Trudell (2005)

Expected more

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

I'm blown away to see one of my top pictures given a rather low rating. Ever other movie I love and checked out on this board everyone seems to love as well. How could 47 people not love this movie? Maybe they are all former FBI counter-pro agents who knows. I get what he is talking about. Things he has to say are very important to our people's survival. He is a clear thoughtful great thinker. It's too bad for some that they are unable to see that but to each there own. This is a great American very under-appreciated in his time, a person of great personal and spiritual strength which is inspiring. You have to respect him and what he has given up for the native people. You have to respect him for what has been taken away from him for his beliefs. This is a excellent documentary of his life to date, I'm waiting for my copy to arrive in the mail soon. It will have a place of honor in my video/DVD collection.

John Trudell is a fascinating and troublesome man. His story is complex and unknown by most Americans. I've read two reviews saying the film "Trudell" is too worshipful of the man. The purpose of the film, however, is to illuminate the man and his message to America, which are both very powerful. The audience can critique what Trudell believes however they want. The film is revealing of the man, his sensibility, and his situation as both an insider and outsider of American culture. The film is also suggestive, in both forceful and poetic ways, as to our responsibilities as American citizens. It's also original in that it has a strong, unfiltered Indian sensibility. If there were more people like John Trudell in America -- and more films addressing the issues of what true freedom and democracy mean -- our country would be in much better shape. Do yourself a favor and see this man, see this film.

I've read about John Trudell for years, heard his poetry and political/spiritual philosophy, heard him speak in person, and am familiar with the abuse he suffered while working as a full-time activist. So I was very interested to see the film when it came within driving distance (two hours) of my home. I did learn some things about his personal life, from childhood on, and think the film pursues the personal and family life without prying or being voyeuristic. I also learned some details about his evolution as a speaker. I saw no attempt to candy-coat either his public image or the lasting damage that his personal tragedies have wrought. I was particularly interested by the different ways that journalists responded to him during interviews and that celebrities summarized their impressions after working with him. Overall, I came away with a deepened appreciation for his spirit, a strengthened critique of the culture we all find ourselves living in, and admiration for his uncompromising love of human beings and for his persistence. I would have been very interested to hear the commentary of mainstream political figures, in order to watch them publicly negotiate the presence of an eloquent, critical voice who is more often ignored or discounted as a radical or a nut just because it is difficult to hear some of what he says.This is an excellent documentary.

I saw this film at the East Lansing Film Festival in the Spring of 2005, where Mr. Trudell spoke at Michigan State University. Mr. Trudell is a very engaging person, and whether or not you agree with his ideas or beliefs, it is quite interesting to listen to him speak. He is very frank about the fact that what he is saying is how he feels, and that it may not be the way you feel.The situation and treatment of Natives in the US can be a very polarizing issue, and I feel that this film helps define one persons feelings about the plight of the Natives in the US. The film is informative without becoming overly melodramatic. It will definitely spark a conversation after viewing! I highly recommend seeing this film.