![]() ![]() When Song of the South was released in 1946, the Uncle Remus character had largely been forgotten. But Harris’s characterization of Remus as speaking in stereotypical Black Southern vernacular has not stood the test of time, and Uncle Remus is now seen as an unquestionable example of racist entertainment. Uncle Remus was a storybook character created in 1881 who told Aesop’s Fables-esque folk tales, intended by white author Joel Chandler Harris to convey the difficulties of Black life in the Deep South. The story of Br’er Rabbit is told in the film by the character of Uncle Remus, a black man who works on a plantation in the Reconstruction-era American South. ![]() Disney ParksĪlthough it’s not obvious from looking at the ride, Splash Mountain borrows directly from Song of the South. ![]() Right: Disney’s concept art for the “reimagining” of Splash Mountain, based on The Princess and the Frog. Visitors sit in log boats that move slowly through these scenes, until their journey culminates with the boats sliding down a steep waterfall, landing in a “briarpatch.” Left: The current interior design of Splash Mountain, featuring Song of the South characters. Splash Mountain, which opened in 1989, features woodland creatures and stars the character Br’er Rabbit on his adventure to avoid the clutches of Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear. Replacing Splash Mountain’s current look with the characters and setting of The Princess and the Frog feels like a pointed response to long-standing complaints over Splash Mountain’s association with Song of the South. ![]() Disney did not reveal when Splash Mountain will relaunch with its new theme, or how long the ride will be closed during the retooling process, and has not responded to Vox’s request for comment. The film notably stars Disney’s first black princess, Tiana, who arrived 72 years after Snow White kicked off the Disney Princess canon. The Walt Disney Parks division announced Thursday that a project to “completely reimagine” Splash Mountain began last year, and that the ride’s new theme is inspired by Disney’s 2009 animated film The Princess and the Frog. And not just any ol’ facelift, but a major one that will finally scrub Splash Mountain of its ties to Walt Disney’s infamously insensitive 1946 film Song of the South. Another online petition asked that the ride remain in its current incarnation.Disney’s Splash Mountain ride, the famous log flume that’s popular at both the Disneyland and Disney World theme parks, is getting a facelift. “While the ride is considered a beloved classic, it’s history and storyline are steeped in extremely problematic and stereotypical racist tropes from the 1946 film Song of the South."īut Splash Mountain had its supporters. “Disney parks should be a home for all to enjoy regardless of race, age, whatever your background may be," said an online petition asking for the ride to be changed. The film isn’t available to the millions of subscribers of the company’s new Disney Plus streaming service, and it hasn’t been released in theaters in decades. Groups including the NAACP protested the film’s initial release. With racist stereotypes and Old South tropes, “Song of the South” is a mix of live action, cartoons and music featuring an old black plantation laborer named Uncle Remus who enchants a white city boy with fables of talking animals. The revamped ride will follow the contours of the animated movie, “The Princess and the Frog," in which actress Anika Noni Rose voices the role of a 1920s aspiring chef in New Orleans who kisses a prince that has been turned into a frog and becomes one herself. Splash Mountain first opened as a log-flume ride at Disneyland in the late 1980s. “The new concept is inclusive – one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by, and it speaks to the diversity of the millions of people who visit our parks each year," the Disney post said. are renaming racially charged, decades-old brands amid worldwide protests for racial justice after the police custody death of George Floyd in Minnesota last month. Amid calls to change the Splash Mountain theme park ride over its ties to “Song of the South," the 1946 movie many view as racist, Disney officials said Thursday it was recasting the ride based on “The Princess and the Frog," a 2009 Disney film with an African American female lead.Ĭhanges to the ride will be made both at Disneyland in California and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida, the company said in a post.ĭisney said the changes had been in the works since last year, but the announcement comes as companies across the U.S. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |