie took place during restoration period after the Civil War. Doubt very seriously the author of Remus stories would be happy seeing segregation come into full play.
Other stories were interesting, like the stint on UFOs. Kimball was hugely interested in it but he’s yet to see a hundred yard footage of UFOs the Air Force officer claimed to possess. This reader is inclined seriously to believe that guy’s a liar that wasted Kimball’s time. Even Disney would think so too.
Anyway, good stories all except for John Carter of Mars. This was given a short shrift. A bit disappointing. Still, recommended.
There are plenty of stories never known in public. However, Song of the South, was hugely misunderstood one supposed. The black character was not portrayed as “happy” slave. He’s happy NOT being a slave. Who would be a happy slave? That movie took place during restoration period after the Civil War. Doubt very seriously the author of Remus stories would be happy seeing segregation come into full play.
Other stories were interesting, like the stint on UFOs. Kimball was hugely interested in it but he’s yet to see a hundred yard footage of UFOs the Air Force officer claimed to possess. This reader is inclined seriously to believe that guy’s a liar that wasted Kimball’s time. Even Disney would think so too.
Anyway, good stories all except for John Carter of Mars. This was given a short shrift. A bit disappointing. Still, recommended.
October 16, 2024
I checked this out as I put together a video talking about Song of the South, and to be honest I found myself disappointed. At a certain point it just feels like random factoids are being shoveled together without any regard for establishing an overall 'point' to them. Many of them are also repeated between sections. Meanwhile, the book veers into editorializing so often that I have a hard time trusting any of these 'facts' as being true. Not to mention fairly egregious editing errors (unclosed parentheses, etc.) make me doubt how stringent the review process actually was. And yes, it's true that half of the book isn't even about Song of the South, but even the part that is about the movie is padded with random information such as the movie's entire credits? A sterile synopsis of the movie?
While it gave me some directions on where to go find more information, I can't find myself in good conscience relying on this as a legitimate research source.
While it gave me some directions on where to go find more information, I can't find myself in good conscience relying on this as a legitimate research source.
May 11, 2018
Only about 25% of the book actually deals with Song of the South. There are some interesting stories, but this won't really give you a very in-depth look at the making of or controversy surrounding the film. The bulk of the book deals with other "embarrassing" Disney stories that the company would rather not be known - some of which aren't too scandalous, but are still interesting. One of the more fascinating stories was the the one about what The Emperor's New Groove COULD have been. I'd love to see the documentary that Sting's wife shot, but Disney has hidden that away, of course. This is more a glimpse at Song of the South - but interesting nonetheless - with a lot of padding from other Disney controversies.
July 21, 2018
Tidbits of unknown Disney history
This book is required reading for all Disney fans. It contains so much more than "Song of the South" facts! Covering some minutiae of production, and the thought processes used in developing (and canning) projects within the Studios.
The details regarding Tim Burton's employment at Disney, UFO's, and communism are well worth your time. Park and movie materials are covered in detail. A great read...
This book is required reading for all Disney fans. It contains so much more than "Song of the South" facts! Covering some minutiae of production, and the thought processes used in developing (and canning) projects within the Studios.
The details regarding Tim Burton's employment at Disney, UFO's, and communism are well worth your time. Park and movie materials are covered in detail. A great read...
March 28, 2018
Another great book from Jim Korkis, as always very well written and incredibly researched.
The first half if this book is about the entire history of Song Of The South, from the novels on which it was based to its legacy today.
The second half is a selection of shorter stories about equally risque disney subjects from alterations of classic Disney features and shorts, to cancelled projects such as The Rainbow Road Of Oz.
This book is a must read for fans of Disney history.
The first half if this book is about the entire history of Song Of The South, from the novels on which it was based to its legacy today.
The second half is a selection of shorter stories about equally risque disney subjects from alterations of classic Disney features and shorts, to cancelled projects such as The Rainbow Road Of Oz.
This book is a must read for fans of Disney history.
June 7, 2020
If you want to find out the truth behind some of your favorite Disney movies, or even the Dark side of Disney Jim Korkis will tell it to you straight. He delves deep into the past of Disney by conducting many interviews with current and ex Disney workers. Listen not everything in life is all happy Joy-Joy, but the things that happen to us make us what we are today, and Disney is itself a very reputable company.
December 21, 2023
Absolutely loved the Song of the South parts, it was cool to learn about my favorite movie of all time, especially when there’s not a whole lot of info on it now. However the rest of the book (besides that one somewhat neat Disney and commercial chapter) was very boring and hard to read, I wish they could have split the Song of the South book into one part and the other into a whole other book since it kind of touches on some subjects I skipped/didn’t read
Have a Zip A Dee Doo Dah Day!
Have a Zip A Dee Doo Dah Day!
June 2, 2021
It was for sure an interesting read, and I do love me some forbidden Disney stories, but the whole thing just seemed extremely biased and kind of straight up ignores the very real reasons that people have problems that people have with this movie, which just feels insensitive at best and willfully ignorant at worst. But it was still an entertaining read.
August 17, 2018
Turns out, there are not that many scandalous stories from the world of Disney. I did appreciate getting more background on “Song of the South”, and I found the chapter on “Kingdom in the Sun” / “Emperor’s New Groove” really interesting. However, it’s not a keeper.
December 5, 2019
I saw a copy of "Song of the South" at WorldCon in 2011, and it was great. This book makes a strong case for its re-release.
I only read the SotS chapters, and not the several anecdotes about other banned stuff, so it's a rating based on that film in particular. Long- winded but informative.
I only read the SotS chapters, and not the several anecdotes about other banned stuff, so it's a rating based on that film in particular. Long- winded but informative.
June 25, 2020
This books presents a lot of information regarding the creation of the Song of the South, however I was expecting to read more untold secrets or lore the would shed more light regarding what lead to its controvesy.
May 29, 2023
Pretty interesting reading about Song of the South given that there's not much information out there related to it. The author also includes some stories that I hadn't heard of, which is hard to come by for me. Had a couple sections I thought were a little less fun to read about though
November 2, 2017
Some entertaining anecdotes in here. I found the Song of the South stuff alright... didn't seem as interesting as I'd hoped. Would be really really curious to see this movie now though. I thought the other shorter chapters were more interesting, or maybe it's because they were a bit more to the point that it held my attention better.
November 21, 2017
At times, I had problems with the writing style and bias of the author but overall this is a historical and biographical treasure trove.
April 21, 2019
Definitely a good read if you’re a fan of Disneyana trivia. It will for sure make you want to search out/find a recording of the film, Song of the South.
June 22, 2020
Tedious; not as interesting as i had expected/hoped
June 28, 2020
Interesting facts, even Disney can go wrong
Since many people have never seen Song of the South, this was full of great inside stuff. Great summer read.
Since many people have never seen Song of the South, this was full of great inside stuff. Great summer read.
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