Armando José Prats has written an excellent film critique, Invisible Natives: Myth & Identity in the American Western. In this book he dissects the movie western and how it pertains to Native representation in western movies. Reading it I saw a connection to both the power of controlling such images and the taking of that power gradually through the “stealing” of a Native American identity, prevalent in many westerns, most glaringly in Dances with Wolves.
9 comments:
Writerfella here --
This particular piece is long, muddled, repetitious, and about as clear as your average corporate tax accountant's manual. Also, it was annoying the way it kept promising some sort of 'identity theft' connection to DANCES WITH WOLVES and there was nothing of the sort to be found. For all we learn, 'depowering the Indian' means 'batteries are not included...'
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
I don't what you're talking about writer fella, it was well written and coherent.
Anonymouse
I'll take a middle position between these two views. Author Whiteman was trying to link the shortcomings in mainstream movies about Natives to his own journey as a filmmaker. He could've done it more concisely, but he eventually connected the dots.
Here's roughly how he did it:
"Dances with Wolves...rode the crest of what was termed the New Age movement."
"During the New Age movement, the same could be said about Native American cultures....Once again, the voice was de-powered."
"And so continues the de-powering of the Native voice by continuing to represent them in movies as the Old Times Indians in the beads and feathers and buckskins."
"It must be up to Native movie-makers, artists, and performers to take control of these images."
Writerfella here --
But that is not the way the filmmaking industry works nor has it ever worked in such a fashion. If Native actors tried to "take control of (these) images," they would be out of jobs so quickly and thereafter very much more unlikely to be considered when new roles are/were cast. Native American artists have no say whatsoever in such matters, though Native American filmmakers may be somewhat in command in their own 'Indie' fortunes. But there is a word that becomes a killer in mainstream moviemaking and it is this: 'difficult.' You rarely see Sonny Landham or Rodney Grant at all anymore because they were branded as 'difficult to work with' by several filmmaking companies. What the writer of the original article also does not express is whether he has any filmmaking experience of any kind. Maybe we need a new term for such people -- White Buffalo Tower guys...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
I think Whiteman was talking primarily about making independent films rather than bowing to studio dictates. He alluded to his filmmaking experience in this article and he'll probably discuss it more in parts 3-5 of this series.
I'd probably be one of those difficult types if I tried to make a movie (or a comic book) under a company's control. That's why I prefer to do things on my own.
Writerfella here --
Since writerfella does not deal in 'historicals, and instead does science fiction based on his own heritage and on the Native information he has amassed over the years, all his projects have been original, period. Somehow, that did not prevent more than just a couple from being bought and performed.
And what the writer of the article alluded to was his attendance of film school, with nothing mentioned about what films he either made or did not make.
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
Whiteman wrote, "Years of working in the industry making me jaded, embittered?" which says he has years of experience. He also talked about his work in film school, which is experience even if it isn't professional experience.
If you're talking about creating a film and seeing it through to completion, that's different from "filmmaking experience of any kind." Try to be more precise with your comments.
Writerfella here --
Yes, but in what capacity? writerfella worked in television and motion pictures as a writer for the better part of 16 years, and from thence is where his statements derive. Working as a technician or a makeup artist or even a dolly technician may grant one experience but how valuable is that? Explore and find out if the person is a member of SAG or the WGAw. Bet ya find out he is neither...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
Keep reading Whiteman's articles and maybe you'll find out about his experience.
Incidentally, I have no filmmaking experience, but I can take apart a script and put it together again better than most of the people in the industry. Really, filmmakers should be begging me for my notes on their projects. ;-)
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