BOOTLEG FILES: 001
Film: “Song of the South” (1946 Oscar-winning Disney feature mixing live action and animation, based on the Uncle Remus stories of Joel Chandler Harris).
Last seen: in U.S. theatrical re-release in 1986, on European and Asian home video in 2001; never issued on DVD.
American home video release: none.
Reason for disappearance: indelicate portrayal of African-Americans in pre-Civil War South, although the company has officially provided no explanation for its absence from release and the film itself has raised no protests from any civil rights organization.
Chances of seeing it on home video/DVD: rumors pop up every now and then about a forthcoming release, but nothing has materialized to date.
Bootleg video opportunities: easily available on eBay and various online video trading sites in US NTSC format video taken from British PAL video and Japanese laserdisc sources. Be warned, though, that Disney periodically cracks down on eBay auctions for this title.
The story continues in part two of THE BOOTLEG FILES: “SONG OF THE SOUTH”>>>
