Making Black Cloud

Hollywood Film Distribution for Natives.  It Could Happen

By Roscoe Pond2002. Child star Rick Schroder had written a screenplay called "Black Cloud." A co-worker of mine got a hold of it. Schroder reportedly wanted natives to read it and respond. I read as far as page thirty and could not continue. It was stereotypical and overly cliché. I wrote a small note to Schroder that I don't think he ever received.

Preview "Black Cloud" videos were submitted to Indian Centers in the southwest and in Southern California. That's how I saw the film. Schroder had received a reported $1 million dollars from several Casino tribes to produce the film. "Black Cloud" premiered in Arizona to a lot of fanfare and the film sold primarily on the name of Schroder as its' director. He won numerous film festival awards, but "Black Cloud" was critically panned and was a financial disaster. It never got a wide release in theaters and went straight to DVD.Comment:  Black Cloud had a lot of problems, but it was mildly entertaining. Rob's rating: 7.0 of 10.

For more on the subject, see My Take on Black Cloud and The Best Indian Movies.