Another Song of the South thread....

Originally Posted By Sara Tonin

Oh, and also the second daughter's favorite read along book and tape when she three or so was The Tar Baby, so I was sure she'd be happy to have the movie.

 

Originally Posted By basil fan

I had the opportunity to view this film again (a friend has an old laserdisc) and once again, I loved it.

It was warm and charming and funny with valuable lessons for kids and adults. Sure, the animated sequences were the best part, but I always felt that way about Mary Poppins and Bedknobs & Broomsticks, too. And what animated sequences they are!

This has got to be some of the finest character animation ever seen. And Brer Rabbit is still in my top 5 characters, the most bodacious of all the critters.

Brer Bear is hilarious, and Brer Fox one of the most menacing and cruel villains Disney has. Alas, he has one fatal flaw: his need to prove himself smarter than Brer Rabbit. If he'd just kill that adorable bunny when he had the chance...but, no. Brer Rabbit must be made to acknowledge his intellectual superior, and while Brer Fox tries to bring this about, he loses his window of opportunity.

Most importantly, I finally found out how a group of freed slaves living in poor share-cropper conditions can sing on their way to work and be relatively happy at least some of the time. You may think it's simply because poor folks back then had more backbone than we have today and believed hard work and trials were a part of life. But the fillm makes it clear during the scene where the dad returns and they stand outside singing (More Faith in Him) that these people have great faith that carries them through the tough times.

Well, I loved it, but that's just MHO. I wish you all had the opportunity to see it and judge for yourself.

Jonny Quest
<a href="http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/glitch/questglitch.html" target="_blank">http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/
glitch/questglitch.html</a>

 

Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs

<<DlandDug And that is another of the dirty little secrets about Song of the South. The animated sequences are brilliant, full of charm and genuine Disney magic. The live action, which is the bulk of the film, is stilted, awkward and, frankly, boring.>>


And you're right...or at least I agree with you. I was even going to be a bit sarcastic and mention how everyone can just fast-forward the live-action parts and watch the animated sequences. Then they can understand Splash Mountain...and then they'll ask why there's no riverboat in the movie...or why the Tar Baby is missing in the ride...or...

Anyway, when my friends and I watched it with a boot...er, when we traveled to England for the weekend a few years ago and rented it on VHS, we all agreed that the sequences with the three Brers were funny, but the live-action parts were bleh. We MST3Ked most of those segments, such as Johnny's reaction when he realizes his parents are breaking up or Remus' reaction when he sees the kids dancing with Brer Rabbit.

After the Peanut Trap segment, my friend then understood why Brer Bear is "hanging" around in Splash. Another one remarked that if Brer Fox HAD lit the tar-covered Brer Rabbit, there'd be nothing left. And of course we all remarked on how Brer Fox and Brer Bear HAD BRER RABBIT IN THEIR CLUTCHES and foolishly lost him.

Btw...I did buy the three Brer beanie babies at WDW a few years ago, which I'm glad I did. I did notice one flaw though: the Brer Fox plush is larger than the Brer Bear one. The latter two are in my Villain area "looking" for Brer Rabbit, who, unbeknownst to them is watching them from atop my Mickey Mouse-with-backpack phone.