Rich Hall's Inventing the Indian (TV)

Rich Hall's Inventing the Indian – British title

A 2012 British production [Open Mike Productions (London)

Producer: John McCormack

Director: Chris Cottam

Story: Rich Hall

Screenplay: Rich Hall

Cinematography: Mark Regan [color]

Music:

Running time: 90 minutes

Cast:

Presenter – Rich Hall

Dallas Goldtooth, Chief Dave Bald Eagle, Ailema Benally, Milton Bianis, Lenny Foster, Charlie Hill, Leonard Little Finger, Kevin Rascher, Leon Skyhorse Thomas

Having previously done a BBC4 documentary on the westerns, Rich Hall this time looks at the misrepresentation of Native Americans down through the years, with particular focus on the role of Hollywood in the portrayal. On the face of it there isn't much to say since it is common knowledge that as a people they were slaughtered and abused by those colonizing America and then later in the media they were generally categorized as one-dimensional baddies played by tanned-up white actors who mostly fell off horses when the white hero shot them. Sure there have been some revisionist westerns in the last few decades but generally these have been more of a pill for the guilt of the mass audience rather than anything else. So with this general knowledge, it is a fair question to ask what Hall can bring to the table. The tone is jocular but not to the point where it trivializes the subject, just the point where it makes it fresh and entertaining.

Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lheXnx02JYE