Hollywood's Indian: Portrayal of Native Americans in Film - Hardcover

Scholars associated with the journal Film & History point out that Indians in films belong to some very different tribes than any flesh- and-blood Native American, and identify the many discrepancies between historical and cultural reality and portrayals on the screen. They urge Native Americans not to believe the misrepresentation of them, and urge filmmakers to consider the Native American art of storytelling as an approach to the real history of the west. Paper edition (unseen) $24.95. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

All too often Hollywood portrays Native Americans either as bloodthirsty savages, ever ready to scalp the innocent and pure, or as noble shamans, calmly sharing their accumulated wisdom with the white man. Rarely has the Indian's own view of himself or his culture been represented in films or other visual media.This collection of essays offers both in-depth analyses of specific films and overviews of Hollywood's depiction of Native Americans from the days of silent films to Disney's Pocahontas. Together, the writers explore the many ways in which the differing portrayals -- negative, sympathetic, or realistic -- have reflected larger changes in American society and their impact on our collective cultural life.