It has only been a few days since Disney+ launched, and some of the 10 million subscribers have found some classic movies have not been edited to remove scenes that are either considered racist or contained offensive elements.
Instead, the company has added a warning that states the movie was not changed, and "may contain outdated cultural depictions," The Washington Post and other media outlets are reporting.
The warning can be found under the details tab on the movies.
Checking everything out and wanted to point out that movies like Dumbo, The Aristocats, Jungle Book, and Lady and the Tramp have a disclaimer about outdated cultural depictions. This is good. #DisneyPlus pic.twitter.com/tpFoPAEpOl
— Evan (@324_B21) November 12, 2019
As a person of color, I appreciate that @disneyplus @Disney is showing these movies as they were made, while also giving a public service announcement. Don’t censor, but acknowledge faults. #growth #change #honest https://t.co/hKHd5wH4U7
— cinder84 (@cinder84) November 13, 2019
Not all viewers agree that the warning is enough. Some are calling it dismissive and want a more overt disclaimer, citing a similar one that airs before some Warner Brothers content that calls some of the older content outright racist, USA Today reported.
Hate to nitpick a sensitivity warning but Disney+’s feels so brief and kind of dismissive by calling it “outdated cultural depictions” vs Warner Brothers actually calling it racial prejudice pic.twitter.com/98uYEBLyZK
— give Rise 3 seasons or we fight (@unicornmantis) November 12, 2019
In the original 1941 "Dumbo," a group of crow characters, including one named Jim Crow, are full of racist stereotypes, Entertainment Weekly reported. The scene was not included in the live-action remake of the film released last year.
The remake of "Lady and the Tramp" that appears exclusively on Disney+ did not include the now-controversial "Siamese Cat Song," which was part of the original animated film released in 1955, EW reported.
The streaming platform boasts more than 500 films and television shows, Variety reported. But the library is not complete. One film that has not been released is the controversial movie "Song of the South" that has not been released from the Disney vaults for decades due to the depiction of freed slaves, according to Variety.
Cox Media Group