Pocahontas - Favorable review!

[Merry Kahn <mkahn@PO-1.AEA9.K12.IA.US>]

I must agree with the few who have questioned the condemnation of Disney's
Pocahontas.  My family and I saw the movie on opening day, although we had
purchased the soundtrack ahead of time.  The song entitled "Savages" did
raise a question in my mind, but upon seeing the movie I realized how
appropriate the lyrics are. There is a very pointed irony in the fact that
both the British and the American Indians are singing the very same lyrics
about each other.  However, there is absolutely no doubt as to who deserves
the audience's sympathy.  The American Indians are portrayed as people who
are deeply respectful of the land, and are in harmony with nature. The
British are boors who only want to exploit the new world.  I went to the
movie without having heard all of the debate and was moved to tears by
Disney's beautiful portrayal of the American Indian.  White man was
definitely the villain in the movie.  Disney's Pocahontas was beautiful,
but hasn't Hollywood been doing this forever??  Look, this is a ficticious
story based upon the lives of people who actually existed. That's as far as
the historical "accuracy" of this film goes. The Disney team said so in a
TV special. Even the legend of how Pocahontas "saved" John Smith is open to
numerous interpretations.  It's not the story that's important, but the
ideas that are expressed.  This is Disney's most powerful statement about
mankind's abuse of nature since Bambi.  The American Indian's philosophy of
life is beautifully drawn in spectacle and song.  It's impossible to leave
the theatre without getting that message loud and clear, and that's the
attraction of this movie.  The story is fluff.  The critics have said so
and Disney admits it.  All in all, I must say that I feel Disney's
Pocahontas does much more good than it does harm.  See the movie for
yourself and try looking for the good instead of the bad.  You won't have
to look far.

Merry Kahn
Library Media Specialist
Maquoketa Middle School
Maquoketa, Iowa
mkahn@po-1.aea9.k12.ia.us