Re: TNT's Crazy Horse, Geromimo & Tecumseh ... especially, Geronimo

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Posted by Rich on October 28, 1998 at 16:57:01:

Apparently, while fiddling with the Board on Sunday, we messed something up. Seems if you post a response to any message prior to Sunday, it does not appear to show up, unless you look at the followups to the original message. So, I posted the following message three times way down below, before I figured out what was happening. Oh well, here it is again ...

:Rebecca said: Although the GERONIMO movie might not be the one with Wes, it is still
worth
watching. I actually prefer it to the other version as it is more historically accurate. (Petra
agreed)

:Then I said: Geronimo, was the worst of the three, I felt, too mystical for my tastes, and
portrayed Geronimo in a very unlikeable, angry manner. It does cover his whole life, as
opposed to the Wes Studi version which shows only the reservation years. For an excellent
biography of this Apache man, read "Geronimo: The Man, His Time, His Place", by Angie
Debo. Personally, I liked the Studi version better.

Now, I add: Well, I guess I'm amusing myself by conversing with my previous post. What I
meant, kind of, about the mysticism in TNT's "Geronimo" ...

Anyone ever see "Shaka Zulu"? It runs 9 or 11 hours ... I forget, but it's LONG! It's the
story of the great, but ruthless, leader of the Zulu tribe, in Africa, back in the early 1800's.
He transformed the Zulus from a tiny, powerless tribe into THE power of the region. If
you're interested in historic culture clash, this one's for you. Extremely well done production.
Anyway, it is two stories running simultaneously. One is the story as told through the eyes
of a British explorer/ambassador/envoy. The other, actually the same story with a radically
different slant, is from the perspective of a woman "witch doctor". In this way, it reminds me
a bit of "Son Of The Morning Star" (the movie, not the book) ... which tells the tale of The
Battle of the Little Bighorn from the viewpoints of two women ... Libby Custer, the
General's wife, & Kate Bighead, a Cheyenne who witnessed the battle, as well as other
period history. Interesting stuff. By the way, I agree with whoever it was that said Rodney
Grant's portrayal of Crazy Horse was better than TNT's interpretation. Reminded me of our
own Uncas ... few lines, powerful characterization.

Am I off the track, or what?

Anyway, "Shaka Zulu" is a prime example of how the contrasting viewpoints - the written
historical record as opposed to the oral tradition - can deeply enhance the story being told.
On the other hand, I found the technique, as used in "Geronimo", to be contrived and
cliched. I haven't seen it in quite a while so maybe it's the memory failing, but I remember
feeling that way as I watched. Anybody home?

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