Reel Injin vs. Doctor Lawyer Indian Chief
Coastlands of films have somehow, directly or indirectly, touched on the subject of native issues. The Reel Injury and Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief are Just a couple of examples. After comparing the two films, I believe that the Reel Injury is the better- suited movie to be studied by my grade 9 class. This is true since the film is more interesting to the age group, the timeline is broader, and it addresses native issues in greater detail. The film, the Reel Injury is more interesting for a class of grade g’s than Doctor,
Lawyer, Indian Chief. The film Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief is much harder for the students to relate to. Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief was made in 1986 and while the Reel Injury was made recently, in 2009. When students are viewing this film it could be distracting and feel dated since the film was made over 25 years ago. Since 1986, there have been drastic improvements in the way films are being shot and the picture quality. Everything that the grade 9 class has been viewing in modern media has been in the same format as the Reel Injury and has also contains the same fashions and appearances.
Since the Reel Injury was filmed within the last 5 years, students can connect more with the language, art form and media quality. The Reel Injury contains more action, which students will find more interesting. The Reel Injury contains movie clips from over the past century whereas Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief is strictly interviews. As a result of the Reel Injury incorporating movie clips, it adds extra action. The higher level of action will keep the students intrigued and they will pay more attention to the information. The format for Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief is ere dull as it only contains non-fiction clips taken by the Director.
The timeline in which the Reel Injury contains is superior to Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief. The Reel Injury shows the progression over time. “Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond takes an entertaining and insightful look at the Hollywood Indian, exploring the portrayal of North American Natives through a century of cinema. ” (Aquatint). The Reel Injury in traveling through a century of cinema whereas Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief is only focusing on the year of 1986. This is less effective in showing the regression of how things are improving.
As a result of the improvements being noted, students will be more inspired, and can have hope towards solving the issues completely one day. Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief only focuses on the year in which the film was made. A quote from the description of the film states that “Each of these women talks about how she got to where she is today… ” (Geodes). However where she is “today’ was in the year of 1986, when the documentary was produced. As a result of the film being produced so long ago the stories are now irrelevant as the runner state of native women in the workplace has drastically changed.
When the film the Reel Injury displays the information with a timeline, starting a century ago, it is event how far we have come and also how far we need to go. This provides an idea of hope, but also shows that there is still a problem for natives today. The Reel Injury deals with native issues to a greater extent than the film Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief. Doctor. Lawyer, Indian Chief focuses only on the positive side of things. Comparatively, the Reel Injury exposes what is wrong with the way native people are portrayed. A tribute to Native women everywhere, this short documentary focuses on 5 Native women from across Canada… They have achieved success in a variety of careers… ” (Geodes) is a quote from the National Film Board when describing the film. The film is not a documentary to expose native issues but a tribute to native women who have successful careers. This is not effective for a class of grade 9 students, as they will not think there are any issues. Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief will not inspire anyone to make a change towards the native obstacles we are errantly facing.
Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief takes a more positive approach as it only talks about successes with native women in the work place. The Reel Injury however exposes problems within the film industry. This will inspire people to look into more issues relating to natives. When the students start thinking about their own stereotypes towards natives that are exhibited in the movie, they will become more aware of what is wrong with societies view. This will inspire the students to further their own research on native issues. From this it could grow to help change al of the obstacles natives are facing today.
Showing a movie, which incorporates the stereotypes natives are dealing with, can make students change their own views on natives. “Traveling through the heartland of America, and into the Canadian North, Diamond looks at how the myth of “the Injury” has influenced the world’s understanding – and misunderstanding – of Natives. ” (Bantering). This is a direct quote from the National Film Board website and outlines what the movie addresses. While this “myth” is being exposed in the movie, it could change the views of the dents in the class.
The ultimate goal of the moviegoers was to try an expose the myth of the Injury directly within the film industry but also within all of society. I believe the film met this goal and therefore would help in changing the stereotypes of natives that the students believe. In conclusion, the Reel Injury is the better-suited movie, in comparison to the Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief, to be studied by my grade 9 class. The Reel Injury is more interesting to the age group, it has a superior timeline, and it addresses native issues ore effectively.
