Sunday, February 28, 2010

Dance Me Outside - Bruce McDonald


Bruce McDonald has recently made some good films... HOWEVER!!! this film was awful! The movie was boring, and not my cup of tea. McDonald what happened? I guess he was new then so I can forgive him, but honestly.... BRUTAL!
Yes the movie was a good portrayal of Native culture and how they defend their own, but in another way it makes them looks like thugs in a negative way. They want to get back at the white boy who killed one of their own and who only received a 2 year sentence, but they try to kill him with knifes in a bar. Very thug-like. They work in a pack with promotes community but also represents a gang.
And what about the Aboriginal girl with the white fiance? She agrees to her mothers wish and leaves her fiance for a night to have sex and produce a child with another Aboriginal person. That's so inappropriate!! Again it promotes their tight community, but if she is engaged to this white person, then she should be in love and not want to have sex with another man, no matter the race, and no matter the circumstance.
There is clearly a tossup. The film could be seen in a positive and negative way. The group of Aboriginal men defending their community could be seen as heroic or thugs, depending on the culture that views the film. And the Aboriginal girl's choice could be seen as disgusting or loyal to her people. The film's meaning can be manipulated depending on the culture watching.
I wonder if that was McDonald's purpose? I wonder if he planned to have different meanings? If he did, I might enjoy the movie better because its not just a boring film, it has more depth. I enjoy films that make me think and looking at the film from 2 different cultural perspectives the film offers a critical perspective.

McDonald... I forgive you

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