Archive for the ‘Disney’ Category

Glee Season Finale — Sue Sylvester and the Briar Patch

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Last night’s episode of Glee got off on the right foot with a snarky nod to Song of the South. Sue Sylvester, the deliciously evil cheerleading coach, takes a shot at Will Schuster, the dopey glee coach:

“Your hair looks like a briar patch. I keep expecting racist, animated Disney characters to pop up and start singing about living on the bayou.”

Gosh, I’m not sure whether to buy Sue a drank or punch her in the throat.

I’m thankful that the writers at Fox (a) finally made a fresh joke about Will’s hair; (b) specified that the racist characters are Disney’s; and (c) had Sue Sylvester deliver the line on the season finale.

Yet as much as I like getting folks to think about the Uncle Remus stories, I can’t say that I’m thrilled that this dimension of Song of the South is being perpetuated in prime time. Sue Sylvester is always over the top, and this is no exception. But given the film’s, uh, reputation I don’t think people will take it as such.

And seriously, how many people watch Glee? Millions!

How many people have watched this video of Akbar telling the story of Brer Rabbit and the Briar Patch? Like, 4. And half of them can’t tie their shoes.

It’s awesome that Glee provided such a great reference to Brer Rabbit, but it’s a shame that it further brands him as something so negative.

Also, can we talk about how it’s at least a little ironic that a show so reliant on stereotypes is calling out other stereotypes?

Walt Disney’s Giant Golden Book: Uncle Remus Stories (1949)

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These illustrations of the Uncle Remus Golden Book are a delight.  Thank you, International Animated Film Society.

It’s a Disney book, but instead of having 3 stories like Song of the South, it’s got twelve.

Coincidentally, this particular illustration reminds me of Fantastic Mr. Fox too.   Oh!  And look: compare this picture from Disney to this one from Sid and Marty Krofft(!).

Song of the South Anniversary on WABE’s City Cafe

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Our local NPR affiliate WABE invited me to stutter speak on City Cafe the other day in light of the recent anniversary of Song of the South.

I sat down to speak with the indefatigable John Lemley about the controversy surrounding the film and its relationship with Joel Chandler Harris’s Uncle Remus stories.  Listen to the podcast here.

Unfortunately, while at WABE I did not see Lois Reitzes and thus could not challenge her to a rap battle.

1946 Promotional Program for Song of the South

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Today marks the 63rd anniversary of the release of Song of the South.

Weirdly enough, Disney first chose to market the film as an “Old South Romance.”  Here’s the cover from its 1946 program:

Bizarre, right?  It’s less Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and much more Gone with the Wind.

The program — 16 pages in all — gets a lot more relevant once you get past the cover. I’ve included it in its entirety below.  You’re welcome.

I dig this illustration that’s on the inside of the cover.  With this one exception, I’ve tried not to crop much out (as much as our almost-large-enough scanner allowed).

Remember, you can click on the pictures to zoom in and read the (quite lucid and informative, though sometimes not so factually accurate) text.  Enjoy!

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Capitalizing on History — Mark Twain and Walt Disney Boyhood Homes

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Keith Eggener of Design Observer gives us this thoughtful post on capitalizing on the historic homes of the famous, focusing on the Missouri homes of Mark Twain and Walt Disney –

“People go to Hannibal to walk the streets where the real children who inspired Huck and Becky walked; they go there ready to believe that an otherwise unexceptional white wood fence is the one Tom painted, or, at least, the one that inspired Twain to invent his story. Disney’s stories, on the other hand, are pure fantasy….”

Items discussed: history’s exploitation vs. its preservation, marketing dead public figures vs. live ones, how the Mark Twain Boyhood Home is like a snow globe.

Items not discussed: how Walt Disney’s recreated boyhood home — called “The Happy Place” — is not all so different from the story, “Brother Rabbit’s Laughing-Place.” Coincidence?

Last Thanksgiving I had the opportunity visit several great historic homes in Missouri (1, 2, 3, 4) on a house museum road trip.  I’m sorry I missed these two, especially given their unique relationships with Joel Chandler Harris (Twain, Disney).

Photo: Keith Eggener

Writing (and Righting) History on Wikipedia

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A few weeks ago I was inspired to start editing the Joel Chandler Harris Wikipedia page when I read an article based on erroneous facts about Harris quite obviously culled from Wikipedia, everyone’s favorite encyclopedic punching bag.

Wren’s Nest Blog Original Gangstas might recall this is not our first encounter with the Joel Chandler Harris Wikipedia page.  Way back in 2007, one ambitious editor included some, uh, fan fiction –

Harris’ page hasn’t been vandalized again, but it has remained far from complete.  The criticism and praise of Harris were irrelevant, and the actual information on his life was minimal.

So, I decided to edit and expand the Joel Chandler Harris Wikipedia page as judiciously as possible, drawing from diverse, respected sources.

For a long time I felt uncomfortable editing Wikipedia on a topic where I have such an inherent, genetic bias.  But, I realized a few things once I started editing:

• Editing Wikipedia is a lot of fun.
• No matter how many times we link to the New Georgia Encyclopedia article and no matter how questionable the source, folks are going to use the Wikipedia page.
• Short of a Disney release of Song of the South and my subsequent interview on Oprah, this is probably the broadest way for us to execute our mission effectively.
• My work is only the start!

Please take a look at the article and let me know what you think.  If you’re feeling limber, I encourage you to help edit the article where you see fit.

I’m not quite done — particularly with the journalism section — but it’s a start at least.

Muppets Sing Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah with Alan Arkin

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David sends along this oddly violent clip of Alan Arkin on the Muppet Show.  The Muppets sing Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah, and Alan Arkin goes bonkers, terrorizing the animals.

Maybe we can reenact this when the Center for Puppetry Arts builds their Jim Henson wing.

(500) Days of Summer and Happy Bluebirds

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Have y’all seen (500) Days of Summer?

If not, you should remedy that situation immediately.  It’s a charming lil’ piece of cinema.  It also sports a not-at-all subtle nod to Song of the South, as seen above.

It’s neat that despite attempts to sweep Song of the South under the rug, its cultural influence remains largely undiminished, especially in film.

I mean, it’s totally understood that a bluebird swooping in means good times aplenty.  And let me tell you — it’s a legit good times in the scene above, hoo boy.

Brer Rabbit and Dialect in Early Educational Film Strips

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In 1965 the students of Mercer Elementary in Shaker Heights, Ohio served as guinea pigs for use of educational film strips in the classroom — the wave of the future!

The experiment, Project Discovery, sought to demonstrate the effectiveness of audio/visual learning in school.  It’s credited with jump starting the academic film industry and toppling a few textbook publishers along the way.

Brer Rabbit is featured prominently in this film about Project Discovery, and the kids from Shaker Heights have a few things to say about the southern accent.

The entire film is 30 minutes and excellent.  Near the end they let Philip talk for a few minutes, and goodness gracious it is hilarious.  If this hadn’t been the greatest challenge of my life to date, I would have embedded the whole thing here.

(h/t Gregg.  Thanks!)

Disney’s ‘Princess and the Frog’ Pre-Controversy Controversy Fun

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Over the weekend, the New York Times published an article about Disney’s upcoming movie, The Princess and the Frog.  It will be Disney’s first ever animated film to feature an African American princess.  A big deal, to say the least.

Walt Disney Pictures

Naturally, the film is being viewed under a social microscope, and not necessarily for the better.

Everything from the film’s locale (New Orleans) to its characters’ screen-time percentage as frogs has been called out as racially problematic.  Hoo boy.

Critics have used examples from Dumbo and The Jungle Book (both available on DVD) to fuel racism charges.  According to Disney in the article:

The company responds that criticism of such well-worn examples — particularly of films from the ’60s and earlier — applies a 21st-century morality to movies made in sharply different times.

Yes, I thought that was worthy of bolding.  Probably because it sounds exactly like the logic we apply to Song of the South. Disney, don’t play favorites!

I haven’t seen The Princess and the Frog though I sure do plan to when it comes out.  I am awfully interested in how all of this develops, and not just as a casual observer.

What do y’all think of the criticsm?  Can Disney do right with ethnic characters?  Does criticism just come with the territory?  Is a cooling of the jets called for?  Do tell!

Update (9/18/09): Here’s an excellent article on, essentially, the trouble Disney may be getting itself into in trying to please too many critics with The Princess and the Frog and how that mirrors the path of Song of the South.  Enjoy!