Mouse Lounge -- Season 06 -- Episode 05 -- November 02, 2011

(((HEADPHONES STRONGLY RECOMMENDED)))

This week, the Mouse Lounge plunges into the briar patch!

First, Liana and I go Behind the Mickey Bar and discuss the film and the controversy that surrounds it.  Be sure to login to the Mouse Lounge Blog at mouselounge.com and read my piece about the issue.

Next, we go in to the Disney Vault.  Song of the South hasn’t been on the big screen in over 25 years, and has never been released on home video in the U.S.  As a result, an entire generation has never seen Disney’s take on the Joel Chandler Harris stories and the exquisite performance of James Baskett, who utterly inhabited the role of Uncle Remus.   We first dust off a delightful 1946 five-minute promo of the film featuring composer Johnny Mercer, Walt Disney, and the… uh… unflappable… Donald Duck.

Then I’ll tell you the tale of Song of the South with clips from the original film.  It certainly doesn’t replace watching it, but if you’ve loved Splash Mountain for more than two decades but still don’t necessarily understand the narrative, this should help a lot!

Then, go behind the curtain and learn what it took to bring Song of the South to the Silver

Screen.  Each show we present a high definition ride-through from a Disney Park East or a Disney Park West.  Enjoy a ride through down Chickapin Hill into the Briar Patch on Splash Mountain in the Magic Kingdom.

We close the show with popular music covers from the picture.  First, Satchmo himself brings his unique style to Zip-a-dee-doo-dah.  Not to be out done, listen to Rosemary Clooney with her rendition of Everybody Has a Laughing Place!  Next, Walt Disney and Johnny Mercer introducing June Hutton of the Pied Pipers who performs, Sooner or Later.  We’ll wrap up the show with Uncle Remus himself performing, Uncle Remus Says.