Imagic Moments: Indigenous North American Film LeeSchweninger. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2013.

Abstract

Imagic Moments: Indigenous North American Film Lee Schweninger. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2013.English professor Lee Schweninger is concerned with issues of indigenous self-representation and resistance in contemporary American film. Schweninger employs Barry Barclay's term, Fourth Cinema (4), to describe in which the camera is owned and controlled by the culture(s) depicted in the filmic narrative. Given the history of American and the ways in which have been represented, it is understandable that he believes fervently that Indian roles should be played by Indians (5). Schweninger focuses his study on fifteen films produced over the past half century, continuing to argue the importance of setting films in the current era and with as major characters, thereby undermining the previously dominant trope of the 'Vanishing Indian.'Schweninger accurately notes the historic significance of Smoke Signals (1998) due to its author screenwriter (Sherman Alexie), director (Chris Eyre), and major characters (Adam Beach, Evan Adams, Irene Bedard, Gary Farmer), as pivotal moment in the history of American (18). More problematic is his discussion of House Made of Dawn (1972). Although the 1968 Scott Momaday novel was a linchpin in what is now commonly called the Native American renaissance, the enjoyed only several screenings to small audiences. Momaday complained that the film has never been distributed (51), while scholars note that viewing a copy of the is virtually impossible unless one has access to one of only a few university video libraries. Given its limited distribution, it is difficult to ascribe to it the importance or influence that Schweninger implies.There are noteworthy and well-substantiated contentions throughout the text that will alter the parameters of studies, including the disturbing observation that generally, Hollywood has disallowed interracial relationships to survive the end of the (108). He then supports that contention by citing The Vanishing American (1925), Laughing Boy (1934), The Searchers (1956), A Man Called Horse (1970), and Little Big Man (1970).Schweninger provides a sensitive and compelling evaluation of Powwow Highway (1989, adapted from David Seals's 1979 novel), proudly noting that although it is directed by non-Native Jonathan Wacks, Wes Studi (Cherokee) plays Budd, and Gary Farmer (Cayuga) plays Philbert Bono. …