The Incidents of Oglala
Robert Redford is a narrator and executive producer. He has taken part in the narration and the executive production of the movie Oglala. Robert gives the movie a stinging documentary about racism as well as other injustices that people are faced with. He ensures that issues of racism and other injustices are best shot into getting noticed. In addition, Robert together with his entire team makes no claim for Peltier’s responsibility or innocence.
The main concern is whether Peltier received a fair trial or not. Furthermore, the evidence that have been amassed are amazingly damning. Despite the fact that Peltier together with several other United States Attorneys were interviewed, the FBI refused to be part of the interview. It is important to note that the movie brings a clear picture of the level of poverty and lack of peace that is experienced at Pine Ridge. In addition, it shows the tension existing between the government and the Oglala nation.
This tension is believed to have stemmed back to the Indian occupation of the Wounded Knee in the year 1973. The main question that raises the attention of most movie viewers is whether there is a government conspiracy against the American Indian Movement with Peltier being posed as a sacrificial lamp. In the very summer of 1975, the two FBI agents were sent to investigate the theft of a pair of cowboy boots in South Dakota where the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation was located. What seemed to be the usual happening turned to be an act of violence. The two FBI agents were killed after a gun fight with a group of local American activists.
Leonard Peltier is among the three activists taken to be responsible for the murder. He has remained to be in prison, a sign that justice has not taken its right cours. The Good and the Bad in the Movie OglalaThe director and producer of the movie do not show a lot of interest in the determination of the real responsibility following the deaths of the FBI agents but instead are interested in showing Peltier as being railroaded. This makes this film one that is not meant to be followed keenly or for those who strongly believe in blindly following the decisions of the government. The points of view of this movie are supported by healthy skeptics as well, as current disturbing facts.
The movie starts with an incident of crime giving it its first bad side. According to Apted and Redford, the crime may have been avoided. However, this does not defend any individual for his or her mistakes. Violence and murder should not be defended, but the responsible people should take responsibility for their mistakes. There is no ground for arguments that the FBI agents would have been saved should they have been keen to observe the conditions at the reservation. From the documentary, it is evident that the Latoka Sioux residing there were in a violent civil war between the traditional Indian leaders and those that were supporting the government officials controlling the Pine Ridge.
This is an element of strife that brings division and separation between people living in the same community. In addition, this stance leads to practices of injustice since people will tend to defend their own interests. In addition, the place was considered as awaiting tragedy. This is another bad thing in regard to the movie. This place had the highest murder rate per capita. This signifies that it was a society that never valued humanity.
In addition, injustice was common and human dignity was never appreciated as it should be. Furthermore, the system of justice in the place tries to employ a lot of scapegoats and revenge. The time when Peltier and his other two colleagues to be tried is being depicted. However, the good side of the movie is showed in the context of the movie when the incident at ‘Oglala’ condemns the manner in which Peltier is convicted by a system that based its search and practices on scapegoats and revenge. Just as the case is in many other movies and documentaries, Oglala has its fair share of talking heads that mage it a good one.
The talking heads help to describe the roles of each character in the movie. This move makes the movie more illuminative than numb as the case in some movies. In addition, this move also makes the movie lively, and its pace becomes more captivating. This ensures that the audience is satisfied, and experience reduced dramatic re-creations of the trial. Out of these films, there is a broader and a far reaching understanding of their contexts.
The ‘Incident at Oglala’ ensures that it meets and achieves all the set target goals that it was meant for. This is a good thing in the movie since it brings clear its purpose. This is not only done on behalf of Mr. Peltier but also in that for his people.In conclusion, the documentary is a major achievement.
This owes to the fact that it considers all the obstacles in the movie. For instance, it focuses on incendiary subject, mistrust by the Indian leaders as well as the suspicious FBI. Such achievements help in ensuring that the movie gets its good side with total competence. Furthermore, the movie brings its good side when it shows the six months of negotiations trying to get an interview with the imprisoned Peltier.
