Movies about Native Americans

Red, wasn't that a Smothers Brothers song? If not, they had one pretty close to it.

Tommy, the people call themselves "Lakota". The Dakotas (North and South) is where many live. As for stealing horses, It was viewed it as a legitimate act of war. War for many North American tribes was the 'great sport'. Raids were carried out to take slaves, women, and horses. The only way a man could earn the livelihood to purchase a bride was to prove himself on raids and other forms of warfare. You might benefit from Pekka Hamalainen's "The Comanche Empire" published by Yale University Press.   


Edited by lirelou - 27-Oct-2009 at 09:35

WE have it seems about run out of pertinent things to say concerning the origin of this series of posts! But, that cannot diminish my posts that supported an entire series of movies which did not diminish the role of the American Indian, but were made to elevate them to a higher plane of existance!

Of course, both sides were wrong!

Originally posted by lirelou Early in this thread, the originator was challenged to come up with specific examples of such movies. Needless to say, no really concrete examples were offered. Mel Gibson took some hits for Apocalypto, but even that can be historically defended. It boiled down to a sophomoric exercise in splitting the hairs of misconceptions. Any less than a "noble savage" who was ecologically sound and mysteriously in tune with the spiritual winds of the universe was apparently unwelcome.

And, as a viewer of literally hundreds of movies concerning "Native Americans" since the 1930's, (and considering I am age 63) I can state, with the utmost belief that for the most part (being oblivious to a number of grade b or c movies that I missed) made the Native American into something resembling a "hero!", VS the "Evil White Man!"

If you think you know your movies,then let me know just what movies you use as examples?

I am sorry, but I was not speaking against you! I was, in maybe a weird way, agreeing with you!

Maybe I need to be more specific when I respond?

Carch, the movie is called 'The Searchers', and you obviously missed the point of the movie, where a man's prejudice and hatred end up making him no better than his enemies. How about John Wayne in 'Stagecoach', or 'Hondo'? How are the Indians portrayed in those movies?

ps, the Comanches actually were a pretty savage bunch, though the mother of Quanah Parker came to view them differently.

Well, Carch, the Comanche certainly didn't do anything that yojur Viking ancestors didn't do, and for pretty much the same reasons. Because they could. We went through all thar stereotype rubbish before. The only thing you proved was that your knowledge of movies was locked in stereotypes. (As if 'Dances with Wolves' wasn't itselfr a stereotype, albeit a more politically correct one.)