Director: Frank Oz
Screenplay: Melissa Mathison
Release Date: July 14,1995
On Omri ninth birthday he receives an old cupboard from his brother Gillon and a little Indian figure made of plastic from his best friend Patrick. That night, Omri goes through his mom's box of old keys and finds that a gold colored key with a red ribbon tied round it actually fits the keyhole of his cupboard. He puts his Indian figurine in the cupboard when he reopened it the Indian was alive(Wikipedia 1995)
I think when children watch this film they would be fascinated by the fact whatever Omri puts in the magically cupboard its going to come alive. My kids loved the movie they both thought is was super cool that the boy and Little Bear became close friends and helped each other out.
I found a blog by "where native Americans meet pop culture" Rob who created this blog said he doesn't understand why the movie would have Little Bear in a way the believe Indians would speak "I help. I go. Big hole I go through. want fire. They stereotyped this movie and when does Indians speak like this? (Newspaperrock.com). I agree with this guy this movie does stereotype American Indians but the clothes and the things little bear needs to live, a fire, horse, tipi and his clothes, but I also think children relate to this movie by the way they are taught how Indians lived and dressed by than.
The Indian in the Cupboard and its sequels are much- loved books, But for Indian people, these are some of the worst perpetrators of the most base stereotypes. The miniature toy Indian (Indians portrayed as objects or things) is described as an Iroquois warrior, but is dressed as a movie western version of a generic plains Indian "chief", complete with eagle feather headdress. The warrior is described in the most stereotypical terms and speaks in subhuman grunts and partial sentences. He is manipulated by a more powerful white child(Nativeculturelinks.com)
There was a 5 books series written about Indian in the cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks started in 1985-1995 than the movies started coming out in 1995. Even through this movie failed in the theaters the author continue to turn her books into movies.I enjoyed this movie as well as my children in fact they read the books. I do see this through both sides. This is a movie that was made to bring attention to children that would play pretend in hoping there own toys came to life I know I hoped that my Barbie's would talk and walk themselves. Even through there are stereotypes in this movie I don't believe the author had any intention to make it look this she was racist.
References
Wikipedia 1995
Newspaperrock.com
Nativeculturelinks.com
