the evolution of the western genre resulting from social changes in ...
the evolution of the western genre resulting from social changes in ... the evolution of the western genre resulting from social changes in ...
peacefully with nature. He constantly shuttles back and forth between the whiteand Indian worlds. Crabb apparently was adopted by Native Americans, adoptedby Christian fanatics, was the fastest gun in the west, an honest businessman, anot so-honest businessman, a drunken slob, filthy rich. In the process, hebefriends everyone from Wild Bill Hickock to George Armstrong Custer and is agunslinger, a snake-oil salesman and an Army scout. Jack gets married to aSwedish woman but the Indians capture her. While searching for his wife Jackgets back to his Cheyenne family who treat him as a tribe member. Jack preferslife as a ‘Human Being.’ Each switch between the white and Indian realitydeepen his isolation.The movie has elements of both comedy and tragedy and exposes the lies ofU.S. history via a tall tale. As some reviewers claim Little Big Man is very mucha bulletin of its time (Ventura 2003) The film was released during the VietnamWar when the country was declining from Eisenhowerian optimism to Nixoniancynicism. The US expansionist policy in Indochina is analogous to the Americansettlement westwards. The cowboys fighting Indians symbolize Americansoldiers and the Viet Cong. However, it is no longer clear who represents thegood guys. Penn used the genre as an area of protest against the U.S. expansionof the Old West.Native Americans from the movie are no longer wild creatures butrepresentatives of a noble race of peaceful and civilized people who are beingsystematically exterminated by the representatives of the US government(Gobiowski 2004:415). The film’s lack of respect for historical characters ispresented with the embodiment of General Custer. Noteworthy for portrayingNative Americans as the good guys and General Custer as the bad guy, Little BigMan is a reversal of earlier Hollywood standards. The parallels to U.S. Indochinapolicy are barely hidden. The most effective scene in Little Big Man is theWashita River Massacre, in which Custer's Cavalry kills an entire village,including women and children. This cruel scene evokes the American intensivephase of the Vietnam War – specifically the My Lai Massacre. Paralleling theVietnam tragedy, the film demythologized the past and revealed acts of crueltyperformed on ethnic Indians by US forces. It is an allegory about the bloodyresults of American imperialism.Through attacks on the logics of the world of westerns and Wild Westmythology Penn contributed to the development of anti-western genre(Kolasiska-Pasterczyk 2007:188). The director focuses on the social andpsychological alienation of individuals or groups different from the majority –the so called the ‘others’. Penn always portrays the minority group – the ‘others’in a positive way. They have to stand against the society that can solve itsproblems only through the means of force and violence. The unprovokedmassacres of Indian villages, the cruelty and lack of any moral code or values ofwhite soldiers, and the hopelessness and despair of Indians are the themes of the64
movie. The main issue is the clash of cultures. The whites seem to be obsessedwith their version of civilization and want to impose it upon everyone, even ifthat means destroying the unique Native American culture. However, the ‘whiteworld’ seems to lose when compared with the ‘red world.’ Penn destroys themyths of legendary heroes of the Wild West. America is presented as a country ina state of value crisis.The Decline of Westerns in the 1990s: Dances with Wolves (1990)Dances with Wolves (1990) works on many levels. It is an adventure, atouching romance, and a stirring drama. The film is Kevin Costner's directorialdebut, noted as one of the few westerns that cast Indians in acting roles, usedLakota Sioux subtitles, and viewed Native Americans in a sympathetic way andnot as blood-thirsty savages. The film describes the relationship between a CivilWar soldier and a band of Sioux Indians. It opens as Union lieutenant John W.Dunbar attempts to kill himself on a suicide mission, but instead becomes anunintentional hero. His actions lead to his reassignment to a remote post in SouthDakota. The fort turns out to be deserted with broken down shacks in a barevalley. He stays there alone for months and his only companions are a friendlywolf that he names Two Socks and his faithful horse Cisco. Gradually, over time,he becomes comfortable with his peaceful surroundings. When the Sioux come,they are unfriendly and treat him with suspicion, even hostility. Dunbar behavesas he does towards the wolf, encouraging, gentle and patient. At first, there ismutual distrust, but, as Dunbar and the Sioux interact and begin to communicate(each learning a few words of the other's language), they form a bond. Withevery passing day, Dunbar finds himself more and more infatuated with theSioux way of life.Dances with Wolves contains several well-executed battle scenes but themost breathtaking sequence is the buffalo hunt. It is a high adrenaline sequencethat marks the moment when Dunbar finally rejects his old culture to embracehis new way of life. Attracted by the natural simplicity of the Sioux lifestyle, hechooses to leave his former life behind to join them, taking on the name Danceswith Wolves. What happens, through a series of incidents, is that Dunbarbecomes accepted by the Indians and slowly integrates into their lives. This is anatural evolution, based on mutual respect. Even his love of Stands With A Fist(Mary McDonnell), a white woman captured by the tribe as a child, already awidow, takes time to grow. His peaceful existence is threatened, however, whenUnion soldiers arrive on the Sioux land.Dances with Wolves reverses the traditional roles of cowboys and Indians(Berardnelli). Costner portrays the Sioux tribe in a positive way, contrary to theirenemies, the Pawnee. The movie changes some conventions of the genre. Areas65
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peacefully with nature. He constantly shuttles back and forth between <strong>the</strong> whiteand Indian worlds. Crabb apparently was adopted by Native Americans, adoptedby Christian fanatics, was <strong>the</strong> fastest gun <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> west, an honest bus<strong>in</strong>essman, anot so-honest bus<strong>in</strong>essman, a drunken slob, filthy rich. In <strong>the</strong> process, hebefriends everyone <strong>from</strong> Wild Bill Hickock to George Armstrong Custer and is agunsl<strong>in</strong>ger, a snake-oil salesman and an Army scout. Jack gets married to aSwedish woman but <strong>the</strong> Indians capture her. While search<strong>in</strong>g for his wife Jackgets back to his Cheyenne family who treat him as a tribe member. Jack preferslife as a ‘Human Be<strong>in</strong>g.’ Each switch between <strong>the</strong> white and Indian realitydeepen his isolation.The movie has elements <strong>of</strong> both comedy and tragedy and exposes <strong>the</strong> lies <strong>of</strong>U.S. history via a tall tale. As some reviewers claim Little Big Man is very mucha bullet<strong>in</strong> <strong>of</strong> its time (Ventura 2003) The film was released dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> VietnamWar when <strong>the</strong> country was decl<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>from</strong> Eisenhowerian optimism to Nixoniancynicism. The US expansionist policy <strong>in</strong> Indoch<strong>in</strong>a is analogous to <strong>the</strong> Americansettlement westwards. The cowboys fight<strong>in</strong>g Indians symbolize Americansoldiers and <strong>the</strong> Viet Cong. However, it is no longer clear who represents <strong>the</strong>good guys. Penn used <strong>the</strong> <strong>genre</strong> as an area <strong>of</strong> protest aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> U.S. expansion<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Old West.Native Americans <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> movie are no longer wild creatures butrepresentatives <strong>of</strong> a noble race <strong>of</strong> peaceful and civilized people who are be<strong>in</strong>gsystematically exterm<strong>in</strong>ated by <strong>the</strong> representatives <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> US government(Gobiowski 2004:415). The film’s lack <strong>of</strong> respect for historical characters ispresented with <strong>the</strong> embodiment <strong>of</strong> General Custer. Noteworthy for portray<strong>in</strong>gNative Americans as <strong>the</strong> good guys and General Custer as <strong>the</strong> bad guy, Little BigMan is a reversal <strong>of</strong> earlier Hollywood standards. The parallels to U.S. Indoch<strong>in</strong>apolicy are barely hidden. The most effective scene <strong>in</strong> Little Big Man is <strong>the</strong>Washita River Massacre, <strong>in</strong> which Custer's Cavalry kills an entire village,<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g women and children. This cruel scene evokes <strong>the</strong> American <strong>in</strong>tensivephase <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Vietnam War – specifically <strong>the</strong> My Lai Massacre. Parallel<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>Vietnam tragedy, <strong>the</strong> film demythologized <strong>the</strong> past and revealed acts <strong>of</strong> crueltyperformed on ethnic Indians by US forces. It is an allegory about <strong>the</strong> bloodyresults <strong>of</strong> American imperialism.Through attacks on <strong>the</strong> logics <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world <strong>of</strong> <strong>western</strong>s and Wild Westmythology Penn contributed to <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> anti-<strong>western</strong> <strong>genre</strong>(Kolasiska-Pasterczyk 2007:188). The director focuses on <strong>the</strong> <strong>social</strong> andpsychological alienation <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>dividuals or groups different <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> majority –<strong>the</strong> so called <strong>the</strong> ‘o<strong>the</strong>rs’. Penn always portrays <strong>the</strong> m<strong>in</strong>ority group – <strong>the</strong> ‘o<strong>the</strong>rs’<strong>in</strong> a positive way. They have to stand aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> society that can solve itsproblems only through <strong>the</strong> means <strong>of</strong> force and violence. The unprovokedmassacres <strong>of</strong> Indian villages, <strong>the</strong> cruelty and lack <strong>of</strong> any moral code or values <strong>of</strong>white soldiers, and <strong>the</strong> hopelessness and despair <strong>of</strong> Indians are <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>mes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>64
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